EDITORIAL
News, what is “news”?
Earlier this week one of Pakistan’s most respected musicians was shot and killed in a hail of bullets, by the Taliban, in Karachi. His name was Amjad Sabri. He was a Sufi. He played just the sort of music that Osho liked.
The Pakistani Taliban issued a statement saying he was killed because they considered his music blasphemous.
The songs Sabri developed and performed went back to the 13th Century. They are know as Qawwalis and steeped in mysticism. Some of these songs focus on the life of Mohammed. That is the stupid core objection of these extreme conservative Moslems, and also of course their objection to music itself.
Why on earth they feel they have a right to take life because of such an idiotic view is beyond me.
But sadly it has happened.
But who knows about it? I know because I keep my eye open for such things, but will it be reported in the press today – no, the English press will be full of brexit stuff which is low on the list of a mystic, it only deserves the advaitan and mystic’s neutrality.
The death of Sabri should colour our day, and give us a proper emptiness, to allow our full hearted bereavement for such a man and musician. And to be endlessly alert to the rise of such murderous intolerance.
Parmartha
(Editor SannyasNews)
Here is Abida Parveen, one of Pakistan`s best known contemporary Sufi qauwalli singers:
I have a couple of her cds, and sometimes she just blows me away.
Baba bulla shah:
https://youtu.be/beP-c-W7Ue8
Thanks.
The lyrics dubbed in English were more interesting than the music to me…
If those Sufis are singing about knocking down mosques, etc. as they seem to be, they are brave, but maybe also foolhardy.
Opposing forces such as the Taliban need very careful thought. Humour is sometimes better, as those who are attacked don’t even realise they are being attacked…
This is a man who did not deserve to die at age 45, in a hail of bullets, just going to work in his car.
This is amazing, Shants. Listening now.
Thanks, SS. What a woman! She’s got my admiration. Cheers!
Thanks for the discovery. She is really amazing.
Just felt to share this video which I came across while watching the links SS shared:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuGXhoa-llw
Thank you, Kavita, for this vid you shared.
Felt attracted to watch the whole contribution; do you know if that’s available on youtube?
For me at least, this presentation felt more easy to join than the other ones….
Madhu
Yes, Madhu, me too. Actually, I searched for full video of this documentary but my search engine could not find until now. If I do find, I shall share on SN.
Maybe some SN-er could also share if they do find the full documentary?:)
Madhu, found this though:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1458900925/qawwali-music-of-the-mystics/posts/1592218
Al Jazeera coverage:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/pakistan-mourns-assassinated-sufi-singer-amjad-sabri-160623074052178.html
“If those Sufis are singing about knocking down mosques, etc. as they seem to be, they are brave, but maybe also foolhardy.”
But the Qawali tradition and Sufi poetry and mysticism is centuries old in Pakistan, and well respected. There are many shrines dedicated to Sufi mystics and saints.
Abida Parveen regularly performs in Lahore and Karachi, and her concerts are attended by thousands, whereas the `Pakistani Taliban`is a relatively new phenomenon.
Occasionally, atrocities happen, but it is not the same as in Afghanistan, especially when Afghan Taliban had full control of country and routinely persecuted the Sufis, banned music and destroyed anything that they didn’t like, such as the ‘Buddhas of Bamiyan’, the ancient Buddha statues that were carved into the mountains.
SS, thanks for the post:
“Since March 2005, 209 people have been killed and 560 injured in 29 different terrorist attacks targeting shrines devoted to Sufi saints in Pakistan, according to data compiled by the Centre for Islamic Research, Collaboration and Learning.” (Wikipedia).
Sounds more than a small thing to me.
Sufism at its best is actually pretty revolutionary. But I suspect that many involved in Pakistan don’t really understand the mystical revolutionary side. A strange connection between a sort of folk traditional thing and revolutionary mysticism.
Their love of music and song is of absolute importance to me. I am not a musician, I was not born with that gene, but have a great critical appreciation of all types of music and was born with that one!
