Hindus welcome Unitarian Universalist interest in Hinduism - Webnewswire.com

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Atanu:

Oh, I definitely think that both are Hindu. That seems rather obvious. By the way, do you know the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision regarding the RK Mission? Did their 'protest' do any good? Back when I read about it, I can't remember the details and if there was a follow-up.

The discrimination against the Hindu majority via special minority rights has been going on for a long time, and I don't see any easy solutions. i especially disagree with the government taking temple funds but not church or mosque funds.

Regarding Satya Sai organisation, I sent them the following email at their official website.

I have been debating with a friend. Here is my question. Is the Sai organisation Hindu or non-Hindu? What is the official stance, and do I have permission to quote your response?

Aum Namasivaya

I don't know whether I will get a response or not. I do have a very good Sai devotee friend here and I did ask him, "So do you consider yourself a Hindu now?" (He has been coming to temple to do seva for at least ten years, and he and I have a mutual admiration society over our both doing the seva we do) His answer was, "No. I actually consider myself more of a spiritualist." We left it at that, as I wouldn't want to spoil a friendship over something so trivial. (nor do I want to spoil yours and my politeness and cordiality here)

My bottom line is I don't care what you call yourself as long as you are doing service to a society, and not being a burden or a hassle with others.

Aum Namasivaya

[devotee]

Namaste EM,

In my humble opinion, if you accept Hindu doctrines written in scriptures or told by our saints then you are a Hindu irrespective your legal position on papers.

Ramkrishna Mission is 100 % Hindu organisation. You may go to their satsanga or mutts and see for yourself. Sai Baba organisation is also 100 % Hindu. In fact, though you may not agree with me but SRF (Self Realisation Fellowship) of Maharishi Yogananda too is 100 % Hindu in spirit. The organisations which have spread in different parts of the world have flexible approach towards non-essential things for spirituality .... that is all.

Ramkrishna Mission did ask for a status as a non-Hindu organisation but that was to get the benefits in the legal framework in India as a minority institution. You may be aware that minority organisations enjoy some special benefits which are not available to a Hindu organisation in India.

OM

[atanu]

Vannakkam Atanu:

Oh, I definitely think that both are Hindu.

No issues. I do not believe the following to be true:

Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, and the Satya Sai organisation have all claimed at one time or another to be non-Hindu.

I stop here.

Om Namah Shivaya

[satay]

Namaskar,

I thought it fit to intervene since it is now common to read in HDF that Vivekanada was an idiot, Ramakrishana was rude, universalist fool and not a sage, Ramakrishna Mission is non-hindu, Satya Sai is -----, Shri Ramana was a Neo etc. etc..


Om Namah Shivaya

I don't think it is fair to point that out without pointing the other side of the picture thus my intervention...

In most cases, such posts that you are taking about have been edited and most of the time people have apologizied for their posts. However, in all cases, I see the devotees of such organizations and gurus and saints complaining and demanding immediate action after making personal attacks on other members. Yet the same members won't feel a thing when criticising other organizations like ISKCON. So seems to be a double standard to me but I digress.

A reminder that HDF is a generic Hindu site and not a vivekananda site or a ramakrishna site or a Shri Ramana site etc. etc. Though as hindus we should strive to respect all saints of hinduism, we cannot attack other HDF members personally if they don't. Because if we do it looks like double standard and hypocractic.

Thanks Atanu.

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste EM,

In my humble opinion, if you accept Hindu doctrines written in scriptures or told by our saints then you are a Hindu irrespective your legal position on papers.

Ramkrishna Mission is 100 % Hindu organisation. You may go to their satsanga or mutts and see for yourself. Sai Baba organisation is also 100 % Hindu. In fact, though you may not agree with me but SRF (Self Realisation Fellowship) of Maharishi Yogananda too is 100 % Hindu in spirit. The organisations which have spread in different parts of the world have flexible approach towards non-essential things for spirituality .... that is all.

Ramkrishna Mission did ask for a status as a non-Hindu organisation but that was to get the benefits in the legal framework in India as a minority institution. You may be aware that minority organisations enjoy some special benefits which are not available to a Hindu organisation in India.

OM

Vannakkam Devotee: I totally agree that they are Hindu. I never ever said that I did not think they were Hindu. Satya Sai was given the "Hindu of the Year' award awarded annually by Hinduism Today, and he didn't give it back.

What I am talking about is how any organisation presents itself. This is only being fair to them. If a son comes home and declares, "Dad, I don't want to go to college," and then the Dad says , "Oh, yes, you do," I believe the father is in the wrong.

Or a person comes up and says, "I'm from Gujurat," and you say, "No, you're not , you're from Maharashtra," then you're just being kind of silly.

So if any organisation says, "We're universalist", I think we should respect that. When you say, "I'm a Vaisnavite," I respect that. When I say, "I'm a Saivite," you respect that. That's all I am saying. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I understand totally why RK Mission went through what they did.

Basically, any organisation that claims some sort of universalist doctrine (RK mission is excluded from this because they don't. Their reason was altogether different.) is probably Hindu, because Hinduism is the only religion on the planet that allows for such diversity, and I respect that immensely.

Aum Namasivaya

[atanu]

Namaskar,
I don't think it is fair to point that out without pointing the other side of the picture thus my intervention...

Thanks Atanu.

I agree.

I appreciate your impartiality and wisdom and apologise for transgressions. Offending words, however, even when erased, reach their targets, like bullets that have left the barrel.

Om Namah Shivaya