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Location: The world, where will fate take me this time?
3,162 posts, read 11,436,860 times
Reputation: 1463
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bideshi
You may form a different opinion if you go to Pashupati Temple during Shiva Ratri in Katmandu and see the Saddhus (yogis) sitting in filth, smoking hashish and charging tourists to take their pictures. They are not "chaste" in any sense of the word either if there are women foolish enough to take them in. Bhagwan Rajneesh was not God as he claimed; he was a yogi, a fakir. Same for Sai Baba and the Maharishi. The Lord Jesus Christ was not a yogi. He is God.
Whomever does this is not a true Yogi, many claim to be so, but true Yogis are rarely seen.
Regarding drugs, some people use religion as an excuse to use them, but tell me where is the purana (a kind of sacred scripture) of Shiva smoking it, Yogis know drugs keep you attatched to prithivi; the Earth. If you are depending on a drug to experience God´s presence, you will always come down again, and then you have to deal with all the earthly stuff in relation to that; getting money, buying drugs etc. And the idea in yoga is the non-attatchment which is underlying the meditation and favouring this; opening for the union of your self and God.
Marjuana is a material substance... there's nothing material that can help you attain transcendence...
Quote:
I can't leave this without pointing out that the Hindu religion is not understandable by anyone including it's Brahman priests. The countless gods and godesses mutate from male to female, from good to evil, and have different names and characteristics from one region to another. No one can make sense of it because it is nonsensical. An opium dream. Is Vishnu supreme? Shiva? Kali? Isn't Kali Shiva in female form? Why is Shiva addicted to ganja and on his second marriage if he is god (Parvati is not his first wife)? Can you accept Ganesh as a real being, half man/half elephant? Hanuman, a monkey god?! If the Hindu dieties have any reality at all they are demons, not gods, and want to be worshipped as gods. Open your eyes man!!! This is evil, mind and soul destroying stuff!!
Hinduism says that there is one God. Just as a man is called "father" by this son, "husband" by his wife, "son" by this father, and so on, God is called by various names and worshipped in various forms depending on the mood and approach of the devotee. When God is worshipped to remove hurdles, He is worshipped as "Ganesha". When God is worshipped to bless with good understanding of art and science, He is worshipped as "Saraswathi", and so on. Similarly, when a devotee wants to worship God as mother, he may worship as "Kali". When a devotee wants to worship God as a child, he may worship as "Krishna". If a devotee wants to worship God as the formless, attributeless, transcedent being, he may worship as "Brahman". These are all to suit the various temperaments of the devotees. By all these various forms and names, the devotee very well knows that He is worshipping God only. So Hinduism is monotheistic. Hinduism also accepts that all religions talk about the one God. It does not have concepts like the god of the Egyptians and the god of the Jews, which basically implies that there are many gods. Hinduism says that the god of the Hindus, Egyptians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Zorastrians, Aztecs, Mayans, Maoris, etc are all the same God. Hinduism says that all are worshipping the same God in different ways. Again, one way is not better than the other way. All ways to worship God are accepted by God if performed with faith and devotion.
In fact, it goes one step ahead than other religions. Not only that it says there is only one God; it says that everything in this universe are manifestations of God. In Hinduism, there is no the concept of "creation" in the literal sense of the word. It is God who becomes or manifests as the universe. The universe is not different from God. Everything is God. So, the devotee can take anything which appeals to him as a form of God, and worship Him. The omniscient God knows that the devotee is worshipping Him. The exact name and form do not matter. The attitude and sincerity is what matters.
Similarly a Hindu does not worship a tree or a hill just because it is a tree or a hill. The tree or hill is considered a symbol of God and it is the transcendent God who is worshipped through the natural objects. It is the Creator who is worshipped through the creation. So Hinduism is not pantheistic.
Regarding Hindu mythology, it shouldn't be taken literally, Hindu mythology is metaphoric, I'll tell an story to give an example.
Samudra Manthan literally means: The Churning of the Ocean.
Our Consciousness represents the Ocean or the Samudra.
And the process of churning, is the Spiritual and/or emotional process that one goes through while one experiences the difficulties/pleasures that life brings.
