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Thread: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

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    The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Namaste everyone,

    Ive been a part of ISKCON for about the last two years. I consider myself a Hindu, and while I am practising ( no alcohol, pubs, bars, restaurants, meat and chanting 4-8 rounds a day, attending mandir one day a week) I am by no means as strict as some of the people who attend my temple.

    I am trying to ease myself in slowly so to speak. To take my time to read and experience as much as possible and to understand properly where I fit into the whole lable of ''Hindu''.

    One thing I have come accross where I live within the ''white'' community though is a negative perception of ''white'' Hindus - especially white ISKCON devotees.

    At work especially I am percieved as not being a ''proper'' Hindu and instead some kind of hippy playing ''lets pretend to be an Indian'' or a member of a fringe group that isnt accepted in mainstream Hinduism and therefore has no credibility.

    I find that my faith and beliefs are not taken as seriously and things are said or implied to me that I feel would not be said if I was of indian or asian background.

    I try my best to keep away from the stereotypical '' hare krishna hippy'' look. I wear indian style clothing but mix it with western dress ( Shalwar kameez tops with jeans for instance )- just because I find it more comfortable and in line with my own standards of modesty - and save the saris for the weekend - but I feel constantly like I have to down play or make light of my faith.

    Im wondering if anyone else has come accross this type of negative perception? especially those of non indian or asian ethnicity. How do you deal with it in everyday life?? what about at work? how do you deal with the perception that only indians are proper hindus??

    I feel like im constantly having to justify or defend myself to the white community despite living in a town with a large muslim and asian population.

    Im sorry for such a long post - its only my second here. I hope you all understand what im trying to say ?
    Jagganatha Swami nayana patha gami bhavatu me !!

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Many Christians would view Christian converts to Hinduism negatively, as they believe that Christianity is the only true religion. Americans would also see it as being counterculture, especially since you're not eating meat or drinking booze (on VeggieBoards there are a large number of negative comments that vegetarians have reported people making against vegetarianism).

    At work especially I am percieved as not being a ''proper'' Hindu and instead some kind of hippy playing ''lets pretend to be an Indian'' or a member of a fringe group that isnt accepted in mainstream Hinduism and therefore has no credibility.
    ISKCON is Hindu, regardless of what they say. They're a particular sect of Hinduism. However, they are far stricter and more devout than many Hindu sects, and they have some beliefs that differ from "mainstream" Hinduism. Therefore, they're perceived as being a different religion or "fringe group".

    Most Americans are just not used to seeing white Hindus. They see Hinduism as the religion of Indian people and have most likely never heard of non-Indians adopting it. Many Indians actually believe that it is not possible for a non-Indian to convert to Hinduism - they believe that one must be born into it. However, this is not true and Hinduism has always accepted converts. Swami Vivekananda said that conversion to Hinduism is natural. Some of Alexander the Great's Greeks converted to Hinduism. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami wrote a book called How to Become a Hindu that details conversion to Hinduism. You can find the full text here.

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Vannakkam Bhaktinanna:

    I would say patience is the key. The white people eventually will get used to you for who you are, and so too with the Indians. I've been at this 35 years and still encounter the occasional stare, mostly from Indians who are coming to our temple for the first time, and see me as out of place. Same thing if I go into a temple in a strange city. It does help tio wear Hindu attire to the temples. All the old timers who know me well would never do that. But then I don't where veshti in the western public. I was in a temple in Omaha, the only white guy there, but dressed in Hindu attire, and some Indians came up and asked me about the temple. They were there for the first time as well.

    So just be patient. it takes awhile to prove sincerity with everyone, because often they are right in the idea that it is a passing fad. Two years is not a very long time, I'm afraid, in their eyes, or the eyes of your family, or westerners. I found also that when I legally changed my name and announced it at work (I taught) , it was the younger children mostly who thought it was cool. The adults thought it was weird. But amongst the Indians, a name change meant a lot to them. Then they knew I was serious.

