PDA

View Full Version : Misinformation and manipulation disguised as True Hinduism



Adhvagat
22 November 2011, 03:44 PM
http://www.truehinduism.com/2011/10/is-hinduism-vegetarian-part-1-eating.html

I commented on this blog post disagreeing with this joker's views and saying that if he thinks that what we eat does not affect us (subtly and grossly) he's dismissing Ayurveda (weird for a True Hindu, I presume, the benefits of Ayurveda are clear as day).

He not only deleted or banned me from commenting, he tampered with my words and edited as if I was agreeing with him. Can I take legal action against him? That's a crime in the real world, so it's also a crime in the internet.

After tampering with my words, not accepting my comments on his post about Prabhupada and putting me on auto-delete, I cannot express what I'm feeling.

I just wanna say to people to steer clear from this site full of falsehood claiming to be true.

Adhvagat
22 November 2011, 03:48 PM
One click away there's this: http://www.jchindu.org/

True Hinduism from the JUDEO-CHRISTIAN Hindu Assembly?

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Abrahamics being deceitful, nothing new here.

NayaSurya
22 November 2011, 04:07 PM
I have a solution perhaps.

Go into your account with this place that you have which you commented to him and change your name to "____ is a liar" and then I bet...quite suddenly...your post will be deleted?

I am sorry you have went through this...the whole site is ridiculous and just as many other barbarians he is using it to justify all sorts of things.

The best thing we can do is start a list here of places to perhaps warn others of? It's passive...but a start.

Hugs<3

Eastern Mind
22 November 2011, 04:07 PM
Vannakkam Pietro: Wow. He actually changed your comment? Personally, I'd just ignore the bloke. It sounds like one disenchanted ISKCON guy operating some sort of revenge thing out of his basement. The Only Hinduism blog guy published my article on his site, word for word.

As our priest here used to say .. Go pray Ganesha. :)

Aum Namasivaya

NayaSurya
22 November 2011, 04:23 PM
This place...

http://hindu-answers.tumblr.com/

Also ran by the same barbarian-

Very sad he is spreading such things.

Adhvagat
22 November 2011, 04:31 PM
This place...

http://hindu-answers.tumblr.com/

Also ran by the same barbarian-

Very sad he is spreading such things.

There's something seriously wrong with this tumblr.

The latter pages are all about Christianity and gay rights.

Looks like someone with a lot of hatred (perhaps for being condemned) is behind these.

NayaSurya
22 November 2011, 04:35 PM
The second picture of Beloved made me so upset. I was with my youngest two children when the page load....

I do not have a problem with sex, anyone here knows my beliefs it is a part of our lives. But I would like to choose when such things are shown to my children.

I am beyond words right now.

Adhvagat
22 November 2011, 04:38 PM
Vannakkam Pietro: Wow. He actually changed your comment? Personally, I'd just ignore the bloke. It sounds like one disenchanted ISKCON guy operating some sort of revenge thing out of his basement. The Only Hinduism blog guy published my article on his site, word for word.

As our priest here used to say .. Go pray Ganesha. :)

Aum Namasivaya

I did exactly that, thanks for reminding me!

I'll also see with my lawyer friends what I can do regarding this violence against truth.


The second picture of Beloved made me so upset. I was with my youngest two children when the page load....

I do not have a problem with sex, anyone here knows my beliefs it is a part of our lives. But I would like to choose when such things are shown to my children.

I am beyond words right now.

It's not in good taste. :(

JaiMaaDurga
22 November 2011, 04:50 PM
and yet one click further... *sigh*

For the supposed "inter-faith" organization to have a rather large and unmistakable close-up photo of a crucifix under their "Statement of Faith" link tells me all I need to know; never mind whatever words are underneath it. These sorts of evangelical "dog-whistles" hurt my ears!:(

May Maa strengthen young or wavering minds against such delusion.

Edit: After seeing the tumblr page, I simply have pity for the fellow evidently responsible; he is very confused; sewing the upper body of a monkey to the tail of a fish does not prove mermaids exist, however much the idea might excite one... perhaps he is like Barnum, but perhaps he is also his own best customer.

JAI MATA DI

Adhvagat
22 November 2011, 04:56 PM
I emailed http://www.hindujagruti.org/denigrations/ about them.

