Hindus Must Unite or Face Extinction, by Stephen Knapp
The typical Indian mentality and the path of Hinduism, or the Vedic path of spiritual progress, is one of great individuality and freedom for each person to decide what they want or what is best for their own spiritual development. Thus, it is typical for Hindus to work on their own, not necessarily as a group. There is nothing wrong in that. It is the last of the great cultures that promote the utmost freedom for the individual. Yet, there is a great need that is not being met, and that is the need for Hindus / Dharmists / Devotees, especially in India, to unite and work together as a group, or even as a whole society, in order to continue to preserve and protect their own culture, traditions, and certainly the freedom of the individual.
This freedom is being threatened in many ways today, although there are those who either refuse to admit it, refuse to see it, or are hesitant to work together to save it. This blindness and hesitancy must be overcome.
Throughout India, for example, there are portions of the population that belong to particular religions, such as Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, etc., and they often work as a strong section of society to protect their rights, freedoms and traditions. Especially Christians and Muslims vote as a block to promote and vote into office particular politicians they favor, and who favor them. They also create an uproar when something happens against them, or when someone desecrates their religious texts. They hold demonstrations or even riot when a mosque is threatened. Thus, they get their way, or at least people begin to hesitate before doing something that might make them upset.
However, it seems that the Hindus are the most apathetic in this regard. Though they are increasingly beginning to wake up to the importance of being heard and making themselves be noticed, they are still, for the most part, letting their influence and the power of numbers that they have as the majority of the Indian population simply slip through their fingers.
It is time we learn that apathy is a disservice to Dharma and society. It accomplishes nothing, if that is not obvious. It lets the needs of the Dharmic society go unnoticed. The point is, if we do not take care of ourselves, no one else will. And there are people counting on that apathy to get their way and do things against the well-being of the majority Hindu population. And we are letting them get away with it. This hurts those who follow Vedic Dharma, and takes away the confidence that people need to maintain their practice of the Dharma.
Those who say that Sanatana-dharma is eternal and, thus, there is no need to worry about the future, do a great injustice to the Vedic cause and to humanity. Those who say that Vedic culture has lasted for thousands of years and will continue to last for thousands more show a poor excuse for apathy. Though it is eternal, which is the meaning of Sanatana, this does not mean that it will always remain a prevalent force on the face of the earth. It can also decline into obscurity if we let it.
Those who feel that there is nothing to worry about need to understand why the Bhagavad-gita was spoken. Arjuna did not want to fight, and who does? No one wants war, at least if they are in their right mind. But how many people of particular religions cry for war, or jihad, toward anyone who is not a part of their religion? Arjuna wanted to leave the battlefield and go to the forest to meditate, as if that would solve all of his problems. But Lord Krishna said he was acting foolishly. Lord Krishna told Arjuna that he should indeed fight, but fight for what? He was to fight to uphold the Dharmic principles that the Kauravas were neglecting. Lord Krishna specifically went to the Kauravas to try and arrange a diplomatic means to keep everyone happy and prevent war, but they would not listen. Finally, there was no alternative but to fight. And so the sides were drawn against those who fought for Dharma and those who fought for their own agenda.
We could also say that we should simply let the good Lord take care of everything. If something is meant to be, then the Lord will take care of it. But that is not the result nor the premise of the Bhagavad-gita. Lord Krishna showed that everything may rest on Him as pearls are strung on a thread, but we all must do our part. It is up to us to protect Dharma if we are indeed expecting to continue to have the freedom to practice and follow it.
Vedic culture has been attacked for the last 1200 years. India’s history can easily show that. And it was the heroes of India, and the millions of average everyday people of India, Hindus, who gave their lives and underwent severe torture that kept Vedic Dharma alive for future generations, and for the freedoms that we have today that allow us to continue these traditions. Are we now to let those freedoms die, after so many sacrificed their lives for us, for Vedic Dharma? This would be a great dishonor to their memory and for the cause they fought for. We cannot allow this to happen, but we also need to be aware of the warning signs of what is happening around us.
