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Thread: Conversion to Hinduism too laissez-faire??

  1. #11

    Arrow Re: Conversion to Hinduism too laissez-faire??

    Quote Originally Posted by Mystical Soul View Post
    A few days ago, I read a discussion regarding, as it was put, Hinduism's missed opportunity. One participant was told that “conversion” was not necessary. That if one thinks s/he is a Hindu then they are. This left her feeling confused and ignored. The second participant referring to something she had read by Rajiv Malhotra said some westerners are taking advantage of Indians or seeing Hinduism*as “available”, the latest spiritual fad so to speak. Actually, I can see both sides of of the argument. One of the problems I think is the way in which we in the west are trained.

    It can leave one with feelings of annoyance and bewilderment regarding not feeling accepted. Rajiv Malhotra is correct that Hindu leaders are missing out on many followers by not being very welcoming. IMHO I see two “problems “. For instance if I go to a priest and say I want to become Catholic I would get “formal classes” on Catholicism and related subjects. I would be given several months of instruction as an adult convert. We get to learn The Bible, spiritual history, philosophics and ritual protocol. . Protestants have less intense training but they still have some as adult converts. As a finally, there is baptism. Baptism is an event. It is symbolic of the spiritual adoption of one's new spiritual identification. Sort of like a wedding ring perhaps. OK, coming from that back ground to being told basically that “if you think you are a Hindu then you are one” makes the aspirant feel as if s/he is not taken seriously.

    So, we go from a culture where training is rigid to a spiritual laissez-faire concept and it can leave one feeling quite adrift and ignored.

    IMHO, one of the reasons ISKCON ( Hare Krishna) is so successful is that they actually teach people and allow them to satisfy their spiritual curiosity. Here in the Bay area they have classes every Wed at one temple and Sunday at another. They are very helpful in guiding perspective converts.

    I am not crazy enough to think my suggestions for formal instructions will change anything, but I do think the guru who brought ISKCON and the Western guru who brought the Kauai’s Hindu Monastery to the west were onto something.... IE TEACHING.......

    Secondly, I think sometimes westerners make the mistake of thinking all Indians are devout Hindus. I made that mistake and I should know better as in “aren't all blacks religious”. So I got told repeatedly that I can never be a Hindu, until I met spiritual, devout Hindus who had an entirely different view point. Fortunately, I am retired and get to spend unlimited time in the library and on line reading and learning, For most working people with families etc this isn't so.

    What I mostly got out of that conversation is that I am not alone in finding my own way. People like I am, who must basically teach ourselves can be dangerous in that we go with what we think something means, and then if we pass it on enough, it can actually do what some fear most, dilute or change concepts that have been long standing. It is not our intention but if one does not teach a child how to talk, they will eventually invent their own language. Then in a generation or so the original way of expression will be unrecognized all because no one took the desire of the child to speak as anything other than a fad.
    Namaste,

    MS, are you suggesting that not enough is done by those that are Hindu-already when it comes to interested parties wanting to become Hindu?

    If so, then I tend to agree. However, only in the following sense:

    Too much universalism; not enough emphasis on attending temples and bettering one's understanding, if at least somewhat regardless of any attempt at understanding being minuscule, of the vastness of Hindu Dharma; and, sadly, copping out. And by the latter, I strictly mean: allowing the jumping into Hinduaic things without enough guidance. And, often, that entails many coming and going, treating Hindu Dharma as if it were shoes or high-end Prada bags (nothing wrong with Prada, mind you) on display. Such window shopping-like browsing of Hindu Dharma doesn't really help.

    Do you like reading? You mentioned Rajiv Malhotra, yes? If you haven't read his Being Different, I'd very much recommend it. Then, I'd quickly follow it with Balagangadhara's The Heathen in His Blindness. Both discuss differences in not only religious epistemic and ontological differences between Dharmic (or rather, Indic) thought and those of the non-Dharmic, but also that of the socio-cultural differences in Dharmic and non-Dharmic societies.

    Either way, I would like to revisit the last sentence of your OP:

    Then in a generation or so the original way of expression will be unrecognized all because no one took the desire of the child to speak as anything other than a fad.
    Well articulated! I agree with this as well, MS.

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    Re: Conversion to Hinduism too laissez-faire??

    Quote Originally Posted by Sudas Paijavana View Post
    Namaste,

    MS, are you suggesting that not enough is done by those that are Hindu-already when it comes to interested parties wanting to become Hindu?

    If so, then I tend to agree. However, only in the following sense:

    Too much universalism; not enough emphasis on attending temples and bettering one's understanding, if at least somewhat regardless of any attempt at understanding being minuscule, of the vastness of Hindu Dharma; and, sadly, copping out. And by the latter, I strictly mean: allowing the jumping into Hinduaic things without enough guidance. And, often, that entails many coming and going, treating Hindu Dharma as if it were shoes or high-end Prada bags (nothing wrong with Prada, mind you) on display. Such window shopping-like browsing of Hindu Dharma doesn't really help.

    Do you like reading? You mentioned Rajiv Malhotra, yes? If you haven't read his Being Different, I'd very much recommend it. Then, I'd quickly follow it with Balagangadhara's The Heathen in His Blindness. Both discuss differences in not only religious epistemic and ontological differences between Dharmic (or rather, Indic) thought and those of the non-Dharmic, but also that of the socio-cultural differences in Dharmic and non-Dharmic societies.

    Either way, I would like to revisit the last sentence of your OP:

    Well articulated! I agree with this as well, MS.
    Namaste Sudas Paijavana
    Thank you for your response. I indeed agree with you on what I refer to as the commercialization of Hinduism. Your statement :"not enough emphasis on attending temples and bettering one's understanding, if at least somewhat regardless of any attempt at understanding being minuscule, of the vastness of Hindu Dharma; and, sadly, copping out. And by the latter, I strictly mean: allowing the jumping into Hinduaic things without enough guidance. And, often, that entails many coming and going, treating Hindu Dharma as if it were shoes or high-end Prada bags (nothing wrong with Prada, mind you) on display. Such window shopping-like browsing of Hindu Dharma doesn't really help. "

    Such "marketing" as I see it as done by new age promoters and yoga studios give Sanata Dharma an air of chic mystery that is indeed faddish and transient.

    When I was briefly involved in new age I kept feeling like something was amiss. Having come from a religious background, I knew there was something more than they were promoting. Finally I did more research and learned about the Hindu deities only then did the philosophy make sense, the pieces all fit together.

    I will read the books you suggest. Right now I am reading Yoga's Forgotten Fouindation by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (Himalayan Academy). It discusses Yama and Niyama. Very simple yet extremely informative.

    Thanks again for the feedback,
    AUM and Peace

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