Monotheism vs Polytheism: Islam vs Hinduism

[Guest guest]

RELIGION IS SOMETHING BETWEEN A PERSON AND GOD. SAYING ALL THIS . THAT U HAVE ON THESE PAGES WONT MAKE A MUSLIM ANY BETTER THAN A HINDU IN THE EYES OF GOD AND VICEVERSA. ALL THE MUSLIMS WHO HAVE SAID . ABOUT HINDUS ON THIS BOARD ARENT MUSLIMS TO ME AND I AM ONE ALHAMDULILLAH. IF A HINDU HAS A QUESTION .. ANSWER IT IN A WAY THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE TO HIM . IF U CANT DO IT .. LEAVE IT .. DONT BE A PREACHER.. LEAVE IT FOR PPL LIKE DR ZAKIR NAIK

[Guest guest]

It sure is sad to see all this.

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

I have not been on this thread before now. However, browsing through the internet I came upon this site and found this thread and became quite interested.

I am a Muslim. Now before you turn totally biased against me from the start, know that I am not going to insult you or Hinduism or anyone else for that matter. Being somewhat associated with the art of debating I can respond to your following post without hopefully offending you or anyone else.

 

“Islam IS the modern religion, that of the Kali Yuga, of an evil and ignorant people in dark times.”

 

To call a whole religion evil is somewhat a risky business. Islam had many aspects those the same as Hinduism (e.g. not to kill an innocent). By discrediting the whole religion, you are also murdering the good along with the bad.

 

“2. Jihad. Why would any religion teach you to spread your word through violence. Once you realize the pain and death you cause to animals, you will no longer want meat.”

 

Islam does not preach violence. On the contrary it preaches peace. The word Islam is derived from Salaam (meaning peace) and literally mean submission to the will of One God. Jihad can be declared only, and only in the following circumstances:

 

1. Muslim states have been invaded by an oppressing force (e.g. the Allies in Iraq).

2. Said oppressing force is stopping Muslims from practising their religion freely.

3. Jihad also can be internal. An internal struggle to abstain from all evil and purify the spirit and so therefore come closer to Allah.

 

“3. The treatment of Women. Muhammad is a feminist = bullcrap. They are forced to wear burqahs, are raped regularly, and have no rights whatsoever. India is made to look just as bad, but the truth is that these violations are far less occurant in Hinduism than in Islam.”

 

Your use of the word ‘bullcrap’ here will immediately make all Muslims reading this hostile towards you. Remember that you are trying to get a point across here, not insult anyone. I think that your statement ‘raped regularly’ is illegitimate. How can you say this when India has one of the highest rape rates in the world and the vast majority of the population is Hindu?

 

“4. Muhammad. He was closer to Sade than to God. Enough said. Don't believe me, Read the Koran for face value, with an open mind, and you will see how rotten the apple really is.”

 

That my friend, is entirely a matter of perception. To many people, Islam is a violent religion. Well look at it this way. Jews and Christians these days don’t really follow their religion very well. Islam needs to be strict for it’s followers to actually follow it’s guidelines. I am sure religions like Hinduism, who teach peace, are good in theory. But face the fact. So is communism. The thing is, things don’t often turn out as they should. It’s good to say: “Follow peace.” But you have to implement that statement. There is no point just saying it. But having a strict religion, it is doing exactly that.

 

“6. Lack of knowledge. What factual or scientific or even worthy historical knowledge is contained in the Koran. Even the Bible (Old and New testaments) tells of the history of the Hebrew people, from the great deluge to the history of the birth of Christianity. It also contains some very interesting and grave prophecies about the end of the world. What does Islam say anyways?”

 

If I went into the details here, then I suppose that this would soon turn into a book rather than a reply. I could give you thousands of quotes but then you would shun them. I ask you: What factual or scientific facts are in Hinduism? Perhaps you could quote some. If you actually care to read the prophecies foretold in Islam, you will realise your faux pas. There are many prophecies in Islam. All of them have come true.

http://www.islam.tc/prophecies/

 

On a final note, I ask you this though. If Islam is truly that bad a religion, then why is it the largest religion in the world? 1 in 4 people are Muslims! They can’t all have been mislead.

 

Please reply to me at: arslanali57@.co.uk

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

I ask you: What factual or scientific facts are in Hinduism? Perhaps you could quote some.

 

 

Goto www.vedabase.net

Then Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5.

