Monotheism vs Polytheism: Islam vs Hinduism

[yasodanandana]

i think that this is not a big problem... many times, when the most urgent task is to destroy a radicate and strong attachement to the material forms, the scriptures say that god has no form.. just to clean up the gross misunderstandings

 

when there's a little more advancement, the next news are that beyond the matter there's a spiritual world with infinite variety of personal forms

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hello Mr. SS

 

Please could you give me the links as to where you got all these texts from.

 

Another thing there is no such as 'Hinduism', the correct name for Hinduism is 'Sanatan Dharma' meaning 'Eternal Religion'. No where in any scripture will you find the word Hindu. I would've thought that a great Vedic scholar like you SS would have known that by now.

 

We do NOT worship idols, they are 'Murti's'. Before a murti is made holy chants and incantations are spoken to request the Lord to reside within the Murti, before the first chip is hit.

 

An idol would be me buying a George Bush statue and then worshipping it.

 

Incase you do not know, there is NO such thing as 'YOUR' God or 'MY' God. Our scriptures tell us that God has no material designations like we do. He is neither a Hindu, nor Christian nor Muslim nor American nor Indian etc etc.

 

He is simply the Divine, the source of all that exists.

 

Please answer my questions, I am simply askin 'Why cannot Allah take a form?'

 

I mean just take a simple material substance like 'Water'. Water has 3 forms, solid, liquid and gas. Now if a material substance like water can have 3 different form, then why cannot the creator of the universe have a form?.

 

We ain't fighting God's statement.

 

You said...

 

'Further in arabic this is the reason that he is called Allah which means the Supreme. No genders and that is the reason I have used the word GOD , pls note.'

 

Please note you have used the word 'HE' in the sentence, you have yourself said God has no form, so the correct term for you to use is 'IT', cause you have no idea what it is.

 

And to conclude I have not drifted from the topic. Yes it's a different story if you have no answers to my questions, then that's not my fault.

 

Please answer my questions from the first post please, I will be grateful.

 

Thank you

 

Shashi

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

The internet is the source of all the information.

 

Regards SS

 

 

And most of it is misinformation to delude people like you. So, don't fall prey to it.

[Guest guest]

Firstly, according to islam's teachings on war a person may only harm/kill that person who's intention is to harm/kill him or his family or friends.... so if the person were attacking innocent people he would be punished in the after life for doing so.Thus for attacking the world trade center they would be punished , but the pentagon on the other hand,the people who are responsible for bringing death,pain,suffering to thousands around the world ,i don't think so.

 

Secondly,we believe God is capable of anything that he wills,so in the same way that we would argue that how could God come down in the form of the prophet jesus ,a person who needed to excrete,breathe and eat,why would he need to take on any form?For us to see his power? We already see his infinite ability,power and greatness in all that he has created around us.

 

Lastly we believe that god is Omnipresent as he is aware and in control of all that is happening in this world, and in reponse to your last statement:

"They either believe that Allah is finite in space, or that Allah cannot be defined in space which makes Him a non-entity."

How can you use the laws of science to describe the divine?

Does Krishna occupy physical space?According to your beliefs would this make him a non-entity?

[Guest guest]

Reality is harsh all the times. People with great courage can face it and some fantacize it and let it go.

 

Regards

 

SS

[Guest guest]

u think u r so good...

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world...

y is that,

islam has the fastest conversion rate in the world?

y is that,

where is the killing...is any 1 dying?/???

any news breaks say" man killed coz he dint convert to islam"???????

many are converting, as u know before a person converts he she would search the whole world in seach for what is right. they would have looked up the entire internet and found ur forum and all other things against islam... and they searched and found an explanation. for your riduculas misunderstandings.

 

and for that verse. it is only part of a chapter of the koran

that verse relates to a battle

 

now if u were in a battle of war.

u had some one at his throat\

u could kill him \

he is your enemy\

but! islam gives the chance for that person to convert. if he does he shall enter paaradise like all other mulims.

but if he doesnt....he shall die.

he rejects? he rejects your offer for his freedom than he remains an enemy, so waht right for him to survive?