Yes, I know there have been many disgusting attacks by these people. Including suicide bombers targeting Christians and walking into Shia mosques and blowing themselves up.
But if they killed Abida Parveen, they would become very unpopular in Pakistan, she is a bit of a national hero. Perhaps it could be compared to the death of princess Diana.
Recently, the Pakistani Taliban targeted a school and killed many children and teachers alike, and even Al-Queda (whose leaders are also believed to be based in Pakistan) got involved and condemned the attack.
And another electrifying live performance:
https://youtu.be/rpfogedgsXw
I am astonished to see people posting their main comment utterly irrelevant to the spirit of the string. Same very people post Osho quotations too in a very irrelevant way.
Faceless Swami Shanti, what abida parveen´s link has to do with this string?
This string is a beautiful obituary written by Parmartha. Culturally and linguistically, Parmartha has nothing to do with late Amjad Sabri yet I am touched by the vastness of his heart.
The next morning after the news of Sabri´s brutal assassination, I have written one piece in Hindi on my facebook wall.
This I will translate, translate for Parmartha; because of this obituary, I feel closer to him. Thank you, brother, for giving space to the memory of Indian subcontinent´s most soothing and longingful voice.
Perhaps there is something in the lyrics of the poem that she sings that threatens you, Shantam?
I know that Satyadeva repeatedly tries to point out the same thing to you in thousands of different ways, and it’s pointless because you don’t want to agree, and it probably makes you more keen to keep on with your personal ‘mission’.
But…
“You tend to see Light in the Ka’ba /The Friend Himself lives in our body temple.”
Shantam,
You shit. Manipulative shit at that.
The only reason you ever speak courteously to anyone here is because you delude yourself this might be an opportunity to use them to further your self-serving agenda.
‘Taliban’ means disciples.
Ancient ones use guns, modern ones use lawyers. Foot soldiers of Taliban provide moral and logistics.
This is an unavoidable situation as long as few believe purpose of their living is to spread the words of late A, Late B…Late M, N, O.
Actually, `Taliban` is translated more literally as `students`.
But I am guessing you already know that.
” ‘Taliban’ means disciples.
Ancient ones use guns, modern ones use lawyers. Foot soldiers of Taliban provide moral and logistics.
This is an unavoidable situation as long as few believe purpose of their living is to spread the words of late A, Late B…Late M, N, O.”
Well, in this case, if one has to compulsorily make a choice, it’s better to go with the modern ones, otherwise voluntarily it is pretty much choiceless I guess.
“Foot soldiers of Taliban provide moral and logistics.”
Then does this mean the supersonic air missile operators are probably beyond morals & logistics?!
“And to be endlessly alert to the rise of such murderous intolerance.” (Parmartha)
Being alert to a rise of murderous intolerance, through meditation, is being aware of our constantly changing mind and its judgements, chattering about tolerance and intolerance.
“Lao Tzu says: “HE WHO KNOWS THE ETERNAL LAW IS TOLERANT” – because he knows that in this transient world, everything is prone to change. Nothing is fixed, not even love. We cannot pin our hopes on anything here. He who tries to do so suffers…
He who knows the eternal law understands the rule of change and becomes tolerant. He knows that if there is reverence today, there will be abuse tomorrow. He does not cling to reverence because he knows it can turn into insult any day. He welcomes irreverence as much as reverence and knows that both are impermanent. Where is the place for intolerance in such a person?”
Osho, ‘The Way of Tao’ (volume 2, chapter 16)
“But tolerance always hides intolerance; the very word is intolerant. So whenever a person says, “I am tolerant,” be aware he is intolerant, he is hiding. What do you mean by your tolerance? You think that you are somewhere higher and you are tolerating those who are lower, pitying them. Or, at the most, a Christian will say, “Yes, there are many ways, but my way is the best. Yes, people have reached by other ways also, but mine is the super highway.” That, too, is intolerance. Why this claim? Why this “I”? Why this ego?”
