(1)American-on-Line (AOL)has deleted "Hinduism"(under "Life-Styles"-"Spirituality) from its message Board.By "Hinduism"- I mean Sanathana Dharmam-Arya Samajam-S.R.F(Sri.Yogananda's)-Mother Meera-ISKCON- Amruthanandhamyi-Satya Sai Babha-sri.Ramakrishna/Sri.Ramana Philosophy- Ayurveda/Yoga etc.They have retained only Christianity-Islam- Judaism-all Mediterenian- centred Religions and only one Indus valley based Religion "Buddhism has been retained- under"Spirituality" (Bhuddhism is becoming popular in North America now a days after sri Dalai Lama's visit-Ahimsa(non-violence) and Vegetarianism are very popular).In spite of 53 Protest Messages-including "Threats" to withdraw from AOL-nothing has worked-AOL has not moved.Our esteemed friend sri.Prem is also interacting in this board.He knows the details
(2)American-On-Line(AOL)-INDIA-Spirituality-in the "Hindu Values"-all "Semetic Religions" have a Hay-day-all "Filthy Language"- only two Polish (Poland) Ladies-were valiantly defending "Hinduism"!!.They have also given-up.
(3)In another Message Board-Bhudhism and Hinduism are dubbed as "Ways of Life"(Dr.Radahakrishnan's well known contribution!!) and "Just Philosophies" and NOT "Religions-in the Strict sense" and they(Hindus and Bhudhists) do not know "What is Theism"- deliberately to confuse the "guillibles" that these Two "Ways of Life!!" will not "Lead to Salvation"
(4) The "TIME" has come for all the Religions "Born" in Indian Sub-Continent-Sanathana-Arya Samajam-Brahma Samajam-Satya Sai Babha-Ayyappa -Bhuddism-Jainism-Sikhism to forget their "Marginal differences"-and search intensively for commonalities-instead of quarreling-Sanathana vs Arya Samajam(In India-they don't quarrel)-Dwaitham vs Adwaitham etc.Even sri.Azhgan Pillai has mentioned that there is a change in his attitude after listening to Swami Agnivesh from India.
(5) If they dont come together-as Dr.David Frawly (sri.Vama Deva Shastri) says"We may miss the Bus" in this "Electronic Era"

i second that wise motion, dr raj...
while some matters of faith cannot be negotiated, i feel that there should be no impediment to constructive unity for a common goal in other matters such as the one you've emphasized...

i hope aryas and sanatanas can make peace on this board, at least for the present, and look at building a common foundation wherefrom we can then tackle the stickier elements of dharma...

about the broad 'hindu' bracket, dr raj, remember that iskcon and ramakrshna movement have washed their hands of their hindu identity and claim to be seperate faiths... we aryas have not swapped loyalties... to take hindu dharm back to the vedas will always be our aim, and we will never back down from that...

(1)I am not contesting the fact -that Iskcon have time and again denied that they are not "Hindus" and they have claimed that they have nothing to do Vedas.I had had a very lengthy discussion on this subject with one "Dhenu Lover"(Ex-Michael) and "Gour Nitai" on this.I just wanted to say they are also interacting in "Hinduism" board only,since they have no board of their own.
(2) sri.Ramakrishna Mission -all over the World-accept all the Vedas(Rg/Yajur/Saama/Atharva Vedhanta and other related litreatures.In fact some of the saints of this order, like Swami Ranganaadhaanandha are brilliant Vedic Scholars.
(3) I am not suggesting compromise on basic tenets of the various Schools of thoughts.Simultaneously we may also see the commonalities and highlight that-instead of looking for the variants all the time.
(4) "Hinduism" is not a Vedic terminology.It was coined by "Outsiders".It has come to stay.Why not we take it to our advantage?
(5) We may "agree to disagree"-but with "maturity" and "decorum"

Dear Dr.S.S.Rajagopalan:

Thanks.There is a bigger question in my mind. If the trend that has been exhibited by the American on Line (AOL)& its exectives continues, we all stand to lose, irrespective of our views. Somewhere along the line we will have to unite for our spiritual values. There should be never ceasing effort to unite and hold this trend which is being displayed by AOL. Our past history clearly tells us the lessons that we have suffered and will continue to suffer if we do not stand for our spiritual values. As you know, I have already written to the AOL to withdraw if they do not bring back Hinduism boards. We all have to support each other for or this trend will backfire on us all. I am glad you have brought this subject for other members' benefit. Let everyone chip in for this strenuous endeavor. If we do not make a genuine effort, sooner or later it will affect us all. Harihi Om.

