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

  1. #51
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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Vannakkam: Firstly, I meant no nonHindu, not no Hindu. Restrictions to groups within religion has been going on for a long time. Non Catholics can't receive communion, non Brahmins aren't allowed in moolasthanams, nonMormons, and Mormons not living up to standards cannot enter their temples. The list goes on. In countries it's similar, and simple things like barring people with criminal records get people turned around from the border gates.

    The reasons are similar ... keep the inside pure, others out. Hindu temples are by law, private places. If a devotee comes drunk or disorderly, the temple authorities have every right, just as private citizen has, to boot them out. If a temple board has decided to ban people with mustaches, so be it. There are many temples in South India where men must remove shirts. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Obey the laws of the country you're in, whether you agree with them or not. If not, it can get you in a ton of trouble.

    So why are non-Hindus even wanting to go into a Hindu temple? Mostly it's curiousity, but it could also be other reasons, like terrorism, desecration, etc. Besides that, the definition of who is a Hindu varies a ton. Although I may not agree with a really stict enforcement, UI respect the right for a temple to put it there, and there are several good reasons for asking non-Hindus to stay away. Deciding who is or ho isn't is a very tricky matter.

    Aum Namasivaya

  2. #52
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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    Deciding who is or ho isn't is a very tricky matter.
    Jai Ram ji ki,

    Yes, it is tricky. Sometimes, the only way is to ask the person if he/she is a hindu and accept his/her answer as correct.
    "Paropakaram punyaya, papaya parapeedanam."
    (Helping others is merit, causing pain is sin)

  3. #53
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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Greetings
    Wow I can really relate to this one. I am a black American and I have gotten several comments from other blacks that "I know better that that", or the whole "false religion" concept.

    Many of them give me a "polite toleration", kind of like OK, we will humor you until you come to your senses.

    Interestingly, I have not noticed any reactions from Indians which could have to do with skin color. However when they try to talk to me it is blatantly obvious that my accent is American.

    Coming from a black culture though I am aware of how I present to attend temple. Blacks still wear suits and ties to church in many cases. Although that is western culture, a kurthi shirt and nice slacks are worn by many Shavite men and I do likewise. Women wear saries and I feel men should also look reverent. I save my jeans and sweat shirts for picnics and such.

    I wear an AUM necklace around my neck all the time. I have gotten compliments from Indians and two non Indians asked me what it was. When I explained it, one was aghast and the other just gave me the "polite toleration" look.

    I got started in Hare Krishna but feel much more spiritually drawn to Shiva. However the HK are where I get the most general teachings because they are geared to speaking English.

    I am more peaceful now than I have been in years and I think it has to do with having found Lord Shiva. People will get used to it. When I started going to AA 25 years ago some of my drinking buddies thought is was a phase. When I started dating my other race wife of 15 years some thought it a phase. I guess most people don't like social change as much as other types of changes. It requires a sort of brain rewire. I guess most of us are comfy with the social status quo.

  4. #54
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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by aupmanyav View Post
    Sometimes, the only way is............
    If something is true sometimes, then it is not the only way,
    If it is the only way, then it cannot be true sometimes; has to be true all the time!

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 20 October 2014 at 05:25 PM.

  5. #55

    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.

  6. #56

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

    Namaste, I just joined this forum. So, I thought I shall reply even though this thread is old.

    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.

  7. #57
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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.

  8. #58
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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?’"

  9. #59
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    Re: The problems of being a Hindu ''convert''

    Namaste

    Just read in Madhva’s Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya, chapter 22, a dialog between Draupadi, Yudhishthira and Bhima.

    Bhima asked Draupadi to talk to Dharmaraja and keep his spirit to fight the Kauravas after thirteen years. If he is isolated for such a long time from the thought of the harm done to us by Kauravas, he may become indifferent to the kingdom. Draupadi went to Dharmaraja and told him that tolerance is not a virtue in respect of evil persons. If the king is tolerant even with evil persons the good people will suffer. It is said that dharma protects a person if he protects dharma. But in your case dharma did not protect you. Duryodhana does not care for dharma but he is prospering. This makes me to loose the faith in the very dharma. It is true that the God manages everything. However man's effort is also necessary. If man has nothing to do with his undertakings, then, the vidhi and nishedha i.e., 'do' and 'do not' prescribed in Veda will loose their meaning. Dharmaraja listened to these arguments of Draupadi and said these are empty arguments. The man is not independent in his undertakings; He is regulated by God in all matters. God is the independent agent. Every one else is under his control. Man should undertake his activities with this awareness. He should respond to Vidhi and nisheda as God's command. Then, Bhima also joined this discussion. He agreed with Dharmaraja that God is all in all. One had to realize both the facts that Jiva has to do his duties but also be aware that he is not independent. Only such a person who knows both these aspects can function better and do his duty. One should not arrogate Svatantrakartritva for himself or akartritva. Jiva functions on the basis of his Yogyata, anadikarma and prayatna. These three are under the control of God. He is independent, he is supreme. He guides the Jivas taking into account these factors. He has no partiality or cruelty. With this background Bhimasena explains Varnadharmas, particularly, Rajadharm. He concludes by saying that dice play is not a dharma. Therefore he can take back our kingdom.

    In Pandava Gita Duryodhana says
    I know what is right but I am not able to practice it; I know what is wrong and I am not able to keep away from it. I act as I am directed to by some mysterious power that is seated in my heart. I am but a machine, Oh Madhusudana! As I am a machine, so you are the one who runs this machine. Please forgive the faults of this machine! Please do not blame me for what I do!

    Pranam
    Dance with Shiva - live with Shiva - merge with Shiva

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