Can one convert to Hinduism?

Spirituality Religion
#21

[QUOTE=thomas;50556]You totally misunderstand the meaning of humility. You can certainly believe your religion is THE religion and still be humble. What is not humble is to look down on others who do not believe as you do, or to feel personally superior.

And even though I believe my religion is true, that doesn’t mean all others are false.

It is very shallow and simplistic to say your religion is true and all others are false, since there are many elements in other religions which would be in agreement with yours. Even though I believe my religion contains the fullness of the Truth which God reveals to man, I could not say another religion is “false,” since other religions share much of the same truth.

Also, aren’t there conflicting doctrines within Hinduism? Are they all true?[/QUOTE]

No you cannot. Humility is humility in thought, words, or deed. You cannot express humility in one area and cheat yourself out of it in another. This is what most Christians do. They believe their religion is superior and try to give off the impression that they are humble when they are truly not humble.

It still means that you believe your religion has more of the “truth” and “ways” in it than [B]any other[/B]. These feelings of superiority are what lead to conversions, subjugation, and wars. Obvious supremacy is obvious, no matter how you like to disguise it (and wrong, not to mention).

There is quite a difference between “tolerance” and “mutual respect.”

#22

Well, it seems at least one Hindu not only believes his religion has more truth, but that all other are false. Of course that’s ok, right–Since Hinduism is right and everything else is wrong…

#23

One can convert to anything one likes, except satanism because i simply won’t allow it…lol. I expressly discourage it. It could be outlawed .

#24

[QUOTE=core789;50622]One can convert to anything one likes, except satanism because i simply won’t allow it…lol. I expressly discourage it. It could be outlawed .[/QUOTE]

Actually a true yogic aspirant, I would think, would try to be beyond religion.

:stuck_out_tongue:

#25

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;50320]As Hinduism has no clergy, how can there be any formal conversions? Who is going to do it and how is it going to be decided?

Hinduism is simply a religion you accept. I was born Sikh, but I accepted Hinduism. Nobody converted me or even tried to convert me. I discovered it, got attracted to it, and finally accepted it. I began first by dabbling in the new age, especially my interests in ufology and parapsychology. I then started to do meditation taught to me by the Brahma Kumari sect. I left them and started to get very interested in quantum physics. I then realised all roads were pointing to Hinduism so I finally became Hindu.

I have followed a similar path that many Western converts to Hinduism have such as Erwin Schrodinger, Stephen Knapp, David Frawley, the transcendentalists, Arthur Schopenhauer and to some extent, Lotusgirl and Kareng. All you need is a glimpse of the Vedas, and if you are spiritually developed enough, you will resonate with it.

As controversial as this may sound the best test to see how spiritually developed you are is to read the Vedas and see how well you resonate with it. If you don’t, then you are on the lower rungs of the spiritual ladder.[/QUOTE]

I’m glad you included us SD :smiley:

#26

[QUOTE=reaswaran;50654]Actually a true yogic aspirant, I would think, would try to be beyond religion.

:p[/QUOTE]

To fortify this view point I quote the Bhagwad Geeta:-

“Yavan artha udpadane sarvatah sampludoke
Tavan sarveshu vedeshu brahmanasya vijanatah”

To the one who knows, all the vedas are as of much use as a pond when the village is flooded by water.

#27

[quote=reaswaran;50654]Actually a true yogic aspirant, I would think, would try to be beyond religion.

:p[/quote]

They are beyond religion…even beyond mind …beyond concept …beyond beyond.:slight_smile:

#28

[quote=reaswaran;50687]To fortify this view point I quote the Bhagwad Geeta:-

“Yavan artha udpadane sarvatah sampludoke
Tavan sarveshu vedeshu brahmanasya vijanatah”

To the one who knows, all the vedas are as of much use as a pond when the village is flooded by water.[/quote]

Yes the greatest holy scriptures are found within one’s own nervous system and their authority is the highest and authentic & trumps any book out there be it the bible, the upanishads or the Gita.

It’s just a matter of investing the time & energy in exploring for oneself,validatng written truths through direct pereception and experience.Some folk can’t be bothered doing this for themself,findinig the prooof for their own so they look to other’s for personal accounts or authorities like the church or organised religion for answers.But the keys are within of course.

