Do me a favor: ask me questions about my faith!

[PlipPlop]

Hey there. Answering questions about religion always helps me clear my mind and solidify my beliefs. And, of course, people are curious. Please ask questions about my personal faith.

I am a pantheist, meaning I believe God is all and all is God.I guess one could call me a Hindu since I believe in Brahman (a pantheistic interpretation of God) and Dharma, which I try my best to live up to. Though a fairly heterodox Hindu.

Of course, given the nature of “Hinduism”, you could say everyone is a Hindu.

That should be good enough as a starting point, thanks for obliging me.

Edit: I have a pretty universalistic view, meaning (most) religions aren’t wrong, just different. The vast majority of religions are a way to get closer to God, whatever He/She/It is, and it’s between the individual and God to decide which is best for them.

 

[chaunceygardner]

Hey there. Answering questions about religion always helps me clear my mind and solidify my beliefs. And, of course, people are curious. Please ask questions about my personal faith.

I am a pantheist, meaning I believe God is all and all is God.I guess one could call me a Hindu since I believe in Brahman (a pantheistic interpretation of God) and Dharma, which I try my best to live up to. Though a fairly heterodox Hindu.

Of course, given the nature of “Hinduism”, you could say everyone is a Hindu.

That should be good enough as a starting point, thanks for obliging me.

Edit: I have a pretty universalistic view, meaning (most) religions aren’t wrong, just different. The vast majority of religions are a way to get closer to God, whatever He/She/It is, and it’s between the individual and God to decide which is best for them.

Hello:

Before I ask a question, I must say that I have a suspicion that there isn’t an internet forum for those with your beliefs. In any case, welcome to this one. I am somewhat of a “stranger” here myself, for although I do not consider myself any of these, I have been “accused” of being a Hindu, pantheist, atheist, heretic, and the most shameful of all, a “sola scriptura” Protestant. How anyone could be ALL of those at the same time is beyond me.

The best way to discuss something about what you believe is to ask your own question, and start your own thread. Otherwise, a dialogue never really develops because the thread is about you, rather than a topic. But I will grant the favor you request.

I guess my first question is: Why are you here?

Second question: When you say God is in all and all is in God, how do mean that? That interests me since I have the same belief. Actually, it seems to me quite obvious, but most on this forum take umbrage with the idea. So please give us a little more on that.

I will leave it at that, and await with interest what you have to say.

 

[PlipPlop]

Nice to meet you good sir/ma’am!

The best way to discuss something about what you believe is to ask your own question, and start your own thread. Otherwise, a dialogue never really develops because the thread is about you, rather than a topic. But I will grant the favor you request.

Hmm, good point.I didn’t really think about that.

I guess my first question is: Why are you here?

The CAF is very active, I already have an account here, and I’ve used this forum to understand the Catholic viewpoint a lot.

Second question: When you say God is in all and all is in God, how do mean that? That interests me since I have the same belief. Actually, it seems to me quite obvious, but most on this forum take umbrage with the idea. So please give us a little more on that.

Everything is God. Rocks, trees, dogs, flies, even humans, are God. A lot of pantheists say God is the material universe only, but I say God is both the material and the immaterial. Everything that is, was, and ever will be. If the universe was a blanket, then God would be the cloth it was made from.

 

[Moscati]

Welcome!

I do have a question about your faith, actually–how far does it go, mechanistically? What I mean to say is . . . is God in a cancer cell? The HIV virus? Pedophiles? Pollution? The Holocaust? Everything? (You catch my drift.)

I can get my head around saying God is nature, but God being literally everything is hard.

 

[yellowbird]

Do you go to a church or building to worship with like minded people? If so, what are your services like?

Were you raised to believe this faith or did you abandon a different faith and embrace this one as an adult?

 

[bpbasilphx]

Christianity and Judaism teach that God is totally different from His Creation.

Do you consider this “just different” or wrong?

 

[musicality]

Edit: I have a pretty universalistic view, meaning (most) religions aren’t wrong, just different. The vast majority of religions are a way to get closer to God, whatever He/She/It is, and it’s between the individual and God to decide which is best for them.

When I was much younger I would have tried to agree with you. This song does a decent job explaining why I no longer agree with that statement:
youtube.com/watch?v=5zBcXKVaFg8

(Catholicism is not fully reconcilable with other religions.)

 

[PlipPlop]

Thanks guys.

Welcome!

I do have a question about your faith, actually–how far does it go, mechanistically? What I mean to say is . . . is God in a cancer cell? The HIV virus? Pedophiles? Pollution? The Holocaust? Everything? (You catch my drift.)

I can get my head around saying God is nature, but God being literally everything is hard.

I meant more ideas and the physical laws than events.