Osho, ‘The Hidden Harmony’ (chapter 6)
“Ramana Maharshi was dying, and somebody asked “Where will you go after death?” He opened his eyes and he said: “Where can I go? I have always been here and I will still be here.” He laughed at the very question.
We can’t go anywhere, we are part of the whole. There is nowhere to go. There is no death, no birth, and if there is no death, no birth, where can fear exist, where can anxiety arise? We have cut the very root of all misery.”
Osho, ‘If You Choose To Be With Me, You Must Risk Finding Yourself’
(chapter 2)
Sense a bit of sophistry here, Samarpan.
I am not saying that tolerance comes easy to human beings, but often only after what some people would normally call ‘personal growth’.
I am sure I am not the perfect specimen. My comment is directed at those who ‘sleepwalk’.
This persecution of Sufis in Pakistan by the Taliban has been going on for a decade, and many killed. But forgetfulness is the mark of the majority of men, hence one needs to hammer home such facts, and hope people wake up a bit.
Such persecution does arise from unconscious prejudice and fear, but whatever is done, is unlikely to diminish, so one has to be continuously aware of it, and also how to get out of its way.
Parmartha, sophistry is defined as “the use of fallacious arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.” Of the three Osho quotes I provided, which do you consider “fallacious”? Care to provide more specifics?
Samarpan,
Your post went:
“And to be endlessly alert to the rise of such murderous intolerance.” (Parmartha)
“Being alert to a rise of murderous intolerance, through meditation, is being aware of our constantly changing mind and its judgements, chattering about tolerance and intolerance”. (Your opinion).
These are Parmartha’s words and then yours, aren`t they? You then put in an Osho quote to back up your opinion ,thus implying that Osho backs you up (very debatable).
And then, when called on that, you give an incomplete definition of sophistry from which you try to trap Parmartha into having to either say that Osho is “fallacious” or to agree that you are right.
Pure sophistry!
Where did you learn that? Christian fundamentalist school?
Substitute Osho quotes for the New Testament and away you go!
Samarpan, very briefly, I’d say you’re deceiving yourself if you think your post was an adequately practical response to the harsh realities under discussion, however wise each of the three quotes might be.
After killing people for centuries, the wise guys have one simple logic: “Our religion means peace. It is written in the holy book.”
Different countries, different laws. Different people, different holy books!
“When I declare me Enlightened, many people will get the vocation to dig my posts and create quotations.”
Just like frank & others, I need to take strong tablets to uplift the energy.
Lols.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/06/23/amjad-sabri-sufi-singer–obituary/
And also:
Qari Saeed Chisti –
http://dekhain.com/videos/qari-saeed-chishti-death-video.html
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xszibq_dama-dam-mast-qalandar-english-qawali-by-qari-saeed-chishti-part-1_auto
Thanks, Klaus. Amazing! Cheers!
Thanks for the Telegraph review. At least one English newspaper not totally taken over by Brexit!
Surprised you would be so dismissive of this. Extraordinary energies have been released, a maelstrom. The UK has done a protracted collective dynamic. This is an enormous stepping stone in the national psyche. Feels to me like when Bhagwan began the name changing phase.
Oh. I really would like some deep psychoanalysis of this event on the British side. Is this an ‘Up’ or a ‘Down’?
Or how about an astrologer explanation of this kind?:
http://astrotabletalk.blogspot.de/
…’Bardo time’…?
Try this New York Times analysis for an in-depth view of the implications of Brexit from a global perspective:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/world/europe/britain-rattles-postwar-order-and-its-place-as-pillar-of-stability.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
SD, interesting article.
Thanks!
In simplistic terms, energies which have been bottled up since the second world war are coming to the surface.
On Saturday, I spoke to a old woman, who told me she had lived through the second world war, and was very pleased with the referendum result – she actually believed that the European Union was going to create a “European Army”, and was afraid that her grandchildren would be called up to fight in a future war.
She also had a genuine mistrust of Germany, and thought that the EU was a cover for Germany to regain power in the world.
