Guest guest Posted October 8, 2001 Report Share Posted October 8, 2001 Dear friends; I need your help again. I am a Brahmin but not a practicing one, I mean I do not observe different religious ceremonies, etc., but am intellectually curious about spirituality and God. My wife is Catholic (nonpracticing) but going thru the typical guilt of not giving any spiritual structure to our ten and eight year boys. she wants to take them to church. I find myself cringing and worrying about it. My concern is that they will get only one sided preaching and grow up probably thinking Christianity is the only way. I have never objected about her or kids going to church ever but she can see my ambivalence. Am I being hypocritical as I say all the religions are same? I want them to know about Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam Judaism, etc., to know that there are other ways as well, leading to the same goal, but to be practical who has time, resources and knowledge to teach that. I have some ideas but will really appreciate input specially from some who has or is facing similar situation. Thanks Anup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 8, 2001 Report Share Posted October 8, 2001 Rosicrucianism goes well with Catholicism, as does Freemasonry, etc. If I had children that were going to be exposed to traditional Catholicism, I would attempt to round them out with some more " esoteric " aspects of the Christian tradition. Freemasonry has DeMolay for boys, that might be interesting for them. Just a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2001 Report Share Posted October 9, 2001 Namaste Anup I have a solution for you. Find the nearest Ramakrishna Mission or Ramakrishna Vedanta Society (or any other affiliated orgs) and enrol your children for classes there. I bet your children will grow up appreciating all the religious traditions of the world. Your wife will be happy and so will you be. Om Shanti Kathi > > alahiry [sMTP:alahiry] > Tuesday, October 09, 2001 3:25 AM > Ramakrishna > Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Digest Number 924 > > Dear friends; I need your help again. I am a Brahmin but not a practicing > one, I mean I do not observe different religious ceremonies, etc., but am > intellectually curious about spirituality and God. My wife is Catholic > (nonpracticing) but going thru the typical guilt of not giving any > spiritual > structure to our ten and eight year boys. she wants to take them to > church. I > find myself cringing and worrying about it. My concern is that they will > get > only one sided preaching and grow up probably thinking Christianity is the > > only way. I have never objected about her or kids going to church ever but > > she can see my ambivalence. Am I being hypocritical as I say all the > religions are same? I want them to know about Hinduism, Christianity, > Buddhism, Islam Judaism, etc., to know that there are other ways as well, > leading to the same goal, but to be practical who has time, resources and > > knowledge to teach that. I have some ideas but will really appreciate > input > specially from some who has or is facing similar situation. > Thanks > Anup > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 9, 2001 Report Share Posted October 9, 2001 Dear Anup Your question is directed at someone who is facing a smilar situation. I am not the right guy, then, to answer your mail. But, I do have a piece of advice that is apllicable to all cases. And that is, the best way to preach is by practicing it yourself. You need to practice your " Anushthana " regularly. Children learn mostly by observing what others do. For them what they see constitutes a greater reality than what they listen. I am confident any psychologists or teachers in the list will definetely agree with me in this respect. I do not mean to say that listening to a teacher or preacher is not important, but the point is their contact with them is restricted. They observe their parents mostly, and what they practice is bound to have a greater impact on them. Children who have not even entered into their teens do not have enough maturity to transform theory into practice, the only way to teach them is thru example. My personal opinion is that you (the parents) each can practice your own belief. It is that practice that is important. Warm Regards Uma alahiry [alahiry] Tuesday, October 09, 2001 12:55 AM Ramakrishna Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Digest Number 924 Dear friends; I need your help again. I am a Brahmin but not a practicing one, I mean I do not observe different religious ceremonies, etc., but am intellectually curious about spirituality and God. My wife is Catholic (nonpracticing) but going thru the typical guilt of not giving any spiritual structure to our ten and eight year boys. she wants to take them to church. I find myself cringing and worrying about it. My concern is that they will get only one sided preaching and grow up probably thinking Christianity is the only way. I have never objected about her or kids going to church ever but she can see my ambivalence. Am I being hypocritical as I say all the religions are same? I want them to know about Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam Judaism, etc., to know that there are other ways as well, leading to the same goal, but to be practical who has time, resources and knowledge to teach that. I have some ideas but will really appreciate input specially from some who has or is facing similar situation. Thanks Anup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2001 Report Share Posted October 10, 2001 IN Australian schools there is a subject titled 'Religious Studies' in which principles and traditions of all religions are taught to the students. Importantly, I saw the text book and it is NOT judgemental at all about any particular religion. Unfortunately, Indian secularism does not allow introduction of this subject in schools. In the given situation, I think the suggestion of Kathi is appropriate. If there no such organisations around just bring the books of all religions home and give it for reading to the children. K Kathirasan NCS [kkathir] Tuesday, 9 October 2001 10:43 AM Ramakrishna RE: [sri Ramakrishna] Digest Number 924 Namaste Anup I have a solution for you. Find the nearest Ramakrishna Mission or Ramakrishna Vedanta Society (or any other affiliated orgs) and enrol your children for classes there. I bet your children will grow up appreciating all the religious traditions of the world. Your wife will be happy and so will you be. Om Shanti Kathi > > alahiry [sMTP:alahiry] > Tuesday, October 09, 2001 3:25 AM > Ramakrishna > Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Digest Number 924 > > Dear friends; I need your help again. I am a Brahmin but not a practicing > one, I mean I do not observe different religious ceremonies, etc., but am > intellectually curious about spirituality and God. My wife is Catholic > (nonpracticing) but going thru the typical guilt of not giving any > spiritual > structure to our ten and eight year boys. she wants to take them to > church. I > find myself cringing and worrying about it. My concern is that they will > get > only one sided preaching and grow up probably thinking Christianity is the > > only way. I have never objected about her or kids going to church ever but > > she can see my ambivalence. Am I being hypocritical as I say all the > religions are same? I want them to know about Hinduism, Christianity, > Buddhism, Islam Judaism, etc., to know that there are other ways as well, > leading to the same goal, but to be practical who has time, resources and > > knowledge to teach that. I have some ideas but will really appreciate > input > specially from some who has or is facing similar situation. > Thanks > Anup > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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