{"id":53973,"date":"2017-12-08T11:01:05","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T10:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dandavats.tumblr.com\/post\/168319247576"},"modified":"2017-12-08T11:01:05","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T10:01:05","slug":"i-try-to-find-common-ground-i-think-thats-a-good-way-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=53973","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI try to find common ground. I think that\u2019s a good way to…"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\u201cI try to find common ground. I think that\u2019s a good way to hold a discussion.\u201d Josiah (in the photo) said.
\nMitra Dasa: I was impressed with this 19 year old. He had clarity, wisdom, humility and kindness.
\n\u201cYour parents did a good job on you.\u201d
\nHe agreed. \u201cThank you sir. I love them both.\u201d
\nJosiah was trying to understand the book I\u2019d given him from the Christian perspective he\u2019d grown up with. \u201cIf something is true,\u201d he said, \u201cTruth with a capital -T- how can I neglect it? How can I go elsewhere? Jesus made the perfect sacrifice for me. I accept that and shaped who I\u2019ve become.\u201d
\n\u201cI can see that, and it serves you well.\u201d I replied, \u201cI don\u2019t want to interfere with it\u201d
\n\u201cBut still, I\u2019d like to understand what this book says. Can you explain just a bit?\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019ll try, and I\u2019ll be brief because I know you\u2019re busy as a college student you have a heavy study load.\u201d
\n\u201cNo. I\u2019m good. I want to know about this.Tell me as much as you want.\u201d
\n\u201cWell, in brief, this book begins by saying there\u2019s an unlimited source, an unlimited supply it\u2019s infinite. We have nothing to fear, no worries. The next verse says if you follow the rules, take only as much as you need, there will be plenty for all. Greed is sinful and brings suffering and shortages.\u201d I paused to see his response.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve got a problem with that.\u201d He said.
\n\u201cHow so?\u201d
\n\u201cWell, are you married?\u201d
\n\u201cYes.\u201d
\n\u201cEvery time you do something for your wife, are you doing it because of rules or is it out of love that you\u2026?\u201d
\n\u201cI see what you\u2019re getting at and I\u2019m glad you brought that up. Actually rules are meant to bring us to the platform of love. But even in love, you\u2019ve got to have rules. I\u2019ve been married 32 years. Rules hold the daily stuff together, it\u2019s a platform for trust to build and THEN love can grow.\u201d
\nJosiah agreed.
\n\u201cDoes this book talk about that level?\u201d He pointed to the Ishopanishad in his hand, \u201cI\u2019d like to learn more about it.\u201d
\n\u201cUh, well, actually\u2026\u201d I reached into my backpack. We\u2019d been talking a good twenty minutes already. It wasn\u2019t a debate. We were trying to understand each other, sharing. There was no conversion attempt on either side, just sharing. \u201c\u2026this book goes into it more clearly.\u201d I put the Bhagavad Gita into his hands. He looked at it respectfully.
\n\u201cIs this your main book?\u201d
\n\u201cWell, sort of, there are\u2026, well, let\u2019s say it\u2019s a good start. We have a lot of books.\u201d
\nI explained the story line of the Gita, Krishna\u2019s teaching to Arjuna, \u201cSee all beings as souls, eternal souls, all bodies change, everything changes and is therefore insignificant, not worth worrying over.\u201d
\nJosiah agreed.
\nThen I figured I\u2019d drop the big topic on him, \u201cKrishna reveals that He\u2019s God.\u201d
\n\u201cWhoa, what? Wait a minute. The chariot driver is God?\u201d
\n\u201cYup. And why not? Who can put a limit on what God can or cannot do?\u201d
\n\u201cWell, I guess they tried to do that with Jesus.\u201d
\n\u201cYeah. This is going to challenge what you\u2019ve grown up with. Do you think you\u2019re up to it?\u201d
\n\u201cI want to look into it.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m not trying to change your belief. I think you\u2019re mature enough to consider that the truth with a capital T is big enough to accomodate a lot of things you haven\u2019t heard. There\u2019s very little we can understand of the unlimited.\u201d
\n\u201cYes, we\u2019re so tiny.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat Church did you go to? They did a great job. They must have an excellent youth program.\u201d
\nHe agreed. I don\u2019t remember the name of their church. It used to have the name Baptist in there, but they wanted to open it up, to make Catholics and Lutherans feel welcomed.
\n\u201cI\u2019m traveling with two monks who live in a van. They do this year round, visiting schools and showing these books. They asked me to try to get donations for them so they can buy gas and stuff. Would you be willing to help at all?\u201d
\n\u201cSure.\u201d Josiah opened his wallet and selected a ten dollar bill. \u201cI appreciate what you guys are doing here. I wish I could have conversations like this with my friends.\u201d
\n\u201cWow! That\u2019s a sacrifice, coming from a college student. I really appreciate that. Thank you so much.\u201d
\nWe talked some more. I said, \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve got to get going and you probably have things you need to do. I\u2019ve taken up your entire morning.\u201d
\n\u201cYes, I should get going.\u201d
\nWe talked another twenty minutes, sharing stories, wisdom, challenging each other.