What is the URL of AOL?

I think it is important that Hindus express their views on different forums on the internet, instead of limiting themsleves to this protected Hindu forum.

At the same time we must ask: if this forum is not willing to accept criticism, whatever may be the reason, then why others should accept Hindu viewpoints and criticism of their faith?

I feel very sad with some recent censonship in this forum which seems heavy-hamded to me.

I don't understand "if this forum is not willing to accept criticism, whatever may be the reason, then why others should accept Hindu viewpoints and criticism of their faith?"

What does one have to do with the other? Others do not accept Hindu viewpoints and criticism of their faith, and reserve the right to run their forums as they choose. I will clarify that for the sake of trust and accountability, it would be appropriate for the moderators to state the reasons for their deletions.

Some clarification about the RK Mission: yes, it did seek to be recognized as a minority religion to afford itself protection under Article 30 of the Constitution of India, which ensures protection to minority religions to run institutions, but omits that protection to Hindu religions. The RK Mission used this subterfuge in an effort to protect its schools from interference by the Communist government of West Bengal; however, the Supreme Court of India rejected the petition: for details, read the complete text of the judgement of the Supreme Court of India. I've read that the Arya Samaj has also sought recognition as a minority religion: could Ashegan clarify this issue? (on another thread, preferably)

Julie Maitra
The Sanatana Dharma page
http://www.hinduweb.org/home/general_sites/jmaitra/

Dear Sri Jha:
I agree with your views. The AOL web site is at www.aol.com
Sri Jha, I personally learn a lot from your posts and I am sure others do too. Harihi Om.

i'm sorry that i'm replying on this thread, julie ji, but it seems the most appropriate...

it is true that arya samaj has throughout its history maintained the identity of 'arya' before 'hindu'.. in fact in the early days when censuses were taken in the punjab, families who followed arya samaj claimed to be aryas... and even prisoners in camps wished to be listed as aryas and not hindus...

but despite those cases, arya samaj has and always will be primarily a hindu reform movement... to take hinduism back to the vedas is the motto of arya samaj... believe it or not, hindu nationalism rose from this movement.. the hindu maha sabha, the first hindu political body was founded by aryas and the rss founder was influenced by arya teachings...

while contemporary groups like the brahmo samaj pandered to western progress and religion, arya samaj was never ashamed of its 'hindu' background and worked tirelessly to rid it of undesirable elements like untouchability and child marriage...

so considering the immense impact of arya samaj in the developement of hindu nationalism and the fact in many cases (including the muhurt at the babri ruins in ayodhya) it is aryas bearing the cudgels against other hostile religions and pledging hindu solidarity, i would say that yes, we are still a 'hindu' organisation...

but remember that if even it was written on a wad of official paper, how many people would actually think we are a seperate religion? its the same with the hare krshnas - who do they think they're fooling? as long as they claim the gita as their book and dance to bhajans in dhotis and top-knots, they will be as hindu as you and me...

Dear Ashegan,

I agree wholeheartedly...the RK Mission is fooling only itself with its credo of equal respect toward all religions...its founder, Swami Vivekananda, was forthright in his criticism of Islam and Christianity.

You might be interested to read how the Hindu writer Sita Ram Goel came to terms with Swami Dayananda's Light of Truth - he wrote:

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Quote:

I do not remember ... my reactions to the learned discussions which the Satyartha Prakasa carries on many subjects. But I do remember very vividly the painful shock I received as I read its remarks about Kabir and Nanak. These were two of the most hallowed names I had cherished since my first awakening to a religious consciousness. I concluded that Swami Dayananda had been unnecessarily unkind to these great saints, and that his way of thinking was wrong... It was years later when I read Sri Aurobindo's Bankim, Tilak, Dayananda that I bowed, in repentance and renewed reverence, before that fearless lion of a man who tried his best to rescue and revive the Vedic vision among the Hindus. A true understanding and appreciation of the crucial cultural role which the Arya Samaj played at a critical juncture in our national life dawned on me simultaneously.