I'm not sure these are ill-intentioned abrahamics or just very deluded people, but I don't care. This is untrue!

Having them on their list will be a nice start.

c.smith
22 November 2011, 06:34 PM
Hari Om!

Please know that IMHO those at www.hindujagruti.org/ (http://www.hindujagruti.org/) do a fine job! Sometimes a bit "militant" for my tastes, but I have followed them via the Yahoo! Groups that they belong to.

Yes, a list of sites to avoid would be a big plus but may be difficult given the vast variety of beliefs here. Christians may eat this stuff up while we Hindus are more than offended by such.

Pietro, the feelings that you have and may still be experiencing are certainly justified as I see it. Not that you asked for it, but may I suggest that you put the energy from what you have felt and channel it towards making others aware of this fraud. You certainly can't be the first to have experienced this at the site most likely, so it's my assumption that you will find others with similar grievances. Maybe even your own blog with occasional updates.

Browsing the site made me sick. So glad you brought this to light.

Om Namah Sivaya
Jai Hanuman!

AmIHindu
22 November 2011, 08:33 PM
http://www.truehinduism.com/2011/10/is-hinduism-vegetarian-part-1-eating.html

I commented on this blog post disagreeing with this joker's views and saying that if he thinks that what we eat does not affect us (subtly and grossly) he's dismissing Ayurveda (weird for a True Hindu, I presume, the benefits of Ayurveda are clear as day).

He not only deleted or banned me from commenting, he tampered with my words and edited as if I was agreeing with him. Can I take legal action against him? That's a crime in the real world, so it's also a crime in the internet.

After tampering with my words, not accepting my comments on his post about Prabhupada and putting me on auto-delete, I cannot express what I'm feeling.

I just wanna say to people to steer clear from this site full of falsehood claiming to be true.



This place...

http://hindu-answers.tumblr.com/

Also ran by the same barbarian-

Very sad he is spreading such things.Namaste,

Thanks Peitro and Naya.

I reported this to forumforhinduawakening.org and hindugajruti.org

sm78
23 November 2011, 12:20 AM
Most people who run such blogs and presumably provide lot of informations on hinduism in form of views, are fullfilling there deep seated desire to be seen as gurus, acharyas or some learned pundit. Desire for fame (and fortune maybe?) is at the epicenter of such activities. I would stay away from commenting on any blog. I tried blogging, but soon realized it leads to developing psychological mania and psuedo role playing - particularly when your blog is merely distributing your self perceived knowledge of things. Unless you are a professional writer or have some professional/academic reason for blogging, stay away from writing or commenting on blogs. Either you are stroking someone's ego, or rubbing it wrong way, or worse fuelling your own. I don't think such blogs scattered throughout internet pose any new or substantial threat to Hinduism that is already not there in real society, media bias etc. Ignore these guys pls.

sm78
23 November 2011, 12:31 AM
Although I suggest ingnore, I do often find myself reading blogs but I refrain from commenting. I found many people who have seemingly very rational views. When I posted comments commending their points, I got good welcome. The moment I started posted something I found not correct I saw problems. Posts getting modified, being deleted etc etc. It becomes clear those who take their words and views so seriously are seriously troubled people. They need psychological help to get rid of this guru role playing mania. I know quite many such peoples over internet - some of them are fully initiated and should feel much previledged, but instead spend all their time advertising themselves and their views among friends etc. FB is a great tool for promoting morbid narcissism and so are blogs. This has convinced me that mantras, religious living, intense sadhana etc are useless when the basic thoughts and aspirations of an individual is incorrect. The biggest service we can do to ourselves and humanity is to take a hard look at ourselves, our beliefs, our actions every now and then.

But I probably digressed a bit without clearly looking at the subsequent posts. Yes this particular site is clearly an Abrahamic agenda. The About-Us page is really funny. I don't know this clowns background, but perhaves what EM says is most probable - an ISKCON avenger.

arp1
23 November 2011, 02:00 AM
LOL ,

See your comment
"Excellent post! I completely agree. More people should realize this. Thanks."

He thanked you also .."@Pietro, thanks for the comment.", real gentleman :).