This is the kind of propaganda that UKIP and others on the right have been speading.
I told her that I had voted to remain, and she had no probem with that. I also tried to reassure her that Merkel was very different from Hitler, and that Germany had changed in a big way since the second world war, but she wouldn`t believe that.
Then a friend on the far left joined in, he is also a pensioner, big supporter of Corbyn, but also voted to leave, but I had to calm him down as he gets rather excited about all things political.
The Taliban were initially quite popular with the Afghans after they took control of the country in 1996, as they brought some stability to the country after years of civil war and fighting between different factions.
Following the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 and the collapse of Najibullah’s regime in 1992, the country fell into chaos as various mujahideen factions fought for control.
After they took control, of course, they began imposing their harsh interpretations of Sharia Law on the country.
“Mullah Omar, the Taliban spiritual leader, started his movement with less than 50 armed madrassah students, known simply as the Taliban (Pashtun for ‘students’). His recruits came from madrassas in Afghanistan and from the Afghan refugee camps across the border in Pakistan.
They fought against the rampant corruption that had emerged in the civil war period and were initially welcomed by Afghans weary of warlord rule. Apparently, Omar became sickened by the abusive raping of children by warlords and turned against their authority in the mountainous country of Afghanistan from 1994 onwards.
A unit of 30 Talibs under Omar’s command attacked the village camp and freed the girls.
The practice of bacha bazi by warlords was one of the key factors in Mullah Omar mobilizing the Taliban.
Reportedly, in early 1994, Omar led 30 men armed with 16 rifles to free two young girls who had been kidnapped and raped by a warlord, hanging him from a tank gun barrel.
Another instance arose when in 1994, a few months before the Taliban took control of Kandahar, two militia commanders confronted each other over a young boy whom they both wanted to sodomize.
.
In the ensuing fight, Omar’s group freed the boy; appeals soon flooded in for Omar to intercede in other disputes.
His movement gained momentum through the year, and he quickly gathered recruits from Islamic schools totaling 12,000 by the year’s end, with some Pakistani volunteers. By November 1994, Mullah Omar’s movement managed to capture the whole of the Kandahar Province and then captured Herat in September 1995.
Although some accounts estimated that by the spring of 1995 he had already taken 12 of the 31 provinces in Afghanistan.”
(Taken from Wikipedia)
After they took control of the country they started imposing their restrictions on the people of Afghanistan:
http://www.rawa.org/rules.htm
and:
http://freemuse.org/archives/4689
Thanks, SS. The old Mulla Omar then not such a bad chap. I heard he would also not tolerate the Taliban engaging in any drug traffic – but that changed later? Do you know?
I still can’t figure human beings out; ones like him were willing to risk their lives to rescue young women from warlords, but had this hatred of music and fondness for pubic executions. Can you?
Thanks for getting it a bit more mentally and spiritually balanced here with your short remarks (at 7.09 am), Parmartha.
In this more and more mad and maddening media world, it is very good to ask oneself, ´what is news and what is propaganda?´. And if propaganda is attached in what way whatsoever to murderous stuff, it is in my eyes even more shocking!
The kind of eager ´quoting competition’ happening sometimes – at this point – in reaction to an infamous murder of a Sufi Mystic (one murder of a thousand and more of this in this very minute btw, where I am trying to respond just now (!), deepened in me the quest, about what Margarethe Mitcherlich brought into the world when stating ‘The Inability to Mourn.
The latter remembrance more present at the moment. As some Osho or some Ramana Maharshi quotes, given to Lovers in a secluded intimate and totally different situation, won´t do.
So we all are asked, I feel, to learn about the difference between ‘news’ and ´propaganda´ and we are also asked to look inside: what we embody from the wisdom of the mystic Teachers, and what not.
A Teacher worth His or Her salt will never teach Martyrdom. That much I simply know.
However, the ways to touch the Truth, that Love is dieing of the Ego has ever found myriads of expressions of Art of Mystic Teachings.