\n\u201cThis is a good sign.\u201d I said, \u201cIt\u2019s hard to say goodbye. Which way are you going though? I\u2019ll walk with you.\u201d
\n\u201cYes, I\u2019ve got your email. Let\u2019s stay in touch. Let me know next time you come to Clemson.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

“I try to find common ground. I think that’s a good way to hold a discussion.” Josiah (in the photo) said.
\nMitra Dasa: I was impressed with this 19 year old. He had clarity, wisdom, humility and kindness.
\n“Your parents did a good job on you.”
\nHe agreed. “Thank you sir. I love them both.”
\nJosiah was trying to understand the book I’d given him from the Christian perspective he’d grown up with. “If something is true,” he said, “Truth with a capital -T- how can I neglect it? How can I go elsewhere? Jesus made the perfect sacrifice for me. I accept that and shaped who I’ve become.”
\n“I can see that, and it serves you well.” I replied, “I don’t want to interfere with it”
\n“But still, I’d like to understand what this book says. Can you explain just a bit?”
\n“I’ll try, and I’ll be brief because I know you’re busy as a college student you have a heavy study load.”
\n“No. I’m good. I want to know about this.Tell me as much as you want.”
\n“Well, in brief, this book begins by saying there’s an unlimited source, an unlimited supply it’s infinite. We have nothing to fear, no worries. The next verse says if you follow the rules, take only as much as you need, there will be plenty for all. Greed is sinful and brings suffering and shortages.” I paused to see his response.
\n“I’ve got a problem with that.” He said.
\n“How so?”
\n“Well, are you married?”
\n“Yes.”
\n“Every time you do something for your wife, are you doing it because of rules or is it out of love that you…?”
\n“I see what you’re getting at and I’m glad you brought that up. Actually rules are meant to bring us to the platform of love. But even in love, you’ve got to have rules. I’ve been married 32 years. Rules hold the daily stuff together, it’s a platform for trust to build and THEN love can grow.”
\nJosiah agreed.
\n“Does this book talk about that level?” He pointed to the Ishopanishad in his hand, “I’d like to learn more about it.”
\n“Uh, well, actually…” I reached into my backpack. We’d been talking a good twenty minutes already. It wasn’t a debate. We were trying to understand each other, sharing. There was no conversion attempt on either side, just sharing. “…this book goes into it more clearly.” I put the Bhagavad Gita into his hands. He looked at it respectfully.
\n“Is this your main book?”
\n“Well, sort of, there are…, well, let’s say it’s a good start. We have a lot of books.”
\nI explained the story line of the Gita, Krishna’s teaching to Arjuna, “See all beings as souls, eternal souls, all bodies change, everything changes and is therefore insignificant, not worth worrying over.”
\nJosiah agreed.
\nThen I figured I’d drop the big topic on him, “Krishna reveals that He’s God.”
\n“Whoa, what? Wait a minute. The chariot driver is God?”
\n“Yup. And why not? Who can put a limit on what God can or cannot do?”
\n“Well, I guess they tried to do that with Jesus.”
\n“Yeah. This is going to challenge what you’ve grown up with. Do you think you’re up to it?”
\n“I want to look into it.”
\n“I’m not trying to change your belief. I think you’re mature enough to consider that the truth with a capital T is big enough to accomodate a lot of things you haven’t heard. There’s very little we can understand of the unlimited.”
\n“Yes, we’re so tiny.”
\n“What Church did you go to? They did a great job. They must have an excellent youth program.”
\nHe agreed. I don’t remember the name of their church. It used to have the name Baptist in there, but they wanted to open it up, to make Catholics and Lutherans feel welcomed.
\n“I’m traveling with two monks who live in a van. They do this year round, visiting schools and showing these books. They asked me to try to get donations for them so they can buy gas and stuff. Would you be willing to help at all?”
\n“Sure.” Josiah opened his wallet and selected a ten dollar bill. “I appreciate what you guys are doing here. I wish I could have conversations like this with my friends.”
\n“Wow! That’s a sacrifice, coming from a college student. I really appreciate that. Thank you so much.”
\nWe talked some more. I said, “You know, I’ve got to get going and you probably have things you need to do. I’ve taken up your entire morning.”
\n“Yes, I should get going.”
\nWe talked another twenty minutes, sharing stories, wisdom, challenging each other.
\n“This is a good sign.” I said, “It’s hard to say goodbye. Which way are you going though? I’ll walk with you.”
\n“Yes, I’ve got your email. Let’s stay in touch. Let me know next time you come to Clemson.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10650,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recent-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10650"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53973"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53974,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53973\/revisions\/53974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}