Who is a Hindu? Anyone who searches after truth.

suchandra · July 26, 2008

01:46 | 26/Jul/2008

Who is a Hindu? Anyone who searches after truth.

http://amiahindu.rediffiland.com/blogs/2008/07/26/Who-is-a-Hindu-Anyone-who-searches-after-truth.html

Who is a Hindu? As far as I am concerned, any one who searches after truth is automatically a Hindu, since Hinduism is the relentless search after truth.

According to that concept, a Jew, a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, a Jain, a Sikh, even an atheist who searches after truth is automatically a Hindu.

For a very long periods of time, I used to say and write "A Hindu is born and never converted” since Hinduism is a culture, a way of life, it did not make any sense to me even talking about conversion of non-Hindus to Hinduism.

Now for the very first time I am looking into the plight of a very large

number of people who love Hinduism and who really want to embrace Hinduism. After Meera Jasmine, a Malayalee movie actress’s temple visiting controversy, I have become a very strong proponent of the idea of opening the "flood gates" and allowing millions of non-Hindus who love Hinduism, to plunge into the very fast ocean we call Hinduism.

Hinduism is a culture as well as it is the relentless search after truth and

as such any one who searches after truth, including atheists have a

place in Hinduism. A Christian, a Moslem, a Jew, a Sikh, a Buddhist, a

Jain , an atheist and countless others who search after truth should

be welcomed to Hinduism.

In July 2006, Meera Jasmine, a Christian, offered prayers at Raja

Rajeshwara temple at Taliparamba , Kerala . Ms. Jasmine made offerings

to God at the famous temple, where the entry of non-Hindus is

prohibited, and paid obeisance to Lord Raja Rajeshwara, the presiding

deity. I do not know anything about Meera Jasmine or why she did what

she did. I do not know the reason why she went to a temple or why

she was forced to pay 10,000 rupees for temple purification.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/holnus/009200607020321.htm

If Meera as well as other non-Hindus are sincerely interested in

Hinduism, then we have to make some changes to accommodate them in our culture/religion Hinduism.

Sure,we have to maintain the sanctity of our places of worship but we should also to take “baby steps” to alter the way we were doing things for centuries.

There are many non-Hindus like Meera Jasmine or Yesudas come from families who were Hindus few generations ago. They may be coming to the Hindu temple and Hinduism because they sincerely LOVE Hinduism and what it stands for.

They are coming to Hinduism since they are not comfortable with their religion. They are coming to Hinduism, since their personal religions cannot answer many questions they have. It is a crime to deny them a chance to come back to their mother religion.

Let us alter things in a proper slow order, which even the most conservative among us can agree upon. If we cannot allow Meera Jasmine or Yesudas or many like them, to worship in our main temple, then we have to at least allow them to worship in an outer temple. By doing that they will know that we are welcoming

them with open arms.

I am writing all these things since so many Christians [indians as well as Americans ] after reading my book AM I A HINDU?[www.amiahindu.com] have written to me expressing their heart felt desire to embrace Hinduism. It breaks my heart to tell them that A HINDU IS BORN AND NOT CONVERTED. Let us change our ways and do things a little different so that millions can join us in the search after truth.

I know those who are in hierarchy will not listen to what you and I will

say. But repeated statements from people like you and I will finally

open their eyes.

We who preach

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam:

“The entire creation is one family.”;

Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudha Vadanti:

“Truth is one; sages call it by various names”;

Sarve Api Sukhina Santu Sarve Santu Niramayah:”

Let everybody be happy, healthy, and blessed”

Athithi devo bhava“

Guest is God “