Should I convert to Hinduism? It's so wise, resonating, eclectic, and makes sense!

[Winston]

Should I convert to Hindusim? It sounds so cool, tolerant, eclectic, and open minded. It resonates with me, is wise, and makes sense too! And it was not created to control the masses through a fear based control system like Christianity and Islam were. See below. To the average Westerner it probably looks disjointed and confusing, that's whats funny about it. The average Westerner is probably bewildered by it, because it doesn't fit the definition of religion in the normal sense of the word. lol






Great comparison between Hinduism vs Christianity and Islam.

[Winston]

The great Eastern philosopher Alan Watts talks about Hindusim and Hindu philosophy in these talks. Very interesting and witty.

[Winston]

Wow the Hindu creation stories make sense too and sound more natural than a simple story with a beginning and end which makes everyone ask, what was before the beginning. The cyclical nature of these creation stories make sense and fit what we see in all of nature.



From Morgan Freeman's "The Story of God" series on NatGeo.



Why the Hindu version of God is the only one that makes sense.

[Winston]

Wow this comment is so tolerant. So different from other religions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uaf88b1yfw

Amit Patel
4 years ago (edited)

What is the greatest thing about being a hindu ?
1-Believe in God-You're accepted-aastik.
2-Don't believe in god-Your'e accepted-Nastik.(Kapil muni philosophy and other ancient indian philosopher)
3-You want to worship idol,please go ahead.
4-You don't want to worship idols, please go ahead.
5-You want to criticise something in our religion come fordward.We are logical you will be hindu.
6-You want to accept as it is.please go ahead with it.
7-You want to start your journey by reading vedas-Go ahead.
8-You want to start your journey by reading bhagbat gita-go ahead.
9-You want to start your journey by reading upanishad.Go ahead.
10-You want to start urjourney by reading purana-Go ahead.
11-You just don't like reading no probleme. Go by bhakti tradition (bhakti-devotion)
12-You don't like idea of bhakti ! No prableme, dude .Do your karma.
13-You want to enjoy life.very good .Go ahead.No probleme at all.Charvak (philosophy)
14-You want to abstain form all the enjoyment of life and find god. wow ! Be a sadhu.
15-You don't like the concept of God. You are believe in nature only-wel come.
"Vrukshavali amha soyare"(Trees are our friends)
16-You believe in one god or supreme energy superb ! Follow advaita philosophi. "ekam brahma duttiyo nasty nenhe nanasti kinchana ". veda (adwait matabad )
17-You want a guru. Go ahead.
18-You don't want a guru. Go ahead.
19-You believe in female energy ! shaktism form of Hinduism.
20-You believe every human is the same yeah ! you are awesome,come let celebrate hinduism ! "vasudhaiva kutumbakam "(The world is a femily)
21-You don't have anythying to do.Don't worry one more festival is coming !
22-You're a working person.Don't have time for religion. It's okay you. You will be a hindu.
23-You like to go temples. please go ahead.
24-You don't like to go temples,No problem. You are still a hindu .
25-You know that your religion is a way of life with freedom.
26-You believe that every thing have god in them so you worship your mother,father,guru,trees,river,pranimatra,earth,universe ! "Sarbam khalbidam brahma nenhe nanasti kinchana "veda(Everything is God.God built every thing with himself that's why u can worship every thing)it's also adwait matabad.
27-And if u don't believe that every thing have god in them. No probleme. Respect your view point.
28-"Sarve sukhina santu"(May all live happy)
"Sarve bhabantu sukhina"(May all live happy)
U represent this dear !
You're free to choose,My dear hindu.

[Winston]

For those who think Hinduism is idol worship, this is very interesting.

Hinduism: Understanding Image and Temple Worship

"Image and temple worship form the center practice for many Hindus. However the strange rituals and ideas can often be judged as primitive and pagan.
But as this video explains, Hindus see God not only as transcendent but immanent in creation. Through the science of ritual and faith the infinite and omnipresent Divinity can be awakened and enlivened even in inanimate objects.

