Quoted message said:From Maelaine:
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:I'm involved with people who practice meditation and some Hindu beliefs
and practices, but are not Hindus because they were not born
Hindus--there is literally no conversion process. <<
I was thinking, that, if I ever again feel drawn to a higher power, I
might well join a whole lot of others who explored Hinduism.
It's actually a religion which makes some sense to me, from the point
of view of "if I were God, then how would I do things?"
The really fatal flaw with Christianity (in my mind) is it's extreme
favoritism to circumstances of birth, over which no one has any
control. If one is born into a devoutly Christian home, it is very
easy to find one's way to Christianity. One doesn't really have to do
any work at all. It is pretty much home delivered. Compare/contrast
with Fareed Ahmad or whomever, born on the Gaza strip or any of
billions of similar people, for whom it would take a virtual miracle to
ever receive serious exposure to Christianity. I've talked at length
about this sort of thing with my Dad. Had he been born an Arab, he'd
be among the leaders of the fight against "Zionism." Had he been born
in Alabama, he'd thump Bibles with the most fervent of the Religious
Right. But he was born a Jew, and made his way to Israel to drive a big
supply truck while serving in the Israeli army in the 1973 Yom Kippur
war (still has his official Israeli army discharge papers framed on his
wall at home). So he considers himself to be a (fiercely loyal) Jew,
but with neo-pagan beliefs/philosophies. Go figure.
Hinduism is the world's most tolerant religion. The theme is basically
one of self-improvement. One strives to become less imperfect, less
sinful, more tolerant, more at peace with the world, and, in so doing,
to make the world a better place. It doesn't matter how this is done.
Hindus are perfectly happy for Christians to be Christian and Jews to
be Jews and Muslims to be Muslims and secularists to be secular, if
that is the path through which each person can achieve self improvement
and inner peace. For those who wish it, Hinduism provides methods of
facilitating these goals, but it is not required that one embrace
Hinduism itself or any of its practices. It's just there if it is
wanted and needed. But other ways are OK, as well. There is the
(optional) belief in reincarnation. The quest for self-improvement is
so daunting that it takes more than one or two lifetimes. It can take
many lifetimes. But, after a period of time and a number of lifetimes,
one has gradually reached such a state of self improvement that further
human, earthly existence is no longer required, and one is spiritually
ready for heaven.
I find this to be both intellectually and spiritually appealing. If I
were God, this is EXACTLY how I'd do it.
- Larry W
