Section 5 ... Other Beliefs       >       Index To Other Religions       >        Index To  Hinduism

Hindus offer no objective evidence that their teachings were revealed by God or that their Scriptures are truly divine. They may try to show they are reasonable, but mainly they urge you to try it to see if you find it satisfying. If you get hooked emotionally on it, like other experiential religions, you will not likely listen to reason. But there is no valid evidence why anyone should believe it. (David E. Pratte. Hinduism and Christianity)

Hinduism..A Christian Perspective
Hinduism claims 1/6 of the world's population, with over 750 million followers worldwide and its influence is being felt more and more in western countries. An increasing number of Asian Indians are residing in the U.S. and there are approximately 200 Hindu temples or Hindu centers in the U.S. Many believe that due to its eclectic nature, Hinduism has the potential to serve as a major vehicle for uniting much of the non-Christian religious world. Additionally this mysterious religion from India is the wellspring of a good deal of New Age thinking.

The Ancient Origins of Hinduism
The genesis of Hinduism is nearly as elusive as its contemporary definition. Unlike Islam, which began with Mohammed, or Judaism, which began with Moses, Hinduism has no founder, nor any traditional time or place of origin; it emerges from the jungle as a continually evolving religious system. Scholars debate the primary source of what would become the Hindu religion, though all agree that several cultures had an influence

An Investigation of Hindu Scripture
There is much morally reprehensible material within the Vedic literature. One 19th-century writer, speaking specifically of the Puranāas, underlined the true nature of the Hindu scripture: “The instructions which it professes to give are useless, where they are not scandalous and criminal. The only things clearly to be understood, are the profane songs, the obscene ceremonies, and the other indecencies connected with the prescribed festivals” (as quoted by Goodall, 1996, p. xxxviii). The immoralities endorsed by Hindu scripture range from racial prejudices and rigid social hierarchies to rape and murder.

The Truth Claims of Hinduism (Below)
Contrary to popular belief, one of the most widely misunderstood current peculiar concepts is the idea that Hinduism somehow teaches that all religions are equal. When critics of Christianity claim it is intolerant and ethnocentric to state that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.. they completely overlook or are totally unaware of the the fact that Hindus consider Hinduism to Be “the eternal way of Truth” (Below)

Witnessing to Hindus
American Christians who take the Great Commission seriously cannot afford to ignore Hinduism. Not only are one million of its roughly eight million adherents living in the United States, but the beliefs and practices of Hinduism (e.g., pantheism, reincarnation, and yoga) have deeply penetrated Western culture. Background information for understanding Hindus and six specific suggestions that will help facilitate meaningful dialogue with them.

Also See

What Eastern Gurus Say About Occult Practices
In short those who practice the occultism of the East also warn of its dangers. This is why those who seek the so-called "wisdom from the East" frequently get more than they bargained for.

The Influence of Eastern Mysticism
Eastern mysticism has penetrated every area of Western society and much of the church. How did this transformation overtake a "Christian" America?

Christianity

Comparing Jesus With Other Religious Leaders... Why Jesus Is Without Equal
The claim to authority made by the founders of most religions, is generally based on visions they claim to have had, and/or their own experiences or wisdom. However, since anyone can claim to be divine, be divinely inspired, or have mystical visions or experiences, all of these religions stand or fall on something which no one can prove or disprove. All we have to go on is what the founder of the religion said (blind faith), and whether the teachings seem to work in our own lives. Good Enough? It shouldn’t be

The Answer To Death... What "Solace and Hope" Do The Different Religions Offer Us
The Heaven Jesus was sent to tell us about is no pie in the sky ethereal place 'somewhere out there' but a a literal, earthly kingdom ... a place of peace and safety, where there is no crime, hunger and disease, war and above all... no death. In fact, Christianity promises exactly the utopian world most men and women dream of. Unless, of course, your idea of paradise is "an ineffable transcendental state" (whatever that means).