The ancient Upanishad scriptures provide the theological and spiritual basis upon which Image worship is based; and once this is understood the reasons for seeing the Murthi (temple image) as Divine becomes clear.
The beauty of this, is that by seeing the Murthi as God and not just a statue, the devotee is gifted a portal through which he can contact the Divine first hand."

[Winston]

Another great Hindu video about why Christianity and Islam are not "the only way" with great points and logic.

"Abrahamic religions, unlike Hinduism, often make exclusive Truth claims, stating that unless we subscribe to their faith we will be condemned for eternity. This video explores the strikingly obvious problems when making such absurd claims.

The issues can be summarized as the:
1. The Problem of an Unfair Test
2. The Problem of Virtue and Human Experience
3. The Problem of Insufficient evidence

In analyzing these problems, we will see how Christianity and Islam have theologies which are forced on reality, while Hinduism has a philosophy utterly in tune with the way life actually is.

The footage and images in this video belong to their sole copyright owner and are used for criticism, commentary and education. We in no way claim ownership of the material."

[Winston]

This one is for @MrMan.

@starchild5 if you ever find this thread, feel free to weigh in.

Caste and Hinduism Explained

"The issue of Caste is the most common critique of Hinduism. The injustice of different sections of society has been used to paint Santhana Dharma as an ancient evil cult.
But how much of this can be really pinned on religious ideas and how much is just about centuries of social development?
This video honestly explores and explains the origins of caste within Hindu scripture and culture, and how these ideas have been developed and misused. It also outlines the other different factors which have allowed birth based discrimination to flourish in India.
Finally it paints the way forward explaining that Hinduism, unlike other religions, has the philosophy to easily transcend old ideas and move with the times. As a result Sanathana Dharma is a tradition that can not only survive caste but thrive without it, especially in a modern context."

[Winston]

Audiobook you can download called "Hinduism for Dummies".

https://thepiratebay.org/description.php?id=35237937

The Dominant religion of India, "Hinduism" refers to a wide variety of religious traditions and philosophies that have developed over thousands of years. Today, the United States is home to approximately one million Hindus.

If you've heard of this ancient religion and are looking for a reference that explains the intricacies of the customs, practices, and teachings of this ancient spiritual system, Hinduism for Dummies is for you!

Provides a thorough introduction to this earliest and popular world belief system
Information on the rites, rituals, deities, and teachings associated with the practice of Hinduism
Explores the history and teachings of the Vedas, Brahmans, and Upanishads
Offers insight into the modern daily practice of Hinduism around the world
Continuing the Dummies tradition of making the world's religions engaging and accessible to everyone, Hinduism for Dummies is your hands-on, friendly guide to this fascinating religion.

Audible Audiobook

Listening Length: 15 hours and 22 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Audible.co.uk Release Date: 22 Oct. 2019
Language: English, English

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hinduism-for-D ... 07YQ34TP1/

[MrMan]

Should I convert to Hindusim? It sounds so cool, tolerant, eclectic, and open minded. It resonates with me, is wise, and makes sense too! And it was not created to control the masses through a fear based control system like Christianity and Islam were.

There are radical Hindus, too, who burn Indians who convert to Christianity and things like that. It's not all made up of chill California New Age Hippies in Birkenstocks wearing dreads and tie die t-shirts, smoking dope and hugging trees.

The whole mess of various pagan religious practices in India is included in Hinduism. You got people who think snakes were people who were really bad in a previous life. That's Hinduism. You have people who are from families that from generation after generation have carried baskets of poop on their head, considered untouchable by others. Prostitutes have a god or goddess in Hinduism. You may think a place for prostitutes in society is cool. It wouldn't be cool to be born into that career track and stuck there, and your religion reinforces it. Human sacrifices historically is a part of Hinduism.

Then there are demonized people under the torment of demons that Hindus consider to have gods in them. I hear that sometimes Christians cast these spirits out of people, spirits they consider to be gods.

