Dr. Frank Morales Interviewed by the Lincoln Journal Star

[Guest guest]

Hindu Temple Adds Resident Scholar, Spiritual Teacher

 

By BOB REEVES/Lincoln Journal Star

Saturday, Jan 12, 2008 - 12:37:29 am CST

 

The Hindu Temple of Nebraska recently announced the appointment of Dr.

Frank Morales (also known as Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya) as the

resident scholar and spiritual teacher for the temple.

 

Dr. Morales will teach weekly classes for adults and youths at the

Hindu Temple, 13010 Arbor St., in Omaha. He also will lead a satsang,

or discourse, on the Hindu religion on the third Thursday of each

month in Lincoln.

 

The Nebraska temple is the first in the nation to have an acharya, or

resident scholar, which is common at temples in India, said Ram Bishu,

chairman of the temple's religious committee.

 

" The whole idea is to make sure we educate the young people — and

adults — in all aspects of spirituality, " Bishu said.

 

Dr. Morales, a native of New York, began studying Hinduism at age 10

and converted to the Indian religion at age 14. He spent many years in

intensive study of Hindu scriptures and teachings.

 

After living the life of a celibate Hindu monk for six years, he was

initiated as a Hindu priest in India in 1986.

 

In an interview in Lincoln, Dr. Morales said he earned a bachelor's

degree in philosophy and theology from Loyola University in Chicago

and master's and doctoral degrees in Hindu studies from the University

of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

He is now a nationally recognized Hindu teacher whose Web site,

www.dharmacentral.com, is one of the largest and most popular Internet

sites relating to Hinduism.

 

Being a U.S.-born convert to Hinduism is really not that unusual, he said.

 

" There are 1.5 million non-Indian Hindus in the United States, " he

said. " I personally call them the `hidden Hindus.' "

 

Hinduism is the traditional faith of India but has spread throughout

the world, he said. It's the fastest-growing religion in eastern

Europe and has converts in many other parts of the world.

 

The Nebraska temple serves about 1,000 families, 95 percent of which

are from India. The remaining 5 percent are converts, Dr. Morales said.

 

Attendance at Dr. Morales' two adult classes on Saturdays has been

averaging 40 percent non-Indians, while the Sunday youth class is 100

percent Indian.

 

" You can be a practicing Hindu and not be a member of a temple, " he

said. " It's a very personal thing — what one believes and what one

practices. "

 

He is president-acharya of the International Santana Dharma Society.

Santana Dharma is the Sanskrit name for Hinduism.

 

Many westerners are attracted to the religion because of experience

with yoga or through books or the Internet, he said.

 

Most Americans don't know much about the history and philosophy of

Hinduism, a well-developed belief system that is thousands of years

old, he said.

 

" Hinduism teaches tolerance and that to attain God and enlightenment

is not simply a matter of accepting a dogma but something you have to

work toward. "

 

As a teacher, his goal is to help people along that path, he said.

" The idea of Hinduism is to encourage people but not chastise them. "

 

Before coming to Omaha last fall, Dr. Morales taught classes in

Hinduism in Madison, Wis. He is one of fewer than 10 non-Indians who

are recognized scholars of the Hindu scriptures, Bishu said.

 

The Omaha temple, which was consecrated in 2003, has 12 separate

sanctums where people may show devotions to deities from all regions

of India. Bishu said he knows of no other American temple that has

such a wide representation of regional forms of Hinduism. " It's a

fully integrated little Indian temple. "

 

Dr. Morales heads a staff that includes two resident priests, Damodar

Bhattar and Vidya Shanker, who lead worship at the temple.

 

Another priest may be added as Nebraska's Hindu community continues to

grow, Bishu said.

 

Reach Bob Reeves at 473-7212 or breeves.

 

 

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