Will America become Hindu by the end of the century?

Spirituality Religion
#161

[QUOTE=thomas;40588]I do not believe our beloved pope or his beloved predecessor had anything to do with any coverups.

I believe some bishops made some huge blunders, and I believe some things could have been handled better.

Note that all the abuse was homosexual and since the Church teaches homosexuality is a serious disorder, they would have been wise to not give into the social pressure to allow homosexually oriented men into the priesthood, but of course they would be chastized for that too.

Arianna Huffington has an axe to grind against Christianity and Republicans. She’s looking for the bad, and will shamelessly distort to that end. And I see no proof in her article linking any pope to anything.[/QUOTE]

Actually not homosexual but Child molestation…there is a rather big difference. Homosexual deals with consensual sex between two persons of the same sex. Child Molestation is very VERY different

And no, not all priests are Child molesters; many are rather devout and good people. The problem is the Catholics church did its best to cover things up and/or move the accused priest out of the area and made no effort to cooperate with law enforcement.

#162

Thank you Yulaw for the above post. There is a distinct difference between homosexuality and child molestation. Very big difference. I’m glad you pointed that out. I have been blessed with knowing many wonderful priests in my lifetime, one in particular. They are beautiful people. There are always a few bad apples unfortunately.

And yes, the Catholic church need to “realize” the truth in what they have done. Too many people have been hurt and lives ruined. The church is strong though, and perhaps in time they will see. Let’s hope.

#163

They were homosexual predators, and that’s about all I have to say for awhile.

I’m staying out of this forum for a month to avoid contentious discussions.

#164

[QUOTE=thomas;40619]They were homosexual predators, and that’s about all I have to say for awhile.

I’m staying out of this forum for a month to avoid contentious discussions.[/QUOTE]

Again no…

Homosexual predators are preying on adults of the same sex… not children

They are Child Molesters and if the church is taking the stance that they are homosexuals then are either ignorant to what a Child molester is and the differences between Child molestation and homosexuality or they are trying to play semantics in order to avoid the truth in order to cover the whole thing up and justify their inadequate response or in some cases downright criminally negligent response to the issue

Actually if I remember correctly there are very few, if any, child molesters that are homosexuals by definition of wanting to have sex with the same sex. Homosexual does not mean Child Molester and a homosexual predator does not mean Child molester either

Also you might want to look at the definition of contentious

Contentious

–adjective

  1. tending to argument or strife; quarrelsome: a contentious crew.
  2. Causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy: contentious issues.
  3. Law. Pertaining to causes between contending parties.

I am not arguing with you nor is anyone else from what I can read… truth is truth and if you are not willing to accept it do not call others contentions.

There’s that name calling and accusations thing again

#165

I don’t have the time to dig up a defense against every accusation against the Catholic Church. The Church is old and the church is huge, and there are sinners inside the church and not just in the pews.

That some injustices were done by people who should have known better cannot be denied. But this is a reflection on the fallen nature of man and not on Jesus and not on his Church.

However there are many distortions and outright falsifications about Catholicism, and it’s frustrating to see them repeated, though again, I don’t have the time at this time to go into a defense attorney mode.

Regarding the sexual instances in the US, they were consentual for the most part. They did not involve children, but teenagers. This is horrific too, but it’s not the same as child molestation, which it was not. It was homosexual priests wooing teenage boys for homosexual encounters (for the most part).

I do not deny these abuses happened and do not in any way defend or excuse them, and don’t deny or excuse any injustice done in the name of Catholicism.

But I do wonder, yulaw, why it is so important for you to dig up dirt on the Church. What is your motivation? What are you trying to prove or accomplish? This discussion did not start out as a discussion about the evils of Catholicsm. Why did it go in that direction?

I don’t know what your religion is, yulaw, but I bet there have been some injustices done by some in the name of your religion or by those who should have know better, but I would not, out of respect to you and your religion, throw that in your face, because it would be unfair and unproductive. I would rather look at what is good and true in your religion, and see if there is anything we have in common. And my common sense would tell me that any evil done by believers or clergy was not BECAUSE of the religion, but IN SPITE of the religion, and would not use that as a basis to disparage the religion or its followers.

#166

[QUOTE=thomas;40634]I don’t have the time to dig up a defense against every accusation against the Catholic Church. The Church is old and the church is huge, and there are sinners inside the church and not just in the pews.

That some injustices were done by people who should have known better cannot be denied. But this is a reflection on the fallen nature of man and not on Jesus and not on his Church.

However there are many distortions and outright falsifications about Catholicism, and it’s frustrating to see them repeated, though again, I don’t have the time at this time to go into a defense attorney mode.

Regarding the sexual instances in the US, they were consentual for the most part. They did not involve children, but teenagers. This is horrific too, but it’s not the same as child molestation, which it was not. It was homosexual priests wooing teenage boys for homosexual encounters (for the most part).

