| We don't all
see things the same way and intelligence grows through the examination of different points
of view, not through insisting that one point of view alone is true. A culture that has to
pass laws banning books or anti-blasphemy laws preventing a particular religious group
from being criticized (but usually accepting or encouraging the denigration of other
religious groups), is an immature culture. To
appease those who require books banned is only to appease this form of immaturity, which
destroys intelligence. Traditional Hindu book contain much dialogue, questioning
discussion and various critiques.
The Hindu and Buddhist philosophical traditions have a
lively tradition of debate, critiquing not only different religions but different branches
of their same religion. In Vedantic books, like those of Shankaracharya, there are
critiques of other systems of Hinduism like Sankhya and the different Buddhist systems
like Vijnanavada or Madhyamika. |
