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Author Topic:   Racism, Religion and the Age of Aquarius
NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted October 03, 2011 01:02 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
As an Aquarius Rising I am hopeful for the future and the transforming changes that will accompany the entering Age of Aquarius. However, as we move toward the beginning of a new Age I can't help but reflect on the passing of the Age of Pisces. It seems to me that racism and many similar abominable concepts dominated the ideologies of the past few millenniums. I'm an ancient cultures enthusiast and yet I can't help my state of fanatical disappointment in relation to Spirituality, Religion and the place of Racism in the history of our civilization.

For example in college I studied Gandhi's life in South Africa. I was completely surprised reading his works describing the situation for the Indians in South African and his disregard for the Native Black South Africans. I agree that Gandhi had many achievements but according to my research and studies he has had just as many failures. I'd like to point out the history of Spiritual and Religious Leaders who held racist ideologies. In one of his many works, Gandhi discussed how inappropriate it was for the Indians that had been arrested with him during his many jail sentences in South Africa to share the same prison facility as the uncivilized Natives of South Africa, as well as being highly critical of their behavior in general and rural lifestyle.

I'm not trying to attack Gandhi, I'm just concerned how a man who words had so much power and who rose to world prominence as a Spiritual Leader could have any ideas throughout his life related to unequal treatment among human beings. Even his humanitarian work in South Africa supported the improvement of the lives of Indians not Native South Africans, which in a sense makes him seem like a man more concerned with his own ethnic race as opposed to the welfare of humanity as a whole. He wasn't a politician he was a Spiritual Leader, therefore Spiritual truths assumingly were the foundation of his beliefs.

My hope is that in the Age of Aquarius we as a people will cease to put our hope and faith into Messiahs and Religious and Spiritual Leaders, who are just as flawed as any other human being. With the shift in consciousness I can foresee a united population of humans who look to themselves and the Great Universe for the answers they seek not Saints. We are in Creation and Creation is in us. Any opinions would be welcomed upon this subject?

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childofzeus
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posted October 03, 2011 02:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for childofzeus     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
http://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/jamesdhunt.htm

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childofzeus
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posted October 03, 2011 02:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for childofzeus     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
http://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/jamesdhunt.htm

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childofzeus
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posted October 03, 2011 02:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for childofzeus     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
How are we to evaluate this inability of Gandhi to work in cooperation with Black people?

The Indians, Coloured and Africans were often fighting their battles in different colonies, against different laws, and on the basis of different cultural foundations. The Coloured achieved the first effective political organization, the Indians launched an unconventional passive resistance struggle, and the Blacks, with a larger and more heterogeneous population, were finally forced into unity by the Land Act. The separatist and ethnocentric views of Gandhi and the Indians were often matched by leaders in the other groups; none seems to have been as inclusive in perspective as Dr. Abdurrahman. With the qualified exception of Abdurrahmman, it seems doubtful that a common strategy was an alternative seriously entertained by any non-White group.

Gandhi began as a very conventional Victorian Indian, seeking accomodation and personal success within the British Empire. He shared the prejudices of his class concerning Black people, and his lifestyle and work kept him isolated from them. In this respect he became a segregationist, albeit a liberal one, arguing for a special status for his own people while objecting to the treatment given the Black Africans.

Gandhi also exhibited class limitations within the Indian community. Recent studies such as Swan's have demonstrated the inability of Gandhi to recognize the needs of indentured Indians or to offer leadership to the mass of Indians until the very end of his South African career.

None of these should be surprising, except for the tendency to wish that our heroes would have been consistently heroic throughout their lives. Gandhi began as a perfectly ordinary intelligent lawyer trying to establish a career. In time he transformed himself into something else. It is that transformation which should interest us. He did fail to change South Africa very much, but in the attempt he learned a great deal, grew in personal stature, and left behind a legacy of resistance to injustice.

What he accomplished above all was to develop the concept of a mass non-violent struggle, and to practice several forms of it enough so that he had the authority to attempt other variations in India.

It seems clear that he learned much from his South African experience. When he entered national politics in India, he did what he had not done in Africa. He built a coalition of alliances with many distinct groups. Judith Brown has detailed the process in Gandhi's Rise to Power. Among the groups he sought out was one with which he had had mixed success in Africa, the Muslims. In India he deliberately adopted Muslim political concerns: the Khilafat and the detention of the Ali brothers. He began to break out of the isolation he had fostered in Africa.

