Hallelujah Hindus!

[sm78]

I do not attempt to redefine Christianity, I simply look at the good contained within the faith and make sure to give it credit and reverence.

To what end and purpose?

As a student of Vedanta I simply see Universalism as an aspect of non-dualism. Since all is Brahma then all is within Brahma and all is created by Brahma. No aspect of the universe is with out his authorship.

Non-dualism may be viewed as speculations into the ultimate nature of reality by agnostics or direct expereinces into the "absolute" nature consciousness by believers. In one case, it is just a theory and in the later, an experience to be sought in samadhi. But in neither case it is a radical generalization about the society or the problems of this world.

Universalism on the other hand is precisely a radical generalization of reality, more precisely its religions. It may be a desparate attempt to superimpose the theory non-duality into the harsh realities of the world, for the gap may seem to big to have a peaceful conscience.

These are usual problems with partial dogmas and radical ideologies. They fail to explain the many faced, irreducibly complex and beautiful world we live in, and in retaliation we make every endevour to reshape the world according to our dogmas. How egoistic of the puny human to dictate nature according to his whimses! It is exactly this, whether it is Islamic Jehad to establish the barbaric sharia accross the world, or universalist zeal to see equals or goods in every religion.

A true non-dualists will accept the evil when he sees good in the world, as one cannot exist without the other, and make efforts to go past either of these qualities into the direct non-dual experience in samadhi.

Acknowledging the good but ignoring to recognize the existence of evil is simply dumb. Evil will not go away, if you** like good too much, nature precisely throw evil in your face, to wake you up from this delusion of duality! But if in a tamasic state you just continue to hypnotise yourself with universalist dogma, deny the existence of evil and just want to see the good in everything because you feel vulnerable and unsure of your beliefs and dogmas and yourself in the face of harsh reality - then well you have precisely missed the boat of the famed non-duality and its direct experience.
**you refers to a generic universalist

Who am I to Judge other faiths that may be as valid as mine? My master dabbled in all faiths and saw not that they were equal but that they lead to the same place. Do I believe our Dharma to be the best and most fulfilling path? Yes. Is it the only path? I believe not.

And this type of meaningless blabber gets me worked up.

Are people here judging religions out of a vocation? Do you think its because we derive great pleasure and enlightenment out of judging other religions? Or could it is because we see a threat, not to our own bodies (which I know will be the only occation when an universalist might get up from his/her ass), but to our society, culture and right now to entire humanity? I think none who find it necessary to be critical of Islamofascism or the catholic horror shows, do it from an internal need to judge others. Followers of any true spirituality (not external decorum) possibly cannot share this trait of the desert god and his followers.

This thread also seems to issue a distaste for the Ramakrishna order. It seems like there is some equation that combines universalism with western Hindus. My master, who teaches of universalism, was fully Indian and trained by Totipuri, who was a initiate of Dashanami Sampradaya, the direct lineage of Adi Shankara.

No no, universalism has had both Indian and western promoters. Its far from completely western, though western idealism may have an impact. Some of us are not afraid to point out wrong doings of certain historical personalities who now become demi-gods or even gods to the masses. This forum has witnessed the amount of hate it sometimes draws from the non hating universalists.

Universalism is truly just the acknowledgment that all is equally an illusion and the only truth is Brahma.

No its just a radical generalization, a desparate superimposition of a theory which is not yet in the experience of these souls (and will never be, sorry), on to this beautiful world.

An attempt to reshape the world (aliebit more doctrinally) much like the Jehadi barbarians.