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SteveVH
Guest
Restraint…, Restraint…, Do. Not. Go. There. Do. Not. Go. There.
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Restraint…, Restraint…, Do. Not. Go. There. Do. Not. Go. There.
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Philomath
Guest
I along with several other Hindu’s do not agree with your definition of what “true” Hinduism is.
If you want to know the importance of the names of Gods in rituals then read Iamblichus and Porphyry in “Offering to the gods - a neoplatonic perspective”. The names of gods will have ritual efficacy, that’s why it is so important to preserve the names of gods during cultural transfusion.
New names new times. I can’t tell you why their names have changed.
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Pleroma
Guest
That’s why I am not part of your cult any more.
Not only the names the whole perspective of Rudra itself has changed. What Hindus believe in are the childish stories in the later puranas.
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Philomath
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flameburns623
Guest
There has been a resurgence of Dharmic nationalism for several decades and a concommittant increased opposition to Christian missionizing:
groups.yahoo.com/group/MangaloreanCatholics/message/33506
groups.yahoo.com/group/MangaloreanCatholics/message/33506
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openmind77
Guest
This is true, although there always has been opposition to missionaries in India (since independence anyway). I would say the best way to evangelize in India would be to go there and open hospitals, orphanages etc (these are of course badly needed) and work through those. You can also start schools, but here again you may run into opposition from the local authorities.
However, OP was asking about evangelizing to Hindus in the US - here you may have your work cut out for you because most of them are pretty well off and too comfortable in their own beliefs.
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jerry_joseph
Guest
Best way to evangelize a culture , not only Hindus but all other cultures in the world , is to live a good ideal christian life based on christ’s teachings. Main problem and obstacle in evagelization is that life of christians and teachings of christs are now different. Everybody looks at life witness. If our life and teachings are different then nobody cares about our teachings.
Hinduism is a great religion. It is a religion which based on search for God. What they are searching for through their entire idelogies?. True God. What are his qualities?. What type of God they are searching for? Their mantra’s says
"OM ASATOMA SADGAMAYA
TAMASOMA JYOTRIGAMAYA
MRITHYORMA AMRUTAMGAMAYA
OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI…
O lord Lead us from lies to truth… Lead us from darkness to light. Lead us from death to eternal life. Let peace prevail everywhere.
We can see all their search fulfils in Jesus.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life:” John 14:6
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” John 5:24
So it is clear that the God (truth) they searches for , is actually Jesus. Because he only fulfills all these qualities.
Hinduism is a great religion. It is a religion which based on search for God. What they are searching for through their entire idelogies?. True God. What are his qualities?. What type of God they are searching for? Their mantra’s says
"OM ASATOMA SADGAMAYA
TAMASOMA JYOTRIGAMAYA
MRITHYORMA AMRUTAMGAMAYA
OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI, OM SHANTI…
O lord Lead us from lies to truth… Lead us from darkness to light. Lead us from death to eternal life. Let peace prevail everywhere.
We can see all their search fulfils in Jesus.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life:” John 14:6
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” John 5:24
So it is clear that the God (truth) they searches for , is actually Jesus. Because he only fulfills all these qualities.
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MartinJordan
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openmind77
Guest
Actually, personally as a Hindu, I do indeed believe that Hindus should be searching for Jesus as the Son sent by God 2000 years ago. But neither should they forget the other Sons of God that have been sent many times before him.jerry_joseph;11035408:
MJ
In fact, God sends one of his Sons to Earth, approximately every 2000 years as the Sun moves through each constellation, to teach and lead men.
Some of the previous Sons by constellation are:
Leo - Hermes (Egypt)
Cancer- Hercules (Greece)
Gemini - Rama (India)
Taurus - Mithra (Europe)
Aries - Krishna (India)
Pisces - Jesus (Middle-east - the fisher of men)
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MartinJordan
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openmind77
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Sorry this is not a Hindu teaching. Hindus just follow Rama as well as Krishna, though many do believe in Jesus. I don’t really have a link to where I read it, but I found it very believable. As a rule Hindus do not reject a previous teacher, just because a new one appears - they just try to incorporate new teachings into older traditions.
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MartinJordan
Guest
That’s what I thought.
Isn’t Hinduism older than Christianity? Why do many Hindus believe in Jesus?
Is there a particular Hindu “school” that believe this too?
Sounds a bit New Age to me.
