What makes someone "Hindu"?
sitar...@my-deja.com
I was in your site today reading <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/3425/page009.htm">Argumen
t with a Moslem - Page 9</a>
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/3425/page009.htm
My old boss, Ashok, use to tell me Moslems believed that when they died
they get wine women and song that they were denied in life. I never
fully understood that. But I can see why they have no fear of killing
others, if they get that kind of reward for their holy wars or I should
say if they believe they get that reward.
Sitaram, how does one become a Hindu? Do you just accept it in your
heart? What makes one a Hindu in your view?
<hr>
(my reply):
Many Hindus in India (especially Brahmins, the priestly caste) will
perhaps say that one must be "born" a Hindu, that conversion is
impossible.
On the other hand, Hare Krishnas (ISKCON, International Society of
Krishna Consciousness) will say that if you begin to attend their
meetings, and chant the "Mahamantra" (or Great Prayer), "Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama
Rama Hare Hare", .... they will say that you are ALREADY a devotee,
simply by virtue of your attraction and activity. By the way, Hare
Krishna (ISKCON) people will deny that they are "Hindus" and explain
that they are "Vaishnavs", devotees to Lord Vishnu. But ISKCON is quite
picky, and chooses to say that Vishnu (or MahaVishnu) is actually
an "expansion" of Lord Krishna, and that in reality, Lord Krishna is
the 'Primal Lord', and all other "demi-gods" are creations of Krishna
to perform specific tasks, much like Archangels, Cherubim, and Seraphim
in Judaeo-Christian-Islamic (collectively Abrahamic) religions.
I for my part would say that if someone reads the Bhagavad-Gita, or the
Upanisads, or Ramayan (or any number of other "Hindu" scriptures), and
begins to believe that they are "sacred", and believes in re-
incarnation or rebirth..... such a person is "Hindu" in their beliefs,
worship and orientation.
But whether one is "Hindu", "Christian", "Jewish", "Muslim", "Buddhist"
or any other religion, one can ALWAYS FIND other Christians who will
tell you "No! You are NOT a TRUE CHRISTIAN" (e.g. a Baptist to a Roman
Catholic), or other Muslims who will tell you "No! You are not a TRUE
MUSLIM (e.g. a Shiite to a Sufi), or other Jews who will tell you "No!
You are not a TRUE JEW" (e.g. an Hasidic to a Reform Jew).
So, the bottom line, in my estimation, it is a matter between You and
God, a personal, private, intimate matter; a matter of conscience.
Gandhi once said something like: "My religion, my beliefs, my worship
is a deeply personal and intimate matter between myself and God."
Even Jesus spoke against those "hypocrites" who stand on the street
corners, tooting their trumpets as they make their prayers and
charitable donations.
Jesus said, "That which the Father sees in private, in secret, shall be
rewarded. Those who are seen in public ALREADY have their reward."
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