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Mickey
Guest
A culture adapting to the apostolic Church is one thing… a culture mixing Hunduism and Buddhism with apostolic Christianity is another. 
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Ahimsa
Guest
I didn’t see any mixing of “Hinduism” and “Buddhism”.A culture adapting to the apostolic Church is one thing… a culture mixing Hunduism and Buddhism with apostolic Christianity is another.
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Alexander_Roman
Guest
Dear Ahimsa,Popes wore the mitres of pre-Christian Roman priests, and they took the name “Pontifex Maximus” (the high priest of ancient Rome) and intermingled elements of Greek philosophy into Christianity.
Namastay!
You are more than correct!
Om Mane Padme Hum!
Alex
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Mickey
Guest
I do. It’s called syncretism.
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Alexander_Roman
Guest
In fact, only certain cultural elements found within Hinduism are used and there is NO intermixing of Hindu religious beliefs with Christianity.A culture adapting to the apostolic Church is one thing… a culture mixing Hunduism and Buddhism with apostolic Christianity is another.
Many elements of pagan Greek, Roman and Celtic traditions were adopted and Christianized by the Christian missionaries of Europe. The same thing is occurring in Asia.
In fact, if elements of the Catholic Church weren’t so opposed to this a few hundred years ago, Christianity would today be the religion of Asia (i.e. the Chinese and Indian rites controversy and the like).
Catholic missionaries like Fr. Matteo Ricci and Fr. Roberto diNobili laid the groundwork for it all. Sadly, their work wasn’t embraced by European Catholics who, within the framework of a colonial mind-set, saw European culture, as well as Christianity, as what missionaries should be converting African and Asian peoples to.
Alex
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Alexander_Roman
Guest
Not at all sir. No more syncretistic than what Greek and Russian Orthodox traditions have done with their people’s pre-Christian traditions, including St Herman in Alaska.
This has nothing to do with somehow mixing Hindu beliefs with Christian beliefs.
If you are not comfortable discussing this, that is fine. Please do not cast unfounded aspersions in this respect.
Alex
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Mickey
Guest
I am sorry sir. But I see this as a dangerous mixing of Christianity with Hinduistic and Buddhist elements. This is my take on what I have seen here…and it is my opinion. If you are not comfortable with my comments…that is fine. Be watchful.
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Mickey
Guest
Shantivanam Ashram -Established by benedictine Monks.
Alexander_Roman:
**Shantivanam’s brochure describes its objectives: **
“The aim of the ashram remains to establish a way of contemplative life, based alike on the traditions of Christian monasticism and of Hindu sannyasa…… we also study Hindu doctrine (Vedanta) and make use of Hindu methods of prayer and meditation (Yoga). The ashram seeks to be a place of meeting for Hindus and Christians and people of all religions or none, who are genuinely seeking God.”
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Ahimsa
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Studying Vedanta is something any Christian serious about dialogue and missionary work with Hindus (especially educated Hindus) would do.
Notice the paragraph doesn’t say “adopting Vedantic philosophy”; it refers to the “study” of Vedanta.
Hindus methods of prayer and meditation referred to, again, are not doctrinal issues, but issues of cultural practice. Someone raised Hindu, and converting to Christianity, need not reject perfectly adaptable practices, such as the physical asanas of hatha yoga.
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Mickey
Guest
I do not think a traditional Catholic would do such a thing. Is it also customary to incorporate it into the Liturgy?
I think perhaps you are playing some word games.
Perfectly adaptable paractices? :nope:
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Ahimsa
Guest
Catholics have been studying pagan Greek philosophy for 2000 years. Why can’t Catholics study Hindu philosophy?
Vedanta isn’t included in the Liturgy
Are you claiming that Christians have been forbidden from practicing hatha yoga, when the hatha yoga is free of Hindu theology?
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joeantony
Guest
Hi Mickey,
If I may , I do not think it is right to say that a traditional Catholic would do such thing…
Just because Catholics had tried, are trying and will be trying to study and understand the other religions. It is something that is a must for dialogue with other religions. There are catholic priests who are Sanskrit Scholars ,btw Sanskrit is considered Grandeur than Latin , and expert in Hindu philosophy and mythology. Don’t Catholic study Qu’ran ? If we don’t how do we even talk about it?
