Hi all, how do Hindu's view caucasian members?

[RyanT]

Hi all,

I found out about Hinduism in college during an "eastern religions" class. I found it very interesting and started to study it. After awhile I found myself in love with Dharma and the Deva's/Devi's. Since then I try and do some form of daily Puja etc. However without established members of the Hindu community around I'm finding it very hard to grow. I dont know how to do a proper Puja and want to make the gods happy.

I want to go to the temple and pray "in person" to Lord Shiva and Lady Parvathi. Parvathi in particular since shes the main receiver of my devotions since she helps me so much and helped me to find my wife. Plus being able to speak to those learned in Hinduism would be great.

My question to you all is: How do Hindus view white people entering the temple? I very much want to drive north to the closest temple (Sri ganesha Temple in Nashville) its about a 2 and a half hour drive though and I don't want to have a bad experience.

To me it shoulden't matter what race you are. I love God, try and follow the Dharma to the best of my abilities, try and live a virtuous life and pay respect as much as I can to God.

 

[Valjean]

Why don't you E-mail the Swami at the temple?

 

[RyanT]

I tried to e-mail them but they dont seem to reply to them. They're a big temple so I can understand.

 

[Valjean]

Hint that you might be interested in donating money...

 

[RyanT]

Well I'd be fine donating money if I go there. Priests need to make a living too

But, my question is whats the norm for non Indians going to Indian temples? Im going to end up going but am curious if I'll be messed with.

 

[santdasji]

Its not about donating money. Thats just foolish.

No matter what colour you are. God regards all equal. If anyone says otherwise they are not Vedic followers.

White, yellow, brown, black or green. A devotee is a devotee. Its love which God wants. Whoever your Ishtadev/devi may be. Its all about love through Bhakti (devotion).

Jai Swaminarayan

 

[Milind2469]

A very good question.Anyone can go to a temple.Hinduism is all about thanking and bowing before all the elements that enrich your life. It is about doing pooja for all the supreme men who existed on earth and helped people. They are called Gods and Goddesses. The original supreme power which created this universe is held as a original power and since it did not exist as a person, it is not idolsed and hence there are no temples of this entity. The yogis, saints relate to it through their own souls. We believe that all these super people (gods) had special powers and they can still help us if we surrender to them wholeheartedly.So I think a Christian doing pooja for Jesus is a true Hindu. I , a Hindu myself , would not mind having his image at home next to other Hindu Gods.Anyway, when these Gods existed they were not Hindus a there was no other religion at that time. They were just human saints.

 

[Jyothi]

there is no limitation on a person of a different race from entering a hindu temple, apart from the ones set by the temples on rules. there should be no limitation on you, especially as you are not going there to watch or as a tourist, but to worship.

 

[invincible1]

we view them as just as any other hindus. any1 is welcome to temples

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I have had no problems in India or America.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Ryan T,
Its nice to know that you wish to visit temples to pray.
Normally do not see anyone objecting to anyone entering temples however there are specific temples in India where they still practice caste system and even object to lower castes entering it. BUT they are rare.
However, personally though born in a sanantan dharma family never visit temples as such except if it happens that am with others who are visiting them.
Sanatan Dharma is a way of life and one living any way [BUT CONSCIOUSLY} is also his way of life and falls in the realm of sanatan dharma.
Prayer is another method to be one with the universal and meditation is the state where one as an ego is no more and the individual is one with the universal. This meditative state can happen through prayer also but one can directly reach that state without visiting temples and praying and this is the reason that find visiting of temples not a priority.
Am sure that if you could get in touch with any one whom you know who visit temples could surely help you to visit them.
Suggest that understanding of religions should be the priority as that is what helps one more than simply following some rituals.
Best Wishes.
Love & rgds

 

[Valjean]

I'm struck by the thread title: Hindus vs Caucasians.
Aren't Indian's caucasian?

 

[oneshot]

Hi all,

I found out about Hinduism in college during an "eastern religions" class. I found it very interesting and started to study it. After awhile I found myself in love with Dharma and the Deva's/Devi's. Since then I try and do some form of daily Puja etc. However without established members of the Hindu community around I'm finding it very hard to grow. I dont know how to do a proper Puja and want to make the gods happy.

I want to go to the temple and pray "in person" to Lord Shiva and Lady Parvathi. Parvathi in particular since shes the main receiver of my devotions since she helps me so much and helped me to find my wife. Plus being able to speak to those learned in Hinduism would be great.

My question to you all is: How do Hindus view white people entering the temple? I very much want to drive north to the closest temple (Sri ganesha Temple in Nashville) its about a 2 and a half hour drive though and I don't want to have a bad experience.

To me it shoulden't matter what race you are. I love God, try and follow the Dharma to the best of my abilities, try and live a virtuous life and pay respect as much as I can to God.

Im a Hindu and can honestly say if a white person came to our temple I would not care neither will most of the people. Spirtually most hindus are beyond colour, language and backgrounds because its material. If anyone thinks different, instead of being unhappy bless them that one day they will see you beyond your colour and race, because remember everyone is on their own path of understanding this. Here in London most will initially just smile at you and thats it.

