India has no reason to be grateful to Mother Teresa

[Sabir]

Okay let me re iterate some of the critical points


1. She actually liked poverty and suffering and so did little alleviate it
2. She was against birth control, which exacerbated the problems from Bangladeshi refugees. This made Calcutta's population problem worse
3. She encouraged the raped women during 1971 genocide of bangladeshis not to abort the babies
4. We have a 'soft spot' because Church ran a big PR campaign, and obviously we all know how political the Nobel Peace prize is

1. I think it is th econclusion of the writer of the article. Mother Teresa did not say it to your ear.
2. She was faithful to the tenets of her religion; she was against abortion which she considered a crime...killing an unborn baby. You and some others deducted she was against birth control. Two things are different.
3. Reason already explained.
4. We have seen her working for the poor in Kolkata; we dont need certification from the Nobel Committee or the Church to evaluate her. Her organisation itself sufficient to testify that.

If you have doubt, bring a sick or diabled person with you, leave him in front of her organisation and watch from a distance. If you do it everyday, they will take care of him/her everyday. It is easier to sit in an A.C room to find loophole in other's philosophy , but when you will be asked whether you have taken any initiative for those who are suffering, you will have no answer.

 

[pankaj nema]

Compassion is certainly an emotion, but it is by no means restricted to religious people. Please look into the works of Dawkins and Sam Harris to see why your arguments are comprehensively inadequate.

Dawkins and Sam harris are atheists And they might be successful but are they known for compassion
to the destitute and suffering

Mother teresa has never ever been criticised for her missionary activities

Her work in genuinely and truly helping the poor is far bigger than any other " Church " related activity

Such power can NEVER come from Missionary Zeal alone

It is her faith, her belief that she was serving God that made her carry on like this

Such Noble saints are seldom born in this wretched world

Atheists can ONLY talk, write and criticise

How many atheists have done even a fraction of the work that she has done

 

[Sabir]

Sir,Phule ,Narayana guru ,Periyar and Ambedkar did more for the masses than those two u mentioned.Those four gave hope real hope for self-respect.better life and honour to a large strata of indian society than you can ever imagine in fact they reduced friction between castes and avoided civil war

Are you aware of the organisation called Ramakrishna Mission????

Is it necessary to criticise others to praise some????

 

[LurkerBaba]

1. I think it is th econclusion of the writer of the article. Mother Teresa did not say it to your ear.

According to Mother Teresa's bizarre philosophy, it is "the most beautiful gift for a person that he can participate in the sufferings of Christ".

2. She was faithful to the tenets of her religion; she was against abortion which she considered a crime...killing an unborn baby. You and some others deducted she was against birth control. Two things are different.

Yeah but being against abortion is inevitably leads to being against birth control no ? We were not a society which used condoms and contraceptives freely at that time

4. We have seen her working for the poor in Kolkata; we dont need certification from the Nobel Committee or the Church to evaluate her. Her organisation itself sufficient to testify that..

Seen her working for the poor, or seen PR clippings of her being in the company of poor people ? Enjoying poverty and uplifting poverty are separate things.

 

[Ray]

Please visit Mother House and see what they eat!

Please visit any Church personage while he is eating!

And then come into the arms of Jesus, my child!

No religion is in the service of God.

It is a career to feast the body!

Just as an aside, I was in charge of her funeral proceedings!

 

[Iamanidiot]

@LB what issuer you are stating are not specific to the mother but are endemic roman catholic church issues

 

[Sabir]

By helping those who are suffering, being one among them you can participate in their suffering. Why you are taking so much time to understand such simple phrase?

No ! Being against abortion is not being against Birth Control.

Seen her working for poor. You do not need to doubt that. I am from Kolkata.

She was faithful to her religion; tries to do what she believed good; she dedicated her life for that............ She might not be a master planner, might not be a smart brain to do something for the upliftment of the poors. But what the smart brains, rational people are doing for sixty years for the same cause????

And what scheme would you write for those who are insane and thrwon out of their own family, those who are orphans....

Plz stop jumping just after finding an article.....why he does not write about those he ask to kill people in the name of God, those who eat up money aimed for poors......because that does not draw attention............

The first article was asking where is those Bn of Dollars...............

I say....She spent on Ornaments, cars, Buildings for her....and then built up her own statue.........Then gave it to her children and in-laws.....

Happy????

 

[Ray]

Mother Teresa did what was ordained to her by Jesus.

She did nothing that the others of the Church should not do.

Because others in the Church forgot Jesus while she did not is what makes her a better and true Christian.

