View Poll Results: Are you of the view that Doniger's Novel should have been banned?

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Thread: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

  1. #21
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    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Its ironic people get so upset about the "Aryan Invasion Theory" when it actually comes from the Vedas themselves. Then people call those who accept it 'racist' and accuse them of trying to claim Vedic heritage belongs to someone else, then they go around and do the exact thing they are claiming: They will say India is the font of all civilization, culture, knowledge and Indo-European languages all came from India (which is simply balderdash) to make themselves feel superior.

  2. #22
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    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    And no one can accuse me of being 'racist' for accepting the AIT because I am both white and Indian, I have ancestry in almost EVERY Indo-European ethnic group from Iceland to India...

  3. #23

    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    In the few days after the withdrawal it created a big row on twitter and sold more copies than in all the years before.
    Don't worry, Amazon Book Ratings still has the final say:

    A 2.4 out of 5 rating is nothing to be too worried about. A lot of the negative reviews were posted by Westerners themselves.
    Last edited by Sudas Paijavana; 15 February 2014 at 11:03 AM.

  4. #24

    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Namaste:

    If anyone is interested in two books that deal with such subjects, check out the following:

    1. "Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America" [Hardcover] by Antonio de Nicolas (Author, Editor), & Krishnan Ramaswamy (Author, Editor)
    2. "Aryan Idols: Indo-European Mythology as Ideology and Science" [Hardcover] by Stefan Arvidsson

  5. #25
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    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Of all the jubilant voices celebrating Wendy's book being recycled back to pulp, how many have actually taken the pain to read it and form an independent opinion (if that is actually possible)? Let me take a guess - Zero? No one?
    Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent Of everything you think, And of everything you do, Is for yourself And there isn't one

  6. #26

    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Quote Originally Posted by Araloka View Post
    Its ironic people get so upset about the "Aryan Invasion Theory" when it actually comes from the Vedas themselves. Then people call those who accept it 'racist' and accuse them of trying to claim Vedic heritage belongs to someone else, then they go around and do the exact thing they are claiming: They will say India is the font of all civilization, culture, knowledge and Indo-European languages all came from India (which is simply balderdash) to make themselves feel superior.
    Random!

    Quote Originally Posted by Araloka View Post
    And no one can accuse me of being 'racist' for accepting the AIT because I am both white and Indian, I have ancestry in almost EVERY Indo-European ethnic group from Iceland to India...
    Talk about more random!

    Quote Originally Posted by Twilightdance View Post
    Of all the jubilant voices celebrating Wendy's book being recycled back to pulp, how many have actually taken the pain to read it and form an independent opinion (if that is actually possible)? Let me take a guess - Zero? No one?
    It's an okay book. It's definitely not as good as her Implied Spider, which was much shorter and more pronounced. As far as I know, Jaskaran and I are probably the only ones on here that have read The Hindus.

    Instead, I would recommend --

    "Hinduism: Past and Present" by Axel Michaels, "Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction" by Sue Hamilton, "Aryans and British India" by Thomas R. Trautmann, "India: Brief History of a Civilization" by Thomas R. Trautmann, "Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America" by Antonio de Nicolas and Krishnan Ramaswamy, and "Aryan Idols: Indo-European Mythology as Ideology and Science" by Stefan Arvidsson.

  7. #27

    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Quote Originally Posted by Avyaydya View Post

    I personally find the whole action shameful and out of character for what Hindu traditions have stood for. But then maybe I am guilty of idealizing too.
    Namaste Avyaydya,

    I understand your feelings but I'd like to share mine with you. This is a substantial milestone. The fact that enough Hindus were able to come together and produce this change is huge. It's not about being nationalistic or becoming spokespersons for organized religion, it's about expecting truth and accuracy with regards to a book written about your religion.

