Jesus and Hinduism

[Maya3]

I have no problems with Hindus embracing any saint, any image or anything from another religion. I agree with Don Penguinoini in that we are not like other religions who claim that they are better than others. We can be confident in our beliefs and appreciate other ideas as well.

That said, I do think that there are some places where Jesus is included almost as a way to legitimize themselves as if to prove that they it is ok for a westerner to embrace Hinduism since Jesus is included.
I personally have no connection to Christianity and I also think that it is a little silly to always include him. On the other hand it probably helps people who have been raised christian to feel more comfortable in ashrams and at spiritual yoga centers.

So I guess I have a little bit of mixed feelings about this.

Maya

 

[Madhuri]

I know I am pretty much alone on these forums in this view, and perhaps I'm just expressing my disappointment in my brethen when things like pictures of saints of another religion pop up in the Hinduism thread. If I wanted to see that, I could look elsewhere.

I actually grew up with my dad teaching me that Jesus was empowered by Krishna. Even now he firmly believes that Jesus is a self-realised soul and devotee of Vishnu.

I used to agree as kids tend to agree with their parents' views. But now I do in fact agree with you in that it does not matter at all to me who Jesus was, I think it irrelevant to my spirituality and don't see the point of making him out to be something extra special. Just another possible saint, maybe not even that. Who knows?

So you aren't alone in your opinion.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

My POV is that Jesus has nothing to do with Hinduism, just as who is the president of Bulgaria has little to do with the politics of Japan. Its basically irrelevant to Sanatana Dharma.

That is not to say that I don't respect Christians, and the freedom of religion we have in the west. To each his own and thank goodness for that. It is a free country after all.

The neo-Hindu (couldn't think of a better term, sorry) or convert or even born Hindu in india where Christianity has been present for awhile has the Christ figure as a given, in the subconscious minds. Here in the west, the prevailing religion is Christianity, there is no denying that. But why is it necessary to put a picture of Christ up there along with the Hindu deities on a Hindu shrine? You don't see pictures of Krishna in Christian churches. Aren't our Gods enough? Do we need more? Is there something lacking within Sanatana Dharma that we have to add alien belief systems to make it whole?

I believe the only reason this happens is that Hindus tend to be awfully nice, all-encompassing, or naive. Look what happened to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Australia, and elsewhere. Is there no lesson to be learned from that.

Its one thing to respect people, but totally another to become syncretic.

I know I am pretty much alone on these forums in this view, and perhaps I'm just expressing my disappointment in my brethen when things like pictures of saints of another religion pop up in the Hinduism thread. If I wanted to see that, I could look elsewhere.

I would agree, i am most disapointed when Jesus and Krishna are compared, or Jesus is even mentioned to have any relation to Hinduism. Nor does Hinduism need jesus nor do the followers of Jesus consider our belief as genuine.

Why dont the Christians consider krishna as incarnation, but many Hindus do consider jesus as the son of God. This makes Hinduism look like its not a true belief or a serious religion.

Jesus in Hinduism is just the Christians way of converting the Hindus to their beliefs, Jesus was never mentioned in any of our scriptures until the advant of Christians into India and then Jesus started poping up everywhere. If jesus was real he would have been noticed by the most religios people in the world during that time (2000 year ago), the indians, but the followers of Jesus had to put him into our view, without them jesus would have not existed, and we would never bee talking about this now.

 

[Maya3]

Why dont the Christians consider krishna as incarnation, but many Hindus do consider jesus as the son of God. This makes Hinduism look like its not a true belief or a serious religion.

I think this makes Hinduism look as a much more enlightening and true path then Christianity. We realize that everyone and everything is "the son or daughter" of God. The fact that Christianity can't see that, just makes us look better, not the other way around.

Jesus in Hinduism is just the Christians way of converting the Hindus to their beliefs, Jesus was never mentioned in any of our scriptures until the advant of Christians into India and then Jesus started poping up everywhere.

I agree that Christian missionaries are trying to put Jesus in everywhere so that they can slowly convert people.
It is very disrespectful. Very wrong.

If jesus was real he would have been noticed by the most religios people in the world during that time (2000 year ago), the indians, but the followers of Jesus had to put him into our view, without them jesus would have not existed, and we would never bee talking about this now.

