Intercaste, Interracial, and Interfaith Marriage

[sunyata07]

Namaste,

Thanks for the lesson, Scott. I was a Catholic for most of my life, so I am familiar with most of their beliefs. But latria, dulia, and hyperdulia? These words are new to me, and they never taught us anything like that in our religion classes or even mentioned at Mass.

But at the same time, I think It's one thing for the Church to write the philosophy of their worship for scholars and theologists to read, and another thing for a layperson to see an image of Our Lady of Lourdes and join his hands in prayer before it. Maybe it's an Irish thing, but there are Madonna murtis everywhere, many of them often without the infant Christ, just Her. There are grottos and shrines all over the place, where people will leave flowers and candles at the feet of the statue. I can't see how that is not worship. Prayer and worship are synonymous to me, and always will be. But then again, you are speaking about the official stance of RC theology, so I will concede that point to you.

Om namah Shivaya

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: To just add a bit to Sunyata's post ... When I was in Mauritius, there were shrines on every second corner. They all looked basically the same ... until you looked inside. So a Hindu person could be walking along, see a shrine up ahead, pick a flower, then once actually in front of the shrine, see a Mary, or a plain cross. So it was an obvious attempt by the Catholic Church to mimick the local worship right back to the days of Iles de Maurice. The other funny thing was that both sides felt that the higher up a mountain you go physically, the more important the shrine would be. So you'd go up some mountain path, and find a Hindu temple, then a Catholic shrine, then a Hindu shrine, etc. Idols? Yes of course.

Aum Namasivaya

[ScottMalaysia]

Thanks for the lesson, Scott. I was a Catholic for most of my life, so I am familiar with most of their beliefs. But latria, dulia, and hyperdulia? These words are new to me, and they never taught us anything like that in our religion classes or even mentioned at Mass.

You shouldn't be surprised. The Catholic Church doesn't instruct the faithful properly since Vatican II. I've heard of RCIA classes with very little (if any) mention of Mary and the saints. The Catholic Church has become very "Protestantised" over the last 40 years. You may not hear hell or even sin, key Catholic teachings, mentioned at the modern Mass, which is designed so that a person can live a non-Catholic life six days of the week and not feel bad when he goes to Mass on Sunday.

If you want a detailed explanation of these terms, then see the Christian worship article at the Catholic Encyclopedia.

But at the same time, I think It's one thing for the Church to write the philosophy of their worship for scholars and theologists to read, and another thing for a layperson to see an image of Our Lady of Lourdes and join his hands in prayer before it. Maybe it's an Irish thing, but there are Madonna murtis everywhere, many of them often without the infant Christ, just Her. There are grottos and shrines all over the place, where people will leave flowers and candles at the feet of the statue. I can't see how that is not worship. Prayer and worship are synonymous to me, and always will be. But then again, you are speaking about the official stance of RC theology, so I will concede that point to you.

Yes, you're quite right. Many Catholics who venerate the Virgin Mary are probably not familiar with the distinction between the terms latria and hyperdulia. They've just been taught to say the Rosary, or the Memorare, or any number of Marian prayers, without understanding the ideas behind it. I remember reading about how an Eastern Orthodox Christian prayed to Mary to protect them on a journey.

[RVR]

India has the lowest divorce rates in the world.

May be arranged marriages prevailing in India are more sustainable than the love marriages in the western world.

I wish western world learn good habits from India

All the best

[Eastern Mind]

India has the lowest divorce rates in the world.

Vannakkam: Or ... maybe the social stigma against divorce is so high that very few take the risk of it and stay in unhealthy or abusive relationships instead.

Personally, I tend to agree with you, but it is clearly an individual matter. I've seen some downright dysfunctional and abusive Hindu marriages. This is similar to 2 or 3 generations ago in the west, where some women stayed with their husbands not out of love, but for survival. They simply had nowhere else to go. Men, by law, held land and ownership rights.

On the other hand, I've seen some long term common-law relationships that seem incredibly healthy with no marriage at all to bind the couple.

So I think there would have to be a ton of data or research in order for me to accept such sweeping generalisations.

Aum Namasivaya

[PARAM]

ॐ
This is not a new thing, it was done before time
Even Parshuram who was declared as enemy of Kshatriyas was married to Kshatriya King Sudas' daughter. Parshuram's descendants are also Sudas'.

[saidevo]

namaste Param.

I am a bit surprised you suggest that mere mortal Hindus take a ViShNu avatAra as an example! For such comparisons, sages like KAnchi ParamAcharya and RamaNa would say, first acquire the divine capabilties of the person you are comparing and then you can do as they did.

ॐ
This is not a new thing, it was done before time
Even Parshuram who was declared as enemy of Kshatriyas was married to Kshatriya King Sudas' daughter. Parshuram's descendants are also Sudas'.

[PARAM]

ॐ

Saideo, this is only an example, and Parshuram is not a mortal, He is one of the immortals

This was an example for who thinks Brahmins and Kshatriyas are enemy because of Parshuram but the descendants of Parshuram are themselves belongs to Kshatriya mother also.

[RVR]

India has the lowest divorce rates in the world.

http://www.darndivorce.com/divorce-r...und-the-world/

But divorce rates in India are in the increase now.

I wish some body makes a research and publish the same so that people all over the world can follow India for a successful married life.

All the best

[Eastern Mind]

India has the lowest divorce rates in the world.

http://www.darndivorce.com/divorce-r...und-the-world/

But divorce rates in India are in the increase now.

I wish some body makes a research and publish the same so that people all over the world can follow India for a successful married life.

All the best

Vannakkam RVR: I find it interesting that none of the stricter Islamic nations are on the list. Perhaps they don't keep statistics or wouldn't release them to the folks who compiled the data. Certainly India's citizens should be commended for ranking so high, but no such survey can be accurate measuring 'successful' marriage by only one factor ... divorce rate. This rate wouldn't include separations, disharmony, or adultery for examples. Neither would it include men who drop their family dharmas to go wandering as 'sannyasins'. I personally know several Indian marriages that fall into such categories. For example two I know are gay men forced into early marriage by family pressure. So the figure is probably closer to 5% or higher, not the 1.1 mentioned in the data. Still its commendable. Personally, I think logical (where common sense prevails) arranged marriages are the best.

Aum Namasivaya