This is why, with a growing Muslim population in India, and all over the world for that matter, Hinduism in India could be dead in another 100 years. Just by their high birth rate alone Muslims are increasing their presence in India. Thus, one hundred years from now Vedic Dharma may only be practiced in small pockets here and there, such as in various holy places, as long as the majority Muslim population allows it. The fact is that history has shown that Muslims have a very low tolerance for anything that is non-Muslim. You can see this in the ever decreasing non-Muslim population in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Arabia, etc., etc. They have never allowed complete freedom for non-Muslims in any Islamic country, and have passed laws against them and persecuted them and destroyed their temples and monuments, kidnapped and raped their women, and killed thousands of Hindu or Christian men. So, why should we expect India to be an exception? They have already shown what they did in India.
A rising Muslim minority in India does not have to become a majority to begin changing laws in their favor, but simply by being a noisy and disturbing minority they will gain the upper hand. Increasing their political maneuvering will give them political clout and power. And when they do come closer to being a majority, they will certainly increase the persecution of an infidel Hindu population until they are finally extinct.
Over 400,000 Hindu Pandits were chased out of Kashmir, and what was done about it? Take notice of how Assam is becoming the new Kashmir with nearly 80,000 people being displaced, having left their villages due to fear from the incoming and growing Muslims. And now the Muslim political party in Assam is demanding a separate and autonomous region in southern Assam just for Muslims. Is this not the same pattern we have seen time and time again? And is anyone doing anything about it? Is anyone speaking out that another chunk of India is threatened with being lost? In due course, what will be left of India if this keeps happening?
Even now the Muslims of India, though they have a Hindu ancestry, no longer identify themselves as Indians but as members of the house of Islam. Thus, they are only taking care of unfinished business from their previous invasions and war against Hindus. Hindus often do not conduct themselves in a powerful way. And when they do, the Indian media is completely against them. The secular media in India does not mean secular, it means to bend over backward showing preference for the minorities at the expense of the Hindu majority. Thus, secular media in India means to be anti-Hindu. But should that stop Hindus? They cannot afford to be overly considerate of what others think when their own future is at stake.
The next 10 to 15 years will be a major turning point and show the deciding factor for the future of Vedic Dharma on the face of the planet, particularly in India. The thing is, even now we practically have more freedom to practice Vedic culture in America than we do in India, in its own homeland. Will America be one of the final strongholds for Vedic Dharma? Will we have to one day export it back to India from America?
Therefore, we have to ask ourselves, will our temples still be here in India in another 40 to 50 years? Or will they gradually disappear because of Christian conversion tactics, Muslim persecution against Hindus, or because corrupt politicians who care little about Vedic culture take over temples to possess and sell their assets for the money? Hindu temples are known for being income producers, for the most part. While the Indian government cares little about possessing churches and mosques because they need funds, they use more money than they bring in. It is the temples that are income producers because of the Hindu majority population that give to them.
Therefore, there is no doubt that Hindus must unite as a society while there is still time to make a difference.
CHANGES THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE
The time to act is now. Some of the things Hindus / Dharmists / Devotees need to do include:
1. Hindus must unite and vote as a bank in all elections to oust those who disregard Hinduism and vote in those who do. They must never take an election for granted. They have done so in the past with terrible results.
2. Hindus must get involved in politics in various ways to help direct the actions of the government.
3. India must also change its politicians in order that it as a nation takes a stronger stance against those who try to bring India down, and to take a stronger stance to defend itself militarily. India cannot afford to be a wimp. There is a need for younger leaders who are more aware of how to fulfill the needs of India.
4. Hindus must work to unite all Hindus. They must wake up other Dharmists about the need to take action. This may be a daunting task, but let everyone become involved in the action plans that will make a difference for their future, for their culture, for preserving their tradition, for protecting the rights and freedoms of the individual, and certainly for the well-being of their children. Work for the freedom to continue to construct and manage their own temples without interference from the government.
5. The spiritual leaders and acharyas must reach out to the villagers and people of all classes in order for the people to feel cared for, and that they are a part of and belong to the Dharmic tradition and are welcome in the temples. They should feel that they are not neglected, but that they are wanted and needed in the greater cause for Vedic Dharma.
6. Indian Hindus must take care of their own people, those who are poor, destitute and disadvantaged, or others will. And those others are often quick to try to convince them of the shortcomings of Hinduism, and, thus, through the guise of welfare activities, try to convert the poor into leaving Vedic Dharma and become Christians or something else. It is true that those who convert for material facility are not strong converts because they could just as easily convert back to what they were once their financial status improves. However, if a child is converted and stays in that fold for 10 to 15 years, it is not likely they will ever want to reconvert back to Vedic Dharma after being a Christian for so long. Thus, from that generation forward, that family will likely continue to be non-Dharmists. Children of converted families who remain outside of the Dharmic fold for that length of time will have little impetus to change.