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 05:24 AM
I am a professional writer in the realm that I have been paid for my writing and have been published online for my work. But I rarely read or post on blogs unless it seems helpful. Always positive.

But, a blog is more of my diary and nothing more. It used to be called "One idiots stumbling through the universe."

and one day someone read the blog, the next day 10 and pretty soon the blog was full of 100's of people. I was one of the top bloggers on Myspace for a time...often in the top three spot of views and comments. It was just stories of my life and our times together. Never changed. But, as I withdrew from the world I made the blog private, said goodbye and walked away.

A blog is like a doorstep to your home, so it's understandable that one would not want someone to come debate them upon a "diary post".

Blogs are created mostly as personal spaces like a reflecting pond.

However, this is not a blog...at least he doesn't want it to appear as one.

He wants it to appear as a website, a resource for learning about Hinduism. Which is exactly what I take it to be.

If you read my blog or any normal blog online you would never be left with the feeling we were anything less than silly folk talking out our problems. No one could ever confuse me with a learned Being.

This, this is the big problem.

It this was just another "idiot's stumbling through the universe" I would just depart and not be concerned.

But it seems this one has higher goals of altering the perception of what Hinduism is to the novice.

Moonlight
23 November 2011, 05:26 AM
It would be great if you do put out a list on false Hindu sites cause it's very tricky specially for people who wants to learn what Hindu's are about and what they belive etc. I was reserching Prabhupada's book on the "Gita as it is" review and found a few sites that says  that Prabhupada has mistransalated the Gita and is a fraud etc. But cause I already watched his videos and read a few of his work, I don't see anything wrong in his teachings. And then there's this "cult" busness and other disturbing storys about him and his followers.

There's definitely an agena going on but why? Why can't people just focus on there own paths and beliefs without attacking others? To me theses people are demon worshippers cause what kind of god let's them run around attacking anything that breathes? 
I have more respect for Krishna in the Gita then any other gods that theses people follow...  

Adhvagat
23 November 2011, 05:43 AM
The owner of the blog contacted me saying it was a misunderstanding and someone else did the tampering.

The blog post on the whole about beef eating was deleted and a clarification was posted: http://www.truehinduism.com/2011/11/tumblr-recent-controversy.html

I did what I thought was right, with no agenda, no desire to denigrate anyone. I was just driven by the suspicion about a place that claims to be True and yet manipulates other people's expression and the feeling of injustice after someone perverted my own words. That I'll never accept, my truth is what it is.

Yet only the ultimate knower will know if things were done ill-intentioned or not, I'll do as many here advised, refrain from posting in any blog specially those outwardly claiming to bear the torch of truth.

Om

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 07:45 AM
Well...it appear he deleted the "F#CK YEAH Hinduism" blog and claims-

"At no place on the Hindu Answers blog is there nudity intended to convey a sexual meaning. Even sexual images, in Hinduism, have a deeper philosophical root."

The entire post was nothing but about sex...and posting Beloved with that blog with that title made it about sex.

...and to try to slant it to say we should all be less christian and more accepting of sexual images...is very silly.

...and besides when does being modest or moral become an xtian trait?:rolleyes:

Very wise to remove it.

You know I think sometimes...ones who are still very new upon this path such as this young man get very excited and want so much to share this Truth we found. But, sadly, this is exactly what we should not do....we should remain quiet mostly so that the ones who do know, and could teach us...can do so without our noise.

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 07:53 AM
A very curious note I should make.

Either this young man "borrow" or took...or is this man- I think it is this man under another name-

Here (http://****-yeah-hinduism.tumblr.com/) (okay it will not let me post the link because of the adult language in the link)

http://f___-yeah-hinduism.tumblr.com/

and the "uck" to this link and take out the spaces.


Because he has the same blog up.

He will probably remove so I will screen shot in case anyone ever needs to know what this thread was all about some long time from now.

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 07:57 AM
Pietro--

So there’s this guy named Pietro-whatever who’s going around condemning non-sectarian Hindus like myself. Can you BE more pathetic? Just Fyi, people like him are not Hindus. They are sectarian idiots, and they always protest things like nude pictures of Gods etc. Go suck a c###ck, moron. (http://****-yeah-hinduism.tumblr.com/post/13198407318/so-theres-this-guy-named-pietro-whatever-whos-going)

http://****-yeah-hinduism.tumblr.com/



I screenshot also this, because he is now watching our forum and is sure to delete now that I found him.

