RE:What is next?
by aston powel on May 15, 2007 03:53 PM Permalink
Well said Osman. This half baked communist has been barking like this all along. He thinks himself as the ideal person in this world. He should know that his theology has been rejected in its bastion. And the last known communist state, China, is inching towards capitalism. And Cuba is doomed.
But Indian communists like this guy are still living in fools paradise hoping for a liberation on their Judgement Day, a la Tiannaman Square.
RE:Hindutva: Is it Moral Police?
by aston powel on May 15, 2007 03:56 PM Permalink
Yes Sentthil. He is cheap. He seem to be proving his secular credentials by attacking his religion. This is an old trick of the seculars in India starting from Nehru. They are good neither for their family nor for the society. Just intellectual arm chair critics of the society.
Lets learn to respect other ppl's preferences and remember that a NECESSARY condition for 'Freedom' is 'Responsibility'
Sensitivity (of an individual) towards a society she/he lives in is important. And at the same time, a responsible reaction from a society whose beliefs are hurt, makes for a mature and liveable society.
I'm an aethist. So what happened, doesnt hurt my religious beliefs. But let me ask one ques to those calling painting Hindu Gods in the nude 'Freedom of Expression'.
Will paintings of Mohammed the Prophet in nude or Guru Nanak in Nude be accepted by people belonging to those respective religions?
Or lets take the so-called progressive country the United States. Will pictures of Jesus (or a lesser mortal - the Pope) in nude or jesus amongst nudes be accepted by people in the USA? I live here and I'll bet you that ppl here wont let it go off as 'freedom of expression'. And then, neither will YOU ALL screaming Freedom of Expression, agree that such was an excusable thing to do.
RE:Freedom of expression?
by Prabhu Bhaktan on May 15, 2007 01:48 PM Permalink
Having you ever seen any muslim painting pictur or cartoon of prophet, any sikh for their Gurus, any any jew for Mosses or any christian for mother Marry or Jesus Christ-? Why-? Because Hindus are making all the fun of Gods in movies, theaters and painting by themselves and the Baroda is one more example. We are busy in bashing the others and not trying to restrain ourselves to make the fun out of our Gods. We are giving the opportunity to others, otherwise, no one in India, again I say no one in India can bash our Gods.
RE:Freedom of expression?
by Ramesh P on May 16, 2007 03:34 AM Permalink
I heard missionaries pay movie makers to show hinduism and hindu priests in bad light and show christian churches, fathers in good light. Not sure how far it is true, but this possibility cannot be ruled, especially after seeing the aggressive and intolerant christianity practised in India.
RE:Freedom of expression?
by shraddan kumoan on May 15, 2007 04:46 PM Permalink
"Freedom of speech" period. no ifs and buts. It does not mean being nice and accomodating, it does not mean use hindu icons in pictures only if muslim,christian and jewish icons are used as well. once you start putting rules,where do you stop? I am hindu and hetrosexual and I defend your right to offend my sensibilities.
RE:Freedom of expression?
by rohan on May 15, 2007 10:47 PM Permalink
great shraddan kumoan...why don't u send yr mom to hussain so that he can paint a nude. then lets see yr sensibilities
These so called artists, half baked communists, champions of freedom of expressions are more vocal when the socalled fundamentalist Hindus oppose insulting their Gods and Goddesses. For these intellectuals it becomes an act of Majority moral policing.
But they go to their backyards when Muslims raise their voices against insult to their religious symbols. For these intellectuals it becomes a case of Minorities defending their faith.
And for our liberal minded artists depicting Hindu Goddess in poor light is okay. But they dare not touch the religious symbols of Muslims.
I see people harping about "freedom of expression". Is it not "freedom of expression with a view not to hurt others" a person lives in a shared society. I agree that this also works in the way that society should also be matured enough to let it pass-by?. So, in a way both goes hand in hand. unfortunately, I cannot bet my life about others, but I won't do an act like this because I know that there are others practising the belief and If I do that they "might", not necessarily "always" perturbed and hence I won't do it.
Moral policing is essential to ensure that artists don't go beserk in the name of artistic freedom. Artists have so many things in this world to portay to express themselves. Why does everyone (Including the muslim MF Hussain) have to use Hindu Gods and Godesses in the nude to express their artistic inclinations? I however object to the way the moral police took law into their hands and destroyed the art of Chandramohan. They should have instead organized a peaceful protest against it and take Chandramohan to court. They have no right to enter a university and destroy things. Maybe this is the only way the artists will learn not to offend religious sensitivities.
RE:moral policing of Art
by Suraj Subramanian on May 15, 2007 07:14 AM Permalink
Moral policing is the first step towards a authoritarian state. A free country needs to have freedom of expression if you disagree with someone protest peacefully and show your opposition to his views. Also morals are very relative they are not the same for everybody each person has his own morals. The beauty of liberal representative democracy is the idea of tolerance to even opposite viewpoints Unfortunately our country is turning out to be neither liberal nor much of a representative democracy and we need to work to change that.
RE:moral policing of Art
by Jas Sand on May 15, 2007 07:47 AM Permalink
Sure we should have freedon of expression - why dont we start with Publishibng Sataic Verses and Felicitating the Danish Cartoonist?
RE:moral policing of Art
by SSCD on May 15, 2007 05:58 PM Permalink
I agree.
Responsibility is prerequisite to freedom of expression. You can't shout in the middle of night in front of PM's bungalow, just because you've freedom of expression.
First we should learn to behave responsibly, respect others' sentiments and then only talk about freedom of expression.
RE:moral policing of Art
by Ramesh P on May 16, 2007 03:40 AM Permalink
Also why did Da Vinci Code not released in India and got released in all christian countries including the hardcore christian countries like France, Germany, UK. Secularism in India is bullshit and just hindu bashing.
