Rationalism in Andhra Pradesh: Atheist Center of Vijaywada

Rashmun wrote:Atheist Centre is a social change institution founded by Gora (1902- 75) and Saraswathi Gora (1912 - 2006) in the year 1940 at Mudunur Village in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. On the eve of Independence to the country, Atheist Centre was shifted to Vijayawada in 1947 and since then it has been the hub of activity for promotion of atheism, humanism and social change.

Atheist Centre carries on its multifarious activities with the cooperation and good will of the people. Since the demise of Gora, in 1975, Atheist Centre activities are undertaken under the able guidance of Mrs. Saraswathi Gora, the cofounder of the Centre. She is assisted by a dedicated team of people who are engaged in the promotion of atheism as a way of life. Atheist Centre is also actively engaged in Secular Social Work activities for comprehensive rural development and rendering assistance to the people to develop an alternate way of life on secular and humanist lines.

The founders of the Centre were associated with Mahatma Gandhi and the nationalist movement. They participated in the freedom struggle. Gora had long discussions with Mahatma Gandhi on atheism and social change and they were published in the form of a book entitled An Atheist with Gandhi, published by the Navajivan, the official publishers of Gandhian literature. Even in the post-Gandhian period, Atheist Centre is also closely associated with the Bhoodan movement of Vinoba Bhave and other Gandhian activities all over the country. Atheist Centre is in the mainstream of national life, maintaining its distinctive position with its non- religious, humanist and atheist approach.

Right from its inception Atheist Centre adopted a comprehensive approach for sustainable development. It viewed life as an integrated whole and is striving to build an alternate way of life. Atheist Centre’s active association with the freedom struggle and its grassroots level work for the eradication of untouchability, caste and other parochial considerations, brought it in closer touch with the realities of the village scene, in addition to its activities on a wider plane.

kinnera wrote:

Rashmun wrote:Atheist Centre is a social change institution founded by Gora (1902- 75) and Saraswathi Gora (1912 - 2006) in the year 1940 at Mudunur Village in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. On the eve of Independence to the country, Atheist Centre was shifted to Vijayawada in 1947 and since then it has been the hub of activity for promotion of atheism, humanism and social change.

Atheist Centre carries on its multifarious activities with the cooperation and good will of the people. Since the demise of Gora, in 1975, Atheist Centre activities are undertaken under the able guidance of Mrs. Saraswathi Gora, the cofounder of the Centre. She is assisted by a dedicated team of people who are engaged in the promotion of atheism as a way of life. Atheist Centre is also actively engaged in Secular Social Work activities for comprehensive rural development and rendering assistance to the people to develop an alternate way of life on secular and humanist lines.

The founders of the Centre were associated with Mahatma Gandhi and the nationalist movement. They participated in the freedom struggle. Gora had long discussions with Mahatma Gandhi on atheism and social change and they were published in the form of a book entitled An Atheist with Gandhi, published by the Navajivan, the official publishers of Gandhian literature. Even in the post-Gandhian period, Atheist Centre is also closely associated with the Bhoodan movement of Vinoba Bhave and other Gandhian activities all over the country. Atheist Centre is in the mainstream of national life, maintaining its distinctive position with its non- religious, humanist and atheist approach.

Right from its inception Atheist Centre adopted a comprehensive approach for sustainable development. It viewed life as an integrated whole and is striving to build an alternate way of life. Atheist Centre’s active association with the freedom struggle and its grassroots level work for the eradication of untouchability, caste and other parochial considerations, brought it in closer touch with the realities of the village scene, in addition to its activities on a wider plane.

Neither Gandhi nor Vinoba Bhave were hindu haters. We also had Veerasalingam Pantulu, a rationalist, who fought against the social evils of child marriages and widow remarriages. He wasn't a hindu hater. Then we had another atheist, a famous novelist and a feminist, Chalam who fought for the rights of women. He talked left and right about the ills of the society. He later joined Ramanashram. Vedanta/Advaita, gyana yoga and all are pretty rationalistic and maybe categorized as atheism in their true sense. We can safely say that the one who has a deeper understanding of Hinduism is a rationalist/atheist. As Vivekananda said, roughly quoted, 'It's abnormal if you don't go to the temple at 20 years of age and it's abnormal if you still go to the temple at 60 (according to him, by 60, you should have attained the wisdom to know the futility of going to the temple).'

Vast difference between the hindu hating atheists and rational hindu atheists with wisdom.

My point was: Look at the kind of hindu haters among tambrams. They have no deeper understanding of Hinduism, but are still hindu haters. This says a lot about generations of ignorance in their families, though brahmin.

kinnera wrote:

Rashmun wrote:Atheist Centre is a social change institution founded by Gora (1902- 75) and Saraswathi Gora (1912 - 2006) in the year 1940 at Mudunur Village in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. On the eve of Independence to the country, Atheist Centre was shifted to Vijayawada in 1947 and since then it has been the hub of activity for promotion of atheism, humanism and social change.

Atheist Centre carries on its multifarious activities with the cooperation and good will of the people. Since the demise of Gora, in 1975, Atheist Centre activities are undertaken under the able guidance of Mrs. Saraswathi Gora, the cofounder of the Centre. She is assisted by a dedicated team of people who are engaged in the promotion of atheism as a way of life. Atheist Centre is also actively engaged in Secular Social Work activities for comprehensive rural development and rendering assistance to the people to develop an alternate way of life on secular and humanist lines.

