"Angel - Inner Quest" <l...@nerdshack.com> wrote in messagenews:1177462922.714418.98020@r30g2000prh.googlegroups.com...

God speaks to the Hindus
.
Christians, particularly, are dead set on evangelizing Hindus,
Buddhists and everyone else. But before we can be effective, perhaps
we should first prepare and study how best to accomplish this. Failure
is more likely when we go to battle ill-prepared. The best weapon is
information. So let us first find out what these "pagans" are all
about, shall we.

The Buddhists have a saying: "A thousand monks, a thousand religions."
This is true also for all other faiths, as well. Still, the Teachings
of Hinduism presented below are, as far as it is known to this writer,
according to the thoughts expressed by the principal proponents or
founders inasmuch as, in many instances, the original concepts may
have been changed according the varied interpretations of their less
enlightened followers. In any case, the objectionable features in the
teachings and in the practices which have resulted because of such
changes should not be allowed to depreciate the value of the original
concepts and teachings.

Hinduism

In India, when the world was young some 4,500 years ago, the Vedas,
the Indian Holy Scriptures, were prepared. Embodying the complicated
combination of religious beliefs and social customs of the Indians,
they later became the chief source of the teachings known in an
earlier form as Brahminism and later on as Hinduism. The Hindus
believe in personal gods. The most important among them are Brahma,
the Father of All, Vishnu, the Preserver, and Siva, the Destroyer.
They believe in the transmigration of souls, which teaches that at
death, the soul transfers into some other creature, be it human or
animal, as a direct consequence of one's karma or the effects of one's
thoughts and deeds. This process continues until such time that the
soul is able to attain to the state of Nirvana, and free itself from
the rounds of rebirth, old age, disease and death.

Four Castes

As far as the human form of life is concerned, the Hindus believe in
four progressive castes. These are the Brahmans or the priests, the
Kshatriyas or the temporal rulers and soldiers, the Vaishyas or the
merchants, artists and farmers and the Sudras or laborers. All who
fall outside these four main groups are considered as outcastes or
untouchables, the lowest of the low.

Four Goals

Hinduism lays stress on the need for self-realization and the
awareness of deeper realities that overshadow our material and
physical existence. Consequently, therefore, advocates of Hinduism
believe that man has four basic goals in life.

The first and foremost goal is to attain to the union of Atman, the
individual soul, with Brahman, the supersoul or God, which alone can
bring eternal happiness.

Another important goal is the fulfillment of all normal human desires,
including the enjoyment of a life of pleasure, even sexual pleasure.
So, to the Hindus, there is no truth to the teaching that sex is evil.
And to the Hindus, it is acceptable for a person to enjoy life's
pleasures. Many people feel, mistakenly, that sex and other worldly
pleasures are bad for the soul. To the Hindus, however, these worldly
pleasures are perfectly natural and should be experienced first before
we can actually outgrow our desire for them and advance to the more
spiritual goals in life.

A third goal is participation in economic activity and contribution to
public welfare. Finally, these goals are to be pursued while one
undertakes to live the right kind of moral or ethical life.

Four Stages of Life

In the pursuit of these goals, man enters into four stages of life. He
first becomes a student who initiates studies mainly in preparation
for the material aspects of life.

Then, he becomes a householder, at which stage, he is able to pursue
three of the four goals, namely, a life of pleasure, participation in
economic activity and right living.

Subsequently, as he advances in age, he might decide to retire and
live the life of a hermit. Here, he withdraws from his business or
professional activities. Likewise, he relinquishes direct family
responsibilities and duties and enters a hermitage for further study
of the more spiritual realities or otherwise engages in deeper
reflections into the meaning of life. This is not a cop-out as some
may think, but the hermit is withdrawing from his worldly involvements
in order that he may be able to prepare himself for much greater
service.

Finally, given the opportunity and the inclination, one could become a
spiritual pilgrim, which is characterized by one's complete
renunciation of self and of all personal attachments, even family
ties. After which, the pilgrim turns to a life of service to others.
The pilgrim goes where God directs and helps whomever is worthy, all
the while, trusting to divine providence by receiving needed material
aid from those who are the recipients of his spiritual services. In
every instance, however, such material aid comes to him never as a
favor, but as a matter of right. In his travels, he promotes love and
understanding. He provides guidance to all who ask and who are willing
to listen by sharing the wisdom he has attained to over the years.

The Hindu Way to Salvation

Spiritual guidance is provided to the unenlightened through the
Avatars or highly advanced beings under a system of discipleship
whereby these Avatars, gurus or spiritual masters teach disciples or
students the way towards their own salvation. According to these
gurus, eventual salvation comes by way of:
Devotional service,

The accumulation of knowledge, or

The rendering of service to fellowmen or the accumulation of good
karma.
For most people, however, who may not have the time or the desire to
pursue their spiritual goals owing to their involvement in the primary
material objectives such as earning a living, help and guidance are
more conveniently sought through minor gods and goddesses, thus, the
preponderance of personal gods to whom one can ask for special
favors.

While this practice does not enable one to reach his eventual goal,
he, at least, moves a step nearer to it. This suffices many, until the
time comes, in their subsequent incarnations, that they are able to
pursue the more spiritual goals directly to attain to their own
salvation.

Reconciling Hindu and Christian teachings

Older than Christianity by 3000 years, Pantheism is actually the
selfsame principle that Christ teaches us in his parable of the vine
and the branches and his oneness with the Father and with us. St. Paul
likewise elaborates on this important principle in his "one body of
Christ" in Corinthians. Brahma, Siva and Vishnu correspond to the Holy
Trinity, although not in the same exact sense. The worship of Krishna
and other minor gods is equivalent to the Christian worship of Christ
and the veneration of the saints. Transmigration and reincarnation was
lumped into resurrection by the early Christians. The Hindu practice
of devotion and meditation equate to Christian piety, contemplation
and prayers.

The Hindu goal of accumulating knowledge or seeking enlightenment is a
match to Christian spiritual education and mystic experiences.
However, the church's insistence on the unquestioned acceptance of
their dogmas is its own imposition, alone. Karma yoga is the same
righteousness that Christ teaches us. While both publicly espouse the
principles of personal responsibility and accountability for all
thoughts and deeds, the Christian churches have by large measure
nullified the strict application of this principle by demanding the
blind obedience of their faithful to God according to the
interpretations of their Catholic Magisterium and church edicts, and
God's arbitrary granting of His divine mercy while Hindus can ask and
may be granted special favors by their gods.

So therefore with only some slight modifications, Hinduism and
Christianity are in effect saying the same things using different
words and contexts.

So where is the evil in Hinduism?

'Evil', in this case, is in the eye of the beholder. The rabid right-wing
'Christian' will find Hinduism 'evil' to a large degree because it ain't a
'lovin' Jesus and the King James version of the bible. Hell, 'liberal'
Christians make them poop in their pants!

The world is a much better place when they don't take their religion to the
extreme. 'No harm, no foul', as they say.

Unfortunately there are those who are forever trying to convince mindless
followers that they 'speak'; that they are the spokesman for deity. What
arrogant, pompous, manipulating 'control-freaks'! But if enough people are
convinced that images of Jesus or the 'Blessed Mother' they perceive to see
on slices of burnt toast are proof positive of the existence of 'God',
you're not going to change many minds.

The principle 'evil' of many a religion is that followers of a particular
sect or denomination have such a strong urge and impulse to kill someone who
refuses to share their beliefs. You just wonder why that is. It's downright
'crazy'.

Greywolf- Hide quoted text -

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