    This is one area where we can and should learn from advocacy groups of other religions, they demand equal respect and truth. That's not asking too much. Here in America, most people know so little truths about Hinduism. Their knowledge is pretty much summed up to caste, sacred cows, elephant and monkey gods, and red dots. Books are written from a Christian and/or Western perspective and often aid the readers in believing they are right about us- idol worshipping, backwards, and unenlightened. Even the books that do not mean to, inadvertently do so because the authors themselves only know half truths. Doniger's book is no different.

    People will say malicious or disparaging things about Hindus or Hinduism but would never dare say the same about the Jewish or Islamic faiths. Why? Because they know that there would a backlash, that they would be called out on their ignorance. They don't worry about Hindus calling them out.

    Even the publishing of this book, the publishing house would be more apprehensive and cautious to ensure historical accuracy about a book about Jews or Muslims because they have learned to give them respect and know the people of those faiths will not be silent.

    Having respect and tolerance for other faiths does not mean we should not also expect the same. I know historically, Hindus take a more laid back, live and let live attitude, but turning the cheek in this world where so much information and misinformation is available at our fingertips would be wrong. And if we stay silent, we are being irresponsible and simply helping others denigrate us.

    I wish we didn't have to and ideally it would be a given understanding that we are tolerant. But silence is not seen as tolerant it's seen as acknowledging and agreeing with what has been said or done.

    If your interested, here is a link to the petition that started this:
    http://www.scribd.com/doc/206354487/...hed-by-PENGUIN

    ~Shanti

  8. #28
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    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Quote Originally Posted by Sudas Paijavana View Post
    It's an okay book. It's definitely not as good as her Implied Spider, which was much shorter and more pronounced. As far as I know, Jaskaran and I are probably the only ones on here that have read The Hindus.

    Instead, I would recommend --

    "Hinduism: Past and Present" by Axel Michaels, "Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction" by Sue Hamilton, "Aryans and British India" by Thomas R. Trautmann, "India: Brief History of a Civilization" by Thomas R. Trautmann, "Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America" by Antonio de Nicolas and Krishnan Ramaswamy, and "Aryan Idols: Indo-European Mythology as Ideology and Science" by Stefan Arvidsson.
    Anything's better than Shiva: The Erotic Ascetic though. I've honestly never read a book so vile and nonsensical; that text should have been pulled out of publication instead. Here are some examples:

    Last edited by Jaskaran Singh; 17 February 2014 at 01:08 PM.
    படைபோர் புக்கு முழங்கும்அப் பாஞ்சசன்னியமும் பல்லாண்டே
    May your pA~nchajanya shankha which reverberates on the battlefield, last thousands upon thousands of years...
    http://archives.mirroroftomorrow.org...anchajanya.jpg

  9. #29
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    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    I added a poll, I wrote the responses in Old Norse just to be funny (já means yes, nei means no, and ekki að alveg sama means I don't care). I realize that I have a strange sense of humor...
    படைபோர் புக்கு முழங்கும்அப் பாஞ்சசன்னியமும் பல்லாண்டே
    May your pA~nchajanya shankha which reverberates on the battlefield, last thousands upon thousands of years...
    http://archives.mirroroftomorrow.org...anchajanya.jpg

  10. #30
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    Re: Timeline from Wendy Doniger's "The Hindus"

    Namaste Shanti,

    Thank you for the well thought out and comprehensive post. Most Hindus can't seem to understand the difference between being tolerant/humble and being doormats for everyone to trample on. It is sad, sad, sad! Specially for us living in the West who have to hear all kinds of disparaging remarks, first because there is so much ignorance about Hinduism, and second because everyone knows that there will be no consequences - no calling out, no action taken to rectify the mistakes or a boycott of a news/publishing media. Any steps taken to reverse that is a huge deal for us, for our children and for the future generations of Hindus, here and in their homeland.

    Quote Originally Posted by Twilightdance View Post
    ....read it and form an independent opinion (if that is actually possible)?
    There is lot of self doubt there.
    I thought the Bangloreans were very educated and smart people. The above statement seems to describe us all as imbeciles.

    Pranam.

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