MJ
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openmind77
Guest
It is not just Jesus that they are willing believe in. If a new teacher comes tomorrow and appears authentic, many Hindus would be willing to accept him also. The Buddha was rejected by many Hindus when he first came, but nowadays almost all accept him as an Avatar (a Son of God).That’s what I thought.
Isn’t Hinduism older than Christianity? Why do many Hindus believe in Jesus?
Is there a particular Hindu “school” that believe this too?
Sounds a bit New Age to me.
MJ
I don’t know if many Hindus are aware of this particular list of teachers (by the astronomical ages), but I think they would tend to believe it like I do - ie teachers by the various Ages (as I mentioned before):
Leo - Hermes (Egypt)
Cancer- Hercules (Greece)
Gemini - Rama (India)
Taurus - Mithra (Europe)
Aries - Krishna (India)
Pisces - Jesus (Middle-east - the fisher of men)
I think a lot of New Age ideas are common with Hinduism (especially the ideas of reincarnation and karma as well as worship of the Goddess).
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Philomath
Guest
Jesus is irrelevant to Hinduism. Some Hindu’s may admire Jesus(Like I do) but reverence for him as being divine is not a common thing.
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jerry_joseph
Guest
Hinduism is an umbrella term used to denote different faiths originated in India. It contains various faiths such as polytheism, pantheism, vaishnavism etc. Same like christianity is an umbrella term used to denote different faiths such as catholicism, orthodoxy,protestantism , pentecostalism, mormons, evangelicals etc.
Now a days philosophical hinduism is based on panthestic ideology of advaita vedanta. Jesus is irrelevant to them. But if you read their holy scriptures, we can find shadow of christ in that.
After creating the sky, waters, and the earth, the supreme spirit of the Lord almighty thought “I created the worlds. Now to provide for and to save these worlds I have to create a savior.” Thinking thus He gave birth to a man from himself. (Ithareya Upanishad 1.1.3)
Qualities of that savior is mentioned like this
- Purusha shubham - blameless and Holy person,
- Balwaan raja gaurang shweta vastrakam - sovereign king in a holy person robed in white 3. Yeesh putra - Son of God ,
- Kumari garbha sambhavam -one who is born of a virgin,
- Satya Varatha Paraayanam - one who is the sustainer of the path of truth
References to the Suffering and Death of the redeemer
The crown of thorns was placed on his head: “The sacrificial victim is to be crowned with a crown made of thorny vines” (Rigveda 10.90.7, 15).
His clothes were divided among those who offered him. “After death, His clothes are to be divided among the offerors” (Ithareya Brahmanam).
The person tied to a wooden cross: “His hands and legs are to be bound to a yoopa (a wooden pole) causing blood shed” (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, 3.9.28).
While the victim was at his greatest agony on the cross, he was given a herbal drink which had an intoxicating effect: “Before death, He should be given a drink of somarasa” [an intoxicating herbal juice] (Yajur Veda 31).
Though the victim was hung on the wooden cross, none of his bones were broken: “None of His bones be broken” (Ithareya Brahmanam 2.6).
If you want to be delivered from the sin which you commit through eyes, mouth, ears and mind, bloodshed is necessary. Without shedding the blood, there is no remission for sin. That must be the blood of the Holy one. God is our creator. He is our King. When we were perishing, He came to save us by offering even his own body on our behalf. (Maha Brahmanam 4.15)
Which hindu God came to offer his body and blood for our salvation?.
God is the ruler of people. He will offer His body as a sacrifice, for His people; for the remission of their sins (Sama veda, part 2, Thandiya Maha Brahmanam).
I feel the searchings of hindu sages throughout milleniums,for the redeemer of universe,actually fulfills in christ. Because no other God fulfils these qualities mentioned in their scriptures.
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Philomath
Guest
I know all of this. Vaishnavism is a sect in Hinduism it’s not a faith nor is it a type of Theism.
This is false. Advaita number one is not pantheistic it is Monistic and Non-Dual. Number two most of Hinduism is not based on Advaita. Vaishnavism and Shaivism are more are the two large sects withing Hinduism. When you read Hindu texts through “Christ filled lenses” of course that’s what you’ll find.
That is a mistranslation. The correct word is actually “guardian” or “controller”. This verse refers to the creation of the primeval man who is called Purusam.
more commentary on this is found here
hinduwebsite.com/aitareyaone.asp
You’ve also forgotten about these
Rig Veda 10:90
- A THOUSAND heads hath Purusa, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet.
On every side pervading earth he fills a space ten fingers wide.