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 08:01 AM
I am very sorry you went through this P, you are one of the most wonderful, thoughtful Hindu I know...

Saddest part, such Asuric behaviour means this one is very shrouded in ignorance and should be left as a cobra...we should stay far away from such hatred and anger.

c.smith
23 November 2011, 08:43 AM
Hari Om!

NayaSurya, thank-you for your wisdom and research into this matter. I believe that it is a great contribution to the forum.

I hope that this doesn't take things off track, but does anyone have any experience or post on www.speakingtree.in (http://www.speakingtree.in) ? It is similar to Facebook but spiritual in nature. I follow a few "masters" and am "followed" by a few members as well. Very beneficial IMHO.

Om Namah Sivaya
Jai Hanuman!

Jainarayan
23 November 2011, 09:36 AM
I'll also see with my lawyer friends what I can do regarding this violence against truth.

The internet is not protected by any country's free speech laws, unless you post something blatantly libelous (libel is defamation in writing; slander is oral defamation). Any webmaster, moderator or administrator of any site can edit or delete content they deem "inappropriate" to the site or their purposes. There are probably TOS posted somewhere stating that. It stinks, but much in life does.

Adhvagat
23 November 2011, 12:06 PM
The internet is not protected by any country's free speech laws, unless you post something blatantly libelous (libel is defamation in writing; slander is oral defamation). Any webmaster, moderator or administrator of any site can edit or delete content they deem "inappropriate" to the site or their purposes. There are probably TOS posted somewhere stating that. It stinks, but much in life does.

You mean like this: http://bit.ly/sSncHb?


You want to be a Hindu? Stop bashing Christianity because Jesus was an Avatar of God and you are not. You are just a sorry little **** that likes to label himself/herself as “Hindu.”

:p

And here's my response:


Hello.

Here's Pietro Impagliazzo. I'd like to know where you got your information on why I'm sectarian. Did you get in contact with my beliefs or discussed them with me? I don't recall such thing.

I also hold believe that Shaiva is a very nice sect, very orthodox yet welcoming of different thoughts.

I happen to disagree with Christianity mainly because of the things it did to ITSELF. Like removing reincarnation as a belief because of some very narrow-minded emperor in the past.

If you ever discussed with me you'd see that I also hold belief that sex is not evil and should not be demonized.

The whole problematic was that my comment was not only deleted from True Hinduism (I see no problem in deleting a comment in one own's site) but my comment was tampered and made as if I agreed, my own expression of truth was tainted. That I cannot accept, because I live in the motto of Satyameva Jayate.

Please consider that while nudity and sex are not evil, they are not be used in an untasteful or trivial manner, the numinous should be treated with great reverence.

You should consider practicing ahimsa in speech, we need not to call each other names to discuss ideas.

Be well,

Om

Jainarayan
23 November 2011, 12:28 PM
The link is blocked from work, so I can't see it. But it's as simple as I said above. There is no right to free speech on the internet, for anyone.

However, if something false and detrimental to a person's reputation is put into writing for others to see, it's libel and subject to legal action. Sometimes web admins know that and will remove the libelous remarks before it gets out of hand or noticed.

I sympathize with you, as I've had comments removed and/or edited from a site or two for no good reason other than the admin disagreed with me. The internet is a breeding ground for comments that people would probably never make face to face.

charitra
23 November 2011, 12:45 PM
Pietro and Naya,
Sorry you had to go through the torture. Hinduism cant be tarnished so easily, let them be happy with what they do. Just don’t feed their egos.

Don’t ever bother reading those blogs or if you are curious then never ever comment there. As I had unsuccessfully tried convincing Cakee a few days ago, a faith will be confirmed NOT misinterpreted if their adherents apply faith as the basis for their abuse of fellow humans with clear approval of majority adherents. Anyone can see hindus are very argumentative and wont submit to any form of oppression (including diet), they find quick remedies for any aberrant /misinterpreted verses especially when such verses lead to hardship of people.

