Just thought I'd post this here as well - see what everyone has to say. I was asked a question by a lovely girl over on Tumblr and you can see my response below.
While I often do not agree with what he says, the founder of ISKCON A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, had a point when he said the only way to Godhead was by sincerely worshipping Krishna. He was a product of his times so there are many things that I disagree with that he said and he is the main reason I have never successfully read the Gita but a friend who was born into ISKCON recently explained some of it and helped restore my respect in the man.
The founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Shri Chaitanya, taught something called one pointedness. Whereby it is foolish to go around worshipping all the Gods. Stick to just Krishna (or in my case, Devi Mata ji). Dont let your mind wander from their lotus feet.
But back to why I believe Hinduism is better than most of the world religions. It is the oldest continuing tradition on Earth and while it is an umbrella term that encompasses a huge majority of different religions there are several things that connect them and allow them to stand under that wide umbrella. The belief in karma, samsara, rebirth and the Vedas are what links all these great traditions together. But beyond even that their ability to adapt after invasion after invasion and not only adapt but to THRIVE is something you dont see in many traditions.
Both Christianity and Islam have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of local traditions and yet when they came to holy Bharat Mata they met something they just could not beat. First Islam tried foolishly to eradicate Dharma and couldnt. Hindus of the north took on some traits of the Muslim invaders - their women started covering their heads and instead of the traditional sari they began wearing shalwar kameez, and the practise of isolating the Brahmin women, and I believe any high caste woman, from the prying eyes of men was implemented. The Hindus of the south did not adopt many of these traits simply because Islam failed to really spread that far. That is one of the huge differences between North and South temples actually. You enter a Northern temple and it doesnt matter if you are male or female, you cover your head. You enter a Southern temple and cover your head and if its a small temple the priest is going to tell you off!
Christianity came later but I believe its effects were more insidious. There had for a long time been a small community of Christians living in India but when the British and Spanish arrived things changed. Those who were once content to go about their lives unmolested suddenly decided to join in the persecution. But the British and Spanish leaders wanted desperately to Christianise India and many Churches today still do. They use insidious tactics to convert people but one of the worst in the bad old days consisted of men running up to good Hindu men and women and smearing their lips with raw steak. These men and women, having now tasted sacred GoMata believed that they would never be accepted back by their families, friends and castes and so were forced to convert to Christianity. Not to speak of the Goan Inquisition.
Even today Christian priests, monks and laymen dress up as sadhus and pretend to be holy men in order to convert the Hindu masses.
There are a few isolated cases of extremists who go around recovering lost souls to Hinduism and the way they do it is simply deplorable BUT these are isolated cases, unlike the systemic conversion attempts and constant violence of Muslims and Christians.
Did you know that most people today convert not because they believe in Allah or Christ but because they are offered significant monetary and other similar incentives?
Hinduism, no matter which branch of it you follow, doesnt. Do. This. At all. It is the first missionary religion but it is not the first proselytising religion. I say missionary because countries like Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia all were once majority Hindu communities not because of forced conversion but because of the good acts of the Hindu traders and Kings that they interacted with!
And there are many passages in many varied texts within Hinduism that say it is the best way (again depending on your branch. The Shaiva texts will invariably say theyre the best and the Vaishnava the same, so too the Shakta texts) and in some cases them ONLY way to moksha. (As an aside I just tried to spell only as OMly!)
Hinduism is one of the only religions on the face of the planet today that has survived multiple Islamic conquests and the hard times of the British and Spanish occupations. But the British Christian front worked very hard back in the days of the British Raj to undermine the foundations of Hinduism and that is one of the reasons that today we find many people who believe conversion (which probably isnt the best word to use) is wrong. It wasnt the Hindu schools of thought that taught that it was wrong it was British agents translating great works of Hindu thought and knowledge and twisting the words around.
Another did you know - it is believed in certain South Indian circles that if you cross the sea you lose your caste and thereby can not be Hindu. I dont know when this became a common belief but who wants to bet that it was encouraged by the British?
But I agree with you, Hinduism IS a way of life. A way of life that can be adopted by people who did not have the chance to be born into a family knowledgable of the Truth. A way of life that is not restricted to only people born into it but that welcomes EVERYONE. You may have noticed I deleted the original post that caused the kerfuffle. Im not going to apologise for it - we all have our slip ups - and neither am I going to stop being Hindu just because some ignorant people believe that the only people who can be Hindu are those born into the tradition. Not gonna stop wearing the clothes either. They help me feel, in some ways, closer to God.
Wow, that went on for a loooong time! Gonna go get dressed and ready to meet some friends. Ill also be going to temple tomorrow as well! Might see if a friend wants to go to the ISKCON temple for the feast in the evening as well!