He couldn't have been noticed by the rest of the world at that time.
People back then (and actually up to very recently) did not have the capacity to learn what was happening in the rest of the world.
People lived on their little plot of land, most couldn't read or write, and most had no idea how the world around them looked.
There was no way to travel long distances. If Jesus was real, he was a very local Jewish sage who got a lot of attention. But people in Sweden, or the United States (there was no United States, nor a Sweden at that time) would not have heard of him. It took 1000 years after Jesus was born for Sweden to hear about Christianity as an example.

So here again Christianity falls short when it says that God sent Jesus to "save" mankind from sin. Really? So what did God think of the rest of the planet? What did he think of people before this time?

Maya

 

[Shuddhasattva]

If Jesus was real, he was a very local Jewish sage who got a lot of attention.

Namaste

Actually, at the time, there was a great deal of long distance trade, and the Mediterranean region was a hub. Alexander's invasion of Persia and India had set the stage for this several hundred years back, and there was rich and fruitful cultural cross-pollenization on many fronts.

This did not exist in Northern Europe until missionary activity.

Here's a famous example: Silk Road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Also, about:

Jesus in Hinduism is just the Christians way of converting the Hindus to their beliefs, Jesus was never mentioned in any of our scriptures until the advant of Christians into India and then Jesus started poping up everywhere

. I agree that Christian missionaries are trying to put Jesus in everywhere so that they can slowly convert people.
It is very disrespectful. Very wrong.

I'm unable to see the logic behind how putting the primary, absolutely central figure of Christianity as divinity personified on equal footing with a vast multitude of Hindu sages advantages missionaries. If anything, that would weaken Christianity's appeal greatly.

Imagine the reverse: let's say that say, Krishna, is somehow a minor prophet in the Abrahamic tradition. Is that really going to get people to convert to Hinduism?

This, as well as other records from diverse sources indicates to me much more plausability in the "yogi Jesus" theory, to say nothing of the physical evidence of the Rozabal, the Throne of Solomon in Kashmir, the presence of the Beni Israel, etc.

The real dirty tricks, in my opinion, are such things as:
1. Spurious scholarship to divide people along caste and ethnic lines, internalized by Indian "secularists"
2. Use of money, medical care, education, etc., as leverage to coerce conversions
3. Funding of anti-Hindu groups and initiatives, as well as criminal and heinous actions such as the murder of Swamis and others, the formation of violent Abrahamic mobs which terrorize pilgrims and even ashrams at times, etc.


Namaste

 

[Maya3]

Actually, at the time, there was a great deal of long distance trade, and the Mediterranean region was a hub. Alexander's invasion of Persia and India had set the stage for this several hundred years back, and there was rich and fruitful cultural cross-pollenization on many fronts.

This did not exist in Northern Europe until missionary activity.

Here's a famous example: Silk Road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, but that is not the same as saying that Jesus would have been known all over the world if he had been real.

Maya

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I think this makes Hinduism look as a much more enlightening and true path then Christianity. We realize that everyone and everything is "the son or daughter" of God. The fact that Christianity can't see that, just makes us look better, not the other way around.

I agree and public opinion polls in America seem to support this view.

 

[Riverwolf]

It took 1000 years after Jesus was born for Sweden to hear about Christianity as an example.

And even then, it didn't stop most of them from worshiping Odin for several centuries, and even after that, he was still highly revered in other forms.

 

[Maya3]

And even then, it didn't stop most of them from worshiping Odin for several centuries, and even after that, he was still highly revered in other forms.

Very true, and now must of us have been secular for generations.
And the days of the week Onsdag (Wednesday, or Odens Day), Torsdag (Thors day), and Fredag (Freja Day, Friday)



Maya

 

[Don Penguinoini]

I would agree, i am most disapointed when Jesus and Krishna are compared, or Jesus is even mentioned to have any relation to Hinduism. Nor does Hinduism need jesus nor do the followers of Jesus consider our belief as genuine.

Why dont the Christians consider krishna as incarnation, but many Hindus do consider jesus as the son of God. This makes Hinduism look like its not a true belief or a serious religion.