She served the poor and converted them.

Her service to Jesus and Christianity cannot be forgotten.

I have not read the article and will not read them since it is easy to vilify.

All she did was serve Jesus and Christianity.

That was her mission in life.

None is prevented from serving their God and religion.

So, in the light of that, she is blameless!

 

[LurkerBaba]

By helping those who are suffering, being one among them you can participate in their suffering. Why you are taking so much time to understand such simple phrase?

Not merely participate, she liked seeing them suffer, she thought it was noble and thats why did not administer painkillers. I'll quote the full text now

"One can hear the screams of people having maggots tweezered from their open wounds without pain relief. On principle, strong painkillers are even in hard cases not given. According to Mother Teresa's bizarre philosophy, it is "the most beautiful gift for a person that he can participate in the sufferings of Christ". Once she tried to comfort a screaming sufferer: "You are suffering, that means Jesus is kissing you!" The man got furious and screamed back: "Then tell your Jesus to stop kissing." "

No ! Being against abortion is not being against Birth Control.

In principle no. But in practice, when a large section section of the society does not use contraceptives, yes

 

[Ray]

"One can hear the screams of people having maggots tweezered from their open wounds without pain relief. On principle, strong painkillers are even in hard cases not given. According to Mother Teresa's bizarre philosophy, it is "the most beautiful gift for a person that he can participate in the sufferings of Christ". Once she tried to comfort a screaming sufferer: "You are suffering, that means Jesus is kissing you!" The man got furious and screamed back: "Then tell your Jesus to stop kissing." "

I would like to think that using religion to calm the suffering may have been the motive.

There are many things in all religions that appear bizarre to the modern man, but they are basically deep in its philosophical and spiritual interpretation!

It may appear bizarre, but then it is also bizarre to the rational mind as to why people become human bombs and devastate areas killing so many

There is no answer to the rational mind and yet it horrifyingly works!

Maybe the good Mother was attempting the experiment to use religion to calm the suffering for which she, as a mortal, had no answer!

You won't believe what humbug is trotted out in the name of religion and it works!

 

[Sabir]

Not merely participate, she liked seeing them suffer, she thought it was noble and thats why did not administer painkillers. I'll quote the full text now

"One can hear the screams of people having maggots tweezered from their open wounds without pain relief. On principle, strong painkillers are even in hard cases not given. According to Mother Teresa's bizarre philosophy, it is "the most beautiful gift for a person that he can participate in the sufferings of Christ". Once she tried to comfort a screaming sufferer: "You are suffering, that means Jesus is kissing you!" The man got furious and screamed back: "Then tell your Jesus to stop kissing." "



In principle no. But in practice, when a large section section of the society does not use contraceptives, yes

I am sorry to say you and the writer of the article have some serious problem about understanding simple thing. Those are just words to console someone who is suffering....and your deduction is..."she enjoyed seeing people suffering"...Pathetic.

And I doubt authenticity of this account.

Birth Control- the issue you are mentioning is related with education level of people, environment they are living in......You are just trying to put the whole blame on her.....She looked at it through ethical prism and opined what she felt right. But , you and the writer are presenting it such a way that she was the sole cause of overpopulation in India.....

 

[LurkerBaba]

I am sorry to say you and the writer of the article have some serious problem about understanding simple thing. Those are just words to console someone who is suffering....and your deduction is..."she enjoyed seeing people suffering"...Pathetic.

And I doubt authenticity of this account.

Birth Control- the issue you are mentioning is related with education level of people, environment they are living in......You are just trying to put the whole blame on her.....She looked at it through ethical prism and opined what she felt right. But , you and the writer are presenting it such a way that she was the sole cause of overpopulation in India.....

Well not point targetting me (I'm merely echining the author(s)'s views ) or the authors. Hitchens is quite a famous rationalist and Slate magazine has top notch reputation. Sanal Edamaruku is also a well know desi rationalist

It's easy to get emotional and it's quite difficult to go against conventional wisdom. Especially after she won the Nobel Peace prize and the numerous essays that we wrote in our English classes.

 

[pankaj nema]

Well not point targetting me (I'm merely echining the author(s)'s views ) or the authors. Hitchens is quite a famous rationalist and Slate magazine has top notch reputation. Sanal Edamaruku is also a well know desi rationalist

It's easy to get emotional and it's quite difficult to go against conventional wisdom. Especially after she won the Nobel Peace prize and the numerous essays that we wrote in our English classes.