 

Off hand I can tell it says of the Structure of the Entire Material and Spritual Creation. Thats a start/!

 

[Guest guest]

 

On a final note, I ask you this though. If Islam is truly that bad a religion, then why is it the largest religion in the world? 1 in 4 people are Muslims! They can’t all have been mislead.

 

 

 

Islam does not allow family planning and encourages having many many children in order to spread islam. No wonder the muslim population is huge. Not becuase people are attracted towards it.

[Guest guest]

“Islam does not allow family planning and encourages having many many children in order to spread islam. No wonder the muslim population is huge. Not becuase people are attracted towards it.”

 

Wrong again. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world (especially in the West). There are more converts to Islam than any other religion. How do you explain that? Obviously people are attracted to it, they aren’t forced to convert.

 

In fact, I could say the very same thing about Hinduism. As you know, in the rural parts of India, parents can have up to ten children!

[Guest guest]

Hindus all say that Islam is a barbaric religion. That it is evil.

 

Perhaps you should all look much closer to home. I wouldn’t exactly describe the caste system that Hinduism implements as noble. Your own Shiva is known as the Destroyer. Ganesh’s own father beheaded him, then replaced his head with an elephant’s. In the Mahabharat the Goddess Kali is described as "born of anger, the drinker of blood, the cruel daughter of the ocean of blood".

Bhairab has many arms, rolling eyes but usually one head. He wears a garland of skulls and has skulls in his crown.

 

I really wouldn’t want to worship these so-called gods. Who after all would want to think that god beheads their own child? Or that god is "born of anger, the drinker of blood, the cruel daughter of the ocean of blood". In fact, this gives an idea of Satan not God. Who would want to worship one who has garlands of skulls?

 

What happened to the equality that Hinduism so preaches? I wouldn’t say that the caste system ensures that all are equal.

 

[Guest guest]

Unequal treatment of unequals is EQUALITY. Equal treatment of unequals is NOT Equality. Varnashrama according to Sanatana Dharma is based on the the souls' quality or nature..and not that of the BODY. As years went by, people started malpracticing it.

 

By the way. A sattvic person and a Tamasic person cannot be treated equally. Only Shankara said that all souls are equal which is not so. Each and every soul has a unique quality in them which is different from the other soul.

 

TO be ourselves is Mukti or Moksha.

 

Mr Muslim guest. I hope you know what Sattvic, Tamasic and Mukti means. If not, please do some research on it to find out.

[Guest guest]

and the arguments you just made, I do not agree with.

 

ALL castes are to be respected. Unfortunately, in practice it is not so. A brahmin should respect a sudra, who should respect a vaishya, and vice versa, etc. All castes are needed to perform their duties, and all duties are equally significant. And all souls ARE the same.

 

Mukthi, or moksha comes from being one with God, not having to reincarnate on Earth anymore. Erasing your karma.

 

As for the comments re: Shiva the destroyer, and Kali, it can be confusing but Hinduism is monistic in its core. Not polytheistic. Hinduism does not say there is such a thing as good or bad energy. It's simply energy, and that energy is GOD.

 

In any case, Shiva is not only known as the Destroyer, but the cosmic regenerator. It's he that renews this universe upon its destruction. He's responsible for essentially "rebooting" the universe. The Universe itself comes out of Vishnu, but Brahma designs the universe and Shiva destroys and renews it. So while Shiva is the destroyer, he is a GOOD god. The cosmic progression of yugas is known as the Dance of Shiva.

 

Shiva has his fearsome qualities, but he also has loving qualities. He's known as the king of yogis, he is responsible for giving everyone enlightenment, to escape from maya.

 

The same with Kali. She is a fearsome goddess, but she is also a loving goddess, who protects her devotees, and only assumes her fearsome nature against adharma!

 

Hinduism is far more realistic, IMHO, in juxtaposing the good and bad qualities into one. Every god has his good or bad qualities, his good or bad deeds, but the point behind all this is that they are GOD, and that God is neither "good" nor "bad". He is the source of all manifestations, he is loving in nature, and he doesn't judge nor does he determine to kill unbelievers. But from him, all good and evil comes, for this is maya, and as this is maya, the bad and good serve to propel people to seek God out and escape from maya.

[Guest guest]

“Unequal treatment of unequals is EQUALITY. Equal treatment of unequals is NOT Equality.”

