Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Corwin · 05-08-2002, 03:46 PM

Where it counts, baby.

(I have NO idea what that means I just felt like using a psudeo bruce cambpell tough guy line....

)

hinduwoman · 05-08-2002, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Godless Dave:
<strong>Tolerant and peaceful to non-Hindus, unless they want to build a temple on your land. That's only some Hindus, and I don't think they have a problem with non-Hindus, just with non-Hindus who live in India.

They can also be pretty violent to Hindus of lower castes and women in general.</strong>

The problems we hindus have with non-hindus are with muslims and Rc/Baptist Christians. no one cares about the Jews and Parsis --- they don't cause any problems; even if they think hindus are going to hell, they don't say it aloud and so that is ok.

hinduwoman · 05-08-2002, 06:45 PM

Actually hinduism today is simultenously polytheism, monism and henothism (when you are worshipping one god, you worship it as supreme, but then you worship another god also as supreme).
Bramhan is actually indifferent to what human beings are upto.
Fortunately for atheists, while we are expected to burn for a 100,000 years (or more according to some authorities)in hell, noone is required to do anything to us in this life. "An atheist will not be permitted to attend religious functions, but out of charity after the ceremony he will be fed" --- which is all right, since my steadfast devotion is always towards the sacred food.

Godless Dave · 05-09-2002, 03:40 AM

No wonder the owner of the Indian restaurant I go to likes me so much!

Seeker196 · 05-09-2002, 10:15 AM

"Fortunately for atheists, while we are expected to burn for a 100,000 years (or more according to some authorities)in hell, noone is required to do anything to us in this life"

Shoot, what's a 100 000 years but a single fart of Brahman? Hardly anything! Bring it on!

Bree · 05-09-2002, 08:44 PM

Okay, I'm pretty confident that Hinduism is a Non-Abrahamic religion (as compared to my Islam mistake the last time) so off to that relevant forum we go...

If I'm wrong, someone shoot me. Or send me off to the glue factory!

Susheel · 05-09-2002, 11:05 PM

Actually except for one or two problems Hinduism isn't such a bad religion. They don't heve the 'smite the unbelievers' clause in their scriptures. And going by it you are free to choose how you lead your life. Someone told me that atheism is also dealt with as part of the philosophy (I don't know if this is true).
My major concern with Hinduism is casteism which is so much an inherent factor and I have seen some pretty extreme versions practiced even in this day and age.
The intolerant aspect of Hinduism is a pretty recent phenomenon and has a strong political angle. The major problem with the groups who fan the intolerance is that while they wish to create a distinction from Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Islam, they have begun to restructure it in a Judaic tradition. Hinduisms unique aspect was the lack of structure which provided a lot of manouvering space. Hinduism was practiced in various ways by various castes, communities and geographical groups. It was a kind of melting pot religion. The new right wing extremist forces, which sadly head the country today, has effectively managed to remove this character of Hinduism. The result is what you see in Gujarat.

Ron Singh · 05-09-2002, 11:43 PM

Sigh, people still have difficulty distinguishing a religion and its people. One is an ideology. One is an animal. Don't equate the two.

Susheel · 05-10-2002, 01:45 AM

AAAh, but then can you truly separate one from the other? Does religion have existence independent of it's followers? If there are no people who follow a particular religion will itt then exist...pretty zennish what?
But seriously, I cannot conceive of a true separation betweent the two. True the person commiting the act may be inherently psycoathic. Religion does provide 'excuses' for man's baser instincts.

Corwin · 05-10-2002, 12:53 PM

Hinudism doesn't really have the long history of holy wars and killing of those who believe differently that other religions do.... however, it's history with regards to ITS OWN is monstrous.

There are a few concepts in hinduism that are admirable, but let's please not forget that this is the same system that gave us both the Caste system (with it's built in underclasses by virtue of birth) and the practice of Sati. (The hypocricy amazes me. You can't eat meat but it's perfectly ok to immolate a human woman?)

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05-08-2002, 03:46 PM	#11
Corwin Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 4,369	Where it counts, baby. (I have NO idea what that means I just felt like using a psudeo bruce cambpell tough guy line.... )

05-08-2002, 06:45 PM	#13
hinduwoman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: India Posts: 6,977	Actually hinduism today is simultenously polytheism, monism and henothism (when you are worshipping one god, you worship it as supreme, but then you worship another god also as supreme). Bramhan is actually indifferent to what human beings are upto. Fortunately for atheists, while we are expected to burn for a 100,000 years (or more according to some authorities)in hell, noone is required to do anything to us in this life. "An atheist will not be permitted to attend religious functions, but out of charity after the ceremony he will be fed" --- which is all right, since my steadfast devotion is always towards the sacred food.

05-09-2002, 03:40 AM	#14
Godless Dave Contributor Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: With 10,000 lakes who needs a coast? Posts: 10,762	No wonder the owner of the Indian restaurant I go to likes me so much!

05-09-2002, 10:15 AM	#15
Seeker196 Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 278	"Fortunately for atheists, while we are expected to burn for a 100,000 years (or more according to some authorities)in hell, noone is required to do anything to us in this life" Shoot, what's a 100 000 years but a single fart of Brahman? Hardly anything! Bring it on!

05-09-2002, 08:44 PM	#16
Bree Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Twin Cities, USA Posts: 3,197	Okay, I'm pretty confident that Hinduism is a Non-Abrahamic religion (as compared to my Islam mistake the last time) so off to that relevant forum we go... If I'm wrong, someone shoot me. Or send me off to the glue factory!

05-09-2002, 11:05 PM	#17
Susheel Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: India Posts: 25	Actually except for one or two problems Hinduism isn't such a bad religion. They don't heve the 'smite the unbelievers' clause in their scriptures. And going by it you are free to choose how you lead your life. Someone told me that atheism is also dealt with as part of the philosophy (I don't know if this is true). My major concern with Hinduism is casteism which is so much an inherent factor and I have seen some pretty extreme versions practiced even in this day and age. The intolerant aspect of Hinduism is a pretty recent phenomenon and has a strong political angle. The major problem with the groups who fan the intolerance is that while they wish to create a distinction from Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Islam, they have begun to restructure it in a Judaic tradition. Hinduisms unique aspect was the lack of structure which provided a lot of manouvering space. Hinduism was practiced in various ways by various castes, communities and geographical groups. It was a kind of melting pot religion. The new right wing extremist forces, which sadly head the country today, has effectively managed to remove this character of Hinduism. The result is what you see in Gujarat.

05-09-2002, 11:43 PM	#18
Ron Singh Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 163	Sigh, people still have difficulty distinguishing a religion and its people. One is an ideology. One is an animal. Don't equate the two.

05-10-2002, 01:45 AM	#19
Susheel Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: India Posts: 25	AAAh, but then can you truly separate one from the other? Does religion have existence independent of it's followers? If there are no people who follow a particular religion will itt then exist...pretty zennish what? But seriously, I cannot conceive of a true separation betweent the two. True the person commiting the act may be inherently psycoathic. Religion does provide 'excuses' for man's baser instincts.

05-10-2002, 12:53 PM	#20
Corwin Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 4,369	Hinudism doesn't really have the long history of holy wars and killing of those who believe differently that other religions do.... however, it's history with regards to ITS OWN is monstrous. There are a few concepts in hinduism that are admirable, but let's please not forget that this is the same system that gave us both the Caste system (with it's built in underclasses by virtue of birth) and the practice of Sati. (The hypocricy amazes me. You can't eat meat but it's perfectly ok to immolate a human woman?)

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