Swami Prajnanananda Theerthapada, president of the Theerthapada Ashram at Vazhoor, inaugurated the 103rd Ayroor-Cherukolpuzha Hindu religious meet at a ceremonial function held on the sandbed of river Pampa at Cherukolpuzha on Sunday afternoon.

Inaugurating the meet, Swami Prajnanananda said the very understanding of the fact that God is omnipresent would lead to peace and harmony in the world.

He said the aim of human life was self-realisation by practicing a disciplined life rooted in spiritual values. He said the dharma of a human being was to seek the cosmic entity which alone could provide everlasting happiness.

According to him, religious meets are aimed at cultural upliftment of people and the society at large.

He said dharma is the path of righteousness and living ones life according to the codes of conduct as described by the Hindu scriptures.

Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, P.J. Kurien, said truth is what reside in all living beings. He said different religions are like the rivers that flow into the ocean which signifies God the ultimate reality..

Delivering the benedictory speech, Sri M, founder of the Satsang Foundation, said all souls are potentially divine. He said nowhere in the world one could see a philosophy which is richer than the Hindu philosophy.

N.K.Premachandran, MP, and T.K.A.Nair, former advisor to Prime Minister, also spoke. T.N. Upendranatha Kurup, president of the Hindumatha Maha Mandalam (HMM) that organises the week-long event, presided over the function.

The meet began with a soulful prayer by Ms Sandhya Sreenivasan.

Swami Satchidananda and M.R.Gopalakrishnan Nair, religious scholars, delivered religious discourses in the evening session. Swami Chidbhavananda Saraswati, Jayasuryan Pala, and Anilkumar, all religious scholars, will deliver discourses on Monday afternoon.

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Cherukolpuzha Hindu meet begins

Examining the Fundamental Differences of Buddhism vs. Christianity

The popular appeal of Buddhism today is one of coolness,tolerance, and non-dissention. Its a belief system that many feel can help them detach, maintain neutrality, and find peace in a world of injustice and suffering. Some even say that Buddhist teachings and Christianity are compatible, and that one can be a Christian and at the same time adopt Buddhist teachings.

The truth is, although one can findmany truthsin Buddhist teachings,Buddhism is in many points incompatible with Christianity. Upon examination of fundamental Buddhist and Christian beliefs,it quickly becomes obvious thatthere is a clear contrast between the teachings of Buddhism and those of Christianity.Although you may hear some Buddhists claim that we believe the same things; there are many paths to God, many fundamental Buddhist teachings are in factdiametrically opposedto those of the Biblical Christianity.

Examining Buddhist Beliefs

The following is a list of Basic Beliefs of Buddhism, along with an answer for each from a Christian point of view. The list is of Basic Buddhist Beliefs is taken from Buddhanet,http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/snapshot01.htm.Please note that this is a response to these published Buddhist position statements, based on what the Bible says, and my own experience as a Christian.

Lets take a look at each of these Buddhist assertionswhich I have listed from the above Buddhist web site, and consider how they compare or contrast with what the Bible, and Christians believe. Then examine the evidence yourself pick up a Bible and read the passages I refer to. Look at the scientific and other evidence I refer to. Research and see what Buddhism teaches. And ask God to lead you, for as it says, the Lord is found of those who diligently seek Him.

1.There is no almighty God in Buddhism. There is no one to hand out rewards or punishments on a supposedly Judgment Day.

In contrast to this Buddhist assertion, the Bible asserts, and modern science supports, thatthere is indeed an almighty Creator.

According to modern physics the Universe did not always exist, but hada definite beginning of space, time,and all matter(14.5 billion years ago). Popularly known as the big bang, this theory is the most widely accepted, and best attested to theory in science.That first Cause indeed had to have been almighty to have created everything all matter, space and time out of nothing, in an instant, in order to have what we have today in this marvelous finely tuned, highly complex creation we live in.

Consistent with modern scientific evidence, the Bible also asserts that there was a First Cause to all things, thatin the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1). Indeed, the Bible proclaims we have an awesome God. Science now proclaims we have an expanding universe, but the Bible revealed long ago that He stretches forth the heavens like a curtain (Psalm 104:2). Time and ago God has shown that there is nothing too hard for Me, if we will only believe and place our trust in Him.

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Buddhism vs. Christianity | Evidence To Believe

February 1, 2015

Cumberland junior Sean Laverty took home top honors in the 1,000 and 3,000 at Saturday's Northern Division championship meet. (Photo by Ernest A. Brown)

PROVIDENCE With senior Zen-ming Feng and junior Sean Laverty at the helm, Cumberland High coasted to yet another Northern Division Indoor Championships title with 209 points, an astonishing 162 more than runner-up Central Falls (47) at the Providence Career & Technical Academy field house on Saturday.

Feng captured the 55-meter and 300 dashes with respective times of 6.77 and 37.57, while stellar distance man Laverty claimed the 3,000 (9:06.12) and 1,000 (2:41.10).

Feng, however, tacked on another triumph as a member of the 4 x 200 relay, and also anchored the second-place 4 x 400 relay, which broke the meet record. Unfortunately for the Clippers, the Central Falls unit of Jailson Varela Sanches, Stive Mendes, Yuery Galva and Sam Adofo raced to the official mark with a superb clocking of 3:40.02, more than five ticks better than the one turned in last winter by Mount St. Charles.

The Mounties took third overall with 45 points, only two behind the Warriors. Lincoln mustered fourth with 31, and Woonsocket fifth just a point behind.

Still, of the 13 events contested, CHS veteran mentor Tom Kenwoods crew posted an amazing 10 victories.

Senior Jared Talbert also claimed two wins for the Clippers, reigning in the 55 hurdles (7.86) and the high jump (5-10), but Abdullah Kaba took the 1,500, David Agudelo the 600 and Andrew Walters the shot put.

Sheas Jerome Evans coasted to the victory in the long jump (20-0 ) and snatched a tie for third in the high jump; and Woonsockets Jared Briere easily snatched the 25-pound weight throw.

As for the 4 x 800 relay, the CF foursome of Sanches, Mendes, Adofo and Luis Martinez rolled to an easy triumph with a time of 8:50.78. That fell six seconds shy of Lincolns 2012 meet mark.

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Boys' Indoor Track | Clippers sail to Northern Division title