I wish a harmonious co-existence of religions could be real.

[Nothingness 0]

My background is a Christian one, and I still see Christ as God. I have often been totally horrified by the way in which certain Christians tell people from other religions that they are going to spend Eternity in burning Hell Fire!

I have only recently joined this Forum. So, I have not yet been exposed to too much Hindu fundamentalism yet. Overall, from my experiences with Hindus, I have come to think of most of its followers as very tolerant of other religions and this is something which I admire greatly.

It is something which almost never happens within Christianity, I am sad to say.

Because I am chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra, most Christians would tell me that I am doomed and on my way to Hell. But, a religion should not coerce its members never to explore or experience other religions because of fear of punishment after physical death.

It would seem hard to see God as a friend if someone is terrified of putting a foot wrong and if the whole system of worship is based on reward or punishment from God.

PS: Ooops! This was supposed to be tacked onto the end of the Religious Tolerance thread! I'm not quite sure what went wrong. Sorry about that. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Guest guest]

{But, a religion should not coerce its members never to explore or experience other religions because of fear of punishment after physical death.}

 

It would be great if there was honest co-existence. But I think the problem is with the Abrahamic faiths who have traditionally been intolerant of other faiths and seek to wipe them out. If the Abrahamic Prophets were tolerant and believed that many paths to God were valid then there wouldn't be a problem. So personally, I don't think it is misinterpretation of Abrahamic texts or the arrogant attitude of believers that is the main problem, the problem is the Abrahamic prophets themselves and their attitude to those who think differently. Through we do have certain sects within Hinduism who are intolerant of other sects. They may argue about beliefs but they don't kill each other.

 

[maadhav 0]

<< Through we do have certain sects within Hinduism who are intolerant of other sects. They may argue about beliefs but they don't kill each other >>

 

Dear guest 2,

 

Thanks for the nice post. I only have a bit of comment about the above line.

 

No hindu sect is intolerant of other vedic sects, in essence; but the sadhanaa in any sect/sampradaya needs to be ekanisthaa, single pointed, avyabhichariNi. This has traditionally caused highly civil religious debates, and in public, within Vedic society. The debates also have helped sharpen firther the realization of the truth and associated practice of dharma. Hence Hinduism is a living dharma.

 

This forum is nothing but a modern version of vedic dabete place. These debates helps one to sharpen one's own rationale for sadhanaa. It mistakenly makes one think that the other vedic path is wrong. no vedic path is wrong, but is good for a right person. becaue people are different, just one path cannot fit all. each has to take and follow one that suits one. Only some time violence has occured between persons of different the vedic sects, but that was an anomaly out of ignorance on the part of the violent person. hope you understand the point i am making.

 

 

[maadhav 0]

dear nothingness,

 

i feel i am insulting to you by addressing you as nothingness, becase you are not nothing, as gita says.

so, please pick another username, i suggest.

 

about your subject wish:

religions will co-exist, at all times, but to expect peace between them is not reasonable. the asuras will have their demoniac ideologies to follow, and they will always try to compete with the peaceful sura religions. so, per krishna, in gita, there always will be some competion, more or less, mild or extremely strong and lethal, between them.

 

we hindus think it wise to take krishna's word in gita.

of all the religions, hinduism provides maximum freedo of thought, words, and actions. it is a universal dharma. it is not a religion as the religion is understood in the west/xian world. you will realise this fact as you know hinduism/gita.

 

[Nothingness 0]

Hello to all of you who have responded so far.

 

Firstly, I'd like to stress that my topic was supposed to be a continuation of the Religious Tolerance thread. Somehow, it appeared as a topic on its own, however. I'm not quite sure how that happened.

 

@ Maadhav. I don't mind being called, "Nothingness". I won't see it as an insult if you call me that. Often, 'Nothingness' ( as in the emptiness of Outer-Space) is full of interesting things, but is not controlled by an ego full of self-interest. I wish to be free from my ego if at all possible.

 

I agree that it's natural for there to be some kind of competition between religions. But, it would be good if it could be a harmonious kind of competition. I suppose that harmonious competition and intolerance full of hatred are two different things.

