Saturday, May 29, 2004
THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND HINDUTVA
Although few in America were aware of it, the BJP party in India, the party just voted out of power in India's national elections, was closely tied up with an ideology known as "hindutva." Hindutva was a mishamash of Hindu nationalism and spiritualism. One of the central tenets of hindutva was the claim that Hinduism, alone among religions, is compatible with the truths revealed by modern science. However, along with this came the claims that such hoodoo as astrology and so-called "ayurvedic medicine" (a favorite of the crystal-power New-Agers in the West like nutcase popular guru Deepak Chopra) were also consistent with and, in fact, proven true by modern science. As a result, during the BJP's rule, departments of astrology and the like were established at mainstream Indian universities.
Here's a good article about the chance that India now has, with the BJP out of power, to take a second chance at reason.
GB, THHotA
posted by Greg 10:48 AM
