Smiley

Hi Brendan. Your question has been answered many times and in many different ways on this board. Near the top of this web page you should see User CP Members List Radio Search Click on Search and read through some of the 'Threads' which have 'Christ' or 'Jesus' in the title and you will get a diversity of opinion. In general Hindus are likely to always give unqualified praise for the foundational texts and and teachers of other relgions whether they agree with them or not. Many Christians get frustrated because they do not understand that when a Hindu praises Jesus he is not necessarily attributing a unique status to him. I and many other Hindus believe that there are personalities currently walking the earth that are not less than and in many cases greater than Jesus. If I asked you about Christianity and Jesus was currently walking the earth (this might be doctrinally incorrect but bear with me) you probably wouldn't reccomend dry books or websites to me, i assume that you would tell me to "Go and see him!" Similarly, in Hinduism there are living masters (masters of themselves). To be in their immediate presence is to receive the blessing of darshan. Only then can you begin to appreciate Hinduism IMO. This idea that the Supreme Being can manifest through a guru so that it is like "God with us" has to be experienced. People on this board can share with you their knowledge of masters like that who are currently still walking the Earth and others who have departed this mortal plane. The blessing of darshan can often change a person in a profound way. Shanti

I agree. Here is a working link: http://hinduwisdom.info/contents.htm

The Bhagavad Gita is the most popular scripture among Hindus. The speaker of the text said that it should be restricted only to devotees but as time went on the 'secret' has gotten out! The International Gita Society says "Our Mission: Break the barriers between faiths and promote unity in diversity. International Gita Society (IGS) is not affiliated with any other religious group, organization or cult." They actually highlight scriptural parallels between the Gita and the Bible as well as other religious texts (not something that makes fundamentalists like me happy!) www.gita-society.com Due to the efforts of ISKCON the Bhagavad Gita As It Is is probably the most widely printed English translation. It can be read online in its original form here: www.asitis.com Wikipedia has an informative page on Bhagavad Gita: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita

"the same kind of choice"?!! According to Hindu dogma one should expect to receive reactions which are commensurate to actions. Being tormented in a lake of fire for eternity for the 'sin' of unbelief doesn't sound commensurate to me. And it is this dogma which is the primary distinguishing characteristic of the message of Jesus. The rest is just rehashed Buddhist philosophy. From this I must conclude that the mindless praise of Jesus as a teacher is simply based upon his popularity - there is no intellectual substance to it.

1. The law does not recognize someone as simply giving a 'warning' when they are forecasting consequences over which they have control, i.e. "I love the police and that is why I am warning you officers to not come on my property - I don't want any police officers to get shot!". Such speech rises to the level of communicating a threat. Of course we are not talking about legal matters here but I do think that the law reflects an important distinction. 2. If the person who claims to be Sri Kalki said something similar, would you say the same thing?

he is claiming that judgment is up to him and so it is his prerogative to damn people to hell (or not). he does so for those that don't believe in him. i consider damning someone to hell a curse. can you think of something worse? re: For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son John 5:22 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24

I didn't attack anyone - I took issue with your statement that she was "second to none". The book I referenced admits that she was a well meaning woman but not perfect ... the forced baptism of dying destitute Hindus who were under her care are among her faults. Why don't you glance at the link I provided to Amazon.com where they are actually discussing the book? On balance, a well meaning woman but not "second to none". Do you always accuse people of attacking a personality simply because they don't agree with your unqualified praise?

If you are sincere about "shopping" for a religion, why not take a closer look at some of the living masters (masters of themselves)? There are such people in Hinduism. Two masters that I recommend you get the darshan of are Baba Hari Dass www.mountmadonna.org/yoga/babaji.html and Mata Amritanandamayi aka 'Ammachi' www.amritapuri.org

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son John 5:22 (King James Version) I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24 (King James Version) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:7-8 (King James Version)

"second to none"? That is an entirely subjective opinion and I wonder how much of it has been shaped by propaganda put out by the Catholic Church and eagerly lapped up by the Western media. If you are willing to consider other points of view then consider this one also: The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

Jealousy is an invariable attribute of the character of Jehovah and Allah as revealed in the Bible and Koran respectively. Both books have this as a consistent theme throughout. Trying to dismiss these as "faults" in "cooked up stories" is completely intellectually dishonest to say the least. Have your favorite text and live in peace but please stop trying to lump all religious texts together. The angry and jealous God who wants every one to come to the one 'truth' is not a Hindu idea.

I have heard it said that during different yugas different methods of spiritual practice were recommended as most beneficial. In your opinion is murti puja necessary for a sadhaka/spiritual aspirant who already restricts his/her senses and worships his/her ishta devata by other means, i.e. scripture study, meditation, transcendental sound vibration, etc. or is murti worship not absolutely necessary but just another acceptable option? Personally I do all of the above except murti puja because I do not feel attracted to it. However I see no reason to criticize other Hindus who feel that it is important to them. I also don't have a firm philosophical basis for my decision on this - I am simply practicing what I feel is my free will to offer what I wish to offer. I would like to hear the opinions and reasoning of other aspirants on this sadhana. Thank you.

