Hinduismplaces a similar emphasis on love and kindness. The Hinduconcept of Ahimsa, which means “not to injure” or “compassion,” refers to one of the key virtues for HindusHindusHindus are persons who regard themselves as culturally, ethnically, or religiously adhering to aspects of Hinduism. Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for people living in the Hind.. It is a form of loving kindness quite similar to that of Christianity.
What should every Christian know about Hinduism?
Here are five things every Christian should know about the history, beliefs, deities, animal reverence, and caste system inherent in the world’s third largest religion. Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. Today, 15% of the world’s population is Hindu, with over 2 million Hindus living in the United States.
Does Hinduism have a mythology?
Mythology is openly admitted within Hinduism, which possesses elaborate myths used to explain the personalities and natures of the gods. Hinduism has a certain flexibility and adaptability through its historical ambiguity. But, where a religion is not historical, it is that much less testable.
Why is Hinduism so optimistic?
Hinduism can also be optimistic because if rituals are performed correctly, gods turn into genies, ready to help their devotees. Hindus often depict subgods such as Vishnu with multiple arms or heads that allow them more opportunity to protect people.
Do Christian Hindus live in contradiction between two identities?
When it comes to the spiritual aspect, Christian Hindus do not live in contradiction between two different identities. Neither are they attempting syncretism. Rather, Christian Hindus embrace the truth that is found in the person of Jesus Christ and his life, death and resurrection, while holding on to their vibrant Hindu culture.
What are the two main streams of Hinduism?
However, two strong streams within Hinduism are polytheism and pantheism . Christian monotheism has marked advantages over both of these. Due to space considerations, these three worldviews are compared here in regards to only one point, ethics. Polytheism and pantheism both have a questionable basis for their ethics.
What is the resurrection of the dead?
Resurrection involves one death, one life, one mortal body, and one new and immortally glorified body. Resurrection happens by divine intervention, is monotheistic, is a deliverance from sin, and ultimately occurs only in the end times.
Why is it so hard to compare Christianity to Hinduism?
Answer. Comparing Hinduism and Christianity is difficult, in part, because Hinduism is a slippery religion for Westerners to grasp. It represents limitless depths of profundity, a rich history, and an elaborate theology. There is perhaps no religion in the world that is more variegated or ornate. Comparing Hinduism and Christianity can easily …
What does it mean to have a fallacious history?
For Christianity, a fallacious history would mean a porous theology. Such historical rootedness could be a weakness of Christianity except that the historically testable parts of the Christian tradition are so often validated that the weakness becomes a strength.
How accurate are the New Testament documents?
3) The New Testament documents are more accurate than any other of antiquity. John R. Robinson in Honest to God reports that the New Testament documents are 99.9% accurate (most accurate of any complete antique book). Bruce Metzger, an expert in the Greek New Testament, suggests a more modest 99.5%. Fourth, Christian monotheism has advantages …
How to receive Jesus as your Savior?
If you want to receive Jesus as your Savior, simply speak to God, verbally or silently, and tell Him that you receive the gift of salvation through Jesus. If you want a prayer to say, here is an example: “God, thank you for your love for me.
What is the basis of ethics?
God’s character is good, and, therefore, what conforms to Him and His will is good. What departs from God and His will is evil. Therefore, the one God serves as the absolute basis for ethics, allowing a personal basis for morality and justifying objective knowledge about good and evil.
How does Hinduism achieve salvation?
Salvation in Hinduism can be achieved through different paths, including through selfless acts of service to others, uniting oneself with Brahman intellectually through study, and/or devotion to one’s personal god. 4. Hindus revere all animal life and consider the cow, in particular, to be a sacred animal.
What should every Christian know about the history, beliefs, deities, animal reverence, and caste system inherent in?
Here are five things every Christian should know about the history, beliefs, deities, animal reverence, and caste system inherent in the world’s third largest religion. Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. Today, 15% of the world’s population is Hindu, with over 2 million Hindus living in the United States. …
How many Hindus are there in the US?
Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. Today, 15% of the world’s population is Hindu, with over 2 million Hindus living in the United States. 1.
What is Hinduism made of?
Instead, Hinduism is comprised of a fusion of many philosophies, beliefs, and traditions. Within this compilation of belief systems, there are several core Hindu beliefs, including the following: Most Hindu sects are henotheistic, meaning that they worship a single god named Brahman, while recognizing the existence of other gods.
What is Hinduism’s way of life?
For this reason, Hinduism is referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of religions” rather than as a single religion; Hindus believe in the doctrine of karma, referring to the universal law of cause (actions) and effect (consequences);
How many castes are there in Hinduism?
There are four main castes within Hinduism. At the top of the social hierarchy are the priests and other educated professionals. Next on the social chain are the protectors and public servants of society. Next are skilled producers involved in commerce, such as merchants. The last rung of the caste system includes the unskilled laborers.
When did India ban caste discrimination?
In 1950 , India’s constitution banned discrimination based on caste, and many of today’s Hindus no longer follow the caste system. However, incidents of violence continue against those considered to be among the lowest level of the Hindu hierarchal system.
What is Hinduism and Its Appeal?
Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion and the dominant one in India and Nepal; its 900 million adherents include many in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries. Many Hindus call their faith Sanatana Dharma, “eternal religion,” and Vaidika Dharma, the truth of the Vedas. The name Hindu may be derived from the Persian word for Indian or the Persian word for the Indus river, sindhu.
Why are Hindus optimistic?