Now u think...sum1 is about to kill u.... yet he lets u live? because he feels there is always room for another person to enter paradise. yet u still reject the offer. wat right !! what right!

if u look on the other side of the war it was ""die.....or die anyway."""do u see the differenc?

 

allahu AKBAR.....laillaha illalah....mohamudur rasullulah

allahu akbar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Winand]

From an laymans point of view Hinduism could be called an polytheistic religion.

 

But even a Hindu child can understand that the paramatma is one. Like gold is 1 ..the bracelets, chains, earrings,etc made of gold are many...in that same way God is one for the one who sees hinduism as it is. Hinduism or sanatan-Ved dharma is monotheistic.

 

The abrahamitic point of view is just narrow...and naastika.

 

The islam is not a peaceful religion if you look at the history of the people that call them self muslims. The cristians too are responsible for a lot of deaths in for example the southern american continent. The jews play an active role in the WO-II and even today in the israeli palestinynen conflict. So the ABRAHAMITICS are just naastikas if one considers the abrahmitics their history. Even today one can get an beautiful example of what the abrahamitics are if one looks at the regime of president Bush, the ex-regime of Saddam, the regime in Bangladesh, the problems with muslims in Indonesia, etc etc the list goes on....and on...

 

Since abraham the position of woman has greatly deteriorated. Before Abraham even in Europe they worhiped the paramatma in the form of the supreme Goddess. After abraham the muslims want to see the woman like a form of the non for the cristians. It is really funny that cristians and muslims and jews fight with each other ... by that act it gives good insight in the naastika-% of the abrahamitic religions.

 

The pre-abraham religions from afrika and south amerika were clearly of a more peaceful i.e. less-naastika nature.

 

Jaya Shri Devi !!

Winand.

[Guest guest]

What do you think it is I'll tell you it's both or neither however you want to word it. There is one major god, but there is several coming off that one. You tell me... Which is it?

[Guest guest]

Does it matter whether you worship the God as a form or an energy. What is important is to believe in him. Muslims believe he is formless and Qoran says that anyone who believes anything said or written by anyone other than in qoran is an idolator, and hence has sinned. So what it means is that God actually forbids idol worship because it misleads you. It makes you think of him as a form whereas in fact he is formless.

 

Now hindus worship millions of God and goddesses. That is because that same formless energy that is worshipped by Muslims as Allah, is believed by hindus to be physically manifested in everyhing we see around us. Because Hindus believe that when God created the universe, he gave a part of himself to everything he created. That means THE God who is omnipresent is present in every living and non living thing, he is present in you , me, and every dust particle around us, in air and water, rivers and oceans, rain and storm and everything else. Since God is present in everything, u are essentially worshipping him, when u worship anyone of these things. In hinduism we believe, that even our parents and guests are god and you commit no sin by worshipping them.

 

So what hinduism essentially says is that it is important to believe in him irrespective of how or in what form. Hindusim does not forbid you to do anything. The only sin in hinduism is to not do your "karma" the work that god has destined for you to do.

 

Also In hinduism, god does not ask his followers to go out and kill the non believers. He comes himself to do the dirty work, so that his followers remain sinless. Infact, hinduism does not allow man to judge another man. That job is left to God, for only HE can judge us completely unbiased.

 

Lastly, unlike christians, and muslims and even buddhists, hindus never ever tried to convert anyone. And perhaps Hindus are the only people who say that all religions lead to God. We are happy worshipping him in a thousand forms, u be happy worshipping him as a formless energy. Why should we fight over God. And who r we to decide what is right and what is wrong. Let God be the judge and let him judge us on the judgment day.

 

I have great respect for Islam, and regret this debate which has become one of fingerpointing. I dont intend to and I apologize if I have in any way maligned Islam.

[Guest guest]

what is hinduism's monotheism?

reply to lil_kitty_91@hotmail.com

[Guest guest]

If the presence of many gods means polytheism, then how can the presence of many angels mean monotheism?

 

What exactly is your point?? If you think that the presence of angels is equated with polytheism, then you have no idea what polytheism is.