 

You expect me to take you seriously after that? The whole concept of equality is that there are no unequals! How do you actually judge who is equal and who is not? What right do you have? In my experience the people of higher caste are usually sitting in offices and those of lower caste are in villages living among squalid and dirty surroundings. How can you possible even think to say that one human being is not equal to another? If you get one baby from the highest caste and one from the lowest caste and bring them up in a controlled environment (provide them the same education, training, food etc) then logic dictates that their achievements and abilities would be equal.

 

“Only Shankara said that all souls are equal which is not so. Each and every soul has a unique quality in them which is different from the other soul.”

 

Each and every soul is unique, I agree. One soul is not equal to the other is rubbish. It is usually circumstances that brings out the evil in people not their souls.

 

“Mr Muslim guest. I hope you know what Sattvic, Tamasic and Mukti means. If not, please do some research on it to find out.”

 

You are the one who wishes to make a point. Why don’t you tell me what they mean?

 

“behind all this is that they are GOD, and that God is neither "good" nor "bad". He is the source of all manifestations, he is loving in nature, and he doesn't judge nor does he determine to kill unbelievers. But from him, all good and evil comes,”

 

You are saying that God is the source of evil?! I never thought someone would ever say that. To be God is to be perfect. How can perfection produce evil?

[Guest guest]

Now Muslim guys are preaching Equality ? You gotta be kidding me - Almost all Islamic countries have different laws and taxes for Muslims and non-Muslims. Hardly any democracy in any of the Islamic countries. No Human rights whatsoever. Ofcourse you cannot blame current day Islamic countries for that since its a part of their religion.

 

You think I am kiddin ?

 

Then just read this and find for yourself how Slavery was practised in Islam.

 

http://answering-islam.org.uk/Silas/slavery.htm

 

Its pretty detailed and kinda gruesome in places - not for the weak-hearted.

 

[Guest guest]

hinduism is probably the only religion which teaches the person that he is not alone. he is part of a universe and is encouraged to discover that truth. the truth behind hindus praying cows and monkeys shows the respect they have for the animal kingdom and show that they believe in oneness.

It is the only religion(as buddhism is consired part of hinduism) that encourages you to challenge beliefs and to test them. hinduism is very symbolical as a religion as it has many symbols in all the teachings.

All religions are man made and that is a fact. only a very dogmatic person would challenge that fact but we have to say that some of the hinduism teachings are getting old fashioned in this new world but it is still the only religion that teaches us how to free ourselves from bondage in this worldly life.

Hinduism believes in only one god and that is bramha. he is the whole and he is the universe. other gods if people understand the meaning of symbols, are symbolical, and very representative.

There is no versus between any religion, the only point worth noting is that they are all different and should be respected for what they are, just like human beings...this is what hinduism taught me.

[Guest guest]

The same Idea is mine

GOD is Formless and is difficult to worship.

Hence the RISHIs has suggested many forms to worship The Supreme as we like it.

 

You are Great You Found the principle behind Indian Belief of God.

 

All Indians following Indian religion are Grateful to you

[Guest guest]

"GOD is Formless and is difficult to worship"

 

no it is not so difficult... a god who does not appear and who does not speak, leaves to you ample space to do a lot of non senses

 

especially to believe that you will become god with some concentration

 

worship really krsna, chant hare krsna everyday, follow regulative principles, surrender to a sad guru and you'll see if it is a easy task

[Guest guest]

MOTHER KAALI is not a muslim woman to kill lover after seduction

You are going to be paid for your insulting of Mother Kali.

 

You are going to suffer till you believe in Her greatness.

 

She crushes enemies with Her feet.

 

So,BEWARE....the storm is coming and no one can prevent that

[kameshi]

You muslim

 

why are you hidden as guest?

you said very humiliatingly about the Gods as if you are an expert in the puranas.So you believe that Siva beheaded Ganesha as said in the puranas.and also that Kaali is born of anger and drinker of blood.

Then you should also believe in other things given in the puranas also (that Kaali is the for destroying demons,Vishnu protect us all and so...)

[Guest guest]

You said:

All religions lead to one supreme being. Whether that is Islam, Christianity, Hinduism etc. "

 

Check your facts again. Suggestion to read up on Buddhism, one of the worlds oldest religions in which there is no notion of a supreme God.

