In prehistoric times the good and the evil forces churned the ocean of the cosmos, and one of the unique objects which the Divine granted to the churners was a wish granting tree. One day a traveler comes across this…
Reflections from the Clergy
Reflections From A Hindu Perspective | Sewa
by Dr. Mandar Pattekar • • 3 Comments
Sewa is selfless service performed without expecting anything in return. It is an act performed by humans as a basic property of being a human, not guided by the expectation of joy dependent on desire fulfillment. As a human, we…
Reflections From A Hindu Perspective | Guru
by Dr. Mandar Pattekar • • 0 Comments
My salutations to the guru who opens the eyes of the one who is blind due to the darkness of ignorance with an ointment of knowledge. The first full week of May is celebrated as Teachers Appreciation week in the…
Reflections From A Hindu Perspective | Debts of a human
by Dr. Mandar Pattekar • • 1 Comment
Yesterday, I was at a dinner hosted at a friend’s house when the person sitting opposite me introduced himself. In turn I introduced myself by just the name and expected to return to casual polite conversation with everyone. But he…
Reflections From A Hindu Perspective | Goals of life
by Dr. Mandar Pattekar • • 8 Comments
In Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Hindus, there is a term called Simhavalokan – Lion’s gaze. When a lion is walking, after covering a distance, he will pause and turn back, as if contemplating where he came from, and…
Reflections From A Hindu Perspective | Discrimination
by Dr. Mandar Pattekar • • 6 Comments
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be on a panel discussion about anti-Semitism at B’Nai B’Rith senior housing apartment. As I heard the speakers voice their opposition to anti-Semitism and support for the people of the Jewish faith, the words…
Reflections From The Clergy | Race, Mutuality and the Vision of God
by contributor • • 0 Comments
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote these words: “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” They are from his now-famous Letter from a…
Reflections From The Clergy | Justice reform
by contributor • • 0 Comments
As we begin a new year, many of us will dream of new beginnings and second chances. We may take another shot at last year’s failed resolution. We may commit to finally get some aspect of our life in order.…
Reflections From The Clergy | Maternal health is a human rights issue
by contributor • • 0 Comments
As Christmas decorations and celebrations surround us, we often take for granted the story of the birth of Jesus that created the reason for this holiday. I have found that as we remember all the other strange and miraculous stories…
Reflections From The Clergy | More than equal rights
by Community Word Staff • • 0 Comments
As a society, we have been embroiled in a battle over equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community for years now. We have fought for legal recognition of marriage and gender status, healthcare coverage and equal services and simple non-discrimination protections.…