7. All Dharmists must be educated in their own culture, philosophy, and tradition to understand it clearly, and know how to explain it to their children and others. Thus, they can also be convinced of the deep and profound nature of what they already have, and be less likely to ever want to convert to something else.
8. When anything in the media appears to depict Vedic culture in a poor late, or when someone like a politician says something against one of the Vedic Divinities, there must be an immediate outrage or lawsuit established against such a person or incident. If people begin to see that an immediate and strong reaction takes place whenever Vedic Dharma is poorly or inaccurately portrayed, or when someone denigrates the Bhagavad-gita or one of the Vedic texts, they will begin to hesitate or even stop before doing such things in the future.
9. There must be regular programs at temples for the education of all, and book distribution to help spread Vedic spiritual knowledge to everyone far and wide.
10. Everyone should engage in a cultural revolution in which we promote the true understanding of Vedic Dharma. This is one of the best ways to spread the beauty and freedom found in the lofty spiritual knowledge that can attract everyone. Westerners are especially and increasingly being drawn to the beauty of this spiritual path. So, Indians should have no doubt of its potency and work to maintain India as the homeland of a dynamic and thriving Vedic tradition.
11. Dharmists / Hindus must work to do service for their temples and community to take care of everyone and maintain what they have, namely their temples, their right to peacefully observe the Vedic ways, and care for the people who turn toward the Dharmic path.
Such changes can only take place if Hindus unite and stand strong for Dharma and work together. We have to drop the apathy, discard our ego, along with ethnic and class distinctions and join together under one identity and for a primary cause. We must act like Arjuna did after having received the instructions of Lord Krishna to stand and fight for Dharma rather than going off into the forest to get away from everything and meditate, as if that would solve his dislike to do battle against those who had chosen the side of adharma.
If Hindu Dharmists do not do this, and remain as they are, being apathetic and inactive, it is but a prescription for a slow extinction. They may lose it all, certainly the freedom to choose what they want to be. Only we can change the future by being pro-active and united in this way. Then Sanatana-dharma will remain on the face of the earth as a path that we have the freedom to follow. Do we want to see Vedic Dharma as the tradition of the majority population in India in another 100 years, or will it become a thing of the past, like a museum piece? This is what has happened to the Maya, Inca, Egyptian civilizations, and many others. The choice of what happens in the future is ours by how we act and work together now.
Dharma Rakshati Rakshitah. (Dharma protects those who protect it)
Jai Sri Krishna.
Stephen Knapp is a renowned writer, spiritual practitioner, photographer, and lecturer on Vedic Culture. He has continuously worked to help spread the profound and genuine spiritual knowledge in the Vedic philosophy in a way so that anyone from anywhere can understand and take advantage of it. Besides being brahmanically initiated, he has traveled extensively throughout India and founded the Vedic Friends Association and World Relief Network. Other articles by Stephen Knapp can be found on www.stephen-knapp.com.
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September 3rd, 2009 14:35
is it appropriate for a white american to talk about how india should solve her problems? one could say “well this is a hindu speaking on hindu matters,” but if that’s the viewpoint i suggest reading civil rights leader martin luther king’s ‘letter from birmingham jail’ where he critiques white christians.
white christians felt that they had the right to criticize and dictate how black christians should solve the problems they were facing. or white christians who go to south america or africa and tell latino and african catholics how to reform their society.
even gandhi said that indians must solve problems on their own without the aid of well-intentioned brits (some of those white british were hindus or sympathetic to hinduism!).
my suggestion to well-intentioned white americans such as mr. knapp is to talk with hindu-phobic americans - he has access to the white community (a type of access us people of color don’t have) and they are more likely to listen to him than us brown folks on the issue of xenophobia. he can go to the us government and educate congress on how their aid to pakistan, saudi arabia, etc is fomenting attacks on the hindu people.
September 3rd, 2009 15:38
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September 3rd, 2009 18:34
I beg to differ from the other three “racist” comments. Stephen Knapp is not a White Christian or a White American. Do not brand him that. He is a Hindu first. And he has written for the sake of Hindutva.
