maybe I should get in contact with david to see if he can force you to pay up, if you dont, you get kicked off the forum 
This message was for the people who are about love, compassion, and working together. Obviously YOU will NEVER get it, in this life time.
Here you are saying that I am not a person of love, compassion and working together and will be in this lifetime. This is an insult.
lol, You just said what everyone else was thinking
Here you are saying that everybody is thinking that I do not get invited back to to parties. This is also an insult.
If you cannot say something constructive, do not say anything at all. The point I made about religions not agreeing with each other is not mutually exclusive of the point that religions should be tolerant to one another.
I made my point politely and I got insulted for it. And yet you call for love, peace, compassion and working together? Give me a break lol
[QUOTE=Brother Neil;35302]maybe I should get in contact with david to see if he can force you to pay up, if you dont, you get kicked off the forum :)[/QUOTE]
lol, I’ll pay up… it may even help my practice
Is it perhaps possible for the two of you (Surya & Yogi Adam) to take your disagreement off forum? There are many ‘guests’ reading threads and if we have any hope in getting them to join in, and feel this is a place of unity, compassion and tolerance, then we should try to set a good example, and set our persoanl differences aside.
Peace out 
[QUOTE=omamana;35318]Is it perhaps possible for the two of you (Surya & Yogi Adam) to take your disagreement off forum? There are many ‘guests’ reading threads and if we have any hope in getting them to join in, and feel this is a place of unity, compassion and tolerance, then we should try to set a good example, and set our persoanl differences aside.
Peace out :D[/QUOTE]
I was certainly going for unity and compassion on this thread. Unfortunately when I am met with resistance, I feel obligated to defend the cause. I can see the irony in my ‘intolerance of intolerance’, but I can’t help to feel I’m fighting a good, and extremely important cause. Unfortunately you can’t have a beautiful garden, without pulling out the weeds.
I am not suggesting you stop pulling out the weeds, but when the weeds invlove a particular member of the forum rather than the topic or thread under discussion, why not take it off forum with him privately?
It is only a suggestion, I know you are probably going to tell me that if I don’t like it, don’t read it, sure I agree. But based on recent feedback from many members on the forum it might be nice to create a slightly kinder environment, and in this way attract new members who are currently only quests?
I enjoyed your clips, and I know your post was with good intention. You don’t need to justify this, to anyone.
[QUOTE=omamana;35321]I am not suggesting you stop pulling out the weeds, but when the weeds invlove a particular member of the forum rather than the topic or thread under discussion, why not take it off forum with him privately?
It is only a suggestion, I know you are probably going to tell me that if I don’t like it, don’t read it, sure I agree. But based on recent feedback from many members on the forum it might be nice to create a slightly kinder environment, and in this way attract new members who are currently only quests?
I enjoyed your clips, and I know your post was with good intention. You don’t need to justify this, to anyone.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that is certainly a good point. Admittedly, I’m prone to being seduced by conflicts. I do have trouble seeing the big picture when I’m being provoked by others. This forum has certainly highlighted this character floor that I hold.
YogiAdam,
Thank you for sharing these 2 truly beautiful video clips. What a wonderful way to look at and embrace ALL religions. The Dalai Lama has held out an olive branch for all to grab onto. It was actually quite touching how he paid respect to the Hindu religion and its traditions and roots. The real point he was trying to make has been lost by some on this thread I’m afraid. He is a great man and a great leader. I was honored to be in his presence a couple years ago at a talk he was giving. A true inspiration to all people regardless of religious views. We took our children and it was such a defining moment in each of our lives. Thank you once again for sharing this.
Folks, please do your best to avoid personal attacks as handing our warnings under the new rules gives me indigestion and if I have to ban someone, I might start cutting myself.
[QUOTE=lotusgirl;35325]YogiAdam,
Thank you for sharing these 2 truly beautiful video clips. What a wonderful way to look at and embrace ALL religions. The Dalai Lama has held out an olive branch for all to grab onto. It was actually quite touching how he paid respect to the Hindu religion and its traditions and roots. The real point he was trying to make has been lost by some on this thread I’m afraid. He is a great man and a great leader. I was honored to be in his presence a couple years ago at a talk he was giving. A true inspiration to all people regardless of religious views. We took our children and it was such a defining moment in each of our lives. Thank you once again for sharing this.[/QUOTE]
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I feel that I have been made to feel singled out, and on the dirty end of favoritism. I don’t feel that this environment has been fair and balanced. I no longer feel comfortable sharing my views, feelings, and experiences here. Thanks for your wisdom… I’m off to actually DO yoga… See ya
Thanks for the links YogiAdam!! They were uplifting and encouraging.
And good luck with the downward dog.
Surya Diva
As for Abrahamic religions, it is sad that you lump us all into the same catagory. Many of the most peaceful and tolerant people I know are Christians. If you don't believe it here it is:
These churches/christians grew out of a violent time and in response to that live lives that avoid war and embrace tolerance of all religions. In fact many were persecuted for their objection to war during the Civil, WW1 and WW2 , but are now protected here in the States under Conscientious objector status (which means they can not be drafted for war) In fact some more liberal branches of these denominations feel that the Bible is not literal, but rather a guide to how we should live our lives. As a Christian we are to be living examples of Christ, and while that may have violent intolerant meanings for some, for the above denominations that means living a life that emphases peace, simplicity, equality of believers (of all religions) and (for only those who are followers of Christ) a consistent obedience to Christ.