I think there is something to the backwardness of India in recent centuries deriving from it's majority religion-- the poop on the streets, the fecal contamination of a river they consider to be holy, the lax attitude toward trying to improve the country. They finally did clean up some bureaucracy and have a tech boom and economic development. They had to break free to some extent from Hindu tradition and the caste system to do so.

[Winston]

Well MrMan. Every religion has its good side and bad side. Same goes for Christianity of course. We could spend hours talking about the bad side of Christianity. Why do you only focus on the negatives of every religion outside of Christianity? Just because a religion has been corrupted doesn't mean it's bad or has no truth in it. Christianity has been corrupted too, so has Hinduism. So what? No religion or system is perfect and uncorrupted.

I could say the Christian witch burnings during the inquisition were a form of "human sacrifice" in Christianity too. See how that goes? And of course, Jesus dying on the cross is a form of human sacrifice too, one that is the central theme. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Lol

Did u see the caste video above? It addresses your views about it. Did u see any of the videos above? It portrays Hinduism in a good light. You should learn to see both sides. Not just the negative side.

[Winston]

Also @MrMan. Keep in mind that a freespirit like me is obviously gonna be more attracted to Hinduism because it is more freespirited, freedom-loving, tolerant, inclusive, and open minded, than authoritarian religions like Christianity and Islam which claim to be the only way and are based on man-made fear based control systems. Plus Hinduism allows you to have a lot of freedom to do what you are meant to do, with only a friendly reminder to keep a healthy balance in life and to keep everything in moderation, and not to harm others. That makes sense of course. Plus Hinduism makes sense and fits the cycles we see in the world and in the universe. But Christianity does not fit what we see in this world at all, and seems artificial and created for political and social control. There's simply no comparison.

Btw, I don't get something. Why have so many Christian missionaries gone to India? I mean, why would they expect any Hindu Indian to convert to Christianity when Hindusim is far superior in every way and makes far more sense, as shown in the comparison videos posted above? What does Christanity have to offer except authoritarian philosophy and closing of one's mind, instead of broadening it? I don't get it. I can't imagine why any Hindu would want to covert to Christianity. I guess there's always a small number who will find authoritarian religion to be more interesting and resonating. But not freespirited types. Only authoritarian types resonate with Christianity, who get off on the concept of someone being sent to die for their sins, etc.

How many Hindus does the average Christian missionary convert? Any idea? I would imagine the number is very small. Most likely they have to use some type of carrot to lure them in, like for example offer free school, education, housing, shelter, food, etc. to the poorest Indian classes? Right? Then when they take your offer, you slowly nudge them toward the Christian Gospel, using carrot and stick tactics of course, in a gradual but friendly manner. Isn't that right?

In Angeles City, I also saw some organization once handing out tracts, offering the bar girls and prostitutes there free schooling, room, and board, in addition for "turning from their ways". I picked up one of their tracts and looked up the website on it. It was some Christian organization in the US trying to "rescue" the girls in Angeles City. I would imagine it was a form of missionary work, in that they help the girls, and in return the girls feel obligated to convert to Christianity at some point. Right? Why though? What motivates that kind of mission? An altruistic motive to help people? A concern for "saving souls"? If so that's admirable, but misguided.

Do you know any missionaries that do this kind of stuff? I met some in Russia too. They were very nice but fanatical. Every time I run into Christian missionaries overseas, they always take it as a "sign that I ought to return to the Lord". lol

It's so misguided. Because it's simply not true that everyone is going to hell, no matter how good they are, if they don't accept Christ, just because they were born imperfect. If that were so, then a great man like Gandhi who stood for peace, would go to hell too, just because he didn't "accept Christ" and wasn't born perfect. It's utterly ridiculous. No one believes that unless they are brainwashed. And no one who has an NDE comes back believing that, they all come back with an attitude of religious tolerance, never with the "Jesus and the Bible are the only way and only truth" attitude or belief.