I do not deny these abuses happened and do not in any way defend or excuse them, and don’t deny or excuse any injustice done in the name of Catholicism.
[/quote]

This reminds me of the priest that told a woman I know (she was and is a devout Catholic) that all the issues of molestaion were the child’s fault…. She found another church.

thomas you live in a fantasy world… children were molested… by priests and the church ignored it, tried to cover it up and did not and does not cooperate with law enforcement

A minor cannot give consent and anyone who claims a child is at fault for being molested or gave consent is not a good person in my book and to be honest it takes a lot of restraint on my part at that point just to be nice… If an adult assaults a child… an innocent and then claims it is the child’s fault or that the consented to it…deserves…well… I will stop there… if you want evil just look at the person blaming the child and you will see evil… and just because they are dressed as a priest does not excuse them…they are still evil.

And I did not ask you to defend anything I asked you to go to my posts and point out the things that you are claiming I am talking about or where I lied.

[QUOTE=thomas;40634]
But I do wonder, yulaw, why it is so important for you to dig up dirt on the Church. What is your motivation? What are you trying to prove or accomplish? This discussion did not start out as a discussion about the evils of Catholicsm. Why did it go in that direction?[/quote]

I’m not digging up dirt, again please show me where I am. I am responding to things you have said. And I did not take it in any direction as to the evils of the Catholic Church nor did I ever say it was evil; you apparently missed the bit where I said many priests are rather devout and good people.
I said what do you expect from a group that took 400 years to forgive Galileo for saying the earth revolved around the sun and then you started by claiming I was talking about myth and I responded… that is all… so basically you started this mess, you can’t defend your position and now you blame me.

[QUOTE=thomas;40634]
I don’t know what your religion is, yulaw, but I bet there have been some injustices done by some in the name of your religion or by those who should have know better, but I would not, out of respect to you and your religion, throw that in your face, because it would be unfair and unproductive. I would rather look at what is good and true in your religion, and see if there is anything we have in common. And my common sense would tell me that any evil done by believers or clergy was not BECAUSE of the religion, but IN SPITE of the religion, and would not use that as a basis to disparage the religion or its followers.[/QUOTE]

thomas you are not reading my posts are you… I did say that I would point out anything of any religion that was historically incorrect and that is what I was doing. As to the comment you made about homosexuals I simply corrected your mistake since they were Child molesters not homosexuals. Sorry but as I said the truth hurts and dogma hates truth and I am only writing the truth

You have not answered anything I have asked and have resorted to name calling and accusation. And now I think you need to relax, take a few deep breaths calm down and go reread what people have said and not give a knee jerk response because they may or may not have cast aspersions on the good Catholic religion.

There is good and bad in all religions that is a fact and I spent some time in a Catholic church (although I am not Catholic) and I was rather impressed. A quote I used in another post here “fallen not dead” comes from that.

What I am responding to here is not the Pope, Catholic religion or even Catholics for that matter I am responding to you and the inaccuracies of your posts I am not attacking the catholic religion or claiming it is evil… I am directing all of this at what you have written and the inaccuracies of it… nothing more.

#167

Thank you yulaw. I appreciate your post and making some things clear, and my apologies for being defensive and reading some things into your posts that were not intended.

(Though the issue with Galileo was not about the truthfulness of science but about Galileo imposing it as doctrine).

Good idea to take a few deep breaths. That’s why I think I should take a short vacation from the religious part of this forum, because I get a little too touchy sometimes, and I also have a side that likes to fight for the sake of fighting, and I’m trying to not indulge that and be more humble and kind.

#168

No worries

I had to take a break for the complete forum not to long ago… it did help.

And discussions about things like religion…and politics… tend to get heated for no real good reason what-so-ever.

I may take a break from this section myself.

#169

How do you like these videos ?

http://www.desivideonetwork.com/view/7dfu1sswr/rise-of-hindu-fundamentalism-in-india/

http://www.desivideonetwork.com/view/eqrrjqw8j/the-pervasive-culture-of-hatred-in-india/

No comment.

#170

[QUOTE=thomas;40634]I don’t have the time to dig up a defense against every accusation against the Catholic Church. The Church is old and the church is huge, and there are sinners inside the church and not just in the pews.

That some injustices were done by people who should have known better cannot be denied. But this is a reflection on the fallen nature of man and not on Jesus and not on his Church.

However there are many distortions and outright falsifications about Catholicism, and it’s frustrating to see them repeated, though again, I don’t have the time at this time to go into a defense attorney mode.

Regarding the sexual instances in the US, they were consentual for the most part. They did not involve children, but teenagers. This is horrific too, but it’s not the same as child molestation, which it was not. It was homosexual priests wooing teenage boys for homosexual encounters (for the most part).

I do not deny these abuses happened and do not in any way defend or excuse them, and don’t deny or excuse any injustice done in the name of Catholicism.

But I do wonder, yulaw, why it is so important for you to dig up dirt on the Church. What is your motivation? What are you trying to prove or accomplish? This discussion did not start out as a discussion about the evils of Catholicsm. Why did it go in that direction?

.[/QUOTE]

As far as I can see, even in other religions high ranking representatives are accused of misconduct.

