questions about christianity and hinduism

[Jainarayan]

The guy who works at the corner store.

Oy vey!

Sooo... from talking to the guy at the corner store, you can deduce and make a blanket statement that it’s hard for a westerner to practice Hinduism?

 

[Jainarayan]

Yes, but he also said Jesus feels closer to him and he thinks he is suffering from demons, so the book is appropriate. Anyway, he can probably decide for himself what info he is interested in, or not.

No, he did not say that. He said “I still have some faith in Jesus but I do not even know how to formulate it and how to rely on it.”

He further said “I do not quite think it is a literal evil being in me but instead a cut off part of myself that turns against me and works against the wellbeing of my heart and soul.“

I think a re-read of the o.p. is in order, don’t you agree?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Oy vey!
Sooo... from talking to the guy at the corner store, you can deduce and make a blanket statement that it’s hard for a westerner to practice Hinduism?

You have totally missed my point. I am not an Indian and do not live in India. If you'll recall, I identified as a Shakta for while. While I did, I looked up Hindu temples around me in hopes to find one to visit because I had never been in one before. There were very few around me. The closest being ISKCON and I sure wasn't going to have anything to do with them. So I didn't bother. There are some Indians who live in or around my city but not by me. There really isn't much here for a person looking into Hinduism. You know that Hinduism is the ethnic religion of India (or collection of ethnic Indian religions, anyway). You know that it's very tied to Indian culture, like Shinto is tied to Japanese culture. You have to have at least some knowledge of Sankrit and some other languages. Hell, many of the posts in Dharmic DIR I can't understand because so many foreign terms are thrown around! So there can be language issues as there's a lot of terms you have to learn from Indian languages. So it's not necessarily easy for a Western convert.

Islam actually has a similar issue since it's very tied into Arabic culture and language. You'll quickly be lost if you try to convert to Islam without knowing at least basic Arabic religious terms. Plus, the daily prayers are supposed to be recited in Arabic so you need to know how to pronounce those. Islam, despite having universalist orientations, is still not as universalist as Christianity because Christianity is less tied to any specific culture or language. You don't need to know Hebrew, Greek or Latin to read the Bible or pray.

So I was just giving the OP a heads up. I know others who have had cultural issues trying to practice an Indian religion, too.

Get it now?

 

[Jainarayan]

I am not an Indian and do not live in India.

Me neither. I am Italian-American and live in NJ, with one temple within a 30 minute ride. I never set foot in a Hindu temple before six years ago. Whatever I know of Sanskrit I’ve learned in the past few years. But it’s not required at all unless you’re a priest.

I’m accepted to the point that the priests give me namaskar* first. I regularly converse with a young priest who has an accent thicker than frozen honey, yet we communicate and even joke.

Sanskrit is to Hinduism what Latin is to Catholicism. Ethnicity and language have nothing to do with anything.

* Namaskar, for those who don’t know, is a formal and respectful Hindu greeting.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Ethnicity and language have nothing to do with anything.

You can repeat that all you like but that hasn't been my experience. If it isn't for you, I'm happy for you.

 

[SomeRandom]

Hinduism is very "ethnic" and it's hard for a Westerner to practice unless they know a fair amount of information about Indian culture and there's a large enough Indian community nearby to where there would be temples close by. That's not always the case. There's language barriers to consider, as well. But it's up to you. God bless.

Really? The Western devotees seem to do fine where I live.
And our Indian community isn't exactly large.
Cultural barriers exist between Indians themselves though. My ma's family is originally from Fiji and they are outright rejected as "not Indian at all." But I suppose one has to trundle along anyway.
Also a lot of Hindus are kind of intensely private, so even I have to rely on the Internet for some sources every once in a while and I grew up Hindu. So it's not so much ethnic as it is so fiercely independent that you're supposed to find your own teacher. Westerners seem to get more leeway and congregations try to help them more than the "natives."
I recall as a kid, there was an Irish lady who frequently attended temple. The priest would repeat readings of scripture in English exclusively for her benefit. When she left, no more translations. Even though half the kids there didn't speak a word of Hindi.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Really? The Western devotees seem to do fine where I live.
And our Indian community isn't exactly large.
Cultural barriers exist between Indians themselves though. My ma's family is originally from Fiji and they are outright rejected as "not Indian at all." But I suppose one has to trundle along anyway.
Also a lot of Hindus are kind of intensely private, so even I have to rely on the Internet for some sources every once in a while and I grew up Hindu. So it's not so much ethnic as it is so fiercely independent that you're supposed to find your own teacher. Westerners seem to get more leeway and congregations try to help them more than the "natives."
I recall as a kid, there was an Irish lady who frequently attended temple. The priest would repeat readings of scripture in English exclusively for her benefit. When she left, no more translations. Even though half the kids there didn't speak a word of Hindi.

Well, experiences will vary. I just shared mine to give a heads up of something that may happen. I didn't mean to start a controversy.

 

[InChrist]

No, he did not say that. He said “I still have some faith in Jesus but I do not even know how to formulate it and how to rely on it.”

