Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder # 30,

```` Interest Banking is not the same as renting out an apartment, both have different implications for the economy. If banks provide a service like deposit accounts, safeguarding, transfers etc etc, let them charge a fee. ````

I am not talking about just Banks here. I, as an individual, want to treat my monetary assets the same as my non-monetary ones i.e. to earn some money.

And moreover, apart from this, depending on whom I lend my money to, I would like to charge various interest rates to compensate for differential risk. Just as I would charge differential rents on my apartment depending on how I perceive they would maintain the apartment.

If you dont agree with this concept, please let me know why.

```` Should one place a premium cost on it for others to use it so that wealth makes a circuit among the rich while impoverishing the masses or should there be more just distribution. Now, who sees a problem with this?````

Don`t make this issue a morality play. I completely respect your moral approach towards this issue. But if you are recommending to make it a law, then there is no difference between this and communist form of governance.

Thanks,

Muslims and Modern Banking: A Rejoinder Masadi,
Interest is the rent you charge for someone to use your money.
Just as in you charge rent on an apartment when you let someone use it.
Would you agree with this concept? If not, why?

Thanks,

Islamic Banking – a Sham Hey Nabendu,

Sorry I had to made a remark on your first statement:

````At the outset, I wish to pay my respects to The Holy Prophet (pbuh), The Holy Koran, The Holy Hadiths, The Sharia’h Law, and all the other Holy Directives which my friends in the Moslem World hold dear.````

This is like a Muslim/Christian starting his article by paying respects to `Manu Smriti` ;-)

(I was referring to Shariah part).

Thanks,

Husain, Hinduism, Hindustan: Testing Tolerance Re: # 356

````
Tell me! What prevents Mulayam Yadav from firing this Qureshi Minister?
What prevented the NDA govt. from ending the haj subsidy? Why did the BJP not push for a uniform civil code when in power? It is your Hindu politicians who cater to the obscurantists instead of the progressives. This is my point. ````

I agree with you. Politics and desire to cling to power get in the way. Another important reason is our internal caste divisions. Casteism is the scourge of Hindu society and the root cause of our disunity.

Thanks,

Assessing Pakistani Science Re: # 46

You are right. I believe we are not in dire straits as far as the scientific research is concerned, but we definitely need more Hoodbhoys. They can only be a benefit to the society,

Thanks,

Assessing Pakistani Science # 22, # 27,

Masadi has a minor point, which he extrapolates and project to suit his pet theories.

The minor point he has, and I tend to agree with, is that Europeans are more biased towards pure sciences compared to USA which is biased toward applied sciences. In fact, a substantial number of USA Nobel prize winners are born in Europe. However, he extrapolates this into his own pet theory of why USA is symbolic of everthing wrong in this world..

I agree with you and others who pointed USA also has done great progress in Pure science and going forward, with all the hype about lagging behind China/India and increased funding to Universities, the focus only looks to be increasing.

Of course, the biggest obfuscation masadi makes is that it does not matter whether USA specializes in one thing and Europe specializes on something else. It is the overall scientific development in which Pakistan and to varying degrees India and other developing countries are behing westren countries. And we have to get better at this in order to compete in a global economy and in the process advance human civilization.

Ignoring that and trying to steer the debate into who specialized in what and whether USA spends most of it`s time on defense innovations is symbolic of him,

Thanks,

Husain, Hinduism, Hindustan: Testing Tolerance Re: # 264

Hey DM,

``Yes, the majority bigotry and intolerance can lead to a fascist society. But the minority intolerance and refusal to integrate with the mainstream is equally threatening, in my opinion, as it provides the kind of explosive environment in which the Modis of this world thrive.
````

Very well put. To extend this further, I believe, and I think many of my generation agree, that Majority aggressiveness is the only answer to cure India of the ills caused by minority intolerance.

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Assessing Pakistani Science Another great article from Dr. Hoodbhoy.

He had been criticized a lot in the past for multiple things..

From not interacting to carrying a personal agenda to only pointing out problems in Pakistan scientific community without providing solutions etc..

But I believe he is a great asset to Pakistan. He does an extremely good job of identifying the problems with a comparative analysis of how the situation is with other developing/developed countries and providing feasible solutions, all without any rabble-rousing. Too bad he is not adequately recognized and utilized yet..

Thanks,
Avkrishna

One Dayers and All It`s a shame that for a country of a billion people obsessed with one sport, we have a mediocre and inconsistent team..

More over, this is still an extremely corrupt game.. They are making fools of us.

Thanks,

Husain, Hinduism, Hindustan: Testing Tolerance Re: # 52

``Please read #20 by bjkumar. ``

I have read his post and yet I am still uncertain. I believe Freedom is never unfettered and has to work within the guidelines of a particular society. I also believe artists usually work towards pushing these boundaries and should be given extra latitude.

However I also dont believe this applies equally. In India, I dont believe people from other religions have an equal right as a Hindu has to criticize and take liberties with Hinduism. I know this stance of mine goes against the prevailing sentiment in India as well as with other Hindus on this site, but that`s where I stand.

```` How is militant Hinduism going to protect anyone? Who has created this threat perception? It started in the West, and Indian Hindus thought they too had to add to the noise. Missionaries have existed for years. Small fringe Islamic groups have been around, many wooed by political parties at the Centre. The fact is they were not given the time of day by IMs. Do keep this important fact in mind. ````

I dont think this threat perception to Hindus in India was not started in West though Westren Missionary groups definitely have a big role to play in it. In fact, I dont think that the majority of Hindus in India care about Crusades or whether Jews can stay in Palestine or not. (though now in the globalized world, we definitely have a stake in the outcome)

We care about how Hindus and other Indic religions are treated in India and other countries. We have been oppressed in one form or the other in the last 1000 years and it continues even after the Independence in the guise of this Psuedo - Secularism.