 

Islam allows for the worship of one god only (monthesism).

Hinduism allows for the worship of more than one god (polytheism)

 

Just because Muslims believe in angels or multitude of angels does not mean we worship them. We just believe in them as the servants of god.

 

Thats all.

[BrotherHamas]

Why do you worship an idol? Hindus believe their GOD needs to come down to human form, in order to better understand Humans??

 

Why would the creater of the heavens and the earth need to become his creation, in order to better understand it?

 

Does a millworker need to become a table, in order to understand the table? No, he is the creator...he knows why and what his creation is.

 

What Hindus believe in is a "pagan belief".

 

Ever read the Ramayana or the Gita? Just legends and myths that Hindus believe in, but don't question.

 

Why did the religions...Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all adhere to monotheism, yet Hinduism still believes in rocks and stones in the form of a God?

 

 

[Guest guest]

Whatever bozo, first do sincere research about what "Hindus" believe in and then try to challenge. Until then, don't even think about challenging a religion like this, trust me its not worth wasting your time.

 

Chant Allah ho akbar and go by your merry way, if you want to convert hindus its just a waste of time, because they are at a whole different level of spirituality compared to you.

 

 

[Govindaram]

 

"Why did the religions...Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all adhere to monotheism, yet Hinduism still believes in rocks and stones in the form of a God?"

 

Lord comes in the form of so-called stone to accept our worship, whatever used in KRSNA service becomes spiritualized (when done in a bona-fide way) according to Vedic knowledge{sriptures}, science of God is coming down from time immemorial, don't profess to know everything, I hope this is a good enough answer, hopefully others will reply.

 

 

[Guest guest]

<font color="brown">

1. If scientists have proven that the world will come to an end (Day of Judgement)

what will happen to all the Vedas followers who believe they will be reborn into another life form _on this earth_ ? If there is no more life forms on this earth, what will happen to them ?

 

 

2. If the Ancient Egyptians believed that their souls will go to Heaven, and the ancient Egyptians had Scripture centuries before the Vedas, then why do vedas followers claim their scripture is the oldest and therefore reincarnation is the right way ?

 

3. Low caste members (untouchables) are born into certain families, for example, everyone born into the Juppy family, automatically becomes a untouch able. The woman in the Juppy family, Mrs. Juppy is the aledged door way for bad people in previous lives who did not follow the Vedas to be born through Mrs. Juppy and hence be also a untouchable like the rest of Mrs. Juppy's family members.

 

If Mrs. Juppy converts to Islam or Budduism which thousands are doing daily in India, what then will happen to the enterance gate for the non-Vedas followers to be reborn into?

 

If there are no longer any untouchables becuase of either conversion or finacial fortune, then the entire caste system would collapse (as it slowly is doing thanks to the help of humanitary workers.) then there would no longer be a earthly Hell as the Vedas followers imagine, and no longer a reward or punishment, why then are the Vedas gods not maintaining there reward and punishment systems?

 

Inconclusion, if there are Two doors, (door A) and (door B) the good go to (door A) and the bad go to (door B), what will happen to the bad if (door B) becomes sealed up or has disappeared ?

 

4. If the Vedas followers desire Unity, why is it that they enforce a system where the their own members are divided into 5 levels where certain levels are not allowed to talk to, eat with, or even Touch Other Vedas followers ?

 

5. How do Vedas followers claim they desire love and harmony when they think it is Absolute Justice that fellow Vedas followers includeing women and children die daily in India under the current caste system?

 

6. How is it a punishment to become a animal or a insect or a tree if some people can consider this to be a reward rather than a punishment ? As said before, Insects are born They Fly, they Run, They Mate and they die, is that so bad ?

 

For example, Ants have the about 200 times their own body weight strength, is it so bad to be that strong and Unified as ants are?

 

7. How is it a reward to be born into the world as children are screaming and crying and live years before having any comprehension, and then to grow old and to again loose comprehension, where is the reward to be reincarnated into that over and over?

