What one thing should non-believers know about your religion?

[MatthiasGould]

Not all followers of the Left-Hand Path are angsty teenagers who dress in black and burn Bibles. Some you wouldn't even notice on the street, let alone hear them start a conversation about their religion.

Funnily enough I knew a guy almost 5 years before I found out he was a Theistic Satanist. Once I got past the 'oh no, he's a Devil worshipper' stuff, he actually taught me quite a lot about his beliefs and I began to really appreciate his beliefs for what they really were.

I'm studying Sikhism at the moment, and one of the biggest mistakes people seem to make is mistaking Sikhs for Muslims. This is particularly the case for Sikh men who wear the turban. what is not particularly helpful is that nearly everty depiction of Arab culture from Disney's Aladdin to the Jyllands Posten cartoons shows men wearing turbans, which is actually quite uncommon in most Islamic countries. There are some Arabic forms of turban, but they look nothing like the Sikh turban which is much more rounded and taller.

Another one is the kara bracelet. People seem to assume this is just jewellery when in fact it's a commandment of the Sikh faith to wear one. Sikhs are instructed not to have fancy gold or silver karas either to emphasize the kara as not being decorative but reminding them of God.

 

[Willamena]

I am not pessimistic, nor am I Emo, I literally am just looking at reality in its dull, realistic, and objective form, with no emotions or adjectives to describe reality.

*psst* Dull, realistic and objective are adjectives.

 

[Tarheeler]

Or, in other words, our religion is for us: you do your thing. We don't consider Judaism a universal goal, and we don't think you're going to go to hell if you're not Jewish-- actually, most of us don't believe in hell, anyway.

This. Judaism is for Jews; we don't care if you eat pork or don't circumcise your son.

We'll do our thing, and you can do yours.

 

[MatthiasGould]

This. Judaism is for Jews; we don't care if you eat pork or don't circumcise your son.

We'll do our thing, and you can do yours.

Isn't it still a tradition that a lot of the more traditional rabbis turn away potential converts three times before accepting their requests for conversion?

 

[Tarheeler]

Isn't it still a tradition that a lot of the more traditional rabbis turn away potential converts three times before accepting their requests for conversion?

So do, some don't. Mine never "officially" turned me away, but he did cancel our initial meeting several times and "forgot" to return my phone calls. When I mentioned it at the beit din (rabbinical court) that oversaw my conversion, he just chuckled and grinned.

 

[MatthiasGould]

So do, some don't. Mine never "officially" turned me away, but he did cancel our initial meeting several times and "forgot" to return my phone calls. When I mentioned it at the beit din (rabbinical court) that oversaw my conversion, he just chuckled and grinned.

I must admit to having a great deal of admiration for Jewish people.

 

[BruceDLimber]

that Baha'is try to convert people against their will

A GROSS LIE!!

We do no such thing!

Enrollments are strictly voluntary, besides which we never proselytize or try to "covert people."

Each individual makes his or her own free decision.

And the one thing I was going to say is that the Baha'i Faith is a different religion from Islam: they are not the same.

Peace,

Bruce

 

[ChristineES]

That not all Christians believe in eternal torture- that's the biggest thing, although there are others.

 

[MatthiasGould]

Another one about Sikhi: non-Sikhs are more than welcome to attend gurdwaras, if not actively encouraged, and the special shared meal, the langar meal, is vegetarian to ensure that there is no issue of dietary requirements if people of other faiths wish to eat.

 

[Andal]

I don't worship cows!!!! Sure I don't eat them, I respect them for what they give us but I do not worship them.

I do not believe in or acknowledge birth based caste.

And finally.... We aint that complicated! Hinduism is not what you think.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[gweber41]

Not all followers of the Left-Hand Path are angsty teenagers who dress in black and burn Bibles. Some you wouldn't even notice on the street, let alone hear them start a conversation about their religion.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is the left hand path? Also, I'm curious to know why you chose that religion.

With regards to Christianity, I want people to know two things:
1) For the relatively uneducated people out there: Christianity is NOT first and foremost about what we can do for God, but about what God has done for us through his Son Jesus Christ.

2) Many of you probably already realize that, so to you more knowledgeable people: God chooses to relate to different people in different ways. Therefore many of the laws of the Old Testament only applied to the nation of Israel, God's chosen people in the Old Covenant.

 

[MatthiasGould]

That Hindus worship statues

I thought murti statues were simply 'reminders' of the god or goddess?

 

[Maya3]

Hinduism is not polytheistic.

Maya

 

[Andal]

I thought murti statues were simply 'reminders' of the god or goddess?

This depends. the murti in the temple contains the energy of God. Think of it as a direct conduit between the material and spiritual. The statue is the form that God enters after being invited to interact with us.

During puja at home God is also invited to enter the physical form for loving interaction. After puja is over though the murti becomes that reminder again.

It's not the statue we worship but the energy that flows from God through it and to us.

If you go to any art museum with a Hindu exhibit the cards will usually say that the statues have been ritually closed or something along those lines. This means at one time they were used in mandir or in homes for worship but no longer so therefore the sacred connection is severed and the statue is just a statue.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[MatthiasGould]

This depends. the murti in the temple contains the energy of God. Think of it as a direct conduit between the material and spiritual. The statue is the form that God enters after being invited to interact with us.

During puja at home God is also invited to enter the physical form for loving interaction. After puja is over though the murti becomes that reminder again.

It's not the statue we worship but the energy that flows from God through it and to us.

If you go to any art museum with a Hindu exhibit the cards will usually say that the statues have been ritually closed or something along those lines. This means at one time they were used in mandir or in homes for worship but no longer so therefore the sacred connection is severed and the statue is just a statue.

Aum Hari Aum!

Right, this makes more sense.

 

[Maya3]

This depends. the murti in the temple contains the energy of God. Think of it as a direct conduit between the material and spiritual. The statue is the form that God enters after being invited to interact with us.

During puja at home God is also invited to enter the physical form for loving interaction. After puja is over though the murti becomes that reminder again.

It's not the statue we worship but the energy that flows from God through it and to us.

If you go to any art museum with a Hindu exhibit the cards will usually say that the statues have been ritually closed or something along those lines. This means at one time they were used in mandir or in homes for worship but no longer so therefore the sacred connection is severed and the statue is just a statue.

Aum Hari Aum!

Even though I´m Hindu myself, this is the nicest way I have heard it explained.
I can only say, YES YES!!

Maya

 

[MatthiasGould]

Now I think of it, Hinduism rocks!

 

[Maya3]

Now I think of it, Hinduism rocks!

Yeah it does

So glad you like it too!

Maya

 

[Andal]

Even though I´m Hindu myself, this is the nicest way I have heard it explained.
I can only say, YES YES!!

Maya

Pranam and thank you Maya

Aum Hari Aum

 

[Jupimartian]

Just because I'm a theist doesn't mean I believe in intelligent design, creationism, the rejection of science, or religion.

Cool stuff in this thread. I learned many new things today.