Can you mingle Hinduism with Christianity?

[Fireside_Hindu]

Why don't we enjoy the same hobbies, movies, activities? Why don't we read the same books and have the same friends? Why don't we all dye our hair the same color? I mean, we're all the same aren't we? Shouldn't we act like it?

The fact of the matter is, people can (and are) different without conflicting over every little thing. We can enjoy and appreciate our differences, seeing each other all equally deserving of respect, without having to be identical. Isn't that the greater challenge? Loving each other for who we are rather then trying to make everything homogenous? What's the point of is having a universe full of so much variety, beauty and complex systems if we keep trying to make it homogenous?

We are all one -that is true on a fundamental level. But religions are constructions of the ego even though they serve a distinct purpose. Some will be more drawn to one path over another, because we all carry individual personalities and egos which have preferences and inclinations towards various things. I think that's wonderful.

:camp:

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram Sirona ji

Can you mingle Hinduism with Christianity? Is the result palatable?

my personal feeling on this is No , ....I canot think that the result would be in the least paletable to either party as it would necesitate the need to compromise too many incompatable principles .
I am not against seeing the paralells that exist in the moral and ethical codes of each and of learning to understand and to live respectfully along side oneanother , but the idea of mingling sounds more to me like coruption .

I recently bought God Talks with Arjuna, the Bhagavad Gita commentary by Paramahansa Yogananda. Somebody had “warned” me it might contain references to Christianity, and he was right. He told me it was written in an era where Hindus had to adopt Christian concepts to gain readers from the western hemisphere. As a matter of fact I don’t know what to think of it, although I got from Christianity to Hinduism via theosophy.

I canot even fully go with this explanation ,the theosophists assimilated the aspects of Hinduism that were to their minds inspiring and paletable , but disregarded many principles which they felt uncomfortable to adopt or simply were not culturaly equiped to comprehend , the unfortunate outcome is a compromise of beleifs which prehaps worked in some respects in that they awoke an interest in some to look deeper into Hinduism but due to their eclectic nature they are unreliable at best .

I can quite happily accept Jesus as some form of divine expansion in the same way we understand our avataras to be expansions of the supreme , ....but such an expansion is for the people to whom he appeared , we have our own traditions and expansions . this does not in any way mean that we need either to accept or reject , but to think to bring about some blend of the philosophies would be any more than a compromise would be a gross mistake .

this does not mean however that we should not regard eachothers faith with due respect ,

 

[Triumphant_Loser]

Can you mingle Hinduism with Christianity? Is the result palatable?

I recently bought God Talks with Arjuna, the Bhagavad Gita commentary by Paramahansa Yogananda. Somebody had “warned” me it might contain references to Christianity, and he was right. He told me it was written in an era where Hindus had to adopt Christian concepts to gain readers from the western hemisphere. As a matter of fact I don’t know what to think of it, although I got from Christianity to Hinduism via theosophy.

I suppose you could, but it would be extremely difficult. They are basically as different as night and day. Christianity is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion that teaches that they are the only way to salvation, and are pretty strong in their condemnations of what they perceive as idolatry. While Hinduism is polytheistic, pluralistic, and have a whole pantheon of gods in which graven images are made. It would be pretty hard to find any common ground in these two religions. IMHO.

 

[George-ananda]

Can you mingle Hinduism with Christianity?

I say absolutely 'Yes'. Truth is One. Any 'exclusive dogma' should be dropped. Following Jesus and Bhakti Yoga are basically the same in my eyes.

I know the hard-core of both groups will disagree.

 

[Vinayaka]

I know the hard-core of both groups will disagree.

I'm considered hard core on one side, and I don't disagree at all. If you say it works for you, then who am I to disagree?

This is one of the great misunderstandings. It doesn't work for me, (and the reasons are many) and for many others, but this debate shouldn't be about telling others how to think.

The OP has received an abundance of answers to reflect on.

 

[Poeticus]

I know the hard-core of both groups will disagree.

There are "soft-core" members that may also disagree, not just those that are "hard-core".​

 

[George-ananda]

If you say it works for you

I don't personally follow Jesus specifically. I was just saying I think it can work fine.

 

[George-ananda]

There are "soft-core" members that may also disagree, not just those that are "hard-core".​

As 'hard-core' and 'soft-core' have no absolute frame of reference then we can assign things differently.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram vinayaka ji

I disagree. The main difference is the idea of Christ. But yes reincarnation is another difference. So is heaven/hell, good/bad thinking, duality, vegetarianism, and many more core ideas.

Of course anyone can believe whatever they choose to.

I understand your dissagreement on one hand I agree that Hinduism and Christianity do not mix and it is for these above mentioned doctrinal reasons .... but on another hand I am not sure that Christianity totaly represents the thoughts and teachings of Jesus himself , I have read many things about Jesus that might surprise , and there is every possibility that he was a far more enlightened soul than the bible gives credit to him for , simply because these are not atributes that the compilers of the new testement either belive to be relevant or could fully comprehend ...?

however that still does not mean that Christianity and Hinduism are compatable .

 

[Poeticus]

As 'hard-core' and 'soft-core' have no absolute frame of reference then we can assign things differently.

... I used 'em 'cause you used 'em. You were my frame of reference. Personally, I see this topic in two ways: syncretic (Christo-Hindu), and Hindu (Hindu-Hindu).​

 

[George-ananda]

... I used 'em 'cause you used 'em. You were my frame of reference. Personally, I see this topic in two ways: syncretic (Christo-Hindu), and Hindu (Hindu-Hindu).​

I think the teachings of Advaita are the highest form of spiritual teachings mankind has attained. But all major religions have the core of truth in them; Oneness and brotherly love. Because of the core, I think a bridge can built between Christianity and Advaita allowing a person, if he feels so inclined, to (as the OP says) 'mingle Hinduism with Christianity'. Whatever works.