[Guest guest]

It is true that one of the pillars of Islam is to accept the existence of the angels as created by Allah, but as muslims, we do not worshipt the angels, we merely accept that they exist and were created by Allah. We look only to Allah for help and guidance, and we worship only Allah, this does not constitute polytheism as u argued in your post. Mono (meaning one) theism is the worship of one "god", this is what Islam teaches. As you stated regarding Hinduism, there are many "gods" which are worshipped according to their attributes, not so in Islam; the angels are not worshipped.

[sumedh]

Hare Krishna

 

Since you brought this up: the perplexing thing is that Islam talks of God as a person to whom the prayers/worship are directed, but the muslims claim is of a formless/impersonal God. Probably you can clear this apparent contradiction.

 

 

We look only to Allah for help and guidance, and we worship only Allah, this does not constitute polytheism as u argued in your post.

 

 

 

This is not the point; when Hindus show reverence to the empowered representatives of God then in their tiny understanding the muslims construe it as polytheism while they themselves revere angels. So if Islam is monotheist then so is hinduism, and if one argues hinduism to be polytheist then islam can be argued to be so too.

 

 

As you stated regarding Hinduism, there are many "gods" which are worshipped according to their attributes, not so in Islam; the angels are not worshipped.

 

 

 

Does it take much to understand that worshipping a demigod is different from worshipping the Supreme Lord. Probably you do not understand that paying respects to a policeman is different from paying respects to the President of country and that former does not mean the latter (in a higher sense when we do pay respects to a policeman as being a servitor of president it is indeed paying respect to the president, but such an understanding is far far beyond).

 

The main problem is the hyper-attachment of muslims in trying to find how others are polytheists or worshipping idols (e.g. cross for christians and Deities for hindus) without trying to understand the basic theology of others (and their own) first.

[Guest guest]

In islam Angles r not Gods or demi-Gods in any form, they r the servents of Allah as r we but they do not have the free will like us. Muslims do not worship angles,infact angles, jinns and mankind were all created by Allah (Allah is the arabic word for god).

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

first off, in hinduism ther is only one god, all other so called gods are called devas and in no way equal to krishna the one supreme lord. and the cow is sacred because it is our mother and gives milk. mohammed himself was a vegetarian ! his halal laws were to civilise the barbaric tribes of arabia. and for a manmade religion it's prophetic record is 1000 percent prediction mohammed , jesus, buddha etc.

 

but you know what krishna does not tell us to kill the non believer, and there is so much sectarian talk in the koran condemming christians and jews. the judeo christian religions are the barbaric meat eating war religions! killing those who don't convert. you are living in illusion. other wise you would know allah and krishna are one and the same. and thanks to islam and christianity we will all probably die in some nuclear holocaust because of these ignorant meat eaters

[Guest guest]

mohammed wasn't a vegetarian

 

he personally organized terror attacks against jews who were refusing to accept him as a prophet, and then when the jews were defeated he killed the men and gave his men the jewish girls as "prizes of war". Mohammed himself took an eight year old jewish girl and made her his "wife" on the day she saw her mother and father killed by the muslims.

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend,

How can you talk about such a thing about a great person.Is there any ample proof for this utter rubbish you have posted???If so please sent me.But remember one more thing....

Take for instance Prophet MOhammad had done it.

Look at Krishna....

IS there any end to the number of wives he possessed?

Did he take a human's form come to earth only for marrying???

[Avinash]

Krsna had many wives not because He had any selfish motive but because He wanted to do good to them. Some of them already knew that Krsna was married, but they loved Him so much that they desired Him as their husband and He fulfilled that desire. A few thousands of wives of Krsna were earlier the captives of a demon named Naraka. Krsna rescued those ladies. Krsna was the sole refugee of them as they had nowhere else to turn to. Krsna married them.

[Tarun]

I was wearing an Einstein button "God does not play dice with the Universe"

Noticing it he replied, "I'm ashamed in this sense 2b jewish:

we jews r responsible 4 nuclear energy, atomic bombs."

One jewish godbrother calls atomic energy 'jewish energy'.

How can we tell whether Mohammed was vegetarian?

I've heard all adherent jews up 2 & including Noah were vegetarian.

Jesus was definitely lacto-veggy.

I asked one Franciscan monk in Yulan, Sullivan County, NY whether he was veggy.

He replied, "Y should I b?"

I said, "Because Saint Francis was."

He laughed, "Who told u that?"