2 This Purusa is all that yet hath been and all that is to be;
The Lord of Immortality which waxes greater still by food.
3 So mighty is his greatness; yea, greater than this is Purusa.
All creatures are one-fourth of him, three-fourths eternal life in heaven.
4 With three-fourths Purusa went up: onefourth of him again was here.
Thence he strode out to every side over what cats not and what cats.
5 From him Viraj was born; again Purusa from Viraj was born.
As soon as he was born he spread eastward and westward o’er the earth.
6 When Gods prepared the sacrifice with Purusa as their offering,
Its oil was spring, the holy gift was autumn; summer was the wood.
7 They balmed as victim on the grass Purusa born in earliest time.
With him the Deities and all Sadhyas and Rsis sacrificed.
8 From that great general sacrifice the dripping fat was gathered up.
He formed the creatures of-the air, and animals both wild and tame.
9 From that great general sacrifice Rcas and Sama-hymns were born:
Therefrom were spells and charms produced; the Yajus had its birth from it.
10 From it were horses born, from it all cattle with two rows of teeth:
From it were generated kine, from it the goats and sheep were born.
11 When they divided Purusa how many portions did they make?
What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do they call his thighs and feet?
12 The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made.
His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.
13 The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth;
Indra and Agni from his mouth were born, and Vayu from his breath.
What specific verse says this?
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Philomath
Guest
What a terrible mistranslation and is even the full verse
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, 3.9.28 actually states this:
Yajnavalkya interrogated them with the following verses: 1. As is a mighty tree, so indeed is a man: this is true. His hairs are the leaves and his skin is the outer bark. 2. From his skin blood flows and from the bark, sap. Therefore when a man is Wounded blood flows, as sap from a tree that is injured. 3. His flesh is its inner bark and his nerves are its innermost layer of bark, which is tough. His bones lie within, as does the wood of the tree. His marrow resembles the pith. 4. A tree, when it is felled, springs again from its root in a new form; from what root, tell me, does a man spring forth after he is cut off by death? 5. Do not say: From the semen, for that is produced from the living man. A tree springs from the seed as well; after it is dead it certainly springs again. 6. If a tree is pulled up with its root, it will not spring again. From what root, tell me, does a mortal spring forth after he is cut off by death? 7. If you think he is indeed born, I say: No, he is born again. Now who should again bring him forth? The Upanishad states: It is Brahman, which is absolute Knowledge and Bliss, the ultimate goal of him who offers wealth and also of him who has realized Brahman and stands firm in It.
bharatadesam.com/spiritual/upanishads/brihadaranyaka_upanishad.php
I will reply to the rest of you post when I get back.
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Philomath
Guest
There is nothing on soma in the entirety of Chapter 31 of the Yajur Veda. Also, this chapter deals with descriptions of things already done and does not give procedures for yagnas. Additionally, soma is not an intoxicant.
archive.org/stream/yajurveda029670mbp/yajurveda029670mbp_djvu.txt
Ithareya Brahmanam 2.6 actually says this:
And because he knew this, therefore when the strings of the body were snapped asunder,
lo, he soared forth into yonder world of Paradise and there having possessed all desires ,
put death behind him, yea, he put death behind him.
ancienttexts.org/library/indian/upanishads/aitar.html
The Brahmanams are on yagnas, which deal with fire and not a symbolic sacrifice of a human. I did not find anything like this in the multiple Brahmanas I went through, if you look through those texts you’ll see that the division of the texts is different from the ones given.
None because there is no salvation or a need for God to sacrifice himself in Hinduism.
I couldn’t find it in context with the rest of the Chapters, the only results are isolated verses on Christian websites seeking to propagate the belief that Jesus was predicted about in the Hindu scriptures.
Your free to your opinion which I respect. But as I’ve shown you none of these verses are in reference to Jesus. Many of these verses are out of context, distorted, or aren’t even found in the scriptures themselves. Almost all of the verses you posted were the same ones I continuously came across on Christian propaganda websites.
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jerry_joseph
Guest
Yes this Purusha (Guardian or controller) for the universe. It resembles lot of similarities with Jesus.
Guardians death resulted in creation of moon , horses cattles?. Then how he guards it , if he is dead?
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Philomath
Guest
I don’t see any.
Yes Purusha’s death as a sacrifice to the gods resulted in the creation of the Universe. He is the Guardian of Immortality, and hence shows Himself as the cosmos evolving by means of nourishment.
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