He further said “I do not quite think it is a literal evil being in me but instead a cut off part of myself that turns against me and works against the wellbeing of my heart and soul.“

I think a re-read of the o.p. is in order, don’t you agree?

Okay, I did re-read it and here is a copy and paste excerpt..."So Jesus sometimes feels closer to me. As a last question, I think I am suffering from inward demons".
But as I said, he is certainly free to disregard my post, thoughts and/or book suggestion.

 

[Araceli Cianna]

I bought this book and it was the best thing I ever did. All the sayings of Jesus which turn out to be completely non-religious and very much compatible with other faiths like Hinduism.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christ-Sut...&qid=1525938100&sr=8-1&keywords=christ+sutras

 

[SomeRandom]

Well, experiences will vary. I just shared mine to give a heads up of something that may happen. I didn't mean to start a controversy.

That's fine. It can be a touchy subject for some.

 

[Fool]

Hello,

How do you see Jesus from a hindu perspective?

ever heard of the syrian malabar nasrani?

otherwise known as the saint thomas christians?

nasrani

 

[von bek]

In which he said he’s hearing the call of the Gods, especially Krishna whom he’d like to interact with, and how to do that.

I would have thought the writings of true Hindu saints and teachers like... hmm... oh yes, Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Sivananda, and that obscure saint um ... um... oh yeah... Sri Ramakrishna would be suggested, not a failed yogi.

I recently picked up a copy of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that was translated by Swami Sivananda along with his commentary on the text. It's really good and presented in a clear manner.

 

[Jainarayan]

I recently picked up a copy of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali that was translated by Swami Sivananda along with his commentary on the text. It's really good and presented in a clear manner.

I think I have that one too.

 

[Sirona]

I am an ex-Catholic who came to Hinduism via Buddhism. And I suffer from schizophrenia. For me the biggest difference is that in most Dharmic Religions, the focus is "inwards", not "outwards". In Hinduism, it is the teaching that God is (also) "inside" you. Fundamentalist Christians distort this teaching by claiming that Hindus believe they are God. So, hearing the voice of a god IMHO isn't necessary since God is already inside you.

Once you got your mind fixed I'd suggest you take up some meditation on something "external" like a mantra or a picture of a god. I was told and I can confirm that meditation on something "impersonal" such as chakras can be harmful for schizophrenics. Sorting out whether the voice you hear comes from yourself or from a god can be complicated and pointless. In case you have been in an acute psychotic state with visions or auditory hallucinations, you might want to look at it from a distance and think about what you can learn from it. Take care.

 

[sealchan]

Hello,

I used to be a more or less strict christian for around 12 years now but I have become very disillusioned about my religion and cannot trust the bible anymore. I still have some faith in Jesus but I do not even know how to formulate it and how to rely on it. My life is very difficult, I suffer from schizophrenie and I am very poor.

So recently I have tried to look at other religions and came to hinduism. I've tried to look at this religion before but I didn't go too deep with it. But now it's like Krishna and the other gods are calling me. And I find the hindu religion very attractive because it has no hellfire punishments or someone like Satan whom the hebrew scriptures describe as something like a bad but still accepted servant of God. The whole hindu faith seems more positive and rational. And Krishna certainly seems very benevolent compared to Yahweh who frequently created chaotic and fierce wars for people who didn't even do much wrong.

So as you can see, I am close to becoming a hindu. I am very tired of christianity. I think Jesus was somehow a saint and a demigod whose father is also a benevolent deity. But they are separate from the biblical message which doesn't do God justice and which distorts christian religious history.

How can I now access Krishna as my divine friend? How do you see Jesus from a hindu perspective? And, most importantly, is there a hindu alternative to taking christian communion? Taking communion was something I enjoyed in church life and I would like to continue with it. That's why I also ask if it might be possible to combine hinduism with select pieces of christianity. I am culturally european and while I am getting a hold on hinduism now the language and names feel a bit foreign to me. So Jesus sometimes feels closer to me. As a last question, I think I am suffering from inward demons. How can this be remedied with a hindu method? I do not quite think it is a literal evil being in me but instead a cut off part of myself that turns against me and works against the wellbeing of my heart and soul.

Thank you for your time. May Krishna bless you!

My wife and I are watching the Indian TV series "The Mahabharata" by BR Chopra. I think that as a Christian you have been inspired at some point by the stories from the Bible. Try "The Mahabharata". There are apps available online for free that you can install that will give you that series on your phone. It comes with English translation subtitles. The production isn't the greatest but the series is acclaimed for its good story telling. And Krishna is most definitely "the man" in that series so you will get a good taste of his salvational character.

I'm a Christian and I am becoming a student of the Mahabharata. I think that my wife, who is also Christian and who has met with a lot of "judgment" in that faith community is finding some level of spiritual nurturance now in Krishna through this TV series.

In the center of the Mahabharata is the Gita as well so I can't see how us Hinduism nubes can go wrong with this as a starting point!