That happened all over the world in every culture- and has nothing to do with these immense war zones of misunderstandings in history and also nowadays.
Precarious times – also for Seekers on the Path.
Madhu
Precarious times…
Thanks, Madhu for your post.
Apparently, Gurdjieff, when asked about this, said that such times were great for personal growth! For example, at the time of the Russian Revolution he got out of Russia with a number of disciples, giving them a taste of real survival!
Cameron made the biggest political mistake since Suez in UK politics. He never needed to have a referendum at all! I agree with George Soros that it is now inevitable that the EU will break up…Yes, momentous times, and all because of one huge error of judgement from an old Etonian.
Especially for us in the UK, it may open up a new context in which to further our personal growth in the aforementioned Gurdjieffian sense!
Yep, I reckon that this vote will open up much needed authenticity and solidity in civic and political responsibility as it will, under the demands for Scottish and Irish autonomy, lead to an introversion that only wars had created before. After the first one, the UK aristocracy came under the hammer. But that wasn’t enough and after Ww2 was born the social welfare system.
The rising demand now for civic and social representation by those who easily are disenfranchised and have no sense of economic self-determination in the 5th wealthiest nation on earth is the sub-text to this whole debacle.
Effectively, the governing and parliamentary class has shown itself incapable of directing positive change so they got negative change instead from the populists.
It’s not been analysed, but there has always been a caucus of right-wingers and left-wingers highly antagonistic to the super state of Europe as it was never a combined form of representative or economic empowerment directly accountable to the plebs (who is your MEP?) or the Daily Mail provincialist. It was and remains a trade zone with judicial-legal intervention for social cohesion.
This should be the sole task of national parliaments, which instead became mere ploys for international capital to play with under a humanist facade (Greece and Spain and Portugal are still reeling from maladministration of ambitious capital and debt).
By withdrawing from a single set of EU agreements, which was never a love affair for the little Englanders and their media, the legacy is the same as after the war: alone, triumphant and with no definitive role to impose upon the world.
Kiss the flag and..?
None of this was convincingly explained by any of the parties, and was neither covered with credible passion by leaders who no one believed anyway.
The exit vote was led by people who have no political ability to form policy, and in fantasy politics this form of ‘society of the spectacle’ was part of the constant faithless double-speak that allowed power to be misused through a low common denominator.
It’s a system run by spin to keep people guessing and disenfranchised. It has now come back to haunt those who toyed with all this and has created an awkward reality check.
I understand Cameron was threatened by his own right wing to hold a vote.
Economically chaotic, the exit belief is that the markets will self-adjust over time, but without any other markets to diversify into or replace, the EU can afford to hike the UK into a tax-trade nightmare.
The youth vote understood that their movement in Europe would become much more inflexible and voted to stay in.
It seems that the next election will have to centre on developing a new economy of production to replace the financial weakness of the policy – lacking money markets and will have to strategize boosting housing and manufacture while rewriting new trade deals and social welfare guarantees for the next twenty years at least.
I for one recommend taking up Scottish residency asap if you are wondering who will emerge from this stronger and better placed.
Too right.
It`s time to drop the Advaita shuffle and replace it with the Gurdjieff hustle!
I`ve already got a bunch of sparrows, some pots of yellow paint and a few barrels of rotting fish in my basement, ready to go.
As Mr.Gurdjieff famously said to his followers in Russia during the revolution, “No matter what happens, we always make a profit.”
I`m sure the boys in the City of London are Gurdjieffians, too.
Osho spoke many times against the pointlessness of Martydom.
But, like almost everything he said, there were exceptions and contradictions; there were some instances where he seemed to have encouraged some form of martyrdom:
“We are not going to become part of violence and its games. If we can prevent violence through weapons, we will prevent through weapons. If we see that we are a small commune and weapons cannot prevent it, then we will prevent with our open chests, singing and dancing. We will leave those people guilty for their whole lives that they killed innocent, dancing people who were not doing any harm to anybody. If we can protect life, we will protect it. If we cannot protect life, then we will rejoice in death – but we will do something!”