 

8. Why would God show us the Many stars and galaxsies if we are only limmited to this world over and over?

 

Why would God Direct our Attension to Heaven if we are only limmited to earth ? Why would God make Heaven so appealing and so Majestic if we are never to leave from being born as earthly creatures over and over?

 

9. Would it not be a better reward to come back as a dolphin who has a higher mental capabilites than humans ?

 

10. What would happen if I smash up every one of the 400 different statues of Vedas gods, can those gods on earth protect themselves?

 

 

 

/images/graemlins/confused.gif </font color>

[Guest guest]

Above Message Not for Govindaram specifically, but for general forum. Anyone who thinks they can answer all the questions please do so.

 

Correct my errors, *those who know*, and dont leave ignorant remarks reagrding ANY religion. Please research material properly, and do NOT leave misinformed remarks. Thank you.

 

Peace be upon you all.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Radhakrishnan, ex-President of India and an eminent

interpreter of Hinduism, as quoted in India: An Introduction by Khushwant Singh, New Delhi, 1990.

 

[Hinduism is] "... a name without any content... Its content, if any, has altered from age to age, from community to community. It meant one thing in the Vedic period, another in the Brahmanical, a third in the Buddhist [1] - one to Saivite, another to Vaishnavite and Sakta." (Dr. Radhakrishnan was the first President of independent India).

 

Islam's 'content' has never changed

 

 

 

 

[1] Buddhism founded by Gautoma Buddha is a religion

different from Hinduism but the Brahmans made Buddha an

incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu in order to make Buddhism a

part of Hinduism. <--- please correct if wrong

[Guest guest]

In trying to answer the previous 10 questions, i came accross..

 

M.K Gandhi, Hindu Dharma, New Delhi, 1991, p. 120.

"Hinduism does not rest on the authority of one book or one

prophet, nor does it possess a common creed - like the

Kalma [sic.] of Islam - acceptable to all. That renders a

common definition of Hinduism a bit difficult."

[Govindaram]

 

Hare Krishna, I shall try to answer certain questions only, others devotees, who are higher level than me, can answer.

 

Bhaja Nityananda,

 

1.We not follow scientists. Everybody is dying, we not believe we go to some limbo, until judgement comes, it comes when you give-up this body. Life forms being the appropriate word, its turns into another body any 84,000,000, species of life {material}, or Spiritual {our original nature}, descent to heaven is in a Material Body. You will have to return here again, as heaven is situated in this Material Creation, whereas the spiritual world {Goal of the Hindu/Hare Krishna} is beyond the Mundane Material Sky.

 

2.KRSNA descended to this world from the Spiritual world, sort of like a de-tour, 5000 years ago, long before Egyptians, the Bhagavad-Gita was spoken by Him, so that makes the Gita alone 5000 years old, coming down through disciplic succession the Gita was passed on, the current link being Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada, Founder Archarya of ISKCON, KRSNA society for the World.

 

6. Yes it is bad, insects don't have the ability to speak, or read, and chant, and pray, or offer respects to KRSNA. In the mosque where you go to pray, how would you pray if you were an ant?

 

7. If you have the knowledge that a certain thing is happening to you, then why not make plans so that it doesn't happen again, reward is another chance to become God Conscious.

 

8. Qualification, you don't get to 8th grade, if you act like a dog, you get held back, or thrown back, same with species of life, how your mind-set is, that's the body you get, act like a dog, get a dogs body. Beyond this world as I said before is the spiritual world.

 

9. Come back as a dolphin? So you can do sense gratification, what kind of God Consciousness will you have, or do you have. Not a trick question.

 

10.The spiritual power of Vaishnavas is hidden from the mass public, let sleeping dragons lay.

[Guest guest]

"Hindus believe their GOD needs to come down to human form, in order to better understand Humans??"

 

I thought that was a christian belief?

 

 

"Why did the religions...Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all adhere to monotheism, yet Hinduism still believes in rocks and stones in the form of a God?"

 

The mlecchas ("desert people" I call them) abused archana so bad they are forbidden to practice it. Although they transgressed his laws more than anyone, still the all merciful Vishnu gave dharma suited for them.

 

Isn't there a quote from Prabhupada saying why those people live in desert, due to sin?