True, Missionaries have been in this country since a long time. We were unable to stop them in the past. But that does not mean the same in future. The Hindus society now has the means (whether intellectual or material) to stop this now.

About fringe Islamic groups and IM not giving them the time of their day, I think you are wrong. It is this fringe Islamic groups, who dictate terms in India. Sadly people like you and Asghar Ali are the fringe segment in terms of influence.

Also, when Indian Muslims had a chance, they broke away in the past. ( I am loosely using this term to identify all Muslims in Sub-Continent). What`s the garuntee that they wont demand the same in future?

````
Hindu aggressiveness is counter-productive. More innocents have died since this resurgence, and that too aided and abetted by the state machinery. ````

I am with you about the loss of inncoent life. I am absolutely and completely against it.

But I disagree with your statement about asking Hindus not to be aggressive about our faith. That`s not a viable alternative. I dont want to kill, but I dont want to die too. (Before anyone jump on me, the last statement was a metaphor)

``````You say you will be glad if the ‘Hinduisation of India’ takes place. Where do you live? Not in India, right? So, on what grounds do you not only sound alarm bells about Islamic threat to India, you even dream of this Hindu utopia? I have said this several times, this can happen only if India changes its Constitution. ``````

On the grounds that I was born a Hindu in India, spent a major portion of my life in India, and still a citizen of India. I agree with you about having to change Indian constitution. But Constitution is not holy grail. It reflects the sentiments of people and if majority of Hindus agree to change it, change is inevitable,

Thanks for interacting,
- Avkrishna

Husain, Hinduism, Hindustan: Testing Tolerance Hey FV,

I consider MF Hussain as a big hypocrite too, taking a free license with Hinduism but afraid of even touching anything related to Islam. Nevertheless, it`s his personal decision.


Anyway, the issue raised by you is not about him, but this is an issue of artistic and social freedom in Hindu society.

This issue of artistic freedom, more broadly the issue of liberalism in Hinduism is a tricky one.

Granted Hindus have been historically taken a free license about the religion/culture.

But, as a society in time of multiple external threats (whether it is the militant islam or the soft power of Christianity), do we want to continue like that in future too?

Or do we want to be more militant on the fringes to protect the inner core?

Can we get away with such selective agression or is this going to undermine the very essence of our religion and as DM rightly pointed out, Islamize Hinduism?

To be honest, I dont have all the answers, but I do think we need to be more aggressive than we have been historically so about how Non Indic religions treat Hinduism, esp. in India which the only place left for Hinduism. However this is not an easy task as we can see with the regular clashes on Valentine`s day by VHP/RSS.


``Since when has India got completely enmeshed with Hinduism?``

It has been since time immemorial. Only now we are re-discovering this. I would add that it`s not just Hinduism which is central to India, but all Indic religions have an equal stake.

``This is the Hinduisation of India.``

Is it happening yet? I for one, would be glad if it happens. Sadly, most of Hindus/Indic relgion followers in India are still too liberal (like DM),

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Is the Koran Truly Amazing? masadi,

About Ramanujan`s post about quranic verses on Mountains, I am curious about what you have to say. Can you explain that `seemingly` contradrictory statement in quran?

Thanks,

Mohammad Who? hamidm,

Great to see you back. We really missed you here.

Behram tried to entertain us in your absence, but he is a pale comparision to you and indulges too much in sugar cane and all...

Chowk is fun once again. Actually not completely yet.

We still have Romair missing!!
I have to admit, I miss him. Does anyone else miss him? I would have loved to hear his views on this Mohammed`s cartoon controversy ;-)


Thanks,
Avkrishna

Cartoon Clash of Civilizations DM,
There is a merit to warpster`s argument. Irrespective of the Danish newspaper`s motives (which IMO not very idealistic), the real issue is how a particular group reacts to these kind of provokings. And the Islamic society, except for a few vocal moderates, is not faring very well.


I empathize with many muslims, when they say their religious feelings are offended. God knows even I would be offended if my religion is ridiculed. The reaction does not even have to be passive.


But the reaction cannot be violent (like some of the threatening posters) or unreasonable/ridiculous (like demanding that entire Denmark needs to apologize or that the editors should be handed over to an Islamic country for trial by Sharia).



Thanks,
Avkrishna

Have Muslims Become Caricatures?
Another point of view
I see many interactor jumping on Jyllands-Posten`s refusal to publish cartoons on Jesus as an example of European double standard on Freedom of press etc.

That would be totally missing the point. The point is every newspaper in free world has the right to publish what they want. Being a christian conservative news paper, they dont want to publish cartoons on Jesus. That is their right.

The issue is not whether Jyllands-Posten has an agenda or whether they are fair. They are clearly not.

The issue is how Islamic society can come out of this blind adherence to literal interpretation of One Book and join a multi cultural world, esp. when they are a minority in a Christian majority or a Hindu majority country.

You guys have all the freedom to do whatever you want in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or any other Islamic country (which you already do). But you can`t demand others to heed your sentiments/demands in Non Islamic countries,

Thanks,
Avkrishna

Where are the Questioning Minds? Arjunm and even Urstruly,

Thanks for letting me know the Danish products; Now I know what to buy

- Avkrishna