Fireside, I do not let my Hinduism be definded by becoming reactionary, blustery or exasperated over another expressing their religion or wishing me happiness on the occasion of a holy day of a non-Hindu religion, and when you go to India you will find the majority are tolerant in this matter and you will see that the diversity of religions is much more "multicultural" than many other lands and even within Hinduism itself you will find that this is engrained in most in India simply because you cannot go down the street even five blocks without encountering this diversity, a holiday of one sort or another where one may wish you. I am not a Hindu because I hate Muslims, or Parsi, or Sikh, or Buddhist or Christian or Jew or Jain or ... Most Hindus are like me. And in India as you travel there, you will see Bahai, and Sufi and Muslim and so on, and the good heart is there when they say "Happy (xyz)", you only give a Hindu face a bad name by acting rude.
Because of my Indian relatives, I have learned much. I have no problem when a Muslim wishes me Happy (holiday) or a Christian and so on. My typical response is "Oh yes that is right! It is (holy day xyz) for you! Well I wish you find happiness and health on this time of your (xyz day)".
Think about it - Diwali is not a holy time for other sects of Hinduism, I can tell you that if I see a man dressed as a Hindu and he is Saiva and I wish him Happy Diwali, is he likely to go all blustery on me because he is a Saiva not celebrating Diwali? The odds are very high, no.
Most Hindus of Indian ethnicity do not have a prublem, nor Indian Muslims, Parsi, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and so on. Nor me.
And also consider this. If indeed they are not interested in your good will, what is the loss? They never would or will be no matter what, they already were so. But ... but ... SOMETHING told you, be it the Divine or instinct, call it what you will - something made you think, why not? And so do it ... Because this may open the door to a new day, a special door may open, with lots of reward and joy. What you may miss if you didn't try are the greatest losses. I would not be too worried to not try, and if you are ignored then so what?
Do not be afraid. And especially so when it comes to those from India who live within so many holidays it actually is incredible. Their skin is not thin.
Because of my Indian relatives, I have learned much. I have no problem when a Muslim wishes me Happy (holiday) or a Christian and so on. My typical response is "Oh yes that is right! It is (holy day xyz) for you! Well I wish you find happiness and health on this time of your (xyz day)".
Think about it - Diwali is not a holy time for other sects of Hinduism, I can tell you that if I see a man dressed as a Hindu and he is Saiva and I wish him Happy Diwali, is he likely to go all blustery on me because he is a Saiva not celebrating Diwali? The odds are very high, no.
Most Hindus of Indian ethnicity do not have a prublem, nor Indian Muslims, Parsi, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and so on. Nor me.
And also consider this. If indeed they are not interested in your good will, what is the loss? They never would or will be no matter what, they already were so. But ... but ... SOMETHING told you, be it the Divine or instinct, call it what you will - something made you think, why not? And so do it ... Because this may open the door to a new day, a special door may open, with lots of reward and joy. What you may miss if you didn't try are the greatest losses. I would not be too worried to not try, and if you are ignored then so what?
Do not be afraid. And especially so when it comes to those from India who live within so many holidays it actually is incredible. Their skin is not thin.
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