 

[Andal]

Can you mingle Hinduism with Christianity?

I say absolutely 'Yes'. Truth is One. Any 'exclusive dogma' should be dropped. Following Jesus and Bhakti Yoga are basically the same in my eyes.

I know the hard-core of both groups will disagree.

I am in no way "hard core" and yet I disagree. I disagree on the premise that the great bhakti tradition of Hinduism is fundamentally different from the teachings from Christianity on the relationship with Christ.

It is the difference between love for love's sake and love out of fear of eternal damnation. The only exception to this would be the Christian mystics and they are in no way the norm.

 

[George-ananda]

It is the difference between love for love's sake and love out of fear of eternal damnation.

I don't see 'love out of fear of eternal damnation' to be a teaching of Jesus.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I don't see 'love out of fear of eternal damnation' to be a teaching of Jesus.

It's not.

 

[Vinayaka]

For me, it's just easier all around. I'm a lazy man and I don't really like to make decisions like:
cremation or burial
vegetarian or omnivore
church or temple
meditation or prayer
Jesus or no Jesus
reincarnation or heaven/hell
all pervasive reality, or God somewhere else
prophet or wise men
ahimas or not
Vedas or bible
endless cycles or an ending point
living teacher is necessary ... or maybe not
knowledge from within, or knowledge from books
prostrate full out or kneel
all non-violent religions have some validity ... or only one does


So I'm just lazy ... that, and one makes more sense ... to me.

 

[Jainarayan]

...I am not sure that Christianity totaly represents the thoughts and teachings of Jesus himself

This is exactly right. Christianity is not Christianity, it is Paulism. It ceased being Christianity when Paul inserted himself into it and used it as a platform for his thoughts.

I have read many things about Jesus that might surprise , and there is every possibility that he was a far more enlightened soul than the bible gives credit to him for , simply because these are not atributes that the compilers of the new testement either belive to be relevant or could fully comprehend ...?

Again, this is exactly right. The Gospels are only the tip of the iceberg with regard to his teachings and life, who he was and what he tried to do.

however that still does not mean that Christianity and Hinduism are compatable .

For the most part that's true, because of what Christianity is now thanks to Paul of Tarsus and his followers. That is what renders Christianity and Hinduism incompatible as practices.

While Jesus didn't speak on reincarnation or vegetarianism (which isn't even a requirement in Hinduism, rather, it's an ideal to strive for), at their heart, his teachings are an extension, or rewording of part of what Krishna and the Buddha taught. Jesus taught just enough for the people of his time and place. There is a lot that would be familiar to a Hindu or Buddhist.

Now, does a Hindu or Buddhist need to include Jesus's teachings in their own beliefs? No not really, because as I said, his teachings are a re-iteration of part of the Buddha's and Krishna's teachings.

 

[Desert Snake]

Hinduism: very broad term
Christianity:very broad term.
They're both umbrella terms, in actuality. It's not possible to 'answer' the OP question without further dialogue.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

This is exactly right. Christianity is not Christianity, it is Paulism. It ceased being Christianity when Paul inserted himself into it and used it as a platform for his thoughts.

Wrong: Did St. Paul Invent Christianity? | Catholic Answers

For the most part that's true, because of what Christianity is now thanks to Paul of Tarsus and his followers. That is what renders Christianity and Hinduism incompatible as practices.

While Jesus didn't speak on reincarnation or vegetarianism (which isn't even a requirement in Hinduism, rather, it's an ideal to strive for), at their heart, his teachings are an extension, or rewording of part of what Krishna and the Buddha taught. Jesus taught just enough for the people of his time and place. There is a lot that would be familiar to a Hindu or Buddhist.

Now, does a Hindu or Buddhist need to include Jesus's teachings in their own beliefs? No not really, because as I said, his teachings are a re-iteration of part of the Buddha's and Krishna's teachings.

I think that the only thing Jesus has in common with the Buddha and Krishna what Jesus had in common with most religious teachers in history - to treat people well, with love and compassion. Other than that, they taught very different things. Christianity is a very different religion from the Eastern ones. We have an entirely different world view. That's not to say we have nothing in common or that the two can't enrich other through interfaith dialogue, but it's two very different approaches.

 

[Jainarayan]

I am in no way "hard core" and yet I disagree. I disagree on the premise that the great bhakti tradition of Hinduism is fundamentally different from the teachings from Christianity on the relationship with Christ.

It is the difference between love for love's sake and love out of fear of eternal damnation. The only exception to this would be the Christian mystics and they are in no way the norm.

See, that's where the misunderstanding is, and what gets me labeled as a Christian apologist, though 'Jesus apologist' is more accurate... Jesus did not in any way, shape or form teach about eternal damnation and all the sins people are hung up on today. That is from Paul and subsequent 'church fathers'. If Jesus were dead, he'd roll over in his grave. That's a little joke, a very little joke.

Now, Jesus did indeed teach bhakti:

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. Mark 12:28-34 Matthew and Luke have similar verses. In fact, Jesus was re-iterating Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength for the benefit of the people he was talking to. Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Old Testament.

 

[Vinayaka]

I'd be curious to hear back from the OP to see if any of this discussion helped bring clarity. Sadly, I suspect it didn't.