Osho: ‘The Last Testament’ Vol 1’
“But, like almost everything he said, there were exceptions and contradictions; there were some instances where he seemed to have encouraged some form of martyrdom” (Swamishanti)
And yes, Swamishanti…and then you add another quote…not even mentioning from where you got that one…
And yes, Swamishanti, I remember one of His mischievous smiles, when He mentioned what would happen to those who would try to create any kind of dogma around His meetings (and words), responding to us, His disciples, their – our life-quests as their – our questions with words or lectures around ancient Masters and so on and so forth. Moment-to-moment respondings.
As far as I remember, He said in that context that people who would try to make a dogma out of His speech would go mad and I guess He was very right there.
In enjoying ‘This Smile’, my trust was born, that I might have been able to meet a voice and a Silence from a Being who was not up to cloning myriads of blind followers but individuals, in their struggles to find their own (original) voice, if a voice is needed.
Growing up I came across so many of conditionings I have bunkered inside, that it still keeps me quite busy to let go of them.
And there are moments (rather rare, I confess) where something appears very clear: for example, that knowing about the destructiveness (and futility) of martyrdom and the special aspect of that, to use ´martyrdom as a weapon, roughly speaking.
Sorry that we meet here in a kind of very abstract way; experiencing you (not anonymous so to say) but face-to-face, would make another response possible, I guess.
Madhu
Yes, I relate to what you say, Madhu, and remember he also said that he was “putting gunpowder, that would be exploding for centuries”, here and there, in his words, just to make it impossible for anyone to make a dogma or a system out of his words.
And I remember him saying that when his Hindi talks are translated, his western disciples will be puzzled – he had said totally contradictory things in those talks that were very different to what he said in English.
The quote I gave was from Rajneeshpuram, at a time where the commune appeared to be under a possible threat of violence or attack from outside.
And I also like the way that he encouraged sannyasins not to make a dogma, and that “this system is not a fixed system”.
“Growing up I came across so many of conditionings, I have bunkered inside, that it still keeps me quite busy, to let go of them.”
Indeed, and our heads are just full of ideas and beliefs that we have picked up from others around us.
The nature of the mind, perhaps, just to collect ideas and try to compute and create, analyse our surroundings based on those impressions.
Of course, sannyasins carry a lot of Osho conditionings. And I believe there is a collective psyche too, that will differ from place to place.
On the subject of “putting gunpowder, that would be exploding for centuries”, this amused me this morning:
YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU EAT WHEN THE BODY IS HUNGRY, AND
YOU SLEEP WHEN THE BODY NEEDS REST, BUT I HAVE HEARD THAT YOU EXACTLY FOLLOW THE CLOCK FOR YOUR BATH, FOOD, SLEEP, ETC. PLEASE EXPLAIN.
Mm? It is from Krishna Radha. But she is asking like a magistrate: ‘Please explain!’
It is just the other way around – the clock follows me, and I look at the clock just to see whether it is following or not.
Osho.
The Discipline of Transcendence.
Vol 1.Chapter #4
Two Empty Skies Meeting
There it is, Arpana, this kind of SMILE (in midst that little quote, mysteriously…hidden).
It´s a response, but everlasting, it seems.
Thanks…I am off into the so-called world now, after a little break at home.
Going with a smile…and not knowing a thing.
Madhu
Madhu,
You said: “In enjoying ‘This Smile’, my trust was born, that I might have been able to meet a voice and a Silence from a Being who was not up to cloning myriads of blind followers but individuals, in their struggles to find their own original voice, if a voice is needed.”
How beautiful is that? Thanks! XXX
I didn’t realise you and Frank were friends.
“So we all are asked, I feel, to learn about the difference between ‘news’ and ´propaganda´ and we are also asked to look inside.” (Madhu)
Great post, Madhu! Yes, the caravan passes and the dogs bark. To look inside is always applicable.
