Evedence supporting hinduism?

[Lennyfl]

I'm attracted to Hinduism. I've always loved different religions and I have been through many different ones. Right now I'm liking Hinduism. I find it attractive because it's so old and the many god's are interesting. I've always felt inside me that there is a God and that there was many parts to it. Like the many different gods were all one. Hinduism teaches this, so it's appealing.
Right now I'm Christian. Christianity has historical evidence backing it up. I was wondering if there is similar evidence in Hinduism. How would one convince someone that Hinduism is true? What evidence is there to make me believe in it and what makes Hinduism a logical religion? Help on this subject will be much appreciated. Any good sources, such as books and websites will be appreciated also. Thankyou!

[brahma jijnasa]

Namaste Lennyfl and welcome to HDF

Hindu Dharma is a religion, and as every religion it is based on faith that you have to invest in it so that you could get something in return.
A traditional Hindu teachers (acaryas) explained this with one practical example which says that if someone gives you a jar of honey he can tell you that honey is sweet, but if you've never tasted honey you can ask "how do I know what honey is like, is it really sweet?". So to really find out what honey is like just watching in the jar will not be helpful. First you must have some interest and faith in the words of the person who offered you honey, and only then you will open a jar and taste the honey. Only when you do that you'll find out what honey is like, otherwise you'll never know. That's the point of the story.

Yes, Hindu Dharma is very much a logical religion. To discover it the best thing is to read some of the books written by some of the traditional teachers.
Here are my recommendations: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...727#post115727

You can order these books in some of the online bookstores or you can read them on the web.
As a good start I recommend (see at the link above) Life Comes from Life, it is a book that speaks about the theory of modern science that life emerged from matter, from chemicals, and about Vedic explanation that life is a symptom of a spiritual soul, and that life can not be obtained from the interaction of chemicals. When I read that book more than twenty years ago I found that it approaches the topic very lucidly, sane and logical.

The ocean of Hindu Dharma is very deep, here are some of my posts that can help you in exploring:
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...720#post102720
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...053#post100053



regards

[Believer]

Namaste,

Welcome to the forum.

What evidence is there to make me believe in it and what makes Hinduism a logical religion? Help on this subject will be much appreciated.

Material sciences can be validated in a lab, spirituality does not lend itself to such proof or evidence. It is faith based and the only way to know it is to jump in, live it, experience it and partake in the nectar. Where does a river originate and where does it end is inconsequential to a person who needs to take a bath in it. Hindus don't proselytize, seekers seek it out because of their own curiosity or need/desire to advance spiritually. Good luck.

Pranam.

[deafAncient]

Namaste Lennyfl,

Don't make the mistake of equating Abrahamic religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism with anything outside of it. Be careful about falling for radical universalism, and consider the following.

There are two kinds of knowledge of Sanaatana Dharma (Hinduism). Shruti is knowledge of the inner experience, what everyone experiences, especially what a developed guru experiences and is shared as a part of imparting Dharmic knowledge to followers. This is knowledge that is carried from generation to generation, from guru to follower, so that this knowledge is ever fresh, alive. This is "embodied knowledge." Smriti, on the other hand is knowledge of law, as is written by the appropriate people that reflect the time, the culture profile, and the circumstances of the time. These laws change over time. These two bodies of knowledge, according to Rajiv, are treated in Abrahamic faiths such that shruti is collapsed into smriti, and because Abrahamic faiths are History-centric, you end up with a frozen, fossilized record of the religious experience and law that hasn't changed in 2000 years (assuming that subsequent translations can be believed) in Christianity, for example.

This is the fatal flaw in both Christianity and Islam. I can understand the concept of rigidity of Abrahamic faiths because I experience the effects of "shruti collapsed into smriti" on Christians as they proselytize to me whenever they get the chance. This means that they will either fight to the end, both sides will have to "unfreeze" their sacred writings/scripture and look at things differently, becoming inclusive religions, or they will have to negotiate some way that they can learn to disagree and "live in two different worlds" (as though these two groups live on two different planets with two sets of history - problem is, they're talking about the SAME PEOPLE, and that's why it can't be resolved. There's no other solution other than what I have stated).

[Sriram257]

Hi Lenny,

1st of all you have to understand that Hinduism means "Sanatana Dharma". This literally means "eternal laws". I will explain this, but first let me give you a clarification.


Like Islam and Christianity there are no set of beliefs which you subscribe in Hinduism and become a Hindu.

Then what does it mean to be a Hindu you may ask. It only means that when a person realises that he wants unboundlessness or limitlessness. He starts seeking it. Hence there is no such thing as a heretic in Hinduism, a Hindu can question even the very existence of God.

Now when seeking limitlessness you can harness the eternal laws which were discovered by the sages. These are suppose to be spiritual laws. They are recorded in scriptures and in different traditions within the Hindu fold.

Now it is very difficult to pin down common tenets within Hinduism. But 2 tenets below are

1.Divinity of the soul.

2. Reincarnation.

3. Freedom from reincarnation.

Essentially you are divine, you keep reincarnating and when you are mature you are released from reincarnation.

Now you question with respect to evidence. Can this be verified, my answer is yes, it cannot be demonstrated but definitely it can be verified.

Let us take the case of reincarnation.

The study of Ian Stevenson's cases for children definitely suggests that there is reincarnation. Some of the objections are answered below

1. Can these cases be considered mere coincidence-- No, since the mathematical probability was worked out and such a thing happening by coincidence is not possible.

2.Is there any DNA link-- This was also checked but their was no DNA link between the present and the previous incarnation.

3.Can it be cryptoamnesia-- The answer is no since the child is able to give very intimate details of the previous incarnation which no one knew.

The way the skeptics explain away the above facts after a lot of debate is the following.

1. As there is no way to explain the mechanism of how the previous soul came into the present incarnation we do not admit this as proof of the survival of personality.

2. Holding the 1st point to be true we propose that the memories of the previous incarnation was some how present in the environment and the child absorbed it.


You may use your reason and check it the above points make sense to you.

Based on this it seems evident that the 1st 2 claims of the divinity of soul and reincarnation is true. The last claim of release from reincarnation is something that has to be verified for one self. This can most decidedly be verified.

However I would suggest you watch out for the fake gurus and use your own intelligence in finding the path.

Finally, being a Hindu I have no problem in accepting the divinity of Christ or if I don't accept it, have no issues in respecting your faith.

The problem is only when the Christian quotes the bible and says that Jesus is the only way. That is when the issue arises. Mutual respect is what is required among religions and not mere tolerance.

I may not accept the doctrine of original sin still I respect your path. But there is no guarantee that a Christian will not accept reincarnation and accept Hinduism as a valid path to the Divine, this for the simple reason that I have hardly heard any Christian say this. But that does not mean that I believe every Christian has this view.