    Best wishes in having all get used to you.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    hari o
    ~~~~~~

    namasté


    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    I would say patience is the key.
    EM offers wise words.

    Also it is not what you wear but who you are. We all want to be accepted no doubt. Yet at the end of the day you have come into this world alone and will leave alone.
    No one will be there to negeotiate anything different - family, friends, or otherwise.

    So what is an approach ? .... what EM offers along with just being simple.

    you mention,
    I feel like im constantly having to justify or defend myself to the white community despite living in a town with a large muslim and asian population
    What if your answer to questions is, Oh I enjoy this dress or style. And of your spiritual practices , It just feels right to me. IMHO you owe no-one a reason for your choices. You are bound by them. Keep them wholesome and people will notice. Do things that are uplifting, yet just be simple about it. It is our words & actions people are watching. Do the words match the action?

    praṇām
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Vannakkam again Bhaktinanna

    I was giving this some further thought and realised I never showed my Hinduness at all in the west in the secular school system. We never talked religion at all there. It wasn't important. So I never had to 'defend myself' as you say, because the topic never came up. I didn`t wear rudraksha, or vibhuthi to school or shopping. To me the hassle of defending it to anyone wasn`t worth it. So I was thinking you might be presenting yourself in the world so that people do ask, and then you feel you have to defend it. To me, religion is a private matter anyway. Just a thought.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Namasté BhaktinAnna
    Is it a requirement to wear Indian Clothing? I have seen followers of ISKON dressed in Indian clothing in my city.

  7. #7

    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Namaste, I just joined this forum. You are very much right "Patience" will pay off. Hinduism itself is a religion where tolerance is it's virtue and is sustaining due to tolerance despite brutal islamic invasions lasting centuries.

    I also have one point. If you want to be comfortable to be accepted as Hindu, you need to interact with genuine seekers or devotees from Bharat. They may be rare but they are always there. They will look at you only as an Aatman trying to realize God through Hindu philosophy and they will be willing to help you in any way. Actually, I am one such person. You could find such souls in many organizations like ISKCON, Art Of Living, Isha Yoga, SSRF, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam etc. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh has now some 100 branches across USA and Canada and there are many good souls there willing to accept and give a sense of comfort seekers/devotees from outside Bharat. I myself am ready to assist in any way. I am aged 50, father of two children living here in Phoenix and working for American Airlines and I am practicing Hindu with daily prayers, chantings, reading etc.

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by ramak31 View Post
    ..... Hinduism itself is a religion where tolerance is it's virtue and is sustaining due to tolerance despite brutal islamic invasions lasting centuries.
    Tolerance is confused with being a doormat by many Hindus. Gita's prime message is to fight Adharma. When you have no spine to fight adhrama and pretend to be tolerant, the adharmic forces annihilate you. Look at all the land lost to Islamic forces - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh - and the hundreds of millions of Hindus forcibly converted to Islam. By some estimates, 100 million Hindus were killed over the period that muslims invaded and ruled India - that is the biggest genocide in the history of mankind. Even now India has a 15+% muslim population which is growing every second. Some day, Hinduism will exist only among the Hindus living outside of India. Burying one's head in the sand and being a doormat in the name of "tolerance" is just being docile and letting the adharmic forces win.

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 17 January 2017 at 02:35 PM.

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    Namaste,


    Tolerance is confused with being a doormat by many Hindus. Gita's prime message is to fight Adharma. When you have no spine to fight adhrama and pretend to be tolerant, the adharmic forces annihilate you. Look at all the land lost to Islamic forces - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh - and the hundreds of millions of Hindus forcibly converted to Islam. By some estimates, 100 million Hindus were killed over the period that muslims invaded and ruled India - that is the biggest genocide in the history of mankind. Even now India has a 15+% muslim population which is growing every second. Some day, Hinduism will exist only among the Hindus living outside of India. Burying one's head in the sand and being a doormat in the name of "tolerance" is just being docile and letting the adharmic forces win.