At the end of the day you are boosting his ego(read evil) and even ratings for crying out loud. Soon Heritage foundation or Templeton foundation or such may invite him as an expert on hinduism and post ensuing seminar footage on the web. Landscape of religion became very political and manipulative and hateful, thanks to the abrahamics. Hindus and Buddhists don’t have the commitment or resources the abrahamics have. They run blogs not for debate/education, they do so to spread hatred by spreading lies. As sm said above, abrahamics fund those blogs since money is an huge abrahamic tool to persuade people to recruit to their parties (faiths !!). Namaste.

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 12:56 PM
Ty for posting that PI, as I would not have went back to be in the presence of such a being.

This is the problem. This person posts who is and who isn't a Hindu, but one of the things on their list is people who do such a thing.

Sad to say a being would, without knowing me say such things...all of you know how I hold the line many times whenever I see sex being labled a sin on here. Most of what this being says is not out of line with my own ideas. Not that this would matter one bit. You don't have to agree with me, be as me...or even like me to exist.

So PI, he backs down for you and says...hmm...sorry about cursing you out...perhaps I was hasty...you may be okay. I will allow you to exist.

But who is he to evaluate you one way or another? or anyone for that matter. Who qualified him to make lists of the things which Hindu would be and would not be?

I am glad at this moment I am a Dharmist and therefore not subject to the multiple vulgar rants about "Hindu".

I pray for them to find that Love which is supposedly what they claim is at the center of Being Hindu. Because one whom really felt that Love would never be able to treat another portion in such a disgusting way.

Either way, I would personally warn anyone who was seeking, to avoid a novice who has only been Hindu for a year, yet attempting to teach...and also which claims to have seen and spoken to jesus christ.

If Beloved would come to us in the form He would see in our hearts. This image would not be found in this heart.

And most of all, the final reason would be....anyone who would allow a cobra such as this to post, contribute and berate other Hindu, is and will be taken as the company he keeps.

I will not say another word about this, nor visit the door of the cobra again.

Only thing I can do is pray, somewhere that Love begins to become nurtured and the hatred is removed.

Adhvagat
23 November 2011, 03:51 PM
I think everything was worked out and while we may not agree with what a certain person holds as a belief (as we all do here, many here follow different principles in the path of dharma) perhaps the situation escalated because that's the natural reaction of egos clashing (now I get why two nations kill each other in war, the bigger the ego, the worse things escalate).

What really set my mind on fire was the incident of the tampering, that made me look everything with strong suspicion. But since the admin of the site promptly fixed everything, there's nothing more to worry about.

Putting myself in their shoes, perhaps my stance seemed a little to radical to denounce with strong words so quickly, even if that was not the intention (but hell is filled with good intentioned people as they say).

EM is right, "go pray Ganesha" is the best thing to do to appease one's mind. :)

Om

Eastern Mind
23 November 2011, 04:34 PM
I think everything was worked out and while we may not agree with what a certain person holds as a belief (as we all do here, many here follow different principles in the path of dharma) perhaps the situation escalated because that's the natural reaction of egos clashing (now I get why two nations kill each other in war, the bigger the ego, the worse things escalate).

What really set my mind on fire was the incident of the tampering, that made me look everything with strong suspicion. But since the admin of the site promptly fixed everything, there's nothing more to worry about.

Putting myself in their shoes, perhaps my stance seemed a little to radical to denounce with strong words so quickly, even if that was not the intention (but hell is filled with good intentioned people as they say).

EM is right, "go pray Ganesha" is the best thing to do to appease one's mind. :)

Om

Vannakkam: This is so impressive, PI. The other philosophical belief we (at least I sure the heck do) tend to forget about is that it was our own karma to get us into this situation in the first place. The method of mitigation in such cases is to just stop the war, by not continuing it. So why recreate the whole story all over again by continuing? Then later it just comes back again. So it becomes, "Is the only lesson learned is we never learn the lesson?"

Aum Namasivaya

NayaSurya
23 November 2011, 05:39 PM
Vannakkam: This is so impressive, PI. The other philosophical belief we (at least I sure the heck do) tend to forget about is that it was our own karma to get us into this situation in the first place. The method of mitigation in such cases is to just stop the war, by not continuing it. So why recreate the whole story all over again by continuing? Then later it just comes back again. So it becomes, "Is the only lesson learned is we never learn the lesson?"