I guess it’s like a road map.You look on google for directions and you read a few comments how to get to St Paul’s Cathedra, how majestic it maybe looks etc.But who can be bothered actually doing it for real.Some investment of time & energy is usually involved but the journey is good.

Most folk need a few pointers, or perhaps a gentle nudge from someone more enlightened out there, before realising the ocean is right there…Or should i say here…within oneself.

The beauty of yoga is to discover that the inner connections bring outer connections & harmony.So we take care of our inner life and the outer finds greater balance, happiness,peace and harmony. Like scientific laws of Resonance that can be observed,understood and charted and ultimately applied…Micro-cosmic----> Macro-cosmic.

The Vedas are like useful bits of archaeology that illustrate yoga’s ancient origins and part of our quest to understand ourselves.On the mundane level we usually try out “yoga” start out just be to get more out of life improve our health, be happy and content get more than we already are doing or getting but it can expand to much more.

#29

[QUOTE=Nietzsche;50384]Humility isn’t a Christian virtue anyways. It is the product of being a HUMAN BEING. Besides, most Christians don’t exhibit this virtue at all. Even you Thomas, perhaps the most open minded Christian I have ever met, do not since you have reservations about the superiority of your religion (as do all Christians).[/QUOTE]

and what of your superiority Billy?

Where have you put poor Thomas’s body? What have you done with him?

#30

[QUOTE=kareng;50703]and what of your superiority Billy?

Where have you put poor Thomas’s body? What have you done with him?[/QUOTE]

What of it? I believe any religion is better than Christianity or Islam, not just Hinduism, only because of its numerous faults. I know these religions have the potential for reform, however small it may be. Once these religions are fixed, then I can happily go back to the much touted “all paths are equal” stuff. But we all know that won’t happen without considerable effort and awareness.

He is usually on business trips. Thomas is a busy man and has no time to deal with young whippersnappers like us.

#31

[QUOTE=Nietzsche;50719]What of it? I believe any religion is better than Christianity or Islam, not just Hinduism, only because of its numerous faults. I know these religions have the potential for reform, however small it may be. Once these religions are fixed, then I can happily go back to the much touted “all paths are equal” stuff. But we all know that won’t happen without considerable effort and awareness.

He is usually on business trips. Thomas is a busy man and has no time to deal with young whippersnappers like us.[/QUOTE]

Billy wants a war…

Poor Thomas is missing, no doubt trying to regain his spiritual composure a long the way …it’s your fault…leave the Christians alone big bully billy!

#32

[QUOTE=kareng;50753]Billy wants a war…

Poor Thomas is missing, no doubt trying to regain his spiritual composure a long the way …it’s your fault…leave the Christians alone big bully billy![/QUOTE]

Nope, I will not leave the Christians alone. They deserve to pay for what they have done, pay by reforming their religions lest the suffer much backlash in the future. All this criticism is for their own benefit. You all say that what I do is evil, but in reality it is you all who are evil because you are postponing the impending doom by placing it upon the shoulders of the younger generations. Y’all are like the rest of America back in the pre-Civil war days who hated and scorned the abolitionists. Guess what eventually happened? The bloodiest war the U.S ever got their hands into. Evil should be promptly stamped out wherever it appears.

By the way, let me tell you something. Today in school, my whole table (full of Christians) started yelling at me. How did it happen? Well I was talking about “Lord” Isaac Newton (I was joking about the lord part and they knew it) and how I admired him for his math/physics contributions. Then one of my friends (ironic no?) started spewing crap about how Buddha was inferior to Jesus because he was human (and thus, Buddhism being a baseless religion). You can pretty much guess what happened from there.

#33

Yes the greatest holy scriptures are found within one’s own nervous system and their authority is the highest and authentic & trumps any book out there be it the bible, the upanishads or the Gita.

This is true, but it is also true that the truths of ones own nervous system correspond to the truths of the Gita. But they do not correspond to the truths of the bible. This is why Hinduism is a true religion, because its truths correspond to actual truths of reality. Like the truths of science correspond to the actual truths of reality.

The difference between Hinduism and Christianity/Islam is Christianity and Islam are myths and Hinduism is true. This is why Hinduism is the true religion. And it is inevitable when one spiritually develops they will become more and more Hindu in their outlook.