Hinduism can also be optimistic because if rituals are performed correctly, gods turn into genies, ready to help their devotees. Hindus often depict subgods such as Vishnu with multiple arms or heads that allow them more opportunity to protect people. Multiple arms indicate omnipotence, dominance in all directions; multiple heads suggest omniscience. Vishnu in particular is often said to have often come to earth in avatars—various forms—so as to save humans from tyranny or natural disasters. For instance, he came in the form of a boar to destroy one demon, in a half-man, half-lion form to defeat another, and as a dwarf to beat a demon king.
Why do Hindus not oppose the idea of resurrection?
Many Hindus express ease about doctrine, along with a willingness to believe in astounding spiritual activities; for example, many Hindus do not oppose the idea of resurrection because Hindus say a truly advanced Yogi could do that.
How many Hindus are there in the US?
Perhaps close to one million Hindus now live in the United States, so U.S. reporters recognize Hinduism’s significance both domestically and internationally. But it’s hard to make any generalizations at all about Hinduism since it consists of thousands of different groups that have developed over the past three thousand years. It has no single founder, consistent theological system, central religious organization, or single system of morality. It has colorful rituals and a huge variety of gods or subgods from which to choose.
What do Hindus call their faith?
Many Hindus call their faith Sanatana Dharma, “eternal religion,” and Vaidika Dharma, the truth of the Vedas. The name Hindu may be derived from the Persian word for Indian or the Persian word for the Indus river, sindhu. Perhaps close to one million Hindus now live in the United States, so U.S.
How much do you pay to throw butter at a statue of Shiva?
At one of India’s largest temples, the famous Menakshi in the old pilgrimage city of Madurai, children and adults can pay two rupees (about four cents) to throw balls of butter at statues of two angry gods, Shiva and his wife Shakti, thus cooling them down.
Why is karma important in Hinduism?
Hinduism also offers a solution to the problem of why bad things happen to good people and good things to bad: it’s because we are to look at the motion picture of goodness or evil, that contains all past lives of the soul in question, and not just to the snapshot of this life.
What is the caste system?
The caste system is anathema to the scriptural teaching that every human bears the image of God. Though the constitution outlawed untouchability — the practice of physically and socially marginalizing Dalits — the caste system lingers in daily prejudice, injustices and violence against members of lower castes.
What did Sridevi’s adversaries accuse her of?
But Sridevi’s adversaries seized upon her profession of faith, accusing her of lying about her Dalit status when she registered as a candidate.
Why do Hindus seek to preserve their art, music, language and literature?
Christian Hindus also seek to preserve their art, music, language and literature as they are fiercely patriotic and proud of being Indians.
What is the Indian Constitution?
Moreover, the Indian Constitution allows for a multiplicity of belief and cultural identities. It states that “ … all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.”.
How long have Indians been following Jesus?
They show us someone can follow Jesus wholeheartedly without denying who they are. After all, Indians have been doing this for nearly 2,000 years since the Apostle Thomas brought Christianity to India. We must not allow politicians to force us into ethnic or cultural silos.
Why does Jesus call people to follow him?
Joseph D’Souza. (RNS) — One of the reasons why Jesus’ call to follow him attracts people so strongly is that he accepts the whole gamut of a person’s humanity — from the unique DNA code that makes some of us tall and others short to our language, culture and social background. Of course, Jesus is clear we must pick up our cross …
Who is the seat of Tadikonda?
In 2019, the people of Tadikonda, a village in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, elected Vundavalli Sridevi to the legislative assembly. The seat is reserved for Dalits, formerly known as “untouchables,” whom the ancient Hindu caste system consigned to social ostracism. Sridevi was born a Dalit, a fact she is proud of, yet she became a follower of Jesus.
What do conservative Christians wear?
Conservative Christians dress modestly; women may wear long skirts or dresses; men may wear dress clothes that do not show the chest, legs, and arms. More moderate or liberal Christians generally reject such clothing restrictions.
What are the names of the Indian subcontinent?
Indian Subcontinent, beginning with the Vedic civilization circa 3000 BC. Names of God . God, Gud, Gott, Deo, Dios. Jehovah, YHWH, Eli Elohim, (depending on language Christians are of every language and culture around the world) Brahman and many other names in other languages. Branches.
What are the goddesses of Hinduism?
Mainly women are considered equal to men and there are many Goddesses in Hinduism. Christmas (celebration of the birth of Jesus), Good Friday (death of Jesus), Sunday (day of rest), Easter (resurrection of Jesus), Lent (Catholicism), saints’ feast days. Diwali, Holi, Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc.
What is Christianity?
Christianity broadly consists of individuals who believe in the deity Jesus Christ. Its followers, called Christians, often believe Christ is "the Son" of the Holy Trinity and walked the earth as the incarnate form of God ("the Father"). Devotion to the various gods & goddesses of Hinduism. Day of worship.
What is the goal of religion?
Goal of religion. To love God and obey his commandments while creating a relationship with Jesus Christ and spreading the Gospel so that others may also be saved. To break the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation, and attain salvation.
What is the meaning of the word "salvation"?
Means of Salvation. Through Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Reaching enlightenment by the Path of Knowledge, the Path of devotion, or the Path of Good Deeds. Belief of God. One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity. Many gods, but realize that they all come from Atman. Clergy.
What is the meaning of yagna?
Meditation, yoga, contemplation, yagna (communal worship), offerings in the temple. Use of statues and pictures. In Catholic & Orthodox Churches. Common. Life after death. Eternity in Heaven or Hell, in some cases temporal Purgatory. A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached.