premjan

Has Christian pacifism ever been used for political ends?

jastity

So who did the arranging? And did that person exercise some discrimination to decide who was right for you?

Yeshi

check pope and the middle ages in Europe :Cheeky:

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While i agree on most assertions by the OP, i am dubious on arranged marriage and monotheism. I also think he should phrase it as 'glad' or 'satisfied' rather then 'proud'.

To be 'proud' of anything would be outside the scope of his definition of being Hindu, as it encompasses all. To be proud is a serious obstacle instead.

Must admit i like Indian culture and Hindu viewpoint very very much, but mostly for its inherent nonviolence, tolerance and spirituality (aka it is the main goal of this life to reach spiritual undrstanding).

sampath

THe cradle of business then must be cave where neanderthal man bartered.But imagining modern business empire without henry ford,asa sandler,rockfeller,edison et al is a mistake.During those times europe and asia did nothing to develop business.

Mandela can draw his principles from anywhere.If he drew it from christianity too,its fine with me.

Logic and reason work,but fortunately or unfortunately emotions too are important.You getting irritaed by my bragging too is an emotion.

sampath

My parents and her parents did the arranging.Did they exercise discrimination?Yes,they saw whether our character and likes and dislikes will match.They saw whether the family had an unblemished history.They compared education and our occupation and physical appearance.

Is that discrimination?I dont know.

hinduwoman

Nope this is not about cateism or existence of God.

This is not an Indian Secular forum where you have to defend Hinduness. This is a genuine atheist rational board. If anything, Hinduism is given far more slack than Christianity.
I am proud to be a Hindu too, but I object to some of your assertions.

Atheism is not a religion under Hinduism. Considered to be part of the culture yes, not wholesale persecuted, but scriptures are thoroughly nasty about atheists like me.

Warriors however are expected to eat flesh for producing rajasik qualities. Also ancient medicinal texts believe firmly that various types of meats are good for various diseases.

Other religions are not varieties of Hinduism though there can be Hindu influence on them and they would protest vehemently at such an assertion.

Now that is a complete misreading of the concept of karma. God is responsible for everything in the sense that It is everything and everyone. However karma is generated by actions of individuals. The individuals have a choice as to how they would behave though their circumstances are dictated by their earlier karma. Karma does not touch Brahman however since It is beyond such things.
Even in bhakti yoga the devotee gains liberation only when he chooses to surrender all desires as sacrifice to God.

First I must say that contrary to much of Western belief arranged marriage is not an abuse that automatically guarantees misery. The elders excercise their judgement and it is not as if the bride and groom's preferences are completely overlooked. Indeed even in this day of free sex a survey of the four Indian metropolises (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) found that both boys and girls who already had sex still think that when it comes to marriage their parents should fix the match.
I am not putting down love marriages but they also break down and have equal choices of becoming a source of misery later on.

HOWEVER, I can give several personal examples of arranged marriages which has broken down in divorce. True, the rate seems to be lower than in love marriages, but on the other hand that can be because people in arranged marriages put up with what they get because they did not expect anything wonderful in the first place.
Arranged marriage does not automatically guarantee a life time of happiness either. There can be great deal of abuse which is accepted because of social pressure.
Arranged marriage was pretty much the norm all the world over.

Tom Sawyer

If there's no free will and everything you say is because God makes you say it, then aren't you technically not debating?

So, to ask again, why are you here?

sampath

I am not defending hinduism.I just explained some of its concepts.In my message all i did was to describe its concepts,thats all.


And hindu scriptures are nasty about theists too.Lord krishna being insulted by sisubala and also those words are given in detail without editing by vyasa.Rama being insulted by vali when he killed vali by hiding is also given.Also atheist jabali advises rama that god,truth all are meaningless which is also given in ramayana.

Atheists and theists fighting with each other is nothing new.



Yes,thats what i meant when I said "you start off by eating meat". But at the last stage vanaprastha stage people from every walk of life are expected to leave eating meat and do meditation and prayer.I dint say meat eating was totally banned.But vegetarian lifestyle was encouraged.



If I can quote from Geetha, Krishna says "he who worships any deity,only worships me.I give favors asked by a person through the deity he asked it.I am as impartial as sun and moon are"

whatever the religion may be it is hinduism.They worship the same deity.Let them think it is different.who cares?They worship the same god whom I call as krishna and whom they call as x or y.



Thats the stage of dwaitha ie duality.The concept of fate is very strong in hinduism.Have you not read the story of markandeya having a fate of being dead at age 16 and yema running to kill him and shiva appearing and saving markandeya?

although lord controls us through fate we are unable to realize it and think that we are in control of everything.



quote="hinduwoman"]First I must say that contrary to much of Western belief arranged marriage is not an abuse that automatically guarantees misery. The elders excercise their judgement and it is not as if the bride and groom's preferences are completely overlooked. Indeed even in this day of free sex a survey of the four Indian metropolises (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) found that both boys and girls who already had sex still think that when it comes to marriage their parents should fix the match.
I am not putting down love marriages but they also break down and have equal choices of becoming a source of misery later on.[/quote]

true.I dint say bride and grooms were overlooked.we have the veto power.I only said about my case where I did nots ee my wife before marriage.we were hundreds of miles apart.

not true.People start their marriage life in India full of happiness and joy.Just visit any marriage.Hundreds of relatives will visit the marriage and it will be a grand occasion.You must be knowing this anyway.

Arranged marriage doesnt guarantee life time of happiness.But it makes the task simple.Unbroken families make raising the kid an easy task.I have seen husbands and wives fighting in India but that happens everywhere.Normally if the fight is big in usa they divorce.In India wife goes back to her parents place and she is cajoled by the family and husband comes and apologizes and wife goes back.In our community unless husband comes back and calls the wife she will not be sent back.Life resumes again.No divorces.

In poor families abuses are there ,i agree.But the hindu family system even though has drawbacks is the best system of raising a family.

sampath

because god made me to come here i am here.

Dharma

Hinduism never starts off as polytheism and ends up as "monism" these are silly terms. Vedas state clearly all these Gods are simply different names of a force known as "brahm"...and these "gods" are never separate from the self.

Hinduism advocates no such thing. The Vashista and Apasthamba Dharma sutras clearly states that meat and even beef is allowed in Hinduism.
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You can say they were heavily influenced by Hindu thought yes...but "secret" hindus...I'm not sure?
No free wiill? You are incorrect, since Yoga and meditation is there so that the will can gain strength.

You are also incorrect, God is NEVER deemed anything other than the perfected Self in classical Hinduism.

Silly reason...there is an increased divorce rate in arranged marriages..and an arranged marriage does not guarantee zero divorce ratess....you must be drunk when you wrote this...