#34

[quote=Surya Deva;50870]This is true, but it is also true that the truths of ones own nervous system correspond to the truths of the Gita. But they do not correspond to the truths of the bible. This is why Hinduism is a true religion, because its truths correspond to actual truths of reality. Like the truths of science correspond to the actual truths of reality.

The difference between Hinduism and Christianity/Islam is Christianity and Islam are myths and Hinduism is true. This is why Hinduism is the true religion. And it is inevitable when one spiritually develops they will become more and more Hindu in their outlook.[/quote]

Well said SD.

You definitely get a prize…:roll:

All those other false religions are imposters posing as the truth;)

Now i can [I]see [/I]why Lotus girl is a closet-hindu; it all makes complete & utter sense now

# I can [I]seee[/I] cleearly noww the raain has gooooone…da da da da dee dee da daa deeyyy deeeeee! ! !

…lol

#35

I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic, but the question of whether other religions are true or not does not even have to be asked, because we know for a fact they are wrong and tell us wrong things. The earth is not flat for example.

These same religions tell us many other porkies. It is then right to say they are false religions. Hinduism, on the other hand, has been validated over and over again by science. Hinduism tells us right things, so therefore it is right to call it a true religion.

Since, when did you become politically correct?

#36

[quote=Surya Deva;50884]I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic, but the question of whether other religions are true or not does not even have to be asked, because we know for a fact they are wrong and tell us wrong things. The earth is not flat for example.

These same religions tell us many other porkies. It is then right to say they are false religions. Hinduism, on the other hand, has been validated over and over again by science. Hinduism tells us right things, so therefore it is right to call it a true religion.[/quote]

Yes, the best reflected & validated by science… it would appear that way based on previous posts of yours… which do make a compelling & convincing case and rational arguments for this kind of assertion

Since, when did you become politically correct?
How do you mean?

Now,you’re not being sarcastic are you? :roll:

Hi Surya

I don’t believe in religion. Religion is man-made. Yoga is a divine gift …from God if you like…if you believe in that. You can believe though whatever you want to believe…

I’m not dishing what you say…i am inclined to agree with the bulk of it as you use reason and sound bases for what you’re saying…in fact i have’nt seen anythingi think is faulty with anything you’ve written or at least that i can think of on this forum other than an odd recent post on tantra i did’nt or would’nt necessarily buy but your thing is jnana yoga…

#37

Oh…and regards Lotusgirl…i know she’s probably caught up in some cyclone right now but yes i was not being sarcastic. YOU nailed it on the head for me.

She’ll come out her closet soon enough , I know she will…:smiley:

I can feel a twister brewing…lol

Yous two should get it on though…:roll:

#38

Lotusgirrrlllllll…Helllloooaooooaooooooooooo…

Tigeressss…lol

#39

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;50884]I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic, but the question of whether other religions are true or not does not even have to be asked, because we know for a fact they are wrong and tell us wrong things. The earth is not flat for example.

These same religions tell us many other porkies. It is then right to say they are false religions. Hinduism, on the other hand, has been validated over and over again by science. Hinduism tells us right things, so therefore it is right to call it a true religion.

Since, when did you become politically correct?[/QUOTE]

The earth isn’t flat!!!??? You mean I’ve been needlessly worrying all these years about getting too close to the edge and falling off?

OH NO!!! :eek:

My Church has been lying to me then. What a liar Jesus is!

Now where is that church teaching that tells me the earth is flat? I’m going to write to the pope about it.

I’m sure SD can come up with the source. It’s probably in the next paragraph after the one that says we are taught to practice beastiality…

#40

[QUOTE=thomas;50908]The earth isn’t flat!!!??? You mean I’ve been needlessly worrying all these years about getting too close to the edge and falling off?

OH NO!!! :eek:

My Church has been lying to me then. What a liar Jesus is!

Now where is that church teaching that tells me the earth is flat? I’m going to write to the pope about it.

I’m sure SD can come up with the source. It’s probably in the next paragraph after the one that says we are taught to practice beastiality…[/QUOTE]

It no longer exists and only because the Church had no choice but to conform to the world around it, lest they risk making fools of themselves. Their grudging acceptance is part of the reason Galileo was pardoned in the 20th century…yes, the TWENTIETH CENTURY!