Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site lanl.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!unc!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!lanl!wkp From: wkp@lanl.ARPA Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Crowley's sense of humor. Message-ID: <27669@lanl.ARPA> Date: Thu, 27-Jun-85 01:40:40 EDT Article-I.D.: lanl.27669 Posted: Thu Jun 27 01:40:40 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Jun-85 02:55:41 EDT References: <437@cmu-cs-k.ARPA>, <5429@cbscc.UUCP>, <452@cmu-cs-k.ARPA>, <5458@cbscc.UUCP> <464@cmu-cs-k.ARPA> Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory Lines: 25 In article <464@cmu-cs-k.ARPA> Tim Maroney writes: > It > does, however, run counter to taboo-list morality in its Jewish, Moslem, and > Christian manifestations. You would not find any such difficulty in Hindu > or Taoist cultures. > I think that this statement is a little unfair. Taboos? Let's not forget that Hinduism theologically and socially justifies the Varna (the four main castes plus the Untouchable caste). Paraiyans, Kammalans and Pulayans, etc. to this day are discouraged from (for example) eating with or marrying each other. I rather like the Upanishads, Puranas, and the Bhagavad-Gita, but much of these writings are no more sophisticated than some of the sacred writings of Western religions. So let's be fair. I myself feel that emphasis on social justice and charity is an important part of any religion, and performing ritual ablutions if another (lower-caste) human being comes within a distance of 64 feet of you is not something to be proud of. -- bill peter ihnp4!lanl!wkp "A demd, damp, moist, unpleasant body!" --Charles Dickens