The story of the Samudra Manthan narrated in the Shrimad Bhaagvad is interesting!
Let us first understand the terms : Devas and Daityas.
Devas Represent ‘Good’, and Daityas represent ‘Evil’.
It is interesting to note that, it is mentioned in the Bhaagvad that both, Good and Evil or Devas and Daityas are born of the same father.
The King of the Devas is called Indra.
Once the Sage Durvaasa honored Indra by presenting him with a garland of flowers.
Indra, having become egoistic and insensitive, disrespectfully placed the garland on the tusk of an elephant who trampled it with his feet.
Durvaasa feeling humiliated cursed Indra that he would lose his power and position.
So, Paradise, the Land of the Devas fell into the hands of the Daityas.
The Devas prayed to the Lord for help. The Lord realized that though the Devas had committed an offense, it was more favorable for Creation, that Paradise should be in the hands of the Devas.
But for that victory to come to pass, a Samudra Manthan had to be performed.
To remind you what it means: ‘The Churning of the Ocean’.
The Samudra Manthan was not going to be easy, so the Devas would have to take the assistance of the Daityas.
The nectar that would come out of the Ocean after all the poison that would emerge first, would make the Devas immortal.
For the churning to take place, a big pole was inserted in the Ocean. But no matter what they did, the pole would continue to sink into the Ocean bed. So the Lord took the form of a tortoise. The pole was placed on His back.
The latter symbolizes the fact that whatever you undertake to do, its support must be God.
The rope that was used for the churning is symbolic of the string of cooperation.
One end of the rope was manipulated by the Devas and the other end by the Daityas.
When the churning commenced, at first an extremely potent poison emerged which threatened to destroy Creation.
That venomous potion had to be discarded. But where? No place was powerful enough to contain it.
The Devas and the Daityas finally decided to implore to Shiva to help them.
Shivji did, by gulping it, yet retaining it in his throat.
This is the reason why Shivji is called ‘Neel-Kanth’ the ‘Blue Throated One’
Shivji teaches us to hold the poison in our throat. This can only be possible when we are also holding the Ganga of knowledge on our head.
Symbolically, when one is faced with troubles, take them to the Lord.
He will help you out by swallowing your difficulties!
Lord Shiva is the God of destruction. But when the work of destruction is taken up in the light of knowledge it becomes emancipating
The churning of the Ocean continued. A lot of Divine gifts emerged from the Ocean.
These were shared by the Devas and the Daityas.
Finally, the much coveted Amrit (Nectar) appeared. The Daityas grabbed it and ran.
The Lord incarnated as a beautiful damsel named ‘Mohini’.
With His/Her help the potion was attained by the Devas, who got back their Paradise.
But two of the Daityas managed to partake of the Amrit.
And they both became immortal.
Therefore the strife between good and evil continues to this day.
All Hindu mythology is like this, like fables where animals speak, we all know that animals don't speak, but what is important of a fable is the moral of the story, the same with Hindu mythology, if you want to read the interpretations of that mythology you should read the commentaries of the sages, or the upanishads
Aummmmm, Peace, Peace, Peace
Last edited by Travelling fella; 08-01-2008 at 02:13 PM..
"but tell me where is the purana of Shiva smoking it", In the "Swasthani" which is much revered in the Hindu nation of Nepal. I have walked in Gokarna Forest where Shiva supposedly cavorted and got stoned regularly. He doesn't come around much anymore...
Years ago, I operated aircraft out of an airport in the Himalayas. In order to renew the annual certificate of airworthiness for my aircraft a blood sacrifice had to be performed on the aircraft, the vehicles, tool boxes, pilot's and mechanics to appease Bhairav, the "god of flight". Without the blood Bhairav would certainly destroy the aircraft. I asked many supposed Hindu gurus to explain Bhairav, Kalo Durga, Kumari, Lakshmi, and some of the other local dieties but they were clearly winging it. No one can understand the kaleidascopic pantheon of Hindu diety because there is no end to it. They add new ones without qualm. Jesus as God? No problem, just one more after all.
In Vietnam there is a religion known as Cao Dai. They worship, among others, Elvis and Charlie Chaplin.