When you "lump" us all together it is like calling all Musliums "terrorists", all Americans "greedy bastards", or all Indians "telemarketers with bad English accents and funny little dots on their heads". Its shallow and un-insightful and does nothing to accomplish whatever conversion you are attempting to gain. You can "brag" about the benefits of being Hindu all you want, but don't assume that one general population is the same. There are always shades of grey.
[QUOTE=YogiAdam;35357]I’m glad you enjoyed it. I feel that I have been made to feel singled out, and on the dirty end of favoritism. I don’t feel that this environment has been fair and balanced. I no longer feel comfortable sharing my views, feelings, and experiences here. Thanks for your wisdom… I’m off to actually DO yoga… See ya[/QUOTE]
hey, in my opinion your fine brother, no reason to leave, some times we need to see through it rather then escape it.
sharing from my experience and preaching to myself, right now.
brother Neil
Sometimes leaving for a bit can be beneficial…
Things became upsetting for me at one stage, I then took some time away to think about [U]what was going on for me[/U], and why certain feelings/ emotions were coming up…I was then able to return to the forum when I was ready, with a fresh mind-set and renewed perspective.
Our opinions on the forum often come from deeply personal experiences, which can leave us feeling vulnerable and sensitive to the opinions of others. We are here to share knowledge and learn, but mostly to bare our souls and give very honest opinions, which in the ‘real world’ is often not possible.
It is therefore up to us to take extra care of each other, to protect, and remain patient with each other even when emotions get ugly!
I think it is clear that all members are valued by David, and sometimes we are our own worst enemy when it comes to judging our worth and value on the forum.
Nice post Brother Neil! Yes, we are all brothers and sisters sharing in our struggles. And yes, we are all fine too. We’re in this together, learning and growing. The seeds of happiness are in each of us. We just need to be mindful of them and give them some water!
Omamana, your post hits home too!
Namaste TeeA,
It is hardly uncontroversial that Christian and Muslim history has been full of bloodshed, persecutions, inquisitions, genocide. You say deny it all you want but these religions are not religions of peace. They believe that everybody that is a non-Christian or non-Muslim is condemned and is going to hell. The Quran contains hundreds of passages condemning non-believers and calling for their death and destruction.
All I am being is honest.
Let us stop living in fantasies and learn to call a spade a spade.
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;35378]Namaste TeeA,
It is hardly uncontroversial that Christian and Muslim history has been full of bloodshed, persecutions, inquisitions, genocide. You say deny it all you want but these religions are not religions of peace. They believe that everybody that is a non-Christian or non-Muslim is condemned and is going to hell. The Quran contains hundreds of passages condemning non-believers and calling for their death and destruction.
All I am being is honest.
Let us stop living in fantasies and learn to call a spade a spade.[/QUOTE]
All your energy spent on generalizing, judging, blaming, and unforgiveness…does these traits perhaps lead to your over active mind, as you referred to before?
This thread began by someone wanting to share a couple of video clips they found inspiring and ended with that person wanting to leave the forum, me being issued a warning for a personal attack, and a lot of overall negativism. Not inspiring at all.
I know what the source of the negativism is for me and I have followed David’s advice and used the ‘ignore’ feature provided (although I can still read the posts when replied with quote - will have to sheild my eyes against the onslaught).
My questions are these: how long do we tolerate behaviour that becomes abusive and selfish before acting to stop it? Does being on the yogic path mean that we view the abuse as illusion, as all life is illusion? Is the abuse an illusion to the person being abused? Does this require a thread of it’s own?
I have made my views known to David also. I do not think we should tolerate abusive behavior on a forum for yoga. We should be learning and discussing. Ignore is a good option yes. Maybe the tolerance we all must learn is to just not respond as it make no difference when we do. We cannot change some minds…ever! We cannot open some minds…ever. It is something they must do themselves.
[QUOTE=lotusgirl;35395]. I do not think we should tolerate abusive behavior on a forum for yoga. .[/QUOTE]
to tolerate or not tolerate? honestly i see no better place for allowing such behavior. as a river flows we can jump in and get swept away, we can fight to swim upstream or we can stay out of the river. for the times that we find ourselves in the river is it best to swing sideways, to shore, and get out of the river?. then we can again stand by the river and watch it again without being affected. as more people are on the safety of the shore, in due time the ones fighting the river may see the light. May i see the light.
as mentioned in another post, I as well highly respect brother david’s way of handling this forum, even thought it may sometimes give him a little indigestion.
best to all
brother Neil
[QUOTE=Surya Deva;35274]Namaste,
Not all religions are the same, they have very fundamental differences. If one says that there will be a judgement day at some point in the future and the body of everybody will be resurrected(rise from the grave) and stand judgement, and another says that ones soul will transmigrate after death and take on a new body, then both cannot be right. Either one is going to be right and the other wrong or both are going to be wrong.
[/QUOTE]
I offer a possibility: this is only true when we understand a faith’s claims to include a universal scope, rather than the scope of the faith’s own adherents. (which I notice many insist upon.) Isn’t it possible that each distinct religion is right when understood with the proper scope, and that at least several peoples have a distinct deal with a distinct god – or at the very least, a distinct deal with a god who insists upon diversity? (and here I notice that I’m definitely using my own Abrahamic words to describe a people’s relationship to their deity: a covenant. I intend more drastic inclusion than I can place in words quite yet.)
Rather than most religions being wrong about everything, it is possible that most religions are only wrong about one thing: that they matter to folks outside the fold? And we won’t get to know for sure until we reach the undiscovered country.