...I believe in the free expression of ideas, with good conscience
and in a spirit of fearless enquiry. I am not sure how far you
have to be politically correct and belief/culture sensitive
in articulating ideas. But a skeptical caution and
humility in making truth claims are valuable
qualifications for a scholar.

Psychoanalyzing/deconstructing Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa may be a useful project if it helps
us to plump the mysteries of human psyche.
We all have the right to offer counter points.
The present dialogue is falling into the level of
Jalpa [wrangling] and vitanda (fundamentalist posers).

Freudian analysis has serious defects being
reductionistic and libido based. It doesn't lead
to higher possibilities in terms of values,
consciousness and sublime experiences.
Maximum it can think of is of an adult personality,
well adjusted to the society.

The tantra concept of uniting sexual energy with
consciousness leading to all encompassing love
and compassion is a much higher paradigm.
But that should not blinden us to what happens
in different levels of interactions and the social
impact of what people think and do.

I think that this is a field for scholars to enquire
research and debate, not for spiritual people to dabble.
India and Hinduism need a lot of sustained work in
knowledge construction and institution building.
Arrogance is good, but humility is better.
Teaching is a privilege, but learning is a better privilege.

...
Love
Swami Bodhananda
Wed, 4 Sep 2002 14:50:41 -0400