Astron

Dear List, I am curious as to how Hindus interpret scriptures of other world religions. I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household but have had severe breaks with the doctrine I was taught, namely that there is an eternal hell. Do Hindus ascribe any divine authorship to the Christian Bible, and what, if any, is the Hindu concept of hell? I do realize that different schools of thought may have different answers. Even if I should not go to hell, if there were a hell, it would be a torment to me. I do think it to be a hideously unjust concept and I am trying to reconcile it in my mind once and for all. Astron

Dear List, I grew up in a rather fundamentalist Christian household, but had my own set of beliefs that I clung to from early childhood, and encountered neo-paganism as a teenager. This was in the years before Wicca became a fad movement, complete with effort-free kits for spells and fluffy books on how to ensnare a boyfriend by burning a candle. I have read reasonably extensively on the subject, and even considered myself Wiccan for a period of about two years. However, I combined these beliefs with Christianity. I am now investigating Hinduism after a personal vision, having never believed in Hindu anything before now. In any case, a core belief of most Wicca is that although there are many gods and goddesses, they are all facets of one God and one Goddess. Some say that this duality is itself an aspect of a greater, unknowable Force. I know more about this than probably anyone on this current topic right now, and would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Fire away! Astron