    Pranam.

    Reminds me of a story told by Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

    "In a village, there lived a huge Naag (hooded snake). The path where it lived was narrow; so it was difficult for people to walk past. One day, a Brahmachari Maharaj came that way. People stopped him and warned him about the Naag. They told him that it was even more poisonous than Vasuki, the king serpent. The Brahmachari Maharaj replied that he wasn’t scared of any snake, as he possessed a mantra that would calm the snake. As he went along, he was greeted by the hiss of the hooded serpent. With the help of the mantra, he managed to calm the snake down. The snake told the Brahmachari, ‘I have never seen a man like you, and I bow down to you. Please make me your disciple. And before you go, please give me a ‘Diksha Mantra’.’ The Brahmachari agreed to initiate the snake but on one condition. It was that the serpent would have to give up biting after it started the recitation of the japa. The snake agreed to give up biting people. Both went their own ways. A year later, the Brahmachari Maharaj visited that area again. He found that children were playing on the path, close to the snake’s habitat, totally unafraid of the snake. The Brahmachari asked the children, ‘Are you not scared of the Naag?’ The children said, ‘Who will be scared of that snake who doesn’t bite anymore. We pulled him by the tail, broke his back, and put him back in his hole. You can go and see for yourself.’ The Brahmachari peeped down the hole and called out to the snake: ‘Where are you, Naag Maharaj?’ The snake replied, ‘I’m down here waiting for you, Guruji.’ The Guruji asked him to come up. The snake replied that he couldn’t, as his back was broken. ‘Look what has become of me ever since I stopped biting. I wanted to find Moksh (salvation) but instead broke my back!’ The Brahmachari comforted the snake telling him that he would set it all right. He then told him, ‘Silly fellow. All I said was don’t bite. But did I ask you to stop hissing as well?’"

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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Quote Originally Posted by BhaktinAnna View Post
    Namaste everyone,

    Ive been a part of ISKCON for about the last two years. I consider myself a Hindu, and while I am practising ( no alcohol, pubs, bars, restaurants, meat and chanting 4-8 rounds a day, attending mandir one day a week) I am by no means as strict as some of the people who attend my temple.

    I am trying to ease myself in slowly so to speak. To take my time to read and experience as much as possible and to understand properly where I fit into the whole lable of ''Hindu''.

    One thing I have come accross where I live within the ''white'' community though is a negative perception of ''white'' Hindus - especially white ISKCON devotees.

    At work especially I am percieved as not being a ''proper'' Hindu and instead some kind of hippy playing ''lets pretend to be an Indian'' or a member of a fringe group that isnt accepted in mainstream Hinduism and therefore has no credibility.

    I find that my faith and beliefs are not taken as seriously and things are said or implied to me that I feel would not be said if I was of indian or asian background.

    I try my best to keep away from the stereotypical '' hare krishna hippy'' look. I wear indian style clothing but mix it with western dress ( Shalwar kameez tops with jeans for instance )- just because I find it more comfortable and in line with my own standards of modesty - and save the saris for the weekend - but I feel constantly like I have to down play or make light of my faith.

    Im wondering if anyone else has come accross this type of negative perception? especially those of non indian or asian ethnicity. How do you deal with it in everyday life?? what about at work? how do you deal with the perception that only indians are proper hindus??

    I feel like im constantly having to justify or defend myself to the white community despite living in a town with a large muslim and asian population.

    Im sorry for such a long post - its only my second here. I hope you all understand what im trying to say ?

    Certifications are not required to believe in a way you can. No one is more or less hindu. Neither you have to show outwardly any hinduness to believe in hinduism.

    It is your (and only uniquely yours) spiritual path. Tread it as you can. You do not have to live other's life.

    There are plenty of books, friends, discourses, etc available all over the places.

    Love and best wishes

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