It is also true that he retained to the end some of the limitations of his original position. As he drove deeper into the philosophical foundations of Satyagraha, he emphasized the need for Indian cultural roots, which had a strong Hindu flavor. Thus he moved away from the modernizing English cultural ideal which he previously had shared with African and Coloured professionals, and he also moved away from his Muslim merchant hosts (who were simultaneously moving away from him because of the material costs of his campaign, as Swan has shown). Decades later, his use of Hindu symbols such as "Ramraj" was said to have widened the gap between Hindus and Muslims within the nationalist movement. Despite his inclusive intentions, the cultural and religious forms of his politics could not satisfy everyone.

Finally, underlying Gandhi's disinclination to seek effective allies in South Africa was something else: the belief that allies were not really necessary, nor even helpful. Instead of enlisting the support of 440,000 Coloured people and 3.4 million Blacks, Gandhi chose to begin his final, and amazingly successful, campaign with 4 women and 12 men. They were the fruit of his intensive training at Tolstoy Farm and Phoenix. Satyagraha, he believed, depended on committed individuals, not on great numbers. A few people who understood it, and who had prepared themselves physically and spiritually, could resist any power or any government.

If the South African Blacks learned that, he believed they could not fail. The demonstration of satyagraha was the greatest gift he had to offer to both the Indian and the Black people of South Africa.


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charmainec
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posted October 03, 2011 02:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for charmainec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The racial history of South Africa is very complex. We had many struggle heroes who fought bitterly for our freedom, many of whom sacrificed their lives for the cause. We had different people fighting for the rights and freedom and different ethnic groups. Yes, each were seperate (unfortunately) and maybe they didn't unite as one to take up the fight together ( it wasn't just native blacks and indians affected by racism, there were coloreds and chinese too) but all wanted the same end result.

Then there was one man, who united our nation and ended the long struggle - Nelson Mandela.

We gained our freedom and independance. He encouraged us to move forward, respect each other as humans, not race as we were now a rainbow nation

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Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

Linda Goodman

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
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posted October 03, 2011 11:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by charmainec:
The racial history of South Africa is very complex. We had many struggle heroes who fought bitterly for our freedom, many of whom sacrificed their lives for the cause. We had different people fighting for the rights and freedom and different ethnic groups. Yes, each were seperate (unfortunately) and maybe they didn't unite as one to take up the fight together ( it wasn't just native blacks and indians affected by racism, there were coloreds and chinese too) but all wanted the same end result.

Then there was one man, who united our nation and ended the long struggle - Nelson Mandela.

We gained our freedom and independance. He encouraged us to move forward, respect each other as humans, not race as we were now a rainbow nation


This was insightful and articulate and I'm in full agreement with you. However in the Age of Aquarius do you predict people will handle oppression among a variety of different ethnic origins by uniting with each other or do you predict people will fight for the same causes divided by their races waiting to be united by some Great Leader only to end up with the same goal? Aquarius is the acceptance of Universal Love, Universal freedom and the well being of all humanity indiscriminate of their caste, race, ethnicity, gender. In the Age of Pisces humanity fought for things, but they fought for things separately. It took men like Nelson Mandela in South Africa's case to unite a nation. What hampered the people themselves from doing such a thing (Btw I am a South African American and I'm merely being observant).

I've extensively studied conflicts similar to our history in other parts of the world, and the path to freedom is always the same. People looking for a leader or a guide to unite them, why can't we as a people look past our differences and unite ourselves on our own accord. What it tells me is that it will take some time before humanity transcends the way we view each other and life in general. It will take time before we transcend practices such as racism and prejudice, into universal acceptance of all that is.

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charmainec
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posted October 03, 2011 11:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for charmainec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What is a South African American? You born there and moved?

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted October 03, 2011 11:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by charmainec:
What is a South African American? You born there and moved?

A Dual Citizen. Lived in both countries, but my ancestral line is in South Africa. I'm 100% South African, but I live in America, an expat South African. My whole family lives in South Africa.

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Mblake81
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posted October 03, 2011 01:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Mblake81     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by NativelyJoan:
People looking for a leader or a guide to unite them, why can't we as a people look past our differences and unite ourselves on our own accord.