Aum Namasivaya

Wonderful words. I once had a neighbor whom poisoned and killed my two cats. This made me so so so upset with her.

But something Gurudeva say snap me out of this upset. He say..."what we have between two people in any relationship is a table...and what you two both have to draw from is what you bring to that table. If you bring anger, then this guest only have anger...and if you bring Love...then they only can draw on your Love.

(mind you this does not work on the unstable, but on rational folks it always always work!)

Anyway, so that week was mother's day and since my own mother had died the year before I buy the best things for this neighbor and gived them to her without a name on them.

Just saying..."Happy Mother's Day"

From that moment on, she never harmed us again.

Such things, I wish my own government could also learn.:p

Shivbhakta
16 April 2013, 12:14 AM
Namaste everyone.

This thread has long been dead and I wonder if anyone will see this. But I feel like I should say something. It's been well over a year since these events, but an apology is in order.

I am the one who started the TrueHinduism, the JCHA, and other associated websites, and wrote on FYH with one other person. Reading through what he said to Pietro and NayaSurya disgusted me, but I must admit that I am responsible for being foolish enough to think I was ready to teach when I was so spiritually young, and so attached to my Christian beliefs. I enabled these atrocities. I was a fool, and the events that followed clearly reflect that.

I did not start the JCHA or the TrueHinduism blog with bad intentions. I truly though I could marry Hindu and Christian philosophies, when I could not. I had come out of independent Catholic ministry, and I couldn't detach from my Christian beliefs while taking up new Hindu ones. I flip-flopped so often in my expression of faith, so confused by where God had led me. My inability to leave behind my faith in Jesus led me down a dark and egoic road, culminating in me losing my faith altogether. I couldn't get rid of my spiritual experiences though, and my awareness of God around me. Eventually, I admitted that I knew God existed, though not the Christian God. I began growing more spiritually once more, and this time, in a path I believe is better suited for humility. The other person who wrote on FYH with me, who wrote those horrible things about NayaSurya and Pietro, is still an atheist even now.

What really got me before was two-fold: 1) I was a new student of Advaita Vedanta, and impressed by what seemed at the time to be a very consistent theology, though now I disagree with certain aspects of it; 2) Some of those who followed what I said and befriended me told me that they thought I was an avatara, and though I denied such claims quite boldly, I think those words still inflated my ego and allowed me to sink lower into attachment.

I now follow, and teach, a path of Bhedabheda Ishvaravada, quite similar in philosophy to some core aspects of both Shaiva Siddhanta and Kashmiri Pratyabhijna. I'm just following God wherever he leads me now, and that is entirely without the Christian religion. I believe in total surrender to God. Forget about yourself. Forget about your name and accomplishments. Just surrender. God will take care of you. My biggest problem was that I didn't do this before. I read, "Aham Brahmasmi," and it clicked in my mind as, "I am God." For someone so stuck in ego, that is a very dangerous thought. I saw worship and submission as below me, I suppose. I didn't have with God the relationship I have now. Each day is a journey. I always try to improve from the day before. I'm not perfect, and I don't present myself as a final authority on anything. Though I teach, I also try to learn from everyone and everything I am blessed to encounter in this great play of consciousness.

I cannot express how sorry I am that these events happened, and though I cannot undo what has been done, I hope that, over time, I can become friends with the users here and grow more deeply in my own faith, as well as learn more about that of others. It is truly a wonderful thing, this Sanatana Dharma; it is what saved me from my own self-destruction.

May you all be endlessly and radiantly blessed by the grace of the Supreme Lord.

Aum Namah Shivaya!

Believer
16 April 2013, 10:09 AM
Namaste,

Whereas the people who were hurt may or may not accept the apologies, I found some of the things quite comical,

........Some of those who followed what I said and befriended me told me that they thought I was an avatara..........

.......... I read, "Aham Brahmasmi," and it clicked in my mind as, "I am God." I am not sure why did people read or got mad at the pronouncements of a 20 year old 'avatar'. :)

Pranam.