[theist]

Vaisnavism is monotheism. Prabhupada taught monotheism. He called present Hinduism a hodge podge.

 

It is very disturbing to see the highest revelation of monotheism which is the Vaisnavism delivered to the Indian saints lumped in with with this "all is one, so worship whatever" confusing hodge podge of polytheism.

 

Hare Krishna's are monotheists.

[Guest guest]

 

Vaisnavism is monotheism. Prabhupada taught monotheism. He called present Hinduism a hodge podge.

 

 

 

Present-day "Hinduism" has no existence in sAstra-s. It is mostly an artificial construct of the last several centuries, influenced to some extent by Advaita, but watered down by Indian nationalist sentiments, Western secular-educated politicians-turned-swamis, and solidified by a general lack of interest in surrendering to the One, Supreme Lord Vishnu, whose glories are sung in the Veda-s, mahAbhArata, purANa-s, and everywhere.

 

Actually, to even equate "Hinduism" with Advaita is an insult to Advaita. "Hinduism" has no scholarly basis whatsoever. Advaita is just a big scholarly misconception. "Hinduism" is a misconception with not even a trace attempt at scholarly credibility.

 

Vaishnava vedAntins are monotheistic as a matter of doctrine. Vaishnavism, even by mundane calculation, existed long before any literary trace of "Hinduism." It is indeed baffling that arbiters of "Hinduism" have so managed to hijack the imagination of Indians and even people outside bhArata-varsha to the point that they presume to speak on everyone's behalf and chastise anyone who would dare disagree with their politically-correct bunk.

 

Anyway, the one quality of the truth is that it is rarely well received. Watch the fun now as the Hindu fundamentalists who know absolutely nothing of sAstra pop up and start flaming.

 

[Guest guest]

<blockquote>

1. If scientists have proven that the world will come to an end (Day of Judgement)

what will happen to all the Vedas followers who believe they will be reborn into another life form _on this earth_ ? If there is no more life forms on this earth, what will happen to them ?

</blockquote>

According to the Vedas and the Puranas, this world is not the only planet in the universe that is inhabited by intelligent beings. Indeed, according to the Bhagavata Purana other universes existed before this universe came into being, and after this universe is destroyed the Lord will create other universes.

 

And since science suggests that there is life on other planets, and probably intelligent life, science also admits that this earth is not the "pinnacle of creation". If there are intelligent beings on other planets, surely they know nothing of Mahammed or Islam, since that religion is only a creation of the human mind.

<blockquote>

2. If the Ancient Egyptians believed that their souls will go to Heaven, and the ancient Egyptians had Scripture centuries before the Vedas, then why do vedas followers claim their scripture is the oldest and therefore reincarnation is the right way ?

</blockquote>

The religion of the Rg Veda is older than than Egyptian religion. Your question is foolish.

<blockquote>

3. Low caste members (untouchables) are born into certain families, for example, everyone born into the Juppy family, automatically becomes a untouch able. The woman in the Juppy family, Mrs. Juppy is the aledged door way for bad people in previous lives who did not follow the Vedas to be born through Mrs. Juppy and hence be also a untouchable like the rest of Mrs. Juppy's family members.

 

If Mrs. Juppy converts to Islam or Budduism which thousands are doing daily in India, what then will happen to the enterance gate for the non-Vedas followers to be reborn into?

 

If there are no longer any untouchables becuase of either conversion or finacial fortune, then the entire caste system would collapse (as it slowly is doing thanks to the help of humanitary workers.) then there would no longer be a earthly Hell as the Vedas followers imagine, and no longer a reward or punishment, why then are the Vedas gods not maintaining there reward and punishment systems?

 

Inconclusion, if there are Two doors, (door A) and (door B) the good go to (door A) and the bad go to (door B), what will happen to the bad if (door B) becomes sealed up or has disappeared ?

</blockquote>

 

Many people from low caste backgrounds have become Vaishnavas. There is no caste restriction. But can a woman who was a prostitute become a Muslim? NO. She must be sent to hell and be punished. So Cat Stevens could not marry his girlfriend when he became a Muslim, since she used to be a stripper. 40 year old Cat Stevens married a sixteen year old Pakistani girl instead.

