"Tensions rise at Indian temple over entry of menstrual-age women
NILAKKAL, India: Tensions rose at an Indian hill temple on Tuesday before an expected face-off between women of menstrual age who can enter for the first time in centuries and conservative Hindu groups who want to stop them.
The Sabarimala hill temple in the southern state of Kerala has been the site of widespread protests since late September, when the Supreme Court ruled that a ban on women between the ages of 10 to 50 entering the temple infringed on rights to equality of worship.
Final talks between the state and temple priests broke down after the secular government said it would defend the rights of women to enter the site. Their first chance since the ban was lifted will come at 5 p.m. local time (1130 GMT) on Wednesday.
Hindu groups say the prohibition is required to appease the temple's chief deity Ayyappan, depicted as a yoga-practicing god considered eternally celibate by followers.
In some Hindu communities, menstruating women are regarded as unclean, leading to restrictions and in a few cases outright bans on women of child-bearing age from entering certain places.
One of the groups, Shiv Sena, a former ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, said its members will commit suicide if women in the age group enter the temple."
The power of religious belief is beyond rationality!
A rational n science-based person would know that menstruation is a natural occurrences in females.
In fact, if the religious belief that the deities n gods create nature, there is no reason they would b rendered impotent or ineffective just because menstruating belivers of that religion n the deities visited the temple!
Sure the deities n gods are more powerful that this naturally occurring event in their creation! Ya?
It is even more perplexing when some of those who believe this "theory" were also menstruating females themselves!! Again, a case of "emotional consideration overwhelming the rationality!"
May all devotees realise that if their gods or deities cannot take this; they r mostly inconsequential n powerless!!
NILAKKAL, India: Tensions rose at an Indian hill temple on Tuesday before an expected face-off between women of menstrual age who can enter for the first time in centuries and conservative Hindu groups who want to stop them.
The Sabarimala hill temple in the southern state of Kerala has been the site of widespread protests since late September, when the Supreme Court ruled that a ban on women between the ages of 10 to 50 entering the temple infringed on rights to equality of worship.
Final talks between the state and temple priests broke down after the secular government said it would defend the rights of women to enter the site. Their first chance since the ban was lifted will come at 5 p.m. local time (1130 GMT) on Wednesday.
Hindu groups say the prohibition is required to appease the temple's chief deity Ayyappan, depicted as a yoga-practicing god considered eternally celibate by followers.
In some Hindu communities, menstruating women are regarded as unclean, leading to restrictions and in a few cases outright bans on women of child-bearing age from entering certain places.
One of the groups, Shiv Sena, a former ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, said its members will commit suicide if women in the age group enter the temple."
The power of religious belief is beyond rationality!
A rational n science-based person would know that menstruation is a natural occurrences in females.
In fact, if the religious belief that the deities n gods create nature, there is no reason they would b rendered impotent or ineffective just because menstruating belivers of that religion n the deities visited the temple!
Sure the deities n gods are more powerful that this naturally occurring event in their creation! Ya?
It is even more perplexing when some of those who believe this "theory" were also menstruating females themselves!! Again, a case of "emotional consideration overwhelming the rationality!"
May all devotees realise that if their gods or deities cannot take this; they r mostly inconsequential n powerless!!
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