Shivbhakta
16 April 2013, 10:45 AM
[Post Retracted]

Eastern Mind
16 April 2013, 12:42 PM
Namaste everyone.

This thread has long been dead and I wonder if anyone will see this. But I feel like I should say something. It's been well over a year since these events, but an apology is in order.


Vannakkam: I am very very careful with this. I walk with doubt. I am 59 years old, been practising Hinduism for 40 years now. (Quite diligently, I might add.) Still ... after all these years, I occasionally regress into my childhood belief system ... agnostic/atheist/humanism. "Oh yeah, going fishing in the river might be fun." That sort of thing, when my guard is down, or I'm just relaxed.

Changing one's subconscious mind is an arduous arduous task, to put it mildly. It takes years and years, maybe lifetimes.

I've also witnessed converts from Abrahamic religions meet up with struggle after struggle. They subconsciously head to the temple on Sundays, have heavy reactions to concepts of Hindu penance, or see the devas as the equivalent of angels, or see the temple as a place of solace, not the house of God. Other actions are the actions of an Abrahamic, not the actions of a Hindu. In many ways, they're still thinking in good/bad, or black/white. Another trait is a focus on getting everything done in this lifetime, like having a 'bucket list'. Sorry, but do you really believe in reincarnation or not? Is is just a cool intellectual concept.

And guess what? They can't see this in themselves. It takes an outsider like me to notice, but of course I remain silent, because the Hindu is patient, and can easily go with "Maybe next lifetime."

Apologies are nice, and a great start, but I would have to see real action over a long long period before I'd ever be convinced.

Aum Namasivaya

Adhvagat
16 April 2013, 04:54 PM
Namaste everyone.

This thread has long been dead and I wonder if anyone will see this. But I feel like I should say something. It's been well over a year since these events, but an apology is in order.

I am the one who started the TrueHinduism, the JCHA, and other associated websites, and wrote on FYH with one other person. Reading through what he said to Pietro and NayaSurya disgusted me, but I must admit that I am responsible for being foolish enough to think I was ready to teach when I was so spiritually young, and so attached to my Christian beliefs. I enabled these atrocities. I was a fool, and the events that followed clearly reflect that.

I did not start the JCHA or the TrueHinduism blog with bad intentions. I truly though I could marry Hindu and Christian philosophies, when I could not. I had come out of independent Catholic ministry, and I couldn't detach from my Christian beliefs while taking up new Hindu ones. I flip-flopped so often in my expression of faith, so confused by where God had led me. My inability to leave behind my faith in Jesus led me down a dark and egoic road, culminating in me losing my faith altogether. I couldn't get rid of my spiritual experiences though, and my awareness of God around me. Eventually, I admitted that I knew God existed, though not the Christian God. I began growing more spiritually once more, and this time, in a path I believe is better suited for humility. The other person who wrote on FYH with me, who wrote those horrible things about NayaSurya and Pietro, is still an atheist even now.

What really got me before was two-fold: 1) I was a new student of Advaita Vedanta, and impressed by what seemed at the time to be a very consistent theology, though now I disagree with certain aspects of it; 2) Some of those who followed what I said and befriended me told me that they thought I was an avatara, and though I denied such claims quite boldly, I think those words still inflated my ego and allowed me to sink lower into attachment.

I now follow, and teach, a path of Bhedabheda Ishvaravada, quite similar in philosophy to some core aspects of both Shaiva Siddhanta and Kashmiri Pratyabhijna. I'm just following God wherever he leads me now, and that is entirely without the Christian religion. I believe in total surrender to God. Forget about yourself. Forget about your name and accomplishments. Just surrender. God will take care of you. My biggest problem was that I didn't do this before. I read, "Aham Brahmasmi," and it clicked in my mind as, "I am God." For someone so stuck in ego, that is a very dangerous thought. I saw worship and submission as below me, I suppose. I didn't have with God the relationship I have now. Each day is a journey. I always try to improve from the day before. I'm not perfect, and I don't present myself as a final authority on anything. Though I teach, I also try to learn from everyone and everything I am blessed to encounter in this great play of consciousness.

I cannot express how sorry I am that these events happened, and though I cannot undo what has been done, I hope that, over time, I can become friends with the users here and grow more deeply in my own faith, as well as learn more about that of others. It is truly a wonderful thing, this Sanatana Dharma; it is what saved me from my own self-destruction.