Swami Rama, who held the highest spiritual position in India, was accused of
sexual assault and harassment. A lady was awarded two millions dollars for
that. Just read the last paragraph of the site below:

http://www.answers.com/topic/swami-rama

#171

Who wants to see things like that happening in America ?

http://vodpod.com/watch/3137426-christian-persecution-in-india

http://www.desivideonetwork.com/view/f728n2rge/christian-persecution-in-india-orissa-is-burning/

FACTS speak louder than words.

#172

I could not find a similar chart from 50 or 100 years ago, but it would be intersting to see which direction things are going.

#173

Well Thomas I know SD will have something to say about the date on it :smiley:

#174

Looks like Islam and Christianity by a landslide.

Of course this is worldwide.

But I would be interested to know what the trend is.

If the US is not to remain Chrisitan, and I doubt that will ever happen, I would prefer Hinduism over Islam.

#175

Ahh Thomas thats sweet…well I think it is, is it?

#176

Sigh

How many times will I have to repeat this :wink:

America is becoming Hindu ideologically and culturally. This is made very clear in the OP. I am not saying that Americans are converting to Hinduism officially, but they are adopting its ideology and culture. Namely the practice of Yoga and meditation and doctrines of karma and reincarnation and pluralism, all characteristic of Hinduism.

The census figures only records people who officially say their religion is such and such, not people who do not identify with any religion. Of those that are non-religious, many may have Hindu beliefs, without identifying as Hindu.

A more interesting survey would be to record how many people in America have new-age beliefs.

#177

Here is an objective overview of new-age religion beliefs:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm

From the above it can be surmised that approx 20-30% of Americans have some kind of new-age beliefs. That is today in 2010, there is still 90 years to go to the end of the century.

Now read the general description, list of tenets and practices of the new-age religion and tell me that it is not Hinduism :wink:

Monism: All that exists is derived from a single source of divine energy.

Pantheism: All that exists is God; God is all that exists. This leads naturally to the concept of the divinity of the individual, that we are all Gods. They do not seek God as revealed in a sacred text or as exists in a remote heaven; they seek God within the self and throughout the entire universe.

Panentheism: God is all that exists. God is at once the entire universe, and transcends the universe as well.

Reincarnation: After death, we are reborn and live another life as a human. This cycle repeats itself many times. This belief is similar to the concept of transmigration of the soul in Hinduism.

Karma: The good and bad deeds that we do adds and subtracts from our accumulated record, our karma. At the end of our life, we are rewarded or punished according to our karma by being reincarnated into either a painful or good new life. This belief is linked to that of reincarnation and is also derived from Hinduism

An Aura is believed to be an energy field radiated by the body. Invisible to most people, it can be detected by some as a shimmering, multi-colored field surrounding the body. Those skilled in detecting and interpreting auras can diagnose an individual’s state of mind, and their spiritual and physical health.

Personal Transformation A profoundly intense mystical experience will lead to the acceptance and use of New Age beliefs and practices. Guided imagery, hypnosis, meditation, and (sometimes) the use of hallucinogenic drugs are useful to bring about and enhance this transformation. Believers hope to develop new potentials within themselves: the ability to heal oneself and others, psychic powers, a new understanding of the workings of the universe, etc. Later, when sufficient numbers of people have achieved these powers, a major spiritual, physical, psychological and cultural planet-wide transformation is expected.

Ecological Responsibility: A belief in the importance of uniting to preserve the health of the earth, which is often looked upon as Gaia, (Mother Earth) a living entity.

Universal Religion: Since all is God, then only one reality exists, and all religions are simply different paths to that ultimate reality. The universal religion can be visualized as a mountain, with many sadhanas (spiritual paths) to the summit. Some are hard; others easy. There is no one correct path. All paths eventually reach the top. They anticipate that a new universal religion which contains elements of all current faiths will evolve and become generally accepted worldwide.

New World Order As the Age of Aquarius unfolds, a New Age will develop. This will be a utopia in which there is world government, and end to wars, disease, hunger, pollution, and poverty. Gender, racial, religious and other forms of discrimination will cease. People’s allegiance to their tribe or nation will be replaced by a concern for the entire world and its people.

#178

Joginis

These are girls forced into prostitution by religion.

http://www.jasthisho.com/news1.php?id=518

#179

Thank you for your informative view which partly supports what I have been saying to another member in the thread ‘Should we abandon Materialism and go into the wilderness’

#180

Most of us are doing “un yoga.”

I bet there are not 5% of those who go to my yoga studio who are practicing anything more than the asanas.

Probably 80% of the TEACHERS are doing real yoga to some extent, but I don’t think the students have a clue about any of the rest of it.

You can’t have it both ways, SD. You can’t keep quoting Iyengar about his “unyoga” claims, which I think are true, and then say we’re all gung-ho for the real yoga, when it’s not the case.

I go to a church where about 1,400 show up each Sunday, and if I am not the only one doing a “yoga” practice, I would be very surprised.