Is There a Place in Hinduism for Me?

[Bhakti]

Namaste, all!!
A few questions from a newcomer to the study of the Sanatana Dharma.
First: can I be a Hindu without having been raised in/ spent time in Hindu culture?
Second: can I a Hindu if I interpret parts of the scriptures metaphorically? (for example, I do not believe that Vishnu saved the world by incarnating into Kurma.
I apologize if I have offended, and want to thank everyone in advance for any answers they generously offer.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Bhakti: Welcome to these forums.

Yes, and yes. Hinduism is very vast. We accept converts or adoptives. I pray your time here will be fruitful.

Aum Namasivaya

[PARAM]

Namaste, all!!
A few questions from a newcomer to the study of the Sanatana Dharma.
First: can I be a Hindu without having been raised in/ spent time in Hindu culture?
Second: can I a Hindu if I interpret parts of the scriptures metaphorically? (for example, I do not believe that Vishnu saved the world by incarnating into Kurma.
I apologize if I have offended, and want to thank everyone in advance for any answers they generously offer.

Yes you can be Hindu, every one's fore fathers where Hindu once, why can't there children.

There are many sects of Hinduism which belives differently, so different belief is not a big deal; but from where did you find that Vishnu saved the world by incarnating into Kurma? in fact Kurmavtara of Vishnu was for Sagar manthan.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: I had the thought: Is there a place in me for Hinduism? I would hope so.

Aum Namasivaya

[Sahasranama]

I don't understand the question, Hinduism is not a room with a limited amount of seats or a company with limited employment facilities. Maybe what you are asking is whether you feel at home between other Hindus?

[charitra]

Namaste Bhakti and all,
You don�t have to believe in kurmavatara to be a hindu!
Perfectly alright to explore straightaway the doctrines of dharma, karma, yoga, rebirth (of atma), moksha etc. as a starting point (by altogether skipping the mythology completely).
Advaita and Brahman concepts will form a base model for any serious free self inquiry. The hindu scholars went all the way to the very genesis of it all, I mean the creation itself. Then they declared: creation is beginning less and endless. The oneness of it all, both manifest and unmanifest, makes the essence of advaita doctrine. Dvaita has a compelling role for devout hindus with both Bhakti and worship falling in its realm. SD can survive independently of mythology. You probably are referring to this last concept if iam right. I might have overstepped here and afraid am putting words in others� mouths, which is not the intention.
I ought to emphasize for clarity. I maybe partly wrong and my fellow hindus may want to critique this overzealous sweeping generalization. Though debates are very welcome, I shouldn�t spread wrong interpretations out there, hence the request of criticism. Don�t be modest, take off your gloves. Om Shanti.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté Bhakti

Let me ask you, what do you believe being a hindu suggests? What are your insights and ideas that attract you to sanātana dharma ?

When we ~practice~ many choose a school or orientation or approach. Perhaps this may help:

Lets set the stage
Orthodox and Unorthodox - A view of Reality.
āstika or आस्तिक means there is or exists;
nāstika or na+ astika नास्तिकor it is not so and this word nāstika नास्तिक is not believing, or atheistical
(this does not suggest not believing in God, yet it needs to be defined, to set the stage).

So what does this mean? āstika there exists , or a regard that the Veda-s as infallible, the final word, without doubt.
Hence this is called Orthodox i.e. the Veda-s as the foundation of infallible truth; compate this to nāstika which
does not regard the Veda-s as infallible or the final authority; Hence this view is considered Unorthodox.

So, what is considered orthodox ? Which schools are they? It is the 6 systems of Indian philosophy - this is called
saḍ darśana or the 6 schools of vision, seeing, sight. We know them as :

• śāṁkhya
• yoga
• vedānta
• mīmāṃsā
• nyāya
• vaiśeṣika

The 6 darśana-s दर्शन (seeing, looking, knowledge, traditional doctrine or precept , collection of such doctrines)
are so complete in themselves, that many people took the 6 to be different views. This is not the case, it is the 6,
when taken as whole give a 360º view of Reality. Hence your question is relevent to these schools and resides in these schools.

praṇām

[Sahasranama]

Advaita and Brahman concepts will form a base model for any serious free self inquiry. The hindu scholars went all the way to the very genesis of it all, I mean the creation itself. Then they declared: creation is beginning less and endless. Om Shanti.

If there is anything that is "created" that cannot be beginningless by definition, so "creation" cannot be beginningless. In hinduism we have cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution, but there is an eternal principle underlying all this which is known as brahman.

I am not sure of this, maybe someone who knows more of Buddhism can confirm. In Buddhism they say that creation is beginningless, because of causality, there must have been an action leading towards another action that leads towards "creation."

[c.smith]

Hari Om Bhakti!

Don't know what else I could add that others haven't already - many are much more learned than I and thus the learning continues. I would however like to extend my welcome because yes, it seems you do belong here and yes, there certainly is a place in Hinduism for those of use who weren't brought up in a traditionally Hindu setting (at least in this lifetime?).

Again, Welcome!

Om Namah Sivaya!

[Bhakti]

I am not sure of this, maybe someone who knows more of Buddhism can confirm. In Buddhism they say that creation is beginningless, because of causality, there must have been an action leading towards another action that leads towards "creation."

I am fairly confident that is the case.

To address the comments above, thank you for replying!
First, I suppose I would define a Hindu as a person who wants to perfectly realize their oneness God, and who acknowledges the Vedas as a guide to doing this. From the Vedas, a Hindu will believe in certain things, such as reincarnation & karma, etc.

I suppose the issue is that I wonder if I should call myself a Hindu if, for example, I do not believe the myths (for lack of a less academic word). Am I a Hindu if I take my main spiritual inspiration from the Vedas, live compassionately and humbly, and seek a relationship with God through a deva?

So I suppose that is more the question I was asking. I apologize for my vagueness.

Also, Param, I thought that Vishnu incarnated as Kurma to raise the world above a flood? Or am I very wrong?