May you all be endlessly and radiantly blessed by the grace of the Supreme Lord.

Aum Namah Shivaya!

I'm not the same person who wrote this thread.

We're all changed by the course of our lives, we either persist in same-ness or in our mistakes or we learn and move on.

What ticked me was really the injustice and dishonesty of altering my comment. That's a family gene that goes berserk whenever injustice is spotted.

What you experienced may very well be inflation. You got into contact with an spiritual truth and thought your ego was all of it. Alan Watts says westerners usually have no spiritual framework to properly understand tat tvam asi, that we are IT.

It's all good, it's all part of the dance!

;)

yajvan
16 April 2013, 07:29 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté



This thread has long been dead and I wonder if anyone will see this. But I feel like I should say something. It's been well over a year since these events, but an apology is in order.

If I may , what would you like to accomplish here on HDF ? And what do you wish to teach , and in what capacity ?

Can you also tell us what you learned from your experience?


iti śivaṁ

Shivbhakta
16 April 2013, 11:35 PM
[Post Retracted]

charitra
17 April 2013, 08:08 AM
when I was so spiritually young, and so attached to my Christian beliefs. I enabled these atrocities. I was a fool, and the events that followed clearly reflect that. ......... I had come out of independent Catholic ministry, and I couldn't detach from my Christian beliefs while taking up new Hindu ones. I flip-flopped so often in my expression of faith, so confused by where God had led me. My inability to leave behind my faith in Jesus led me down a dark and egoic road, culminating in me losing my faith altogether.
!

That's fine and you are welcome back to hindu fold, just so long as you don't bring in divinities or doctrines from non dharmic faiths here. On a side note do you mind telling your story without revealing any confidential information. Were you born to hindu parents to begin with and drifted away, or did you take up Hinduism after your birth. As already said above teens make many errors of judgment and that's natural. Namaste.

Shivbhakta
17 April 2013, 12:42 PM
[Post Retracted]

NayaSurya
17 April 2013, 04:24 PM
Hari Om and Namaste <3

It's very funny, how consciousness tends to lend us a hint about things to come. Just the other day i stumble upon something i had written in my blog a long time ago about my experience with your blog. It's a private note about allowing others to just be in their moment and it made me think about you and HN.

You know i was stricken with such a great love at that moment hoping you were well...and you are, so that is my answer...or maybe it works the other way around and the nudge was to let me know you were here speaking?

Well either way I am so happy for you and wish for you that love and also peace too.

What i have come to understand is that some folks are upon very strong rivers of karma. You can not take them up from this journey, you can not change their direction. Only time does this...learning and also sadhana...and much grace of Beloved Bhagwan.

So glad to see you are still swimming along <3

Eastern Mind
18 April 2013, 01:07 PM
Vannakkam: There is a saying in my country regarding the rural to urban transition that many of us had to go through out of necessity, in order to get a job. This rural to urban trend continues to this day. The saying is, "You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy."

Shivbhakta, my earlier comments were in this regard. I may have come across as somewhat harsh. I'm just speaking from experience observing the process of adoptives and converts to Hinduism. It is not easy, plain and simple. Even here on HDF we have been witness to a return to a previous faith, after much due consideration. It happens.

I admire your efforts at apologising, and wish you the best on this difficult sojourn into a new religion.

Aum Namasivaya

yajvan
18 April 2013, 08:05 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté


The proof is in the pudding.

http://us.cdn4.123rf.com/168nwm/markstout/markstout1207/markstout120700498/14667030-creamy-vanilla-pudding-in-a-frosted-dessert-glass.jpg

iti śivaṁ

Eastern Mind
18 April 2013, 09:00 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté


The proof is in the pudding.

http://us.cdn4.123rf.com/168nwm/markstout/markstout1207/markstout120700498/14667030-creamy-vanilla-pudding-in-a-frosted-dessert-glass.jpg

iti śivaṁ

Vannakkam: Funny coloured payasam. (piasam) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kheer

Aum Namasivaya

sapansaxena
22 April 2013, 07:13 AM
The funny thing is that the blog is no more active now.
Poetic justice?