Rationalists have a problem with every Human emotion including Patriotism

And this big country India where she lived and served has enough " conventional wisdom " to
separate the good from the bad

Rationalists and atheists are just full time critics and can only indulge in nitpicking

 

[Sabir]

I will stand for many equally who did not get nobel peace prize.

You can not ask for not targeting you emotionally. You are guilty of supporting the writer without clarifying your stance.

At the end I should say, there is to touchstone to identify who is a rationalist (the author seems to me most irrational one).

I am an atheist ....But I dont criticise those who try to stand behind the people....Why dont you spend this time criticising those who ask people to kill others by name of God or those who are looting the country for personal gains, Why dont criticise those who try to bribe God instead of helping people.

 

[LurkerBaba]

You are guilty of supporting the writer without clarifying your stance.

I don't think I need to clarify my stance, I shared an interesting article for debate.While some rational debate has taken place, lots of posts are variations of the following

1. Mother Teresa is a divine individual, I will not criticize her since she (apparently) did so much good for the entire world
2. Attack on author and the article
3. Attack on atheism and rationalism

At the end I should say, there is to touchstone to identify who is a rationalist (the author seems to me most irrational one).

That's your opinion

Why dont you spend this time criticising those who ask people to kill others by name of God or those who are looting the country for personal gains, Why dont criticise those who try to bribe God instead of helping people.

Oh I do, but then this particular thread is not about me

 

[The Messiah]

Rationalists have a problem with every Human emotion including Patriotism

And this big country India where she lived and served has enough " conventional wisdom " to
separate the good from the bad

Rationalists and atheists are just full time critics and can only indulge in nitpicking

On what basis are you clubbing rationalists and atheists together ?

Rationalists is just a fancy name for critics.

 

[Adux]

According to Mother Teresa's bizarre philosophy, it is "the most beautiful gift for a person that he can participate in the sufferings of Christ".

.

She is a devot Catholic, what else do you expect. The whole Catholic religion revolve's around the idea that you are sinner and you need repent. It is hilarious

 

[W.G.Ewald]

She is a devout Catholic, what else do you expect. The whole Catholic religion revolves around the idea that you are sinner and you need repent. It is hilarious

Mother Teresa was not a theologian.

I am not a Catholic, but the idea that death came into the world because of sin is not hilarious to me.

 

[Energon]

Rationalists have a problem with every Human emotion including Patriotism

And this big country India where she lived and served has enough " conventional wisdom " to
separate the good from the bad

Rationalists and atheists are just full time critics and can only indulge in nitpicking

the only rational deduction that can be made here is that common sense and rationality do not appeal to you, clearly because if it did you'd realize that all your musings are entirely nonsensical. Also if these "beliefs" of yours are guided by your spiritual knowledge then all I can say is that your spiritual core is a heaping pile of doo doo.

Just because you have your beliefs does not give you proprietorship over things like compassion and patriotism.


OK I will not derail this thread anymore I just had to get that last laugh in.

 

[niharjhatn]

Mother Teresa did what was ordained to her by Jesus.

She did nothing that the others of the Church should not do.

Because others in the Church forgot Jesus while she did not is what makes her a better and true Christian.

She served the poor and converted them.

Her service to Jesus and Christianity cannot be forgotten.

I have not read the article and will not read them since it is easy to vilify.

All she did was serve Jesus and Christianity.

That was her mission in life.

None is prevented from serving their God and religion.

So, in the light of that, she is blameless!

And she could not help the poor without converting them and corrupting their self image, culture and their religion?

Do not get me wrong. Any one who has the ability for selfless help, especially for those largely neglected by society deserve all the praise they can get. But selfless does not only mean doing work without the expectation of personal 'reward', but also free of any religious ties one may have.

Whilst I disagree with many of Sanal Edamaruku views - especially his indignation at the portrayal of Calcutta; Teresa not only stole people's hearts, but also stole the background of many people and instead, in a flawed and haphazard manner, integrated her own views - I daresay, forcibly. Her first home on hospice care was even converted from a Hindu temple - symbolic indeed!

That said, a lot of these rationalists and historical revisionists often pick up "dirt" on many historical figures - people that we naturally develop favourable views of, and then respond with ferocity whenever such views are challenged. It is important that we recognize that both our own views and the views of such 'challengers' are based on limited, often biased, evidence - and that it is virtually impossible for us to understand the whole truth about a person, especially one as complex as Teresa.

So be receptive to others ideas, even if they come across as being something of a reproof, add it to your knowledge about him or her, and reach your own balanced conclusions, free of outsider influence!