Perfectly correct, Samarpan!
The caravanserai rolls by with you serenely sitting atop it with Shantambhai moving close by on his tranquillized elephant, as the minds of wild dogs, cynics, solipsists and sophists of Sannyasnews bark ceaselessly with judgements, chattering about tolerance and intolerance!
These revolting canines are, of course, deeply fortunate that you, out of your deep compassion, deign to toss a few Osho quotes at them like a good Samaritan throwing yesterday`s chapattis at starving street dogs!
Keep tossing, my Christian friend – I am so happy that Osho has fulfilled your dream of having your own personal Jesus!
Yahoo!
Hari Om!
Amen!
Osho has not fulfilled dreams, Yogi…But please continue with your fantasies…They are fun to read.
Beloved Samarpan,
You say:
“Osho has not fulfilled dreams.”
Do not worry or lose heart,my friend,there will be many more lives to fulfil them, as you and Dr. Stevenson have so scientifically proven!
There is always hope that you could be reborn in Kashi or even Jullundur! You deserve it!
Yahoo!
Beloved Anand Yogi,
If reborn innumerable times…Great!
If no more rebirths…Also great!
Enjoying this present moment…And the next.
Perfectly correct, Samarpan!
Once again, you have shown that all is perfectly correct in the world of the perfectly correct disciple!
Hari Om!
Yahoo!
Apparently, Mullah Omar ordered the destruction of the opium crops around 2000, but since the US invasion the crops have reappeared.
See news clip from 2001:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/apr/01/internationalcrime.drugstrade
I didn’t realise that Afghanistan was the world’s largest exporter of hashish as well as opiates. But unlike opium, hashish is not seen as “unIslamic” by the hardliners.
I remember in late 2001, whilst Bush was threatening to bomb the Taliban if they didn’t hand over Osama Bin Laden, someone handed me a leaflet proclaiming that there was no proof that Bin Laden had any involvment in the 9/11 attacks, and it was in fact a plot using “robotically controlled planes” to carry out the attacks.
I thought this theory was bullshit, but the leaflet was basically writtem in defence of the Taliban and stated that they were the only government in the world which were effectively carrying out the Sharia Law.
At the time, I had no idea what the Taliban’s philosophy and theology was really about.
It was only a few years later, after the US occupation, that I discovered that there were groups of Sufis that had started singing in public again, after having been persecuted under the rule of the Taliban, and having to go into hiding.
I also heard about Taliban throwing acid into the faces of girls who were going to school again.
I think Mullah Omar grew up in a Deobandi Madrassa, namely the Dar Ulum Haqqania Sunni maddrasa school, and was indoctrinated at a young age with a very literal interpretation of the Koranic verses.
Ironically, I read that this kind of Deobandi Maddrassa actually originated in India long before, and had some kind of Sufi influence and a very different theology.
The problem is in the interpretation of the Koran, most of it I expect had nothing to do with Mohammed himself, but was compiled later by scholars.
If you believe that you will have molten lead poured into your ears if you listen to certain types of music, this is the kind of reasoning these people are using to justify banning most forms of music.
Thanks, SS, for the info from 2001 on the Taliban and poppy growing. I had a memory that they had banned it, but suspect they may have had to change their policy in later times, for financial survival…
Also interested to read that Hashish is not Un-Islamic in their view….
Would like to recommend a few of you to watch a life stream meeting and talk with Thomas Hübl under the topic: ‘Mystic in the market place’, with a Q&A (all in your mother tongue) about:
“The Evolutionary Potential of Crisis: How can we develop our spiritual capacities to help us be more resilient in the face of inner and outer challenges? How can we relate to world events and find new openings for creativity and insights? Recorded on January 30, 2016 in Germany.” It’s available on youtube.
Serves well for me at least to disrupt the permanent ever-repeating thought loopings about ´spilt milk´ which don´t lead anywhere, as far as I can see it.
Madhu
This boy Thomas Hübl is really getting many fully white-haired spiritual orphans left behind by ‘Master of the masters’.