 Faith and The Bible
Whether you are aware of it or not, faith plays a huge part in many, if not most religions of the world. However, faith can mean two different things. It can mean reasonable trust based on evidence. On the other hand, faith can also mean trust or belief without evidence, or contrary to evidence. Christianity is perhaps the only religion that does not demand 'blind faith' from it's followers.

Excerpt From

“Does Hinduism Teach That All Religions Are The Same?
A Philosophical Critique of Radical Universalism”
By Dr. Frank Gaetano Morales, Ph.D.

“Reclaiming the Jewel of Dharma

Sanatana Dharma, authentic Hinduism, is a religion that is just as unique, valuable and integral a religion as any other major religion on earth, with its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology. The religious tradition of Hinduism is solely responsible for the original creation of such concepts and practices as Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu, Jyotisha, Yajna, Puja, Tantra, Vedanta, Karma, etc. These and countless other Vedic-inspired elements of Hinduism belong to Hinduism, and to Hinduism alone. Though they are elements of Hinduism alone, however, they are also simultaneously Hinduism’s divine gift to a suffering world. Thus, so many of the essential elements of Hinduism are now to be found incorporated into the structures and beliefs of many of the world’s diverse religious traditions. The world, both ancient and modern, has appreciated, either with direct acknowledgement or not, the greatness of Hindu ideals. When we make the sentimentally comforting, yet unthinking, claim that "all religions are the same", we are unwittingly betraying the grandeur and integrity of this ancient heritage, and contributing to weakening the philosophical/cultural matrix of Hinduism to its very core.

Each and every time a Hindu upholds Radical Universalism, and bombastically proclaims that "all religions are the same", she does so at the dire expense of the very Hinduism she claims to love. To deny the uniqueness and greatness of Hinduism leads, in turn, to a very unhealthy psychological state of self-loathing, a sense of unworthiness and a schizophrenic confusion on the part of anyone who wishes to consider themselves Hindu. This is especially the case for Hindu youth. The effects of this debilitating inferiority complex, coupled with the lack of philosophical clarification, that result from the denigrating influence of Radical Universalism are the principal reasons why Hindu parents find their children all too often lacking a deep interest in Hinduism and, in some cases, even abandoning Hinduism for seemingly more rational and less self-abnegating religions. Who, after all, wants to follow a religion in which it is claimed that the very basis of the religion is to exult the greatness of other religions at its own expense? The answer is no one.

If we want to ensure that our youth remain committed to Hinduism as a meaningful path, that our leaders teach Hinduism in a manner that represents the tradition authentically and with dignity, and that the greater Hindu community can feel that they have a religion that they can truly take pride in, then we must abandon Radical Universalism. If we want Hinduism to survive so that it may continue to bring hope, meaning and enlightenment to untold future generations, then the next time our son or daughter asks us what Hinduism is really all about, let us not slavishly repeat to them that "all religions are the same". Let us instead look them in their eyes, and teach them the uniquely precious, the beautifully endearing, and the philosophically profound truths of our tradition…truths that have been responsible for keeping Hinduism a vibrantly living religious force for over 5000 years. Let us teach them Sanatana Dharma, the eternal way of Truth.”
 

About The Author..  Dr. Frank Gaetano Morales, Ph.D. earned both a doctorate and a Master’s degree in Languages and Cultures of Asia from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Previously, Dr. Morales earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Loyola University Chicago. His fields of expertise include Philosophy of Religion, Hindu Studies, Sanskrit, History of Religion, Comparative Theology, Contemporary South Asian Politics, and the interface between Hinduism and modernity. Dr. Morales is currently recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on Hindu philosophy and religion, as well as South Asian studies. In addition to directing his own institute, Dr. Morales works in conjunction with several educational institutes and think tanks globally.  The article (of which the above is an excerpt) is considered by many Hindu leaders to be the definitive statement on the true nature of authentic and traditional Hinduism”.

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