Jesus in Hinduism is just the Christians way of converting the Hindus to their beliefs, Jesus was never mentioned in any of our scriptures until the advant of Christians into India and then Jesus started poping up everywhere. If jesus was real he would have been noticed by the most religios people in the world during that time (2000 year ago), the indians, but the followers of Jesus had to put him into our view, without them jesus would have not existed, and we would never bee talking about this now.

The point isn't who is or who wasn't in the scriptures. Scriptures are thousands of years old, you can't live by them totally. The world is changing.

Religion is not a petty game. It is not "recognise our god and we'll recognise yours."

If Christians cannot see Krishna in the light we do, all is well. Nothing is wrong with that. I believe only we have more to gain to learn from Jesus (if he existed) as he was a great human being. All great human beings need to be revered.

As an exceptional human being, one of the most influential of our time says...

[youtube]DmUPc5c5mFA[/youtube]
2pac Talking about God and his Own Religion - YouTube

I listen to the part about scriptures a lot. Scriptures are beautiful and contain an immense wealth of knowledge. But you must understand nothing is as powerful and poignant as the human mind!

 

[Maija]

Shuddhasattva said

Many can come and do come to Santana Dharma without the involvement of Jesus at all. Great. But let us keep the door open for those who do.

^THIS.

I agree with everything that OP says & everyone else says but this perhaps at times a bit stereotypical all open attitude of Hindusim helped me bring some SD into my life.

I think much during the day about Krishna, I don't think of Jesus much during the day I admit, but coming from an Abrahamic religion when I do, it's a revered person that I imagine, a perfect example- not that their are not others also perfect. Not that Jesus was Most perfect, just one to stand out..

Sorry to revive an old thread I just found these thoughts interesting.

I think bottom line, it's pretty normal for a Christian who comes to SD, where --"Yato mot, tato path" As many faiths, so many paths attitude is present, to cling to their past inspirations.

Obviously, it's not necessary or expected for one raised Hindu to give Jesus that type of ishta devata status..

 

[Pleroma]

Jesus belongs to the gentiles as much as he belongs to Christians.

 

[Ashoka]

Namaste,

I agree with the OP, that Jesus has no place in Hinduism.

 

[Vinayaka]

Shivoham... Good to know somebody agrees with me once in a while.

 

[iamfact]

My POV is that Jesus has nothing to do with Hinduism, just as who is the president of Bulgaria has little to do with the politics of Japan. Its basically irrelevant to Sanatana Dharma.

That is not to say that I don't respect Christians, and the freedom of religion we have in the west. To each his own and thank goodness for that. It is a free country after all.

The neo-Hindu (couldn't think of a better term, sorry) or convert or even born Hindu in india where Christianity has been present for awhile has the Christ figure as a given, in the subconscious minds. Here in the west, the prevailing religion is Christianity, there is no denying that. But why is it necessary to put a picture of Christ up there along with the Hindu deities on a Hindu shrine? You don't see pictures of Krishna in Christian churches. Aren't our Gods enough? Do we need more? Is there something lacking within Sanatana Dharma that we have to add alien belief systems to make it whole?

I believe the only reason this happens is that Hindus tend to be awfully nice, all-encompassing, or naive. Look what happened to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, Australia, and elsewhere. Is there no lesson to be learned from that.

Its one thing to respect people, but totally another to become syncretic.

I know I am pretty much alone on these forums in this view, and perhaps I'm just expressing my disappointment in my brethen when things like pictures of saints of another religion pop up in the Hinduism thread. If I wanted to see that, I could look elsewhere.

One of the redeeming qualities of Hinduism is it gives freedom of expression and no rules to follow: I don't care if other Hindus incorporate Christ into their pantheon. Live and let live. Our pantheon is so vast today because we incorporated other deities from other traditions into our pantheon.

 

[Pleroma]

"Christine Downing recounts the Greek view of the gods as energies that affect everyone. In so being they are referred to "as theos, that is, as immortal, permanent, ineluctable aspects of the world".[2] Disputes among the Greek pantheon were frequent, yet, Downing emphasizes, no god of the Classical era ever denied the existence of another god. And she cautions us as humans that to deny even one of the pantheon diminishes the richness of individuals and of the world"