Aquarius is an idealistic thinker who more than any other sign is drawn to the concept of living life outside the box. This is a progressive individual who resists being caught up in conventional boundaries and rules, and who actively seeks out change for his benefit and often for the benefit of humanity as a whole.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the infrastructure to support electronic mail.

Internet = Aspect of Aquarius

http://astrology.about.com/od/christianityandastrology/a/AgeAquarius_2.htm

Science and Spirituality

The Age of Aquarius is all about enlightenment and represents spirituality coming together with science. It is a time in history where religion and science need to unite and create better medical innovations and medical technologies to help humanity. It is a time where we can use science to help validate religion and God instead of fighting over the “creation theory”. There is research that our thoughts are powerful and can cause illness in the physical body and a lot of research is being done to show the connection of the emotions, meditation and prayer on healing and physical ailments. These things are the blessings of the Aquarian Age.

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted October 03, 2011 02:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mblake81:
The Age of Aquarius is all about enlightenment and represents spirituality coming together with science. It is a time in history where religion and science need to unite and create better medical innovations and medical technologies to help humanity. It is a time where we can use science to help validate religion and God instead of fighting over the “creation theory”. There is research that our thoughts are powerful and can cause illness in the physical body and a lot of research is being done to show the connection of the emotions, meditation and prayer on healing and physical ailments. These things are the blessings of the Aquarian Age.

I agree with you but Aquarius is also a humanitarian and reformer. Nonprofit work, environmental sustainability, social reform, social advocacy, cultural awareness and acceptance. The Age of Aquarius seems to me would encompass these aspects as well. Social Reform is happening all other the world right now. As a person who actually has Aquarius Rising I relate to the both the scientific and social reforming traits of the symbol of Aquarius. Aquarius is an idealistic thinker but the Water bearer holds the highest ideals for humanity, and in order to even touch those ideals we have to reform ourselves and our global societies. Therefore we can accept the changes coming with the Age of Aquarius including technological advancements as we as a civilization experience a shift in consciousness. Aquarius isn't just technology and science and spirituality, this sign is a symbol of progressive social reformation for the benefit of all of humanity.

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Randall
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posted October 04, 2011 10:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ah, dual citizenship. Flying two flags.

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"Fall down 100 times, get up 101...this is success." --ME

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
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posted October 04, 2011 12:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
Ah, dual citizenship. Flying two flags.


Right you are, with unlimited access to North America and Africa. It's not easy being so accessible to so many places, but I accept my fate honorably.

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balancingflames
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posted October 07, 2011 02:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for balancingflames     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hello NativelyJoan from a fellow South African

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Randall
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posted October 08, 2011 10:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

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"Fall down 100 times, get up 101...this is success." --ME

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
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posted October 09, 2011 08:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by balancingflames:
Hello NativelyJoan from a fellow South African

Hey Balancingflames,

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balancingflames
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posted October 10, 2011 09:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for balancingflames     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hey, howsit?

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted October 10, 2011 12:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by balancingflames:
Hey, howsit?

It's good. I'm having a lekker time over here in America. I'll be back in our Rainbow nation soon. What do you think of the evidence that supports life forms finding their origin in South Africa including the evolution of mankind? Very interesting huh, South Africa, the origin of life and the hallmark of creation. Makes me even more proud to be South African.

http://humanorigins.si.edu/research/whats-hot/new-ancestor-us-all http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20883-south-african-fossils-halfway- between-ape-and-human.html http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/IIE2aOriginoflife.shtml

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balancingflames
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posted October 11, 2011 09:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for balancingflames     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I will get back to you on that NJ. I will have to read up on it.

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Randall
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posted October 29, 2011 12:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The concensus is that it's true.

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"Nurture great thoughts, for you will never go higher than you think."--DISRAELI

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Randall
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posted October 30, 2011 01:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
There's a lot of evidence to support that humans migrated from the African continent to other parts of the world.

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"Nurture great thoughts, for you will never go higher than you think."--DISRAELI

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NativelyJoan
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From: Boston, MA
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posted October 30, 2011 02:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NativelyJoan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
There's a lot of evidence to support that humans migrated from the African continent to other parts of the world.


Fascinating isn't it. South Africa has become a hub for archeological evidence supporting the origination of Homo Sapiens and their ancestors.

What kills me though is the state of the continent of Africa as a whole considering the archeological and scientific history there. It's heartbreaking, a lot ancient knowledge and history was lost through colonization, imperialism and slavery.

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