Originally Posted by
Mystical Soul
A few days ago, I read a discussion regarding, as it was put, Hinduism's missed opportunity. One participant was told that “conversion” was not necessary. That if one thinks s/he is a Hindu then they are. This left her feeling confused and ignored. The second participant referring to something she had read by Rajiv Malhotra said some westerners are taking advantage of Indians or seeing Hinduism*as “available”, the latest spiritual fad so to speak. Actually, I can see both sides of of the argument. One of the problems I think is the way in which we in the west are trained.
It can leave one with feelings of annoyance and bewilderment regarding not feeling accepted. Rajiv Malhotra is correct that Hindu leaders are missing out on many followers by not being very welcoming. IMHO I see two “problems “. For instance if I go to a priest and say I want to become Catholic I would get “formal classes” on Catholicism and related subjects. I would be given several months of instruction as an adult convert. We get to learn The Bible, spiritual history, philosophics and ritual protocol. . Protestants have less intense training but they still have some as adult converts. As a finally, there is baptism. Baptism is an event. It is symbolic of the spiritual adoption of one's new spiritual identification. Sort of like a wedding ring perhaps. OK, coming from that back ground to being told basically that “if you think you are a Hindu then you are one” makes the aspirant feel as if s/he is not taken seriously.
So, we go from a culture where training is rigid to a spiritual laissez-faire concept and it can leave one feeling quite adrift and ignored.
IMHO, one of the reasons ISKCON ( Hare Krishna) is so successful is that they actually teach people and allow them to satisfy their spiritual curiosity. Here in the Bay area they have classes every Wed at one temple and Sunday at another. They are very helpful in guiding perspective converts.
I am not crazy enough to think my suggestions for formal instructions will change anything, but I do think the guru who brought ISKCON and the Western guru who brought the Kauai’s Hindu Monastery to the west were onto something.... IE TEACHING.......
Secondly, I think sometimes westerners make the mistake of thinking all Indians are devout Hindus. I made that mistake and I should know better as in “aren't all blacks religious”. So I got told repeatedly that I can never be a Hindu, until I met spiritual, devout Hindus who had an entirely different view point. Fortunately, I am retired and get to spend unlimited time in the library and on line reading and learning, For most working people with families etc this isn't so.
What I mostly got out of that conversation is that I am not alone in finding my own way. People like I am, who must basically teach ourselves can be dangerous in that we go with what we think something means, and then if we pass it on enough, it can actually do what some fear most, dilute or change concepts that have been long standing. It is not our intention but if one does not teach a child how to talk, they will eventually invent their own language. Then in a generation or so the original way of expression will be unrecognized all because no one took the desire of the child to speak as anything other than a fad.
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