 

@ Guest 2. Oh yes, there's no doubt that the Judaic-Christian-Islamic tradition religions are the most intolerant, and it does date back to the ancient prophets. To them, other religions were seen as quite heinous and totally wicked in the days of the Old Testament. Also, there was this paranoia about disobeying a rather seemingly sadistic God. The God of the Old Testament was alledgedly one who sent a flood to drown the wicked, blew up Soddom and Gemorrah, sent the 10 plagues of Eygypt even up to the point of bringing death upon the first-born son in every Egyptian household. I could go on giving examples of how God was portrayed as really quite nasty in the Old Testament, (and to some extent, even in the New Testament).

 

There was something in the book of Numbers which disturbed me greatly recently. (I cannot find the exact reference, but I'm pretty sure it was in the book of Numbers). Evidently a certain man had been collecting sticks on the Sabbath Day. When Moses found out about this he declared that God had ordered that this man be stoned to death. So, that was what happened. I feel Moses assumed that God was ordering this stoning when in fact, God would never do such a thing.

So, if the Abrahamic Prophets treated their own followers in this way, how much worse would they have treated people from other religions?

So, I do feel that you raised an interesting point there.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

 

Why you have Bispisha basu [that her name?] is your profile picture. Unless you are here which in that case, welcome.

[Guest guest]

""Firstly, I'd like to stress that my topic was supposed to be a continuation of the Religious Tolerance thread. Somehow, it appeared as a topic on its own, however. I'm not quite sure how that happened.""

 

simple. use "reply "there . Just choose one poster there to reply and it will automatically continue the thread .

 

[Nothingness 0]

Hello Govindaram.

 

I did not know that my profile picture was Bispisha basu. I found this picture online about 6 years ago, and this lady looks like such a nice Indian lady. So, I was using the picture in my profile. I did not mean to make a mistake. I can easily change the picture if that would be better.

 

Hello Guest.

 

Actually, I thought I did hit reply when answering the religious tolerance thread. But, I am known for my absent-mindedness. So, I must have done something wrong.

 

PS: Hello again, Govindaram.

I just did a google search for "Bispisha basu". I had no idea that she was a Bollywood Actress! It was great surprise to me. In view of this discovery, I think it would be best if I changed my profile picture.

 

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

 

Looks very nice. Spiritual!

[maadhav 0]

<< I wish to be free from my ego if at all possible. >>

 

it is not possible, or extremely difficult,

to be free from ego. an ego-less state means:

- i am not.

- i do not exist.

This also leads to:

- i do not see, feel, hear, taste.

- i do not know.

- i do not enjoy, do not suffer.

 

This also leads to tolerating every kick and injustice by any one any time, becasse if you do not exist, you have no desire and wish, and no possession, and so cannot have any reaction to whatveer happens to you or your loved ones.

 

but you do have desire as your subject line indicates.

so you do exist.

 

what is possible is to give up false ego,

and have true ego only.

that is what most hindus and the vaishnavas stive to do.

 

[krishnadasa 0]

Ego cant be taken over everyone is an individual soul - the part and the parcel of the supreme Lord Krishan as Gita confirms. Yet a false ego of ones thinkin oneself as a material body has to be removed.

 

The difference of these two has to be clearly understood at first hand.

 

hari hari bol

 

[Guest guest]

It is not correct to equalling Islam , Christianity and Jewism that much even if they have same root.

 

Christianity has not the teaching of jewish old testament in books to kill other faith. The message itself is peacefull but not always the christians. Same can be said of Hindus. Teachings of Dharma is peacefull but not always all of its followers. Millions of Hindus and buddhists have been killed in history because of powerhungry kings and priests.We have to open our eyes and also look at own flaws.

 

 

[maadhav 0]

<< We have to open our eyes and also look at own flaws. >>

 

every family has some more or less flaws.

that is not an excuse or passport for some one else to invade your home and take over and rule over you.

 

same for Bharat and the Hindus.

 

US had civil war. at that time, did that condition caused authorization ot excues to an outside power to invade, loot and take over US?

 

internal problems can be handled internally.

outsider needs to stay out.