And about “perfectly adaptable practices” … When you said “nope”, is it because you didn’t “study” the subject and have no clue whatsoever about the whole movement if at all it is something that is worthy of calling such?
It looks like people in the west just forget that Christianity is about Christ not about Culture.!!
With prayers,
Joe
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Mickey
Guest
Go ahead and study it if you wish…I surely would not.
“In Fr Bede Griffith’s ashram, texts from the Hindu scriptures are incorporated into the liturgy along with the customs of the sanayasi…”
Fr Thomas Keating
Forbidden? I would not recommend it. I have read many articles from Catholic sources warning people to steer clear of such practices.
I believe that yoga is not compatible with apostolic Christianity…whether it’s theology is embraced or not.
It is a dangerous door to open.
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Mickey
Guest
I have more knowledge about the subject than you think. I say “nope” because of a combination of my knowledge and my faith.
If you add a tiny bit of poison to a glass of water…all of the water is poisoned.
Correct. It is about Christ…Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.
This does not include embracing Hinduism or Buddhism or Islamicism. It does not include hatha yoga, kundalini yoga, ot TM. It does not include the philosophy of the Arians or the Novatians etc. It does not include the practice of reiki, mandalas, or enneagram.
Have you ever read a book titled, “The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios?”
J
Julia_Mae
Guest
I found nothing to disagree with in what he said.
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Ahimsa
Guest
There are numerous verses from Hindu scripture that can be seen as not contradictory to traditional Christian thought, like:
“Lead me from unreality to reality. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality.”
“He is the Ancient One. He created the beings of Earth and Heaven in days of yore in order divine.”
And, as far as I know, Griffith’s work hasn’t been condemned by the Vatican.
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malphono
Guest
I’d be curious to know if the SOC, IOC, or either of the SMCs actively embraces any of this stuff, and if so, how much? As Judge Marilyn Milian often says, I don’t want to hear flapping gums: links would be more to the point. Normally, I wouldn’t put it quite that way, but this “inculturation” business is delicate, so I’m not interested in the sayings or actions of any one particular priest or even a group. What I’m looking for is something official from any of those Churches. I should add that, since this is the EC forum, I’m also not interested to see anything from a Latin diocese.
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Mickey
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As I said…apparently he introduced some Hindu “scripture” in the liturgy.
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Ahimsa
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Pambo
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If you just practice the physical postures of yoga as a form of stretching or excercise without the corresponding interior disposition, I don’t believe that would really be considered yoga by Indian standards and I’m sure that spiritual seekers in India would be aware of this. The hatha yoga you may be referring to is what people practice in American and European health clubs. Real yoga is based on Hindu scriptures and is a technique of meditation which cannot be separated from Hindu theology. Any orthodox Hindu will tell you that, and from what I’ve read Dom Griffiths upset many Hindus for attempting to do just this, including a prominant Hindu Swami.
Here is what Wikipedia says about the “real” Hatha Yoga:
**Hatha yoga (Sanskrit हठयोग haṭhayoga, IPA: ɦəʈʰəˈjoːɡə]), also called hatha vidya (हठविद्या), is a system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a Hindu sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
“The word “hatha” may esoterically be said to derive from the Sanskrit terms “ha” meaning “sun” and “tha” meaning “moon”. Thus, Hatha Yoga is known as the branch of Yoga that unites pairs of opposites referring to the positive (sun) and negative (moon) currents in the system.”[1] Historically, however, the term haṭha refers to the use of persistence or force, and haṭhayoga is translated by the Monier-Williams dictionary as “a kind of forced Yoga or abstract meditation (forcing the mind to withdraw from external objects; treated of in the Haṭha‐pradīpikā by Svātmārāma and performed with much self‐torture, such as standing on one leg, holding up the arms, inhaling smoke with the head inverted &c.).” **
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