Something I noticed about SOME convert Hindus

[bp789]

Okay sorry if it seems like I'm ranting, and I want to make a disclaimer this is not about all convert Hindus, but only SOME (A FEW) that I have noticed.

This mostly applies to non-Indian Hindus, but something I noticed about a few of them is that they tend to disregard any positive aspects of their own culture and declare that Indian culture is better.

I mean some of them say that "our western culture is horrible it's all about sex and money and materialism. Indian culture is more refined, spiritual, and wonderful." This is something that bugs me about a few converts. They try to make their birth countries and culture seem horrible and only praise India and Indian culture.

It's as if they are ashamed to be from a western culture. I'll repeat again this only about a few people I have noticed, but I don't see why they do this. I get that western culture has its problems, but so does Indian culture. And I also get that Indian culture has a lot of positive aspects, but so does western culture.

[Adhvagat]

Hello BP...

Well, I may be guilty of that. Ashamed of my culture? Well... Why should I be proud of?

It's also about getting into contact with spirituality and getting frustated with materialism.

Since India practices Sanatana Dharma a lot more than the western countries it's no surprise someone getting to know spirituality and the Vedas to be delighted by it.

But I get your point, we should discern and try to see the best in our culture as well... But what exactly?

[Ashvati]

I'll admit I'm guilty of this too. Logically though, I have to agree with PI for the most part.

[Onkara]

This is indeed an issue. Likewise being over proud of one's identity is a trap which can lead to misery

The point, in my opinion, is to overcome our minds tendency to see fault in others and oneself, based on comparisons and duality. The greatest liberation and value in life comes when we can tune in to the all encompassing divine. Only then can thy know theyself and love others as ourselves.

[eriko]

I don't see anything wrong in this. Even though I am an Indian Hindu by birth, and have no idea how people convert to our faith.

But then one needs to be devoted to India to be a Hindu, and this I feel is one of the reason why converting is so difficult. So when people devote to one thing, they aren't able to concentrate on the other.

If they would have been concentrating on their own culture, I don't think they would have been able to convert. I hope I haven't hurt anyone, but then I don't really know anything about converting.

But how does anybody do it, you know accepting a culture of some other country? Just curious.

[viprava]

Hi All,

I had this question for some time why people convert from one religion to others, however the answer for why some convert to hindus is more easy than other opposite.

To me it looks very straight, the reason being, the practice that in India is followed based on the nature and not based on experience of enlighten ones. Every time we do get some good enlighten beings reminding us about the nature and truth and we take it up depending on the time we are.

Incase of hindu dharma it is not new, it is oldest practice that was followed across the world. In Europe, In America, In egypt etc...The old culture were based on natural science and every aspect dealt with it. In India it has exploded to large extent and people preferred it as it is aligned to nature. Hence it seems quite ok, if people want to switch to oldest religion which came into existence after long very long discussion and finally taking it up as standard practices.

[BryonMorrigan]

But how does anybody do it, you know accepting a culture of some other country? Just curious.

I know that as an American...we take it for granted. Plenty of people come to our country and change their cultural identities to fit America...and many Americans go abroad and change to fit other countries. Since our American culture is only a little over 200 years old...and full of **** like slavery, colonialism, genocide, and pointless wars...it's not surprising that many of us adopt the cultures of other peoples. (And yes, I know we do have many other things to be proud of...I'm just explaining why our situation is very different from say, someone born in India, or Ireland, or Italy, as just a few examples.)

But if you think about it...a lot of modern Western culture is tied to Christianity. If you don't let go of those issues...it's like you are continuing to cling to aspects of your former religion.

I don't think that one necessarily needs to wear traditional Indian clothes every day, start talking with an Indian accent, and hoist a saffron flag out in front of your house...but I think at least a certain veneration for Indian culture is necessary to truly adopt Sanatana Dharma as your religion.

But this topic makes me think of this sketch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM9__IGZ9Ow

[sanjaya]

Okay sorry if it seems like I'm ranting, and I want to make a disclaimer this is not about all convert Hindus, but only SOME (A FEW) that I have noticed.

This mostly applies to non-Indian Hindus, but something I noticed about a few of them is that they tend to disregard any positive aspects of their own culture and declare that Indian culture is better.

I mean some of them say that "our western culture is horrible it's all about sex and money and materialism. Indian culture is more refined, spiritual, and wonderful." This is something that bugs me about a few converts. They try to make their birth countries and culture seem horrible and only praise India and Indian culture.

It's as if they are ashamed to be from a western culture. I'll repeat again this only about a few people I have noticed, but I don't see why they do this. I get that western culture has its problems, but so does Indian culture. And I also get that Indian culture has a lot of positive aspects, but so does western culture.

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing. As Eriko already alluded, Hinduism is inextricably bound to Indian culture, and anyone who is a Hindu is going to have some fondness, dare I say attachment, to Indian culture. Personally I prefer Indian culture over Western culture, but that's because I'm Indian. It's important to note that India is by no means a perfect heavenly paradise of Dharma. There are some things that are wrong with Indian culture too. One only needs to visit India and see the poor sanitation, government corruption, and general incompetence in regards to how to run a country. Yes, Indian culture is better when it comes to spirituality and family values. But it's worse in terms of India's seeming inability to maintain its infrastructure. We aren't perfect by any means. So I think there's no need for Westerners to hate their own culture in order to embrace India. Those of us Indians who live in the West are doing basically the same thing in reverse.

[Onkara]

It's important to note that India is by no means a perfect heavenly paradise of Dharma. There are some things that are wrong with Indian culture too. One only needs to visit India and see the poor sanitation, government corruption, and general incompetence in regards to how to run a country. Yes, Indian culture is better when it comes to spirituality and family values. But it's worse in terms of India's seeming inability to maintain its infrastructure. We aren't perfect by any means. So I think there's no need for Westerners to hate their own culture in order to embrace India. Those of us Indians who live in the West are doing basically the same thing in reverse.

Hello Sanjaya
I very much agree. My experience is that one naturally becomes inquisitive of culture and history as one's understanding grows. Is seems that another culture is always better. I have not always lived in the country of my birth, and over the years I became more in tune with a country's problems despite having once seen it as a perfect place for all to live.

Beyond an open mind, I often ask myself if there is any need to adopt another culture to understand it or even to look down on one's own? I have no doubt that of the value of the Upanishads, but the matter still remains that we are who we are and live where we live, so why not go along with that? I ask myself

[NetiNeti]

I'm American, I dress like an American and eat mostly Italian (my roots) food that has been modified for the pure vegetarian diet. I consider India a spiritual homeland but beyond that I don't adopt any Indian cultural aspects beyond those that are present in temple or while visiting an Indian Hindu household.

When I see some converts become "Ultra-Indian" the second the find their new faith, I see a form of attachment. I feel as though they may be rebelling against their culture and latching on to something that is less mainstream. You see it a lot in ISKCON temples where the western devotees really make a show of how "Indian" they are.

I agree that Hinduism is very connected to Indian culture but I do not feel it must be in order for one to follow the Dharma. An appreciation of Indian culture is nice because most of a converts brethren will be Indian, but adopting the culture as your own is not needed. If one found the Dharma and followed it, they would be a Hindu even if they never heard of India.

As Hinduism evolves, it will find itself encompassing a wider variety of Cultures. Nepal and Bali are huge Hindu countries. So too is America to some extent. When people find out I am Hindu they are shocked because I am very western. Ramakrishna never instructed me to become Indian, just to find God and love him. It is my belief that the more one can remove the influences of any culture, the closer they come to ultimate truth and full understanding of Brahma.