[MrMan]

Also @MrMan. Keep in mind that a freespirit like me is obviously gonna be more attracted to Hinduism because it is more freespirited, freedom-loving, tolerant, inclusive, and open minded, than authoritarian religions like Christianity and Islam which claim to be the only way and are based on man-made fear based control systems.

Maybe you are thinking of the California Hippie version. Hinduism is intertwined with Indian culture, which historically has had a very rigid and oppressive caste system-- not as much for the people on the top of the pyramid, the types who migrate to the US, but especially for those at the bottom of the pyramid. Even those at the top could face severe persecution through breaking caste in various ways, especially marriage. Converting to Christianity can get a Hindu burned to death. This is not just a thin from hundreds of years ago. There has been a resurgence of Hindu radicals, too, in recent times.

It's so misguided. Because it's simply not true that everyone is going to hell, no matter how good they are, if they don't accept Christ, just because they were born imperfect. If that were so, then a great man like Gandhi who stood for peace, would go to hell too, just because he didn't "accept Christ" and wasn't born perfect.

Those who burn in Hell go to Hell for sinning against God.

[MrPeabody]

I recently went to the Hare Krishna’s free meditation event. It was two hours and at the end they gave us plates with Vegan food. The food was good, but they weren’t very interested in talking with me. There were good looking women there, who were getting plenty of attention from them. It seems that they are interested in recruiting young people and if you are older they aren’t interested. I’m not sure if mainstream Hindus recognize Hare Krishna as Hinduism.

[MrMan]

I recently went to the Hare Krishna’s free meditation event. It was two hours and at the end they gave us plates with Vegan food. The food was good, but they weren’t very interested in talking with me. There were good looking women there, who were getting plenty of attention from them. It seems that they are interested in recruiting young people and if you are older they aren’t interested. I’m not sure if mainstream Hindus recognize Hare Krishna as Hinduism.

A guy I used to know--I mean I haven't seen him in years-- was a Hari Krishna before he became a Christian. He said he went to the Hari Krishna temple and one time he saw this face appearing on the ceiling. He could sense how evil it was. He realized based on what he was being taught, it was supposed to be god, but it was a demon. He eventually left the Hari Krishna group.

[Winston]

Also @MrMan. Keep in mind that a freespirit like me is obviously gonna be more attracted to Hinduism because it is more freespirited, freedom-loving, tolerant, inclusive, and open minded, than authoritarian religions like Christianity and Islam which claim to be the only way and are based on man-made fear based control systems.

Maybe you are thinking of the California Hippie version. Hinduism is intertwined with Indian culture, which historically has had a very rigid and oppressive caste system-- not as much for the people on the top of the pyramid, the types who migrate to the US, but especially for those at the bottom of the pyramid. Even those at the top could face severe persecution through breaking caste in various ways, especially marriage. Converting to Christianity can get a Hindu burned to death. This is not just a thin from hundreds of years ago. There has been a resurgence of Hindu radicals, too, in recent times.

It's so misguided. Because it's simply not true that everyone is going to hell, no matter how good they are, if they don't accept Christ, just because they were born imperfect. If that were so, then a great man like Gandhi who stood for peace, would go to hell too, just because he didn't "accept Christ" and wasn't born perfect.

Those who burn in Hell go to Hell for sinning against God.

I told you earlier, the caste system has been corrupted from its original form. All major religions are corrupted in some way, more or less, including Christianity of course. We all know that. Many changes to Christianity have been made over the last 2000 years. I'm sure you don't approve of all of them either. Does that mean Christianity is bad or wrong? This is true of everything. Not just Hinduism.

Did you see the video above about the Caste system and how it got corrupted? It made sense in its original form and was logical. Here it is again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7q_LtZUJZw

Sorry but ask any Hindu or Indian spiritual teacher in India today and they will tell you that Hinduism in India is very tolerant today and allows anyone, even an Atheist, to be a Hindu. See the video lecture above called "33 Million Gods of Hinduism". It is very eclectic and fits New Agers and freespirits. Definitely, Christianity is not suited for freespirits. You admit that don't you?