As commander in chief of the armed forces of the United States I would hope he isn't squeamish about killing flies. The ancient Kshatriya kings were all excellent hunters but I don't think President Obama is into that.

For less than $200. you can make your own windmill or solar power system. When the sun is out or the wind is blowing you can generate an ample supply of electricity for your needs and charge batteries (acquired free) to store it with. The surplus electricity you generate will cause your meter to run backwards. The power company must credit you for the surplus electricity you provide them. These instructions were simple enough that all of the test subjects had no problem successfully following them. Check it out: http://www.earthforearth.com/

Yes, I read How to Become a Hindu (or better Hindu) years ago and found it quite encouraging.

Of course everyone prints money but the United States wants to do it to an extent that has the Chinese worried. And they have a right to be - China has over 2 trillion dollars invested in the US. If the United States goes on this printing spree they fear that it will cause inflation, weakening the US dollar against other world currencies, thus making Chinese assets worth less.

For immediate relief of constipation it is very important what you do first thing in the morning. Start off by drinking a couple of cups of room temperature water. Then do some walking. You should do at least 30 minutes per day but you can break this up into 15 minute segments if it is too much for you. For instance you could do 15 or more minutes in the morning and the rest in the afternoon or evening. Next do your sadhana before you take any food. After sadhana the first thing you want to eat is fruit such as apple/s or orange/s. If you make this regular habit then constipation will be no more. I have also heard that wheat grass (www.wheatgrassclub.org) is very effective against constipation and other health complaints.