 

[Jainarayan]

My wife and I are watching the Indian TV series "The Mahabharata" by BR Chopra.

Episode 74, the Vishvarupa, Krishna's divine form... gives me chills. The special effects being a little dated notwithstanding.

The entire series is (was?) on Youtube. The dvd set is US $99.

Btw, I've always drawn a parallel between the Vishvarupa and the Transfiguration of Christ. There are a number of similarities in the Jesus stories with the stories of Krishna, who preceded Jesus by at least several centuries if not a millennium.

 

[trablano]

Hello again,

thank you much for the many comments. I hope I made myself clear that I do not intend to entirely leave Jesus behind. I just believe differently than in what the bible teaches. The book is very cruel and if you want to be strict with it it can suck out all joy from you and imprison you in a very difficult worldview. I have stopped believing in the bible around 3 years ago and prayed to various gods including Zeus and Ganesha and Krishna and Odin. They all responded to me somehow and impressed to me that the real Jesus was like a special saint and sage who tried to help Israel and later on the world being less strict and confining in religion and not to forget that God is a loving being who doesn't think of sending wars and bloodshed. But later on the church changed this plan of Jesus and became a very dominating institution that brainwashes people into an authority religion again.

I am desiring to live in the truth and so I wanted to know if other gods than Jesus and Abba exist, and they do. That is why I am a polytheist now and currently investigate hinduism. I have spent time at prayer websites and find the hindu ways very appealing and I believe Jesus blesses this spiritual experiment. He is not holding to most of what the bible teaches and was himself familiar with other gods than just the jewish one. That just doesn't come through in the bible. Krishna also loves honesty and love for the truth and he is calling me into his graces to recover from my difficult past. For example, while still in the church they wanted to tell me that all other religions than christianity are false and from the devil. This view is now the epitome of ignorance for me and I find it disturbing and harmful. After some visions I had from Krishna this month I feel courageous enough to try more the hindu way. I am going to a local temple soon to talk with a priest.

Thanks again for your suggestions. I hope you have a good day and may Krishna bless you!

 

[sealchan]

Episode 74, the Vishvarupa, Krishna's divine form... gives me chills. The special effects being a little dated notwithstanding.

The entire series is (was?) on Youtube. The dvd set is US $99.

Btw, I've always drawn a parallel between the Vishvarupa and the Transfiguration of Christ. There are a number of similarities in the Jesus stories with the stories of Krishna, who preceded Jesus by at least several centuries if not a millennium.

I've also found that the Jacob-Esau story in Genesis has one too many motifs in common with the Pandava-Kaurava story to be coincidence. Jacob's wrestling with the angel between his encounter with the two armies of Laban and Esau also has me thinking that this is a (massively) humorous inversion of the Bhagavad Gita...maybe the greatest joke/spoof in all of scriptural literature.

I purchased the DVD set which my wife and I are watching...the DVDs are mostly of good quality but as many of the Amazon customers have stated there are imperfections in the DVDs that are annoying.

I also like the shorter play version that Peter Brook did which is also on DVD. That was my initial introduction to the epic.

 

[Jainarayan]

I've also found that the Jacob-Esau story in Genesis has one too many motifs in common with the Pandava-Kaurava story to be coincidence.

I never thought of that. Greed causing a loss. In a way Esau was greedy for food because he was so hungry. His hunger overruled his common sense. The same motifs and tropes can be found in many religions and cultures as morality tales. Maybe it's all an effect of prisca theologia... one common ancient theology. If that's the case, then we are all drawn to different views and visions of that single theology, giving rise to different religions and views of God. That then goes back to the Rig Veda verse "one Truth known by many names".

 

[sealchan]

I never thought of that. Greed causing a loss. In a way Esau was greedy for food because he was so hungry. His hunger overruled his common sense. The same motifs and tropes can be found in many religions and cultures as morality tales. Maybe it's all an effect of prisca theologia... one common ancient theology. If that's the case, then we are all drawn to different views and visions of that single theology, giving rise to different religions and views of God. That then goes back to the Rig Veda verse "one Truth known by many names".

Isaac = Dhritarashtra the "blind king"
Jacob + God = Arjun + Krishna where God is implicitly helping Jacob rather than a character except where God appears as his angel
Esau = Kaurava...has his inheritance taken by younger brother, Jacob goes off and becomes successful in exile, but Esau has a more forgiving side...
Laban = Shakuni...the tricksy uncle who is always trying to take advantage of Jacob...Jacob's two wives like Draupadi and Subhadra

When Rachel is sitting on the stolen idols (while presumably being in her period) to hide them from her father from whom she stole them I thought of the attempted humiliation of Draupadi when the Kauravas attempted to disrobe her in public after taking her from her seclusion (while menstrating) and both rescuing their husbands in this act (Rachel's sitting on the "camel's saddle" and Draupadi's inexhaustible sari).

And there is more...I am studying the Mahabharata in part just to find what I expect will be further different thematic content correspondences...I think this is more than just common archetypal content and actually evidence of a common epic framework which served to supply both epic traditions with recognizably similar core material.