A
Avinash
Guest
I'd like to make a few comments of my own about the forum.
I'm not sure where I belong on this forum. The path I follow could belong to "Eastern Thought" (whatever that is) or to "Alternative" if viewed as a modern sect. However, Ananda Marga does not believe in religions, let alone in sects but focusses on Dharma instead. Dharma is a universal concept. Anyone in any tradition can be following their Dharma in a more or less serious way.
I think the whole idea of classifying traditions into distinct religions doesn't work for traditions that focus on Dharma. And as far as "Monotheism" is concerned, I think it is used falsely to separate the traditions with semitic roots from the ones with other roots. There are very few traditions that I know of that are truly polytheistic and mine certainly is not one of them.
But I realize it is necessary to make some kind of classification system. If I could make my own, I would make one section for the Dharmic traditions, another one for the Semitic traditions (including their offspring such as Christianity and Bahai) and a third one for Miscellaneous traditions.
I also think the separation between "Eastern" and "Western" traditions is outdated. The mystic branches of the Semitic traditions are in fact also more Dharmic in nature, so e.g. Sufism, Kabbalah or the teachings of Jesus could possibly also be classified under Dharmic traditions.
Such a Forum set-up is most likely a bridge too far but I'm curious to hear any comments.
I'm not sure where I belong on this forum. The path I follow could belong to "Eastern Thought" (whatever that is) or to "Alternative" if viewed as a modern sect. However, Ananda Marga does not believe in religions, let alone in sects but focusses on Dharma instead. Dharma is a universal concept. Anyone in any tradition can be following their Dharma in a more or less serious way.
I think the whole idea of classifying traditions into distinct religions doesn't work for traditions that focus on Dharma. And as far as "Monotheism" is concerned, I think it is used falsely to separate the traditions with semitic roots from the ones with other roots. There are very few traditions that I know of that are truly polytheistic and mine certainly is not one of them.
But I realize it is necessary to make some kind of classification system. If I could make my own, I would make one section for the Dharmic traditions, another one for the Semitic traditions (including their offspring such as Christianity and Bahai) and a third one for Miscellaneous traditions.
I also think the separation between "Eastern" and "Western" traditions is outdated. The mystic branches of the Semitic traditions are in fact also more Dharmic in nature, so e.g. Sufism, Kabbalah or the teachings of Jesus could possibly also be classified under Dharmic traditions.
Such a Forum set-up is most likely a bridge too far but I'm curious to hear any comments.