HIV, cancer, and pollution are a part of the world, so definitely a part of God, just not as particularly beautiful as the rest.

Pedophiles are people too, only with a particularly revolting and dangerous problem.

Do you go to a church or building to worship with like minded people? If so, what are your services like?

Were you raised to believe this faith or did you abandon a different faith and embrace this one as an adult?

No, I do not. That’s because of transportation issues, though, otherwise I would like to attend the local Quaker meeting.

I was born Roman Catholic.

Christianity and Judaism teach that God is totally different from His Creation.

Do you consider this “just different” or wrong?

Well, I think it’s wrong, but to you it’s right and it gives you a close relationship with God, so a bit of both. Of course, you could be right and I could be wrong, but for some reason I just can’t get as close to God with that view.
Hope that made sense.

 

[ljubim]

Do you believe in evil, and what role does it play in your world, since God is “everything”?

 

[Reuben_J]

Hi.

1. Do you believe in heaven and hell? If you do, what are they? If not, what happen after one dies?
2. What do you consider good and evil? Do you have any guide system that tell you that there are things you should and should not do?

3.If you do, what is your motivation for following the things that you should do and vice versa?

1. What is your opinion on Christianity especially Catholic Christianity? Do you have any knowledge about it or you do not?

Thank you.

 

[aspirant]

I am a pantheist, meaning I believe God is all and all is God.I guess one could call me a Hindu since I believe in Brahman (a pantheistic interpretation of God)

I don’t really buy into the claims that Advaita Vedanta is “pantheist.” You may be, other Hindus may be, but I don’t think that tradition really is, despite common claims to the contrary.

 

[PlipPlop]

Do you believe in evil, and what role does it play in your world, since God is “everything”?

Hi.
2. What do you consider good and evil? Do you have any guide system that tell you that there are things you should and should not do?

Good is harmony. It is what happens when you listen to your Inner Light, conscience, divine presence, whatever you want to call it. You know what I mean.
Evil is disharmony, when you go against that.

As for moral guides, I try to follow the golden rule, the Quaker testimonies, the Ten Taoic Precepts, and general Hindu ethics, as far as those can be generalized.

Hi.

1. Do you believe in heaven and hell? If you do, what are they? If not, what happen after one dies?

…

3.If you do, what is your motivation for following the things that you should do and vice versa?

1. What is your opinion on Christianity especially Catholic Christianity? Do you have any knowledge about it or you do not?

Thank you.

Thank you.

1. I suppose one could describe heaven as being in harmony with God and hell as being in disharmony. Beyond that, no. It seems to me that everyone has one of a certain number of basic essences. You can call it a soul, if you wish. If you were a house, that essence would be the concrete foundation. This essence repeats. So, even though you as an individual cease to exist, your foundation lives on. Your body is recycled. Your influences in the world goes on, like ripples in a puddle.
2. Because it’s nice to do. Empathy. It makes me feel good. It brings me closer in harmony. I want my lasting influences on the world to be positive, not negative, even if my name is forgotten by the world the moment after my death.
3. Mostly positive. It’s had its negative effects on the world, but there have been good effects, too (see Quakers, various cultural advancements, etc.). Just like any religion. No doubt Jesus was a great fellow, and the world would be a lot better off if more people tried to be like him.

Catholicism in particular? Well, I don’t think the Vatican is the root of all evil as some do, but I don’t really agree with some of their social stances. They have done a lot of good too, though. Mostly providing hope to those who would otherwise have no reason to live, which is of course admirable.

However, I do feel strongly about those who attempt to whitewash the history of Christianity. The image of Jesus gets used a lot to advance agenda instead of moral right. Pretending it didn’t happen doesn’t make it better. Acknowledging that it did happen doesn’t make any Christian evil.

I’d like to think I know a fair bit about Christianity.

I don’t really buy into the claims that Advaita Vedanta is “pantheist.” You may be, other Hindus may be, but I don’t think that tradition really is, despite common claims to the contrary.

All Advaita Vedanta adherents are Hindus, but not all Hindus are adherents to Advaita Vedanta, or even Vedanta, though if you meet a Hindu in the West they probably are (I’m no exception). But, yes it is pantheistic.

You can probably find any belief in the folds of Hinduism; it’s very … absorbent.

 

[xixxvmcm85]

Greetings!

It’s so nice to have you here as Hindus, Buddhists, and other folks of similarly Dharmic faiths are a rare breed here at CAF. Welcome!

My question about your personal faith: What is your opinion of the Caste system? And more specifically, how do you reconcile Krishna’s infinite wisdom and love for mankind as he tries to teach Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita with his own admitting that it was he who instituted the Caste system… a system which I personally have no qualms against calling a horribly unjust social stratification?

Thank you for your response!

God Bless!

 

[PlipPlop]

Greetings!