September 4th, 2009 04:58
Three comments on this article show Hindu mindset. We, Hindus never agree on any common causewhat so ever it may. We refuse to see writing on the wall and live in cocoons. We lost our creativity long back and steeped in Tamas. So mordern day Hindus will not be the trouch bearers of Sanatana Dharma in the next century. Rather it will be Europeans/Americans. Because only those people who are creative and ready to accept reality can understand Sanatana Dharma.
September 4th, 2009 08:11
Well said Ramesh! It is indeed a shameful situation!
September 4th, 2009 09:40
>>>>my suggestion to well-intentioned white americans such as mr. Knapp is to talk with hindu-phobic americans - he has access to the white community (a type of access us people of color don’t have) and they are more likely to listen to him than us brown folks on the issue of xenophobia>>>Ravi
I don’t understand why men like Ravi feel peeved about Mr. Knapp merely because he is white. Does it annoy him if I found the pope, a white man, meddling in the affairs of the brown Christians in India to be offensive? I don’t know about him .But I am certain that the brown Christians in India will never tell the popes, the American evangelists etc to mind their own business if they offer a little advice.
Do you get it? That is exactly what Knapp is telling us Hindus to understand before it is too late!
Further, it is the white men professing non Christian and non Muslim religious beliefs, atheists and humanists who keep Christian and Muslim fundamentalism in check in the world that this world is better place to live. What more you want these white men to do?
Come, Ravi, you keep the nun Theresa but let me keep Knapp
September 5th, 2009 12:03
Why does one Indian [HINDU] put another indian [HINDU] down ON THIS BLOG WEBSITE ALWAYS?????
September 5th, 2009 21:23
>>Come, Ravi, you keep the nun Theresa but let me keep Knapp<< where do i support theresa? she shouldn’t have been in india either! instead should’ve stayed in yugoslavia convincing the 1st world TO PAY REPARATIONS to nations RAPED by imperialism & multi-nationals. pope shouldn’t be telling brown/black ppl what to do either. instead the vatican should turn over the possessions they stole from these countries. brown xtians w/ inferiority complexes blindly follow romans, so we should copy them?
i’m not personally attacking knapp. he has a dharmic role - educating ignorant americans. look @ white america’s extremist reaction to obama. now imagine what VILE thoughts they have of hindus. what’s wrong w/ asking mr. knapp to use his skin color/privilege to educate them? does racism & hinduphobia NOT exist in the US? would you rather white americans stay ignorant? cos they aren’t going to listen to me, you, or anyone else with dark skin or a “foreign accent.” but they may be more open minded to listen to a white hindu. why does suggesting he challenge a racist white society illicit such a strong response? “indians are dumb, we can’t agree on anything europeans can lead us.” desis under british occupation said this, now by ppl like ramesh are saying this! ya we argue among ourselves but so do americans - watch the news, americans are in heated debate over health care, half the country hates obama, the other half loves him. yet nobody is asking foreigners to come and fix america’s problems.
the free india movement said india’s problems can be worked out by indians. MLK said blacks need to work out their own problems, the american indian movement said they don’t need whites on reservations, cesar chavez campaigned successfully with an all-latino movement. but hey, what do they all know?
to say there are no caring, dharmic desi-hindus shows the internalized racism of my fellow desis. i’m heavily involved in the non-profit world. plenty of caring folks working to make s. asia a better place. i am proud of all of the grassroots ppl who work in their communities for little pay,no fame, or credit and are willing to be overlooked by the commentators above. there are asians risking their lives, fighting to clean up bhopal, for equal rights for hindu women, for all castes to be given access to mandirs, to stop aggressive christian missionaries, etc. but you will never give them credit (or SUPPORT) b/c you’re trained to think we’re inferior and need to be led by outsiders.
September 5th, 2009 21:29
>> Does it annoy him if I found the pope, a white man, meddling in the affairs of the brown Christians in India to be offensive? I don’t know about him .But I am certain that the brown Christians in India will never tell the popes, the American evangelists etc to mind their own business if they offer a little advice.
narendran: brown xtians should follow the lead of black christians and tell american evangelists, popes, etc. to MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS. i’ve already stated this opinion to my friends who are brown christians. some of them are still working on their inferiority complexes, you can’t solve a problem like this overnight but you can at least talk w/ ppl who hate themselves about their proud heritage and get the ball rolling.
September 5th, 2009 22:16
Raviji: Namaskara
I am an indian woman, indian at heart, english in mind. My name is Sue. I have dual nationality: British and Indian.
First of all, as a Indian Hindu born woