Anand Krishna’s Writings
“I would like to share my hearing with you – that is if you permit me to do so!”
Anand Krishna , Jakarta | Sat, 01/30/2010 12:52 PM | Opinion
As pointed out by Azmi Sharom of University of Malaya in his dissertation (www.projectmalaysia.org), “at the crux of the problem facing plurality in Malaysia” are the twin issues of race and religion. Read the rest of this entry »
read comments (0)Promoting faith-based secularism
Posted by Anand Krishna in Jakarta Post
Anand Krishna , Jakarta | Mon, 01/18/2010 10:44 AM | Opinion
When the British writer George Holyoake first used the term secularism in 1851, he likely had no idea that his brainchild would be so dreaded by so many prominent religious establishments.
In our country, the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) issued an edict on July 29, 2005, declaring as haram (forbidden in Islam) the idea of secularism, saying it was “opposed to the teachings of Islam”. Read the rest of this entry »
Anand Krishna , Jakarta | Sat, 01/02/2010 12:58 PM | Opinion
The “voice” is gone. And we are left with wilderness.
Gus Dur, the voice that made the wilderness less terrifying, shall no longer be heard. His was the voice of hope, the voice that kept the flame of hope burning in many hearts. Alas, that voice is gone . And yet, on second thought, where can it go? The echo of each and every word he ever uttered shall remain here. Right here, with you and with me – with all of us. Read the rest of this entry »
Preserving and living the Balinese heritage
Posted by Anand Krishna in Jakarta Post
Anand Khrisna , Jakarta | Tue, 12/29/2009 9:07 AM | Opinion
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has chosen Bali as the pilot project for environmentally friendly tourism. Geoffrey Lipman, the UNWTO assistant secretary general, praised Bali for its local wisdom, and spoke of the need to apply it to meet actual challenges such as climate change. Read the rest of this entry »
CHRISTMAS MEDITATION – Carrying the Cross with Jesus
Posted by Anand Krishna in Archives
It is easy to quote someone famous, and elaborate upon their words. It is easy to quote Jesus, Muhammad, Siddhartha, or Krishna, and then comment on them.
It is not easy to be original. Jesus was original, genuine.
When the scholars, the men of letters asked him what was the first commandment, he took no time thinking. “Love God with all your mind, heart, and soul.” The questioners were smart, They did not ask Jesus about his teachings. Theirs was a generic question, “what is the first commandment”. And, Jesus answered in the same generic language too! Read the rest of this entry »
Practical lesson from Melbourne Convention: God, men and pluralism
Posted by Anand Krishna in Jakarta Post
Anand Krishna , Jakarta | Mon, 12/21/2009 3:14 PM | Opinion
“You are lucky. A good hotel location, the city mosque is not far from your hotel, just walking distance,” Hassen, the maxi (not a taxi, because it could take six of us) driver greeted me as I was struggling to put on my seat belt.
Melbourne 2009 – and it was the second day of December.
What a change! I was in the city more than 20 years ago.
Then, as a businessman, and I do not remember being driven by a Hassen who would for the next half an hour brief me on the geography of the city, highlighting only such places related to the “religion of God”.
Hmm, “So, other religions are not *of’ God?”
Lessons of leadership: Why do our politicians fail?
Posted by Anand Krishna in Jakarta Post
Anand Krishna , Jakarta | Thu, 12/17/2009 8:59 AM | Opinion
In spite of their “purportedly” common vision toward a better and more livable world, our politicians have failed. Certainly not all of them were, or, are insincere.
Nevertheless, they have failed to deliver. Today, we live in a more comfortable, but not a “better” world. Conflicts and wars are tearing us apart – whereas, peace and harmony remain issues for discussion among our elites.
Solidarity in action
Posted by Anand Krishna in Letters
In December 2008, I met Anand Krishna (of Anand Ashram) in Singapore on the sidelines of a conference on religion and politics in Southeast Asia. He told me how that June members of the FPI had attacked a pro-pluralism gathering at Monas (the National Monument in Central Jakarta). The gathering was held in order to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Pancasila state ideology and to show support for the embattled Islamic minority Ahmadiyah sect.
Spiritualist Anand Krishna’s Speech on Sufi Night – Nov 15, 2009 in IBMF 2009
Posted by Anand Krishna in Latest News, Regional Issues
On Sufi Night in International Bali Meditator’s Festival (IBMF) 2009 — 15th of November 2009 — , at Bale Banjar, Ubud-Bali, Spiritualist Anand Krishna explained that Sufis had been running away from life because of trauma that had occurred after Mansyur Al-Hallaj was prosecuted in Baghdad, in 922 M.
Unlike his fellows, Al-Hallaj was Sufi master who shared his vision of God with the masses in his writings and through his teachings. Sometimes, by occasions, Al-Hallaj would fall into traces, which one of the traces, he would utterred “Ana-l-Haqq” (meaning : I am The Truth). Since Al-Haqq (The Truth) was one of the Ninety Nine Names of Allah, he was accused to claim to be God. His controversial statement led him to gallows, and death.
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On Sunday, 18 October 2009, 33 Chinese temple contingents paraded through the streets of Jakarta’s Chinatown in what was probably the largest Chinese religious festival to be staged in the city from even before the New Order. Hundreds of devotees formed teams to carry 38 palanquins bearing the images of Chinese deities. Accompanied by musicians, lion and dragon dancers, they formed a foot procession that stretched more than one kilometre long. Three police cars were in the vanguard to clear the way through the city’s perpetual traffic jams as the parade wound its way around a ten-kilometre circuit starting and ending at Glodok.
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