namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

In conversation with a devotee of science the other day I pointed out that science does not have a good grasp on consciousness.

(The conversation was carried out in a semi-public forum (viewable if you are on the proprietary platform Facebook). I am thinking to ask him if I can paste it here to share it with a wider audience. I think it is very illustrative of the concerns that those of a scientific persuasion have.)

Empirical research about psychological perceptions of science and religion:

A person's unconscious attitudes toward science and God may be fundamentally opposed, researchers report, depending on how religion and science are used to answer "ultimate" questions such as how the universe began or the origin of life.

"On the other hand, people may have a generally positive view of science until it fails to explain the important questions. Then belief in God may be boosted to fill in the gap," she said.

There are a number of places where (then-)contemporary science features in the Srimad Bhagavatam.

The 3rd canto contains a riff on Kanada's Vaisesika-vada — "atomic theory" — in the 11th chapter, entitled "Calculation of Time, from the Atom" in the BBT edition.

The 5th canto, as previously described, contains the then-current cosmological model.

This morning I read the following in the Srimad Bhagavatam:

"The scientific discoveries of the material world can also be equally engaged in carrying out His order. "

- Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.36

On the 200th anniversary of his birth, the Church of England apologised to Charles Darwin [link via wikipedia]

The other day I read an article about a Brigham Young University information pack on evolution.

Personally I resonated more with the presentation given by the Presbyterians and Catholics than by the Hare Krishna representative, Caru das.

I'm currently working on an apologetic pamphlet to hand out on harinam this year. [read about Christian apologetics on wikipedia]

The working title is: "What do Hare Krishnas think about...?"

The format is to tackle significant contemporary concerns using this question - issues like the environment, financial crisis, the meaning of life, evolution, etc...

Religious or philosophical revolutions cannot be divorced from social revolutions.

The other day Steven Rosen published a piece on Buddha from a Vaisnava perspective (only available to Facebook members at this point). It's the classic narrative that explains that the Vedic brahmanas as a class had become degraded. These brahmanas were performing many sacrifices in order to consume the flesh of the animals. Therefore Lord Vishnu incarnated (in the form of a saktyavesa-avatara, or empowerment of a human being) as Buddha.