It’s so nice to have you here as Hindus, Buddhists, and other folks of similarly Dharmic faiths are a rare breed here at CAF. Welcome!

My question about your personal faith: What is your opinion of the Caste system? And more specifically, how do you reconcile Krishna’s infinite wisdom and love for mankind as he tries to teach Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita with his own admitting that it was he who instituted the Caste system… a system which I personally have no qualms against calling a horribly unjust social stratification?

Thank you for your response!

God Bless!

The caste system is, simply put, evil. Everyone else whom I have met has shared that opinion; the only reason I can think of that it still exists is that those in power seldom give up their power, unfortunately.

I heard one Hindu explain that the Vedas intended to show that a proper, efficient society would rely on 4 pillars of civilization and that it was corrupted. I haven’t fully read the Vedas yet, so I can’t vouch for that. I’ve heard others say that the basic idea holds credence and that there would be equality within the castes, protecting lower members from higher members such as kings, but that in its current state it has been taken way too far. This would be great in medieval times, but it’s high time that we left the whole idea of caste in the dust along with feudalism and segregation.

As for Krishna, I don’t literally believe in the gods. Shakti, for instance, is not an actual entity - rather, she is power, energy, the driving force behind the universe. Saraswati is the beauty of music. Shiva is the ending of the old for the new. I might say mantras occasionally, but that is my way of expressing just how awesome I think the universe is. Ganesha personifies goodness, will, art, and all that good stuff in my mind, so I’ll honor him especially, but he doesn’t really exist outside of myself and others.

So the exploits of Krishna and others are just nice stories to read and think about.

Good luck in your endeavors and may you be brought closer to God.

 

[aspirant]

All Advaita Vedanta adherents are Hindus

Not in my experience.

not all Hindus are adherents to Advaita Vedanta, or even Vedanta

Of course not. I chose an example of a school that is frequently said to be pantheistic.

But, yes it is pantheistic.

I don’t agree, and Wikipedia is no substitute for real religion & philosophy texts.

 

[wwolverine]

Hey there. Answering questions about religion always helps me clear my mind and solidify my beliefs. And, of course, people are curious. Please ask questions about my personal faith.

I am a pantheist, meaning I believe God is all and all is God.I guess one could call me a Hindu since I believe in Brahman (a pantheistic interpretation of God) and Dharma, which I try my best to live up to. Though a fairly heterodox Hindu.

.

If God is all and all that happens, does it mean even all the negativity in the world is God? ie wars, sicknesses, suicide bombings, murders thefts etc ?

 

[PlipPlop]

If God is all and all that happens, does it mean even all the negativity in the world is God? ie wars, sicknesses, suicide bombings, murders thefts etc ?

I wouldn’t say events, but sicknesses are caused by bacteria and viruses, so yes.

 

[kalt]

Hey there. Answering questions about religion always helps me clear my mind and solidify my beliefs. And, of course, people are curious. Please ask questions about my personal faith.

I am a pantheist, meaning I believe God is all and all is God.I guess one could call me a Hindu since I believe in Brahman (a pantheistic interpretation of God) and Dharma, which I try my best to live up to. Though a fairly heterodox Hindu.

Of course, given the nature of “Hinduism”, you could say everyone is a Hindu.

That should be good enough as a starting point, thanks for obliging me.

Edit: I have a pretty universalistic view, meaning (most) religions aren’t wrong, just different. The vast majority of religions are a way to get closer to God, whatever He/She/It is, and it’s between the individual and God to decide which is best for them.

Which religions do you think are wrong?

 

[kalt]

I wouldn’t say events, but sicknesses are caused by bacteria and viruses, so yes.

So the flu (God) makes a man (God) sick? God makes God sick?

And cancer (God) kills a man (God)? God kills God?

 

[wisdomseeker]

Hey there. Answering questions about religion always helps me clear my mind and solidify my beliefs. And, of course, people are curious. Please ask questions about my personal faith.

I am a pantheist, meaning I believe God is all and all is God.I guess one could call me a Hindu since I believe in Brahman (a pantheistic interpretation of God) and Dharma, which I try my best to live up to. Though a fairly heterodox Hindu.

Of course, given the nature of “Hinduism”, you could say everyone is a Hindu.

That should be good enough as a starting point, thanks for obliging me.

Edit: I have a pretty universalistic view, meaning (most) religions aren’t wrong, just different. The vast majority of religions are a way to get closer to God, whatever He/She/It is, and it’s between the individual and God to decide which is best for them.

it all comes down to what God says. Who God says He is? do you belief who God says He is or do you think that you are entitle to believe that whatever i think God is so it is?

"To be right in everything, we ought always to hold that the white which I see, is black, if the Hierarchical Church so decides it" St ignatious of Loyola