Hello! (An Introduction)

[sunyata07]

Namaste everybody,

First of all, I’d like to say thank you to the admin/admins for letting me join your forum. I’m really glad I found this place. It seems like a great place to share discussions and ideas with other people interested in the Sanatana Dharma, as well as a chance for myself to have questions answered about some of the deeper philosophical and spiritual topics by people who are knowledgeable and kind enough to share their experiences with me.

I’m 21 years old, female and I come from Ireland. Suffice it to say I was raised in quite a traditional Roman Catholic faith, but besides memorial services, I’ve stopped going to church for several years now. Something about Christianity, and its followers, have never sat right with me. I’ve never felt really complete or happy with it. I found it uncompromising, with an awfully backwater concept of deity. I began seriously reading the Bible and was horrified at some of the things I had grown up believing - there's so much animosity and petty revenge in many of the books I read (I’m referring largely to the Old Testament). Ideas of a jealous and wrathful god just seemed... wrong to me, somehow. A lot of the time I'd actually feel anger against the god I was brought up to worship. How could God, in all His omnipotence and omnipresence, ever be subject to such a destructive and empty emotion like jealousy? Questions like these kept me in a kind of spiritual turmoil, the kind that comes when your beliefs are shaken to their core and you’re not sure what you believe or hope for anymore. I decided it was time to seriously start looking around for other answers and alternative views.

Since leaving Catholicism, I turned to Mahayana Buddhism for a time. I’ve read a few sutras and grew to love the peace, tolerance and compassion that so many eastern philosophies and religions have to offer for all peoples and things. It was from there that I felt myself being more and more drawn to Hinduism. It holds a particular fascination for me. I love everything about its cultures, its languages, its music and its vibrancy; how it lacks any rigid unifying belief system or any ultimate religions authority makes it easy to see how its followers are so tolerant of other views and faiths. My interest in Hinduism started about three years ago, and I’ve been studying it properly now for two years. However, I would really love to learn more about it. I really believe this may be the path for me.

I really hope I can increase my understanding of the Sanatana Dharma. I’ve read through the Vedas and I’m currently studying the Bhagavad Gita. This has been taking some time, because I really want to understand every part of it. I was amazed at some of the similarities Lord Krishna's message had with some of Buddha's teachings on non-attachment and Christ's message of universal love. I’ve also been warned to be careful when reading it, as there are contradictions in parts of it that could lead to misunderstanding of the real message behind the teachings. I hope maybe I can discuss passages I’m confused about with other people on the forum?

Thanks everyone! I look forward to getting to know you all.

Peace and love to all,
~ sunyata07

[Sherab]

welcome to the forum, i too was a (vajrayana) buddhist and am now becoming hindu.

love,
sherab

[Eastern Mind]

Welcome. Namaste. Vannakam.

Ask away. Because we as a forum represent a cross section of Hindu Society, don't be confused or upset with us when we give you different answers. We're representing a faith that is more vast then Christianity, Judaism, and Islam combined. A good place to start is a simple browsing of the existing threads. They probably contain many of the questions you have.

Aum Namasivaya

[Ekanta]

hi welcome. I too was born christian, then was buddhist for many years, now I find sanatana dharma express religion the clearest.

[devotee]

Welcome to the forum, Sunyata ! :)

[Star]

Namaste, Sunyata :)

Welcome around! I'm pretty new here myself (only a few days old), but I'm sure you'll find this place to be absolutely amazing for discussion, guidance and to provide a better understanding of Sanatana Dharma.

I too come from a Roman Catholic background, and I feel quite the same about it as you do (I mean, just taking a look at - "for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me" - seriously, what's that all about?).

I look forward to talking to you here. :)

[Ekanta]

Namaste, Sunyata :)
"for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me"

Erm, I would guess its a primitive explanation of karma and love. Merit is everything which takes us closer to God (atma, yourself). Every action has a consequence that either takes us closer or further away. This follows the person life after life since the consequence has to be realized. Jealous is actually Gods love that pushes us to the one and only (grace). Since everything is God, but we love something else (i.e. we fail to see God as all) the power of Gods love (jealous) pushes us to the right path. Punishment/karma depends on us, its just action/reaction. Jealousy is Gods wish to love himself (goal of life is realization, ananda).
At least thats how I get it.

[Nuno Matos]

Namaste Ekanta

" Jealous is actually Gods love that pushes us to the one and only (grace). "


There is no Love on Jealousy. What pushes one to the only is called Consciousness a window ( en français la jalousie ) trough out of the Jealousy.
In Jealousy there is only abuse relationships.



Om namoh, namah !

[Ekanta]

OK, but since God doesn't perceive a second, what is the meaning of jealousy? The perception of jiva (individual) is dual. Jealousy must be the yearning to make that perception single... i.e. God loving God. I dont know if I understood you right Nuno or even answered to your post, lol.

[atanu]

----Jealous is actually Gods love that pushes us to the one and only (grace). Since everything is God, but we love something else (i.e. we fail to see God as all) the power of Gods love (jealous) pushes us to the right path. Punishment/karma depends on us, its just action/reaction. Jealousy is Gods wish to love himself (goal of life is realization, ananda).
At least thats how I get it.

Namaste Ekanta and Nuno,

I feel this a good understanding. In Self, there is only love without its polar opposites Hate and Jealousy. But, if God were to act on the ignorant in the mode of ignorance (mAyA mode), He would very well use Love's polar opposite -- still He is using love alone.

I feel, it makes sense -- at least to me, when we consider/assume that God is opearting in Maya mode, in this Maya existence.

Om Namah Shivaya

[sunyata07]

Erm, I would guess its a primitive explanation of karma and love. Merit is everything which takes us closer to God (atma, yourself). Every action has a consequence that either takes us closer or further away.

That's a very interesting point there! In some ways it does sound a bit like an explanation (albeit a very crude explanation) of the karmic nature of the universe.

Anyway, thanks for the welcome, everyone. I just know I'm going to love it here. :)