By JG Arora It is tragic that though Sanatan Dharma, commonly known as Hinduism, proclaims universal brotherhood and oneness of humanity, and addresses entire humanity as divine children (Shrunvantu vishve amrutasya putraha - Rig Veda: 10-13-1), most of the Hindus have either been killed or converted or driven out from Pakistan and Bangladesh which used to be Hindu lands. And those Hindus who are still left in Pakistan and Bangladesh are being treated with disdain and discrimination; and are being denied even the basic human rights. Genocide and persecution Only a few centuries ago, Hindu religion and culture used to reverberate from Afghanistan to Indonesia. Indian sub-continent including the present day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan and even Zabol in Iran was Hindu land, and had no Muslim presence till Muhammad bin Qasim’s Arab army attacked Sindh in 711. After repeated invasions, Hindus lost the present day Afghanistan to Muslims in 987. And the areas now known as Pakistan and Bangladesh were lost to Muslims in 1947. Pakistan comprised of two segments: East Pakistan and West Pakistan. In 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh, a separate country. Both Pakistan and Bangladesh have been declared as Islamic republics. Hindus have always been threatened and discriminated against in Pakistan and Bangladesh on religious grounds. Though in 1947, Hindus accounted for 24 per cent of the present day Pakistan’s population, now the numbers less than two per cent. Situation is equally grave in Bangladesh where Hindus numbered 31 per cent in 1947, but now number nine per cent. Most of the Hindus / Sikhs have either been driven out, or have been killed or forcibly converted in Pakistan and Bangladesh. However, in India, the present percentage of Muslim population is much higher than that was in 1947. Pakistan and Bangladesh have never explained what they have done to their Hindu population. Hindus suffer constant threats to their lives, security and property in Pak-Bangla lands. Many Hindu temples have been desecrated and destroyed in Pakistan and Bangladesh. There are regular reports of illegal encroachments on Hindu temples and lands, looting of Hindu property, discrimination, persecution, molestation and abduction of Hindu girls both in Pakistan and Bangladesh. During 1970 and 1971, Hindus in East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) underwent massive massacres by the Pakistani army and its collaborators. Over two million Hindus are reported to have been killed in East Pakistan during 1970 and 1971 leading to Indo-Pak war in 1971. Besides, countless Hindu women were dishonoured and kidnapped during this period. As per Dr. Sabyasachi Ghosh-Dastidar’s book, Empire’s last casualty: Indian subcontinent’s vanishing Hindu and other minorities, over three million Hindus have been killed in the process of Islamisation in the area now known as Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since India was Partitioned in 1947. This loss of three million lives remain suppressed from the world. Even now, Hindus are facing genocide, terror, persecution, dishonour and atrocities in Bangladesh every day. And there is selective killing of Hindu judges, professionals, teachers, lawyers and civil servants in Bangladesh to smash Hindu resistance. Human rights organisations like Amnesty International are silent spectators of this blatant ethnic cleansing of millions of Hindus. Forcible conversions and marriages The alarming trend of Muslims kidnapping young Hindu girls and forcibly marrying them to Muslims is tormenting Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Though Pak-Bangla media may occasionally report such atrocities, main stream media in India remains silent in this regard. To illustrate the dismal situation, just one such example is given here. It was reported in Pakistan’s premier English daily ‘The Dawn’ dated November 3, 2005 that 19 Hindu girls mostly from Punjab Colony, Karachi were missing from their homes. Relatives of these girls believed that they had been kidnapped and were being forced to change their religion, the press release added. Columnist Irfan Husain’s write up entitled “Conversion Losses” published in The Dawn dated December 3, 2005 relates the tragedy of Hindu parents in Karachi whose three young daughters Reena, Usha and Rima of marriageable age vanished in October, 2005. In a few days, the shocked parents received a courier package containing three identical affidavits from their daughters stating that they had converted to Islam and, therefore, could not live with their Hindu parents. And father of the girls just wailed, “We just sit and stare at each other. For us, life is over.” And this hopeless situation can be the fate of any Hindu parent in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Kidnappings and killings Even during the last few months, thousands of Hindus have been forced to flee Pakistan, and take shelter in India. Increasing incidents of kidnappings, robberies and forcible conversion have rattled Hindu community in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Those unable to pay the ransom are just killed. Hindu film maker Satish Anand’s kidnapping in Karachi and recent release after payment of a huge ransom is just one of such countless examples. In April, 2009 Sikhs in Karzai in Pakistan were targeted to pay fifty million rupees as Jazia, the tax levied on non-Muslims. As the victims could not pay the said Jazia, their houses were looted and destroyed. Discrimination and dispossession Discrimination against Hindus is a fact of life as also a fact of law in Pakistan and Bangladesh. As per Constitution of Pakistan, only a Muslim can be the President or Prime Minister of Pakistan. As per Bangladeshi Constitution too, only a Muslim can be the head of the state. The Vested Property Act was passed in 1965 as “Enemy Property Act” in Pakistan. This law legitimised confiscation of Hindu property. After emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, this Act was renamed as the Vested Property Act in Bangladesh, and the state was made the owner of the Hindus’ property. This Act has legitimised the forfeiture of millions of acres of ancestral Hindu lands. And Hindu lands and properties are being taken over by the government (under the Vested Property Act) to be distributed among Muslims. Way out In 1950, Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan signed an agreement called the Nehru Liaqat Pact under which both the governments undertook to protect life, liberty, religion and safety of the minorities in each other’s country. But the government in India is doing nothing in the ongoing genocide and deprivation of Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh. It is the Indian government’s legal and moral duty to ensure that as per the Nehru-Liaqat Pact of 1950, and as per the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Pakistan and Bangladesh treat their minorities in a human manner. India must also ask Bangladesh to repeal the Vested Properties Act, and restore the lands and properties of Hindus to Hindus. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights must also be approached to redeem the situation. Denial of human rights to Hindus violates UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. In Pakistan and Bangladesh, Hindus have only the right to suffer and right to silence. Shockingly, the tragedy of Hindus of Pakistan and Bangladesh remains untold by Indian main stream media. India’s callous inaction regarding the pathetic plight of Pak-Bangla Hindus is disgusting. Killing of Hindus in Pakistan, in Bangladesh or even in India is not taken seriously by main stream media, by government or by various political parties or by human rights industry in India. Is it because for some sections in India, only the terrorists, anti-nationals and Pak-Bangla infiltrators are entitled to fundamental and human rights? Will India ever act to save Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh? (The author is the former Chief Commissioner of Income Tax. His E-mail address is: jgarora@gmail.com) http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=293&page=32

The tenth Sikh Guru - Guru Gobind Singh decreed that after him there should be no more human gurus; from thenceforth Sikh's should only bow to their holy scripture - the Gurū Granth Sāhib. This sect clearly violated that by having a living guru. Nowadays a lot of sects are very strident about the 'purity' of their faiths.

Does anyone have an opinion about the situation with the Sikh's that is developing in Europe and India? Here is the main story: http://news./s/ap/20090525/ap_on_re_eu/eu_austria_temple_shooting_22 However adding context to this is a Reuters story which says Why would it so enrage anyone that someone wants to follow a living guru?

I disagree that it is only "a few peaceful Sufis". Since their world-wide numbers are around 1.6 billion, most of them are peaceful (notwithstanding their foundational scripture which is exactly as you say). The problem with Islamic growth is that the larger the set of 'moderate' muslims (those that don't follow the Koran), the larger the subset of fundamentalist muslims who will take the Koran seriously and see it as their mission to get the majority on the straight and narrow. Turkey is one of the few places where the moderate Muslim majority will not cower to the radical fundamentalists (they've seen enough of that in their history). If Europe is destined to go Islamic ( ) I can only hope that it will be the Turkish kind of Islam.

If they grant them exclusive honors with only 3,000 members in their state, what will they do for them after their numbers grow? (Islam is the world's fastest growing religion).

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Thanks!!