Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 22

Thread: Namaste

  1. #1
    Join Date
    June 2009
    Location
    New Delhi
    Age
    31
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    116

    Namaste

    Isn't converting to Hinduism banned? I have read this on several sites. Please explain.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: Namaste

    Perhaps you are referring to the unethical conversion tactics used by some Christian missionaries that are banned in some states, such as widespread distribution of pamphlets, basically hate literature against Hindus. But no, as far as I know, conversion to Hinduism is not banned.Aum Namasivaya

  3. #3
    Join Date
    April 2006
    Location
    NY State
    Age
    66
    Posts
    552
    Rep Power
    99

    Re: Namaste

    Banned by whom?

    And, not for nothing, but "conversion to Hinduism" is kinda of a oxymoron, to my eye ... how can one "convert" to something which is ineffable? Conversion is so an evangelical "Christian" term ... holy mixing metaphors, Batman!


    ZN
    yaireva patanaM dravyaiH siddhistaireva choditA .
    shrI kauladarshane chApi bhairaveNa mahAtmanA .

    It is revealed in the sacred doctrine of Kula and by the great Bhairava, that the perfection is achieved by that very means by which fall occurs.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    June 2009
    Location
    New Delhi
    Age
    31
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    116

    Re: Namaste

    I am not against converting to Hinduism. Actually I think it is very cool. But what I read was that Hinduism is not just a religion, but science, literature and philosophy and all that stuff, so it seems very unpractical to convert to Hinduism. I am not saying this but I read this somewhere.

    I have also read somewhere, which could be rumor, that Sang Parivar or some other Hindu group is trying to ban conversions internationally. I read this on Wikipedia. And also that their weren't any conversion policies till much later and that too in the South, not in the North. This too was written on Wikipedia.

    But now I think Wiki is not really trustworthy, if it writes anything it wants.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: Namaste

    Well, I am a convert, sort of. Strictly speaking, conversion means that you have to give up something beforehand, like if you convert to vegetarianism, you give up meat. For me personally, I had no previous religion, so there was nothing to convert from, so I am called an adoptive.

    People are correct when they state that there is no need to 'convert'. One can just start living as a Hindu. Eventually you will be Hindu. Many leaders of various sects have differing opinions on all of this, or course.

    Personally speaking, I had some problems with this method. The first was the name. I just find it odd when a person named Muhammed says he's a Christian, or Isaiah claims to be Buddhist. Just odd, nothing else. Like a fish out of water. There are several examples of this in Islam ... Muhammed Ali, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and the singer who was formerly Cat Stevens. In the Sri Lankan community I am familiar with, many keep their Hindu names when they become Christian, so you have a Natharajah Sivalingam going to church, and on the member roll of Catholicism. Not wrong, just odd. When you get introduced, you automatically assume the fellow is Hindu. Having a Hindu name, in practice, actually helps, with things like acceptance by the Hindu community, entrance into temples, etc. The process also marks your sincerity to yourself, your friends, and the community.

    Another reason is mental conflict. This has more to do with giving up the previous religion than to receiving the new one. A true conversion, in my opinion, is complete. You can't be a little of both without mental conflict. A universalist will disagree. Take going to heaven, versus reincarnation, for example. Well, which wife are you married to? The mind would be jumping back and forth at the time of death. Mental confusion. We are on the path of stilling the mind, not accelerating it.

    The third reason is mystical. Most of the intellectual, non-mystical schools of Hinduism won`t see this at all. I believe in God, and devas. Devas are the inner beings that help us. Former friends or family on the astral plane, that on the inside are helping us all the time, or the Mahadevas themselves. Suppose you are destined to have a flat tire somewhere on a road in India. If the Hindu devas are helping you, that flat tire will happen right in front of a beautiful Ganesha temple. If the angels of Catholicism are helping, you will stop at a shrine to the Virgin Mary. If the asuras are around you because of poor lifestyle, weakened will, or seed karmas coming to fruition, you`ll have two flat tires. So it`s important to be connected to other worlds in this way.

    Here is another simple analogy or story to understand unseen worlds existence. I am a gardener by hobby, at the temple I go to. People will come by and tell me that the flower bed needs watering. They see the surface, and the surface only. I know I watered it one hour before. As soon as the surface is scratched, you find moist soil. But they see only the dry part. Or they will say `nice rain we got last night, you don`t need to water,`` and as soon as you dig you find dry soil within the first inch. the rainwater got to the stem, but not the roots where it needs to get to.