Thank you for the ask. Let me explain what I meant when I said my religion was better. Amongst people who do not know very much about our Dharma (its theres as well) there is the mistaken belief that Hinduism accepts all religions as equal pathways to realisation. This belief was spread by such people as Paramhamsa Yoganada and Swami Vivekanda, both of whom taught rather extreme universalism. I am not a universalist. Universalism weakens our foundations and was a necessary step, I believe, in bringing Hinduism to the West but many Hindus and the majority of our texts do not support it. Yes, there are a few lines in the Vedas such as truth is one, sages call it by many names but there are also many verses that refute that.
While I often do not agree with what he says, the founder of ISKCON A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, had a point when he said the only way to Godhead was by sincerely worshipping Krishna. He was a product of his times so there are many things that I disagree with that he said and he is the main reason I have never successfully read the Gita but a friend who was born into ISKCON recently explained some of it and helped restore my respect in the man.
The founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Shri Chaitanya, taught something called one pointedness. Whereby it is foolish to go around worshipping all the Gods. Stick to just Krishna (or in my case, Devi Mata ji). Dont let your mind wander from their lotus feet.
But back to why I believe Hinduism is better than most of the world religions. It is the oldest continuing tradition on Earth and while it is an umbrella term that encompasses a huge majority of different religions there are several things that connect them and allow them to stand under that wide umbrella. The belief in karma, samsara, rebirth and the Vedas are what links all these great traditions together. But beyond even that their ability to adapt after invasion after invasion and not only adapt but to THRIVE is something you dont see in many traditions.
Both Christianity and Islam have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of local traditions and yet when they came to holy Bharat Mata they met something they just could not beat. First Islam tried foolishly to eradicate Dharma and couldnt. Hindus of the north took on some traits of the Muslim invaders - their women started covering their heads and instead of the traditional sari they began wearing shalwar kameez, and the practise of isolating the Brahmin women, and I believe any high caste woman, from the prying eyes of men was implemented. The Hindus of the south did not adopt many of these traits simply because Islam failed to really spread that far. That is one of the huge differences between North and South temples actually. You enter a Northern temple and it doesnt matter if you are male or female, you cover your head. You enter a Southern temple and cover your head and if its a small temple the priest is going to tell you off!
Christianity came later but I believe its effects were more insidious. There had for a long time been a small community of Christians living in India but when the British and Spanish arrived things changed. Those who were once content to go about their lives unmolested suddenly decided to join in the persecution. But the British and Spanish leaders wanted desperately to Christianise India and many Churches today still do. They use insidious tactics to convert people but one of the worst in the bad old days consisted of men running up to good Hindu men and women and smearing their lips with raw steak. These men and women, having now tasted sacred GoMata believed that they would never be accepted back by their families, friends and castes and so were forced to convert to Christianity. Not to speak of the Goan Inquisition.
Even today Christian priests, monks and laymen dress up as sadhus and pretend to be holy men in order to convert the Hindu masses.
There are a few isolated cases of extremists who go around recovering lost souls to Hinduism and the way they do it is simply deplorable BUT these are isolated cases, unlike the systemic conversion attempts and constant violence of Muslims and Christians.
Did you know that most people today convert not because they believe in Allah or Christ but because they are offered significant monetary and other similar incentives?
Hinduism, no matter which branch of it you follow, doesnt. Do. This. At all. It is the first missionary religion but it is not the first proselytising religion. I say missionary because countries like Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia all were once majority Hindu communities not because of forced conversion but because of the good acts of the Hindu traders and Kings that they interacted with!
And there are many passages in many varied texts within Hinduism that say it is the best way (again depending on your branch. The Shaiva texts will invariably say theyre the best and the Vaishnava the same, so too the Shakta texts) and in some cases them ONLY way to moksha. (As an aside I just tried to spell only as OMly!)
Hinduism is one of the only religions on the face of the planet today that has survived multiple Islamic conquests and the hard times of the British and Spanish occupations. But the British Christian front worked very hard back in the days of the British Raj to undermine the foundations of Hinduism and that is one of the reasons that today we find many people who believe conversion (which probably isnt the best word to use) is wrong. It wasnt the Hindu schools of thought that taught that it was wrong it was British agents translating great works of Hindu thought and knowledge and twisting the words around.
Another did you know - it is believed in certain South Indian circles that if you cross the sea you lose your caste and thereby can not be Hindu. I dont know when this became a common belief but who wants to bet that it was encouraged by the British?
But I agree with you, Hinduism IS a way of life. A way of life that can be adopted by people who did not have the chance to be born into a family knowledgable of the Truth. A way of life that is not restricted to only people born into it but that welcomes EVERYONE. You may have noticed I deleted the original post that caused the kerfuffle. Im not going to apologise for it - we all have our slip ups - and neither am I going to stop being Hindu just because some ignorant people believe that the only people who can be Hindu are those born into the tradition. Not gonna stop wearing the clothes either. They help me feel, in some ways, closer to God.
Wow, that went on for a loooong time! Gonna go get dressed and ready to meet some friends. Ill also be going to temple tomorrow as well! Might see if a friend wants to go to the ISKCON temple for the feast in the evening as well!
