In this thread, all members can nominate their favorite posts for the month, for the week, or for whatever other period of time they want. You can also nominate your favorite threads or post appreciations of your current favorite posters, moderators excluded.
To post a link to a post, click on the post-link (eg. "Post #100") at the top right of the post and copy the URL and post it in. To post a link to a thread, browse to the first page of the thread and paste in that address. Otherwise, click "e-mail this thread" and copy the thread from that view.
So who's first?
I would like to commend Braja's thread
Sex, celibacy and abuse.
Clearly, Braja had been doing some research on a matter that has been of concern to himself and many others, and took the trouble to make a coherent presentation with many valuable quotations and insights.
I have long been hoping to see more of this kind of contribution here on GD. Intellligent thought is both very demanding and unfortunately undervalued. Most people have a superficial understanding of most issues, but think themselves expert on the basis of impressions gathered from popular media and their own circle of acquaintances.
GD is a growing community, with individuals of various tastes, competencies and inspirations. We want everyone to be able to find a home here, but I personally would like a special place to be accorded those who want to deepen the understanding of life from a perspective that does justice to our experience as Gaudiya Vaishnavas.
So, all those scholars out there (and I know you're out there), how about sharing a little more of your latest insights--good, bad, or ugly? Some of us out here want to know.
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In the same vein, I'd also like to state my appreciation for Dhyanakunda's recent contribution to the
Hare Krishna Movement thread. Most of what I said above apply here too. Though, of course, she was replying to an issue with which she has deep and intimate knowledge, and concern.
I have known DK virtually for quite some time now, and have come to admire both her and her husband as fine, intelligent individuals who have made great contributions in the past to the bhakti movement. Hopefully they will continue to do so, despite the unfortunately still narrow vision of most bhaktas in the world.
GD is not only meant for militant manjaris--most of us know what a great leap manjari bhava is for most people. My God, it's enough of a leap for many to simply believe that any God at all exists, what to speak of one that is so replete with specific detail and mythological fancy.
The scholarly and the devotional may sometimes be incompatible, but I would like to think that based in our common experience we could find a modus vivendi here that would make it possible for everyone to make their contributions--poetic, intellectual, emotional, or even just social--without fear of having to sacrifice their own humanity or individuality--in an atmosphere of trust.
The thread that holds us together here is our common experience with the Holy Name, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the Divine Couple. Due to our individual characters, our experiences differ, but these few things have marked us all permanently. Whatever your present state of consciousness--angry, resentful, hopeful, dedicated, empassioned--we want you to be able to find a home here among friends. All we ask is an open mind and respect for the other members of this forum.
Gaudiya Discussions has been growing steadily, and without being too cliché, it is individuals like Braja and Dhyanakunda, and all the rest of you, who make it a place more and more people are finding it worthwhile visiting.
Please continue to do us the honor of sharing your best thoughts and serving the cause of bhakti, and through bhakti, humanity. After all, bhakti is the expression we have come to as our personal path to the summum bonum, so it is only fit that we orient our understanding of ourselves, life, humanity and God, around it.
Thank you, everyone. And Jai Radhe!
I would like to nominate Rasaraja dasa's
post on Braja's excellent thread sex, celibacy and abuse, mentioned above.
I was stunned by the courage it took to write and post that account of the real life effects of the subject we were trying to examine, and the raw honesty and eloquence brought tears to my eyes. I was honored that he trusted us enough to share his story.
The entire topic has inspired some excellent posts.
I have read so many excellent pieces of writing that it is hard to pick one, but I felt that Rasaraja dasa put so much of himself into this post that it deserved mentioning, especially for anyone who is short on time and may have missed it.
As we say in feminist circles, "the personal is political."