“´What exactly is a chat room troll?”
“Being a prick on the internet because you can. Typically unleashing one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on an innocent bystander, because it’s the internet and, hey, you can.”
(Wiki)
Sorry, Madhu, if you felt like chat room victim.
With due respect to the spirit of search, what I would like to say is, decline of Sannyas in Germany is directly proportional to the rise of new spiritual service providers.
It should be so. Only question is why this happened with the work of the man many were adoring as master of the masters.
If ‘the word’ (as in books) is the cause of conflict then the word should disappear, but since ‘should’ in all cases is too idealistic I guess we shall have to live with it, in our own ways.
Madhu and Parmartha both have exclaimed their posts with, “Precarious times”.
Can Ma and Swami describe when in the history of mankind, any year, any month was not termed as ‘Precarious Times’?
To check the exact meaning, when I googled the term it was also shown Deva Primal has a cd named with this title.
Tibet Buddhists and other eastern religions have the tradition to use mantras to create a shield of protection through mantras specially during the precarious times.
Perhaps so, Shantam – but some times are more “precarious” than others….
Those residents of UK and EU who feel threatened by the referendum results, may I suggest them to shift to OR or NK*!
There one is free from the precarious times born out of collective of unreliable masses.
*
OR-Osho Resorts
NK-North Korea
Shantam: Juvenile. Spiteful. Racist.
What traits Arpana sees in me, we don´t say, but we all know, many non-disciples have seen the similar traits in Acharya Rajneesh aka Osho. In a way, I feel humbled by all the abuse from a fanatic mind.
What traits Shantam sees in everyone, are in him, all from his fanatic mind, a fanatic non-disciple who does not belong in the world of Acharya Rajneesh aka Osho.
But what about tonight`s game?
Playing against a team from a tiny bankrupt little island country cut off from the rest of Europe where not everyone speaks English.
I reckon Iceland are in with a chance!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/27/iceland-conquer-storms-england-football
Yes, Frank, off to watch the match now. I always cheer the underdog.
My God, Frank, you have proven right. This post is seconds after the end of the game.
It`s all in one of Nostradamus` lesser known,but very accurate quatrains:
Rufus tuffus Islandicus equipus
In gamus ob duo medius,
Knockeunt uppus in boxus route-unus
Et backus netus bulgus.
Et brittanicus bunchus doofus perditus est
Et exit Europa completus
Politicus, spiritus, sportus et denarius
Absolutus no hopus, zero esperantus et sinkus in mare!
Super hilarious .
My god…
Psychic insight into the minds of British politicians…
International authority on how religions should evolve…
Japanese porn connoisseur…
Kamasutric polymath…
And now…fluent Latin speaker.
You can say what you like about Prozac…
But that stuff works!!
Maybe some British can do the past history check to find out whether Jeremy Corbyn was once a Swami?
His beard, his politics, his aura and energy is typical sannyasin from the era of Pune 1.
The way he is dusting the rebellion within the party also shows some Sannyas traits. Swamis are famous to let go lovers, family, church, countries, including the teachings of their guru, but not their money, not their power. Jeremy Corbyn is one of us!
As well as the typical lefty beard, he is also a vegetarian, and has said that he would never push the nuclear button.
Here he is recently visiting a Guduwara:
Good try, Shantam – but, as usual, flawed propaganda, I’m afraid.
Suggesting that Corbyn’s prime motivations are money and personal power shows how minute is your knowledge and understanding of the man.
I wonder whether the fact that you in your own life possess neither money nor power is a (from my experience of you here, probably unconscious) motive for all this obsession with political concerns and powers-that-be….
Despite all the furore, everyone speaks so well of him as a human being, including Tories.
Leftists trade union kind of people are good human beings but highly ineffective leaders of free and capitalist countries.
Anyway. most of the Swamis and Mas feel quite contented when the developed countries get difficulties; in such situations these people feel easier to pass forward great theories read in their holy texts.