so im reading the bhagavad gita

[MochaRadha]

its an illustrated version but whatever atleast its a start. i like how it says that if u worship any god its still krishna. krishna has a very different attitude than the god of the bible

 

[Madhuri]

krishna has a very different attitude than the god of the bible

Yes, very different. Growing up with Krishna as my God concept, I find myself bewildered that anyone sees the Abrahamic God as...godly. But I guess that is completely subjective.

Awesome that you are reading the BG. If you need clarification about anything you read, we will all be happy to help.

 

[Jainarayan]

its an illustrated version but whatever atleast its a start. i like how it says that if u worship any god its still krishna. krishna has a very different attitude than the god of the bible

Yes, Krishna says that whatever deity a devotee chooses to worship He (Krishna) will make that devotee's faith in that deity steady. Yet it is still He that is being worshipped, none other. Krishna is quite cool.

 

[MochaRadha]

its odd because the biblical god wants us to only worship him yet he has so many names. so which him lol. i posted a pic of ganesh on facebook and a muslim told me calling god an anial is insulting. i told him animals are closer to god

 

[Madhuri]

its odd because the biblical god wants us to only worship him yet he has so many names. so which him lol. i posted a pic of ganesh on facebook and a muslim told me calling god an anial is insulting. i told him animals are closer to god

You might also tell him that Ganesh is not an animal, he is a god

 

[MochaRadha]

yes but its the fact he looks like an elephant he thinks it insults god

 

[Madhuri]

yes but its the fact he looks like an elephant he thinks it insults god

I'm not actually aware that there are traditions that place Ganesha as the Supreme. He is more akin to being the son of God, as he is the son of Shiva and Parvati. But what your Muslim friend might need to know is that the forms of the gods are highly symbolic. He might also need to know that even if Ganesha literally looks like an elephant, his shape is not modeled after the animal. The animal is modeled after him.

It's very presumptuous to assume that God prefers to look one way or another or that taking the shape of an animal is degrading. If God doesn't think so, we shouldn't think so.

Dang, I need to lecture this friend of yours!

 

[Jainarayan]

You could explain the symbolism until you are blue in the face, and it won't matter. Some people don't want to understand. Someone asked me once if I believe that such a being (Lord Ganesha) ever walked the earth. I said no, I don't believe that. What I believe is that His attributes are symbolic of the attributes of God. Deities are pictured with multiple arms holding various objects to show Their powers, for example.

Sri Krishna says that to try to fix the mind on the unmanifest form of God is very difficult for spiritual advancement for the embodied (us). Therefore we use idols and symbols, odd as they may be to some people, to focus on God and try to advance spiritually. We are bound to this world and we need to use our senses, which is what Sri Krishna was saying.

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm not actually aware that there are traditions that place Ganesha as the Supreme.

Smartas. In Smarta sampradaya, any of 5 (or 6) deities can be the Supreme... Vishnu, Ganesha, Shiva, Devi, Surya and sometimes Murugan.

It sounds like how we were taught the vowels... a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y.

 

[MochaRadha]

i know this guy refuses to listen

 

[DeviChaaya]

There is a sect, known as the Ganapatiyas who worship Ganesh as the supreme. I've personally never encountered one but apparently they're not that uncommon.

 

[Breathe]

It sounds like how we were taught the vowels... a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y.

And what about w? Crwth, cwm and... I think that's it.

i know this guy refuses to listen

Try this:

"Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion." - Quran 109:6.

May work.

 

[Jainarayan]

And what about w? Crwth, cwm and... I think that's it.

Oh yeah, poor w.

"Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion." - Quran 109:6.

Punked him!

 

[Chewbarker1054]

There is a sect, known as the Ganapatiyas who worship Ganesh as the supreme. I've personally never encountered one but apparently they're not that uncommon.

From what I have read they tended to be more popular a few hundred years back and there are many tantras which they have written - have not found any in english yet to read

 

[sentry]

i told him animals are closer to god

maybe animals are even worthy of being worshipped?
there seems to be something sacred about animals....

 

[Maya3]

You could explain the symbolism until you are blue in the face, and it won't matter. Some people don't want to understand. Someone asked me once if I believe that such a being (Lord Ganesha) ever walked the earth. I said no, I don't believe that. What I believe is that His attributes are symbolic of the attributes of God. Deities are pictured with multiple arms holding various objects to show Their powers, for example.

Sri Krishna says that to try to fix the mind on the unmanifest form of God is very difficult for spiritual advancement for the embodied (us). Therefore we use idols and symbols, odd as they may be to some people, to focus on God and try to advance spiritually. We are bound to this world and we need to use our senses, which is what Sri Krishna was saying.

Also the fact that God could uses an elephant head in the story of how Ganesha got the head of an elephant illustrates that we are the same, we are made of the same energy and it symbolizes that animals deserves respect and are part of creation. And that we are not separate from the rest of creation.

This is how I interpret it at least.

Maya

 

[Jainarayan]

I never looked at it that way, but I think it's valid. :yes:

 

[Maya3]

I never looked at it that way, but I think it's valid. :yes:

Thank you!

Sorry for all the typos, I think I'm still jetlagged and I've been speaking too much Swedish lately.

Maya