 

[zenzero]

Friend oneshot,
Welcome to RF!.
Best Wishes.
Love & rgds

 

[Don Penguinoini]

I would love to think that someone outside the Indian community is interested in Hinduism. I would love it, and i am willing to bet most Hindus would

 

[rcscwc]

Hi all,

I dont know how to do a proper Puja and want to make the gods happy.

That is not hard. DIY should take you far.

My question to you all is: How do Hindus view white people entering the temple? I very much want to drive north to the closest temple (Sri ganesha Temple in Nashville) its about a 2 and a half hour drive though and I don't want to have a bad experience.

In India, the only whites that Hindus experienced were xians. The collective experience of Hindus is not good, to say the least. Whites are believed to be insulting Hinduism, and willfully descrating the temples. They would not be too wrong either. I myself caught a white xian spitting inside the temple. I am sure he does not do so in a church.

Entry of whites is generally frowned upon, and usually there is a notice about non admission of non Hindus.

In west, the Hindus were perhaps surprised that every white is not intolerant to their faith. Hence entry rules are very much relaxed. And they are simple too.

Yake od shoes outside the temple.
Do not spit inside.
Don't come inebriated and reeking of alcohol.
No smokiig inside.
Don't bring any meat, fish, egg items to the temple.
Dress soberly, not too revealing, like Vatican says.
No noise

Not hard to follow.

Mode of worship? It is within heart. Just close your eyes, concentrate on God.

As for not wanting to have a bad experience, it is a natural anxiety. Any devotee will guide you.

To me it shoulden't matter what race you are.

It really does not matter. But I did show the apprehensions of Hindus.

I love God, try and follow the Dharma to the best of my abilities, try and live a virtuous life and pay respect as much as I can to God.

What matters is Dharma, not rituals.

 

[rcscwc]

there is no limitation on a person of a different race from entering a hindu temple, apart from the ones set by the temples on rules. there should be no limitation on you, especially as you are not going there to watch or as a tourist, but to worship.

Hindus would not object at all. But unfortunately in the past a few cussed headed ones behaved in very disgusting manner in the temples. Not that behaviour of a few should held against others, but apprehensions are for REAL. After all none can be judged from face only.

 

[RamaRaksha]

I think Hindus and the Hindu temples should make more efforts to welcome new members and not just whites. The other day I saw 3 muslim walking past me - one was white, the other black and the third asian and brown like me. I have to say I was jealous. The overwhelming color of Hinduism is brown, that needs to change. The values that Hinduism teaches to me are far advanced for its time and they belong to everyone on this planet, not just Indians.

Values like: 1. The only major religion to pray to a female form of God - giving equality to women when later religions remain stuck with backward ideas of female inferiority
2. If the Buddha had been born in Europe or muslim lands in the middle ages he would have been tortured and killed! There would be no Buddhism today! Go back 200 years and you see western and muslim lands barren except for one religion each, whereas Hindu India was a polyglot of hundreds of faiths. Today freedom of religion is universal, but Hindu India has been practicing this ideal for thousands of years.
3. Respect for all faiths - while other religion abuse others with threats of hell, Hinduism stands alone in its respect for other faiths. I always say - "Ishwar, Allah Tere Naam" could be uttered only by Hindus.
4. Hinduism is a Teacher faith - Respect the Teacher, Love the Teacher but never Fear the Teacher. Fear of God is a foreign concept to Hindus. Abrahamic religions see god as a King, someone to be obeyed blindly and feared. They kneel to their god reducing themselves to a slave or servant. Hindus are students and children of God, we must never Kneel before God.
5. All good souls, even atheists are welcome in God Rama's heaven, whereas other religions run segregated heavens restriced to their members only. If a hiring manager refused to hire you because of your religion, that is illegal, yet these other religion teach that their God does exactly the same thing. Primitive religions with primitive ideas.
6. Cults, in my opinion, are characterized by two things - offering Goodies like easy access to heaven to wouldbe members (join us and be saved!) and uttering threats of hell to those who may choose to leave the cult. Hinduism does neither - you enter heaven because of your character and conduct, not because you belong to the Hindu religion. You are free to leave the Hindu religion if you wish to do so.

There are just some of the values that Hinduism teaches. One must make the rest of the world aware of these great values.

 

[santdasji]

ISKONs followers are predominently white are they not?

 

[rcscwc]

ISCKON are operating under very hostile conditions. The odds are stacked against them, but they continue. It is so in case of all other Hindu missionary groups.


[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]The aggressive nature of the Christian reaction to ISKCON can be gauged by the following advice that was rendered to the parents of children who became attracted to the movement:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Parents wishing to extricate their adult offspring from the anti-Christian context? of an organization like ISKCON can - if they?ve first exhausted all legal options, considered the risks and consulted with their pastor - perform Christian ?civil disobedience?: disregard whatever laws (for example, kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault and battery) stand in the way, and rescue their son or daughter from the clutches of such a false, non-scriptural religion. (The Commission on Organizations: The ?New Religions?, Brainwashing and Deprogramming, St. Louis: The Commission on Organizations, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, n.d., pp 4-5.)[/FONT]
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