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As you know, I have already written to the AOL to withdraw if they do not bring back Hinduism boards. We all have to support each other for or
this trend will backfire on us all.
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I have also written that I will also withdraw from AOL if they are not going to restore Hinduism. Indraniji also has written.But,I think they are not going to cut off the present Hinuism Board-but allow it to disappear on its own in due course-by denying access to "Hindu-New Comers"(Aol) and Non-Hindus(AOL) who have a genuine interest to know about "Hinduism".If people does not know that this board exists at all- and how to "reach" it,how it will survive for long?
AOL-URL is :-www.aol.com

I was wondering Bhuddhists suddenly started supporting Hinduism in other Message Boards--It seems it is sequel to Pope's message in Asian coference at Delhi that Asian Clergymen should concentrate on "Hindus and Bhuddhists" of Asia in the New Millenium for conversion.Here is a message from AOL-Board from sri Jai-Somnath.
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Three-day Hindu-Buddhist conference in Lumbini
People of one culture must come at one platform --Kanchi Shankaracharya
From Our Correspondent
It was a unique confluence of two oldest religions of the World in Nepal on November 19, when top Hindu and Buddhist religious leaders, unitedly paid tribute to Lord Buddha to show the world a new way of peace and non-violence. More than 550 representatives from 17 countreis of the world particiapted in this historical event. The dharmacharyas performed the traditional pooja by lighting traditional lamps and had a parikarma around the Stupas built at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
Inaugurating the three-day Hindu-Buddhist conference at Bhairhva the Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peeth Swami Jayendra Sraswati said that no matter the Hinduism and Buddhism are two ways of worship, both had emerged from the same place. He said that the conference would prove a milestone in the way of Hindu- Buddhist unity. People of one culture must come at one platform to give the world a new direction.
Later a message from the King of Nepal Shri Virendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was read out at the function by the Bareguru of Nepal Shri Kesari Raj Pandey.
Shri DS Uchida, the chief priest of 17 Dakoji temple of Japan, said that the traditional culture of Japan was the gift of Lumbini and Buddhism. Hinduism is our father and the Buddhism is mother, he said pointing out that Japan, with the co-operation of the Government of India would re-establish the historic Nalanda University which will cost about Rs one crore 43 lakh.

President of World Buddhist Council Shri Bhante Jaan Jagat Maharaj stressed the need to develop greater co-operation between India and Japan since both the countries share lot of cultural and religious similarities. Working President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Shri Ashok Singhal said that at the time when World was facing a threat from several nuclear powers of the world, the teachings of Lord Buddha could show the way. Human Resource and Development Minister of Government of India Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi said that the history had established that there was a fundamental similarity between Hindu and Buddhism.

Prominent who also addressed the conference were S/Shri Sharat Singh Bhandari, Sports and youth affairs minister of Nepal, President of Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh Shri Krishan Gopal Tondon, former Prime Minster of Nepal Shri Kirtinidhi Bisht, President of VHP Acharya Giriraj Kishore, Industrialist Shri Bhupendra Kuamr Modi. The prominent countries from where the representatives came for the conference were Bharat, Nepal, China, Tibet, Japan, Bhutan,Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Germany, USA, Hong Kong, Malaysia.-Jai Somanath

AOL-SPIRITUALITY-HINDUISM BOARD BEING RESTORED
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Members of the Hinduism message board community:

I understand you are concerned that the Hinduism message boards are missing from the new Spirituality Community Center. My team and I are working now to restore the boards, chat, etc., to Spirituality. In fact, we're hoping to build out an even bigger space for Hinduism, though this may take longer.

I do apologize for the delay in responding to you. Please chalk it up to the confusion following the launch of a new area.

Regards,
Jennifer Fiore
Senior Programming Manager, AOL