Conversion...........?

[ramakrishna 0]

i would like to what are the procedures for conversion under jainism, budhism, and sikhism?

[Gauracandra 1]

I'm not sure if there is any formal conversion process in these religions. As an aside I know that in Judaism it is not possible to convert to that religion. Atleast according to Orthodox Jews. To be a Jew your mother must be a Jew. If your father is Jewish but your mother isn't then you aren't Jewish. I always thought that was interesting.

[theist 1]

Yesterday I saw a short news clip on Africans becoming Buddhists.This was taking place on African soil.

 

The Asian Buddhist priest or nun(I don't remember which)stated their approach was one of not trying to convert anyone but having an effect just by being there.

 

This strikes me though as covert conversion.I have no problem with that in fact I admire the approach in some ways.The fact that they have gone there and built a Temple and are teaching mandatory Mandarin and Chinese culture practices and dress suggests that they do have conversion on their mind.

 

This makes me wondor about the difference between conversion and influencing.

[Guest guest]

Originally posted by theist:

This makes me wondor about the difference between conversion and influencing.

 

i always thought of influence as sharing one's experience which may effect some one else internally. Conversion is generally an experience that causes some one to change externally.

[theist 1]

Originally posted by ram:

i always thought of influence as sharing one's experience which may effect some one else internally. Conversion is generally an experience that causes some one to change externally.

Hmmm...to think about.

 

I also think maybe that we can see a certain continuim.Like influence, inspiration, conversion, initiation and ultimately tranformation being different degrees of intensity of the same process.With perhaps certain culturaly influenced ceremonies observed to externally mark these passages.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

Like ramakrishna I am curious about the Jains.Do they open teaching centers of any kind?

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by theist (edited 07-03-2002).]

[karthik_v 0]

Originally posted by theist:

Like ramakrishna I am curious about the Jains.Do they open teaching centers of any kind?

Now there are less than 0.5% Jains in India, but till the 5th century CE they were in good numbers. Especially in Tamilnadu, between the 2nd century CE and the 5th, they were a very violent bunch. Their approach was to convert the king first and then force the population to follow suit. Saivites in particular, took the brunt of their conversion.

[Guest guest]

Any number of Google searches for "Orthodox jewish conversion" will give you HUNDREDS of sources.

 

Either your mother has to be Jewish OR you must convert.

[Guest guest]

If anyone wanna convert to so called hinduism*, if he is beliver in one god, he should not do that, he should belive in many god!

If you think:"Everything is God's" then its wrong in hinduism and other sister religion!

If you think:"Everything is GODS" then its acceptable in hinduism. So if you wanna become a hindu , just belive in whatever you see, whatevr you can think about! For them God is in evrything, no matter how bad it is!

 

As far as buddhism is concerned , buddha never claimed divinty! he just brought some humanistic values! but many of the follower took him to be god! wheras he never talked about God !

 

*Hinduism: This is not a name of a religion, why?? because this is a culture of hindu! And who are hindus?? Hindus are those who live in and beyond the Indus valey, that is India! So geographically even a christian, muslim , and all of em in India are HINDUS!!!

Swami vivekananda said that Calling this religion Hinduism is a MISNOMER!!!! A hindu should be called "Vedantist".

Further you couldnt find in the major hindu scripture that god is calling his people Hindus or that their religion is hinduism!

the only place you could find the word hindu is in the India's Daily newspaper "THE HINDU"

[Guest guest]

which your religion you want to quit?

 

have you not zeroed on any one of the three yet as your choice?

 

jai sri krishna!

 

[Guest guest]

Regarding conversion to Judaism, what you said holds true during the 1940s, not now. One can become Jewish (including Orthodox Jew) if a qualified rabbi feels that you are willing to put in effort to study Judaism (usually a 2 year process) and that you are a sincere aspirant. I know it for sure because I'm an Orthodox Jew by choice and also performed Aliyah (iimmigration to Israel) under the Jewish Law of return.

[Guest guest]

I am a Hindu and I have decided to convert to budhism can anyone guide me?

[theist 1]

guide you to where?

 

I see the stones,

I see the twigs

and the smooth soil,

but I see no path.

[Haridham 0]

where is the question of converting.

 

You are already a spirit soul.

 

You are niether hindu nor will you become a buddhist as long as yout hink you are this body.

 

If you actually understand your culture(not just hindu but santan dharm) then there is no question of converting.

 

First try to understand the real aspects of your culture. Not some unqualified brahman might have taught you. Go to a genuine guru.

 

Just remember, you dont have a soul, you are the soul.

 

Become serious about your spiritual path or you will leave buddhism too.

 

Harekrsna

Haridham