Everyone believes something. Some believe the truth and some believe a lie. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light.
All paths lead to God when done with faith, devotion and a sincere heart, be the best Christian possible at all times
God bless
I appreciate your blessing and well wishes, but Hinduism will not lead you to God except for swift judgement and condemnation. No one comes to the Father but through the Son. You must enter through the narrow gate. There is no way to heaven except through Jesus Christ.
Millions of good Bhuddists, Hindus, Moslems, Parsees, and on and on will be lost for eternity. Please consider what I am saying to you.
Location: The world, where will fate take me this time?
3,162 posts, read 11,436,860 times
Reputation: 1463
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bideshi
There is no way to heaven except through Jesus Christ.
Millions of good Bhuddists, Hindus, Moslems, Parsees, and on and on will be lost for eternity. Please consider what I am saying to you.
Hindus read and study Jesus teachings too, Hinduism is a tradition based on scriptural study and interpretation, famous swamis and paramhansas have made their commentaries on the bible, there is no difference from the truths Jesus exposed than those found in the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavad gita.
if this fake me is eternaly lost while fighting the hardest to realize God, there is nothing to fear for, because the eternal and ever living God, which is the only truth and eternal self behind every self remains unchanged, and if that fight leads me to the ultimate truth, then inmortality is mine
Hindus read and study Jesus teachings too, Hinduism is a tradition based on scriptural study and interpretation, famous swamis and paramhansas have made their commentaries on the bible, there is no difference from the truths Jesus exposed than those found in the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavad gita.
if this fake me is eternaly lost while fighting the hardest to realize God, there is nothing to fear for, because the eternal and ever living God, which is the only truth and eternal self behind every self remains unchanged, and if that fight leads me to the ultimate truth, then inmortality is mine
I believe you are earnestly seeking God, I will pray for your genuine enlightenment.
(WNT) Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem in Judaea in the reign of King Herod, excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain Magi from the east, (Matt 2:1)
It is in the nativity story and just how far east? Who were these wise men?
There does seem to be a link here.
Act 16:6 And coming through the Phrygian and the Galatian region; and by the Holy Spirit being forbidden to speak the Word in Asia;
So before the Christians write off what happened in the east - Asia - consider the facts from the bible.
How do we know that the wise men (Magi) were not what is today's Hindus and Buddhists? There are many similarities in their holy writs to that of the bible.
Furthermore there was huge similarities with the Phoenicians(?) (? - South American natives) who had a religion very similar to Christianity discovered by the Spanish Conquistadors.
Just thought I would add this to the conversation for consideration.
(WNT) Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem in Judaea in the reign of King Herod, excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain Magi from the east, (Matt 2:1)
It is in the nativity story and just how far east? Who were these wise men?
There does seem to be a link here.
Act 16:6 And coming through the Phrygian and the Galatian region; and by the Holy Spirit being forbidden to speak the Word in Asia;
So before the Christians write off what happened in the east - Asia - consider the facts from the bible.
How do we know that the wise men (Magi) were not what is today's Hindus and Buddhists? There are many similarities in their holy writs to that of the bible.
Furthermore there was huge similarities with the Phoenicians(?) (? - South American natives) who had a religion very similar to Christianity discovered by the Spanish Conquistadors.
Just thought I would add this to the conversation for consideration.
Good observation and well worth discussion. Jesus's Golden Rule "do unto others as you would have these others do unto you" was expressed by Gautama almost exactly the same 300 years earlier. I would point out that whoever the Magi were (the Bible doesn't say there were three of them, that is only tradition because of the three gifts) they came to worship the Christ child. Their belief system must have encompassed the prophecy of a coming Messiah, and presumably had an advanced study of astrology*, which suggests Jews from Persia. That is, of course, pure speculation. We don't know who they were, and we don't know why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from spreading the Gospel to Asia at that time. Tradition does tell us that Thomas (the doubter) established a church in India where he was killed by Brahmin Priests upset by him cutting in on their action. You will find the name St.Thomas on many, many churches in India today.
*Or maybe not. The star was apparently moving and they followed it to Bethlehem. It reminds me of the light at night that led Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness.
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Don't know, nor do I care.