<blockquote>

4. If the Vedas followers desire Unity, why is it that they enforce a system where the their own members are divided into 5 levels where certain levels are not allowed to talk to, eat with, or even Touch Other Vedas followers ?

</blockquote>

Islam is the most unfair of all religions. Only Islam promotes slavery, so how can you dare challenge others with your twisted logic.

<blockquote>

5. How do Vedas followers claim they desire love and harmony when they think it is Absolute Justice that fellow Vedas followers includeing women and children die daily in India under the current caste system?

</blockquote>

Muslims and the Koran approve of slavery. Even Bin Laden was called by his brothers as "the slave's son" since his mother was a low class woman. Your Koran teaches it is OK for muslims to capture non-muslims and make them slaves. Many millions of Hindus were made into slaves by Muslims in the past. YOur ISlam promotes slavery. Surely this is evil, in the minds of any gentle man. Mohammed was a murderer and his army was a bandit army.

<blockquote>

6. How is it a punishment to become a animal or a insect or a tree if some people can consider this to be a reward rather than a punishment ? As said before, Insects are born They Fly, they Run, They Mate and they die, is that so bad ?

For example, Ants have the about 200 times their own body weight strength, is it so bad to be that strong and Unified as ants are?

</blockquote>

Maybe you need to be born again as an insect, so you will see how life as an animal is full of misery.

 

<blockquote>

7. How is it a reward to be born into the world as children are screaming and crying and live years before having any comprehension, and then to grow old and to again loose comprehension, where is the reward to be reincarnated into that over and over?

</blockquote>

Your religion teaches that God creates children in places where they live in misery and poverty, and die at the age of five with some disease, simply for no reason. Simply because it is "GOD's WILL". We say there is an explanation for suffering we see in the world: Karma. But in your religion, we see that it looks as if God is responsible for creating a world full of injustice and misery. Surely your god is a monster, if he creates children who are born in Muslim families and starve in Somalia and Bangladesh and die at the age of four, knowing only misery for their whole life.

<blockquote>

8. Why would God show us the Many stars and galaxsies if we are only limmited to this world over and over?

 

Why would God Direct our Attension to Heaven if we are only limmited to earth ? Why would God make Heaven so appealing and so Majestic if we are never to leave from being born as earthly creatures over and over?

</blockquote>

Life exists in other planets, even other universes. Your question is stupid.

<blockquote>

9. Would it not be a better reward to come back as a dolphin who has a higher mental capabilites than humans ?

</blockquote>

You can become one if you want. Do as you like.

<blockquote>

10. What would happen if I smash up every one of the 400 different statues of Vedas gods, can those gods on earth protect themselves?

</blockquote>

 

What would happen if the Jews of Israel decide to use some of their 400 nuclear weapons to destroy the Kabba and all of the big Muslim cities in the MIddle East? Islam will be burned to death. And the world will be a better place.

 

-- Muralidhar

[Guest guest]

Oh, and just one other thing.

 

When my son was five he was sitting on the front steps of a temple of Lord Krishna, and a gang of Muslim boys came and attacked my son and his friends.

 

My son dislikes muslims even more than I do. Give him 400 atomic bombs, and he will finish all the Muslims.

 

-- Muralidhar

[sudhaya]

 

My son dislikes muslims even more than I do. Give him 400 atomic bombs, and he will finish all the Muslims.

--

 

Hare Krsna!

 

Alienating the entire Muslim population.

 

Don't believe the hype, what you fink?

 

The western world is Full to the barrels with Sense Gratificationists, who is worse?

 

The Non-believer or the God-believer?

 

Is Bush a Christian? Do Cows fly in the Sky?

Just cause you white (gora) your auto by default a Christian? Yes?

 

We should have compassion for the Night-Clubbers and Alcoholics who go out every Fri-Sats, as a pose to Muslims who try to follow, but are not able to?

 

Where is the compassion? Are we not Vaishnavas?

/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Bhaja Nityananda