The founders of the Centre were associated with Mahatma Gandhi and the nationalist movement. They participated in the freedom struggle. Gora had long discussions with Mahatma Gandhi on atheism and social change and they were published in the form of a book entitled An Atheist with Gandhi, published by the Navajivan, the official publishers of Gandhian literature. Even in the post-Gandhian period, Atheist Centre is also closely associated with the Bhoodan movement of Vinoba Bhave and other Gandhian activities all over the country. Atheist Centre is in the mainstream of national life, maintaining its distinctive position with its non- religious, humanist and atheist approach.

Right from its inception Atheist Centre adopted a comprehensive approach for sustainable development. It viewed life as an integrated whole and is striving to build an alternate way of life. Atheist Centre’s active association with the freedom struggle and its grassroots level work for the eradication of untouchability, caste and other parochial considerations, brought it in closer touch with the realities of the village scene, in addition to its activities on a wider plane.

Neither Gandhi nor Vinoba Bhave were hindu haters. We also had Veerasalingam Pantulu, a rationalist, who fought against the social evils of child marriages and widow remarriages. He wasn't a hindu hater. Then we had another atheist, a famous novelist and a feminist, Chalam who fought for the rights of women. He talked left and right about the ills of the society. He later joined Ramanashram. Vedanta/Advaita, gyana yoga and all are pretty rationalistic and maybe categorized as atheism in their true sense. We can safely say that the one who has a deeper understanding of Hinduism is a rationalist/atheist. As Vivekananda said, roughly quoted, 'It's abnormal if you don't go to the temple at 20 years of age and it's abnormal if you still go to the temple at 60 (according to him, by 60, you should have attained the wisdom to know the futility of going to the temple).'

Vast difference between the hindu hating atheists and rational hindu atheists with wisdom.

My point was: Look at the kind of hindu haters among tambrams. They have no deeper understanding of Hinduism, but are still hindu haters. This says a lot about generations of ignorance in their families, though brahmin.

Vakavaka Pakapaka wrote:

kinnera wrote:

Rashmun wrote:Atheist Centre is a social change institution founded by Gora (1902- 75) and Saraswathi Gora (1912 - 2006) in the year 1940 at Mudunur Village in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. On the eve of Independence to the country, Atheist Centre was shifted to Vijayawada in 1947 and since then it has been the hub of activity for promotion of atheism, humanism and social change.

Atheist Centre carries on its multifarious activities with the cooperation and good will of the people. Since the demise of Gora, in 1975, Atheist Centre activities are undertaken under the able guidance of Mrs. Saraswathi Gora, the cofounder of the Centre. She is assisted by a dedicated team of people who are engaged in the promotion of atheism as a way of life. Atheist Centre is also actively engaged in Secular Social Work activities for comprehensive rural development and rendering assistance to the people to develop an alternate way of life on secular and humanist lines.

The founders of the Centre were associated with Mahatma Gandhi and the nationalist movement. They participated in the freedom struggle. Gora had long discussions with Mahatma Gandhi on atheism and social change and they were published in the form of a book entitled An Atheist with Gandhi, published by the Navajivan, the official publishers of Gandhian literature. Even in the post-Gandhian period, Atheist Centre is also closely associated with the Bhoodan movement of Vinoba Bhave and other Gandhian activities all over the country. Atheist Centre is in the mainstream of national life, maintaining its distinctive position with its non- religious, humanist and atheist approach.

Right from its inception Atheist Centre adopted a comprehensive approach for sustainable development. It viewed life as an integrated whole and is striving to build an alternate way of life. Atheist Centre’s active association with the freedom struggle and its grassroots level work for the eradication of untouchability, caste and other parochial considerations, brought it in closer touch with the realities of the village scene, in addition to its activities on a wider plane.

Neither Gandhi nor Vinoba Bhave were hindu haters. We also had Veerasalingam Pantulu, a rationalist, who fought against the social evils of child marriages and widow remarriages. He wasn't a hindu hater. Then we had another atheist, a famous novelist and a feminist, Chalam who fought for the rights of women. He talked left and right about the ills of the society. He later joined Ramanashram. Vedanta/Advaita, gyana yoga and all are pretty rationalistic and maybe categorized as atheism in their true sense. We can safely say that the one who has a deeper understanding of Hinduism is a rationalist/atheist. As Vivekananda said, roughly quoted, 'It's abnormal if you don't go to the temple at 20 years of age and it's abnormal if you still go to the temple at 60 (according to him, by 60, you should have attained the wisdom to know the futility of going to the temple).'

Vast difference between the hindu hating atheists and rational hindu atheists with wisdom.

My point was: Look at the kind of hindu haters among tambrams. They have no deeper understanding of Hinduism, but are still hindu haters. This says a lot about generations of ignorance in their families, though brahmin.

Indeed!

Telugu people were blessed with social reformers for a long time.

Atheists and rationalists, who will be hounded down in Semitic faiths, can happily live along with people who follow other approaches in Hinduism. Hinduism never was theistic of the Semitic kind........