    So the point is that our observation Ťand normal awareness only scratches the surface of what is actually going on around us.

    Aum Namasivaya

  6. #6
    Join Date
    June 2009
    Location
    New Delhi
    Age
    31
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    116

    Smile Re: Namaste

    Thanks for sharing this. I am really glad that converting to Hinduism is not banned. Not that I had anything to loose, since I am Hindu by birth. But it feels good.

    I did not quite understand the thing about mental conflict. Though, I do agree that conversion should be complete.

    As for the other world. I believe only in Karma. And demigods to me are very irritating. But these are just my thoughts. But as you said that non-mystical/intellectual would not believe this. I need to have logic to believe anything and I feel karma is the only logic.

    But anyways thanks for sharing this. If I comment anymore -smiling- I would end just end up contradicting you.

  7. #7

    Re: Namaste

    Namaste eriko,
    Welcome
    BTW, there are no demigods in Hinduism(In my understanding), there are only gods(devas as stated by Eastern-mind) i.e. different manifestation of Brahman.
    There are some Hindu converts on the forum, so conversion to Hinduism is not banned
    I would even support if a Hindu wants to convert to other tradition for purely spiritual reasons, what I dislike is conversion of poor villagers to Christianity by means of financial benefits.
    Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits; let not the fruits of the action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: Namaste

    Quote Originally Posted by eriko View Post

    I did not quite understand the thing about mental conflict. Though, I do agree that conversion should be complete.
    What I mean by this is when the mind tries to hold two opposing views at the same time. Suppose you are a fan of two different cricket teams, but then they end up playing in the championship. You don't know what to do, which is confusion, or as I termed, mental conflict. Different religions, different sects even, do hold opposing or differing beliefs. Its just not healthy, that's all. hope this clarifies it somewhat.

    Aum Namasivaya

  9. #9
    Join Date
    June 2009
    Location
    New Delhi
    Age
    31
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    116

    Re: Namaste

    Quote Originally Posted by reflections View Post
    BTW, there are no demigods in Hinduism(In my understanding), there are only gods(devas as stated by Eastern-mind) i.e. different manifestation of Brahman.
    No offense but I read this in the Bhagvad Gita (Krishna Counciousness). In which it said that all Gods are DemiGods except Krishna, but of course it means Devas. I don't think there is any difference between the two.

    There are some Hindu converts on the forum, so conversion to Hinduism is not banned
    Yeah, frankly I was a bit surprised. But it is cool.

    I would even support if a Hindu wants to convert to other tradition for purely spiritual reasons, what I dislike is conversion of poor villagers to Christianity by means of financial benefits.
    Same here. Great minds think alike.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    What I mean by this is when the mind tries to hold two opposing views at the same time. Suppose you are a fan of two different cricket teams, but then they end up playing in the championship. You don't know what to do, which is confusion, or as I termed, mental conflict. Different religions, different sects even, do hold opposing or differing beliefs. Its just not healthy, that's all. hope this clarifies it somewhat.
    Yes I got it now. Thanks.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    January 2007
    Location
    duhkhalayam asasvatam
    Posts
    1,450
    Rep Power
    92

    Re: Namaste

    Pranam

    Quote Originally Posted by eriko View Post
    No offense but I read this in the Bhagvad Gita (Krishna Counciousness). In which it said that all Gods are DemiGods except Krishna, but of course it means Devas. I don't think there is any difference between the two.
    .
    Can you quote the verse in Bhagvat Gita where it says all gods are demigod.

    Vedas talk about 33 Devas ultimately Yagnvalkya says there is only one
    you should read up on,
    Yajyavalkya Kanda - Sakalya Brahmana, in the Brihardarayanka Upanishad.

    Devas= Divine, Demigod =half god, there is no comparison,

    Vayu is a deva if he is half god then you would be half dead.
    Indra is the King of Gods, Agni is the God of Fire, Sarasvati is the Goddess of Knowledge ~ there is NO half-measure about it.
    i hope you get the point

    Jai Shree Krishna
    Rig Veda list only 33 devas, they are all propitiated, worthy off our worship, all other names of gods are derivative from this 33 originals,
    Bhagvat Gita; Shree Krishna says Chapter 3.11 devan bhavayatanena te deva bhavayantu vah parasparam bhavayantah sreyah param avapsyatha Chapter 17.4 yajante sattvika devan yaksa-raksamsi rajasah pretan bhuta-ganams canye yajante tamasa janah
    The world disappears in him. He is the peaceful, the good, the one without a second.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •