sabrina King Posted August 12, 2001 Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 Can one convert to hinduism? Or is hinduism more akin to say judaism where the point of the faith is that the jews are the "chosen" people of God..thereby one can convert..but one can never truly be jewish..without the genetic code. In my own spiritual journey and marriage I have found nothing so compelling as the precepts of the Bhagavad Gita..yet I am confused as to whether a westerner, such as myself can ever truly be Hindu. I do understand the conept of the worship of the Lord in all his forms..being the same Lord...but does this apply cross culturally? Thank you for your response. And forgive my ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 12, 2001 Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 Dear Sabrina Before I can answer your questions, you must answer these: 1. What is your occupation? 2. Are you married? 3. Do you live in a big house? 4. Why are you here? (what is your business - your business is my business) 5. How old is your mother (and father, brother, sister, aaji, aaja, naani, naana, maami, maama, mausi, mausa, fooa, foofa, kaaki, kaaka, daada, daadi - yes all of them)? btw I cannot forgive your ignorance - I, too, am ignorant. ------------------ hindu talasiga@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 12, 2001 Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 But SERIOUSLY, seeing as Originally posted by sabrina King: In my own spiritual journey and marriage I have found nothing so compelling as the precepts of the Bhagavad Gita (a) you are already a Hindu, or (b) you dont need to be a Hindu ------------------ shalom talasiga@hotmail.com [This message has been edited by talasiga (edited 08-12-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gauracandra Posted August 12, 2001 Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 There is a posting in these forums called "Who is a Hindu?" which might answer this question. Also, in the "Letters to the Editor" section one person asks a similar question which JNDas answers (under "Rituals for becoming a Hindu"). Hope this helps. Gauracandra [This message has been edited by Gauracandra (edited 08-12-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina King Posted August 12, 2001 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 Thank you both for your responses...the first being insightful in a Descartes sort of way And the second being more concrete. For shagrins.... I'm married..I beleive I said that I am a wife and mother in service to a man I adore, what better occupation is there? Why are any of us here? And gracious me I have no idea how old all those people are....lets say they are probably all between the ages of 1-90? Age is irrelevant to knowledge anyhow, is it not? And as my husband is int he military I am transient. For myself, home is within...and within is all that is without..so I'd say that is a big house..would you not? sabrina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amanpeter Posted August 12, 2001 Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 Welcome aboard, Sabrina, and GOOD LUCK! Things can get a little strange hereabouts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 12, 2001 Report Share Posted August 12, 2001 Dear Sabrina You have sucessfully answered the first 5 questions. But there are many more to come ! However, first I must consult my aged mataji. (Oh damn, I forgot, today she is "mouna") ------------------ talasiga@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leyh Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Dear Sabrina: I think that you might find the following quotes from His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977), the Founder-acarya (Spiritual Master) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to be useful in your understanding of Hinduism: Sometimes Indians both inside and outside of India think that we are preaching the Hindu religion, but actually we are not. One will not find the word "Hindu" in the Bhagavad-gita. Indeed, there is no such word as Hindu in the entire Vedic literature. This word has been introduced by the Muslims from provinces next to India, such as Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Persia. There is a river called Sindhu bordering the north western provinces of India, and since the Muslims there could not pronounce Sindhu properly, they instead called the river Hindu, and the inhabitants of this tract of land they called Hindus. In India, according to the Vedic language, the Europeans are called mlecchas or yavanas. Similarly, Hindu is a name given by the Muslims.(From The Science of Self Realization:Krishna Consciousness--Hindu Cult or Divine Culture?) Nobody can be God. God is one. And religion is also one. If God is one, then how religion can be different? Just like state laws. If the state is one, the law is also, everyone. Now the ordinary law, just like "Keep to the right," if somebody says, "No, this is Christian law. Hindu law, 'Keep to the left,' " will it be accepted? If I say, "I am Hindu, I am coming from India. My law is 'Keep to the left.' " In India, the same thing, "Keep to the left." And many other countries also. So here, because all these laws are made by rascals, in some country you keep to the left, some country you keep to the right. And which is correct, that is unknown. That is unknown. Therefore for the foolish person, "This is Hindu religion,' This is Christian religion," and "This is Muhammadan religion." Religion is one. How it can be Hindu religion, Christian religion? No. Religion is one. God is one. Therefore religion is one. Because religion means the law or the order given by God. That is religion. Simple definition.(Nobody can be God. God is one. And religion is also one. If God is one, then how religion can be different? Just like state laws. If the state is one, the law is also, everyone. Now the ordinary law, just like "Keep to the right," if somebody says, "No, this is Christian law. Hindu law, 'Keep to the left,' " will it be accepted? If I say, "I am Hindu, I am coming from India. My law is 'Keep to the left.' " In India, the same thing, "Keep to the left." And many other countries also. So here, because all these laws are made by rascals, in some country you keep to the left, some country you keep to the right. And which is correct, that is unknown. That is unknown. Therefore for the foolish person, "This is Hindu religion,' This is Christian religion," and "This is Muhammadan religion." Religion is one. How it can be Hindu religion, Christian religion? No. Religion is one. God is one. Therefore religion is one. Because religion means the law or the order given by God. That is religion. Simple definition.(Srimad Bhagvatam 1.16.19 Lecture at Los Angeles, July 9, 1974) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Religion is simultaneously One and Different because the Lord is Many but is known in Oneness ------------------ talasiga@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premananda Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Dear Sabrina, "Hinduism" can be basically any religion originating from India. And there are many. Most of the people on these forums belong to a Vaishnava lineage called the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. In this religion all persons, independent of caste, sex, age, location or wealth, are welcome. The only thing required is faith in the scriptures and the teachings of the Vaishnava lineage. This is because Vaishnavism is universal in character. We teach that all living beings are equal on the spiritual plane. All are but eternal souls, and the function of the soul is to be engaged eternally in God´s service. Regards, Premananda das Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina King Posted August 13, 2001 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Alright here is my confusion as I see it...I think it is a lesson in semantics perhaps...so one can follow what would be deemed the "hindu faith" by westeeners..but one is not hindu..unless one is Indian..is this correct? That being hindu as the group of people as an ethnicity not as a religion..is that correct? So then what does one call someone then who prescribes to Indian doctrine..but is not Indian? sabrina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premananda Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Originally posted by sabrina King: Alright here is my confusion as I see it...I think it is a lesson in semantics perhaps...so one can follow what would be deemed the "hindu faith" by westeeners..but one is not hindu..unless one is Indian..is this correct? That being hindu as the group of people as an ethnicity not as a religion..is that correct? So then what does one call someone then who prescribes to Indian doctrine..but is not Indian? sabrina You see, Hindu is a very general term. I prefer calling myself a Vaishnava, because it is more specific. A Hindu can be a Shaiva, Shakta, Tantric, Sankarite, etc. P D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premananda Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 You don´t have to be in an Indian body to call yourself Hindu...I am also a type of Hindu, even though I was born in Sweden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Originally posted by sabrina King: Alright here is my confusion as I see it.....but one is not hindu..unless one is Indian..is this correct? If you are not able to join the Band You can always be a Groupie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina King Posted August 13, 2001 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Ok..so some of you are saying hindu is the faith and some are saying it is the ethnicity...so which is correct linguistically does anyone know? sabrina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premananda Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Originally posted by sabrina King: Ok..so some of you are saying hindu is the faith and some are saying it is the ethnicity...so which is correct linguistically does anyone know? sabrina A person who has faith in the Vedic Scriptures and who has converted to one of the various branches included in HInduism can be called a Hindu. Hinduism has little to do with ethnic groups. The proof is that practically speaking all the branches of Hinduism accept non-Indian persons as disciples. P d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina King Posted August 13, 2001 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Ok so now you bring up a seperate question I had. I have read and been told in speaking with my husbands middle eatern friends that women are not supposed to read the vedas....so is that a concept that western followers of hinduism prescribe too? Or is that a function of the social structure of the middle east adn not the religion iteself? sabrina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Originally posted by sabrina King: I have read and been told in speaking with my husbands middle eatern friends that women are not supposed to read the vedas Dear Sabrina My mother is a "born Hindu" Hindu and she reads the Scriptures better than my father who is a "born Hindu" Hindu. My serious answer to your question was given at the third post on this thread But, methinks, you like to STIR THE POT. You should know that Rice cooks best without stirring. burnt talasiga@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabrina King Posted August 13, 2001 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 I wasn't meaning to stir anything....it was an earnest question... sabrina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talasiga Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Originally posted by sabrina King: I wasn't meaning to stir anything....it was an earnest question... The earnest question should meet the earnest answer ------------------ talasiga@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gauracandra Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 I would also suggest reading an article that was on the front page a few weeks back called "Stages and Varieties of Faith". It analyzes the differences between various religions and seeks the common ground between them. Very good article. Gauracandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shvu Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 His divine grace says, ...God is one. And religion is also one. If God is one, then how religion can be different? ...So here, because all these laws are made by rascals, in some country you keep to the left, some country you keep to the right. And which is correct, that is unknown. That is unknown. Therefore for the foolish person... This begs the question of why then bother to take the trouble of going all the way to the US, starting a new Organization and carrying out intense missionary activities of trying to gather as many people as possible under the umbrella of iskcon? Thanx in advance to anyone who can satisy my curiosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leyh Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Originally posted by shvu: His divine grace says, This begs the question of why then bother to take the trouble of going all the way to the US, starting a new Organization and carrying out intense missionary activities of trying to gather as many people as possible under the umbrella of iskcon? Thanx in advance to anyone who can satisy my curiosity. Dear Shvu: His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada bothered to "take the trouble of going all the way to the US, starting a new Organization and carrying out intense missionary activities of trying to gather as many people as possible under the umbrella of iskcon?" because it is the duty of the disciple to obey the order of the spiritual master,and in the case of Bhaktivedanta Swami, he came to the west to obey his spiritual master's order to preach Krsna Consciousness in the West. Although religion is essentially one in that its ultimate aim is to facilitate love of God,there are many levels and varieties of religions and there are always new things to learn and discover.There is always room for improvment.Krsna Consciousness has much to teach the whole human society. Maybe all the "intense missionary activities" initiated by Srila Prabhupada is to ensure that humanity can learn more about God and the self. Coincidentally,today (Singapore time) is the 36th anniversary of the day Srila Prabhupada began his journey to the United States of America.All Glories to His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who so compassionately introduced the whole world to Krsna! [This message has been edited by leyh (edited 08-13-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 Leyh: Krsna Consciousness has much to teach the whole human society. Satyaraj: Then, point out some of these teachings and we would like to discuss them with you under the scope of sruti texts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amanpeter Posted August 13, 2001 Report Share Posted August 13, 2001 ...and around we go again! What say you, prabhus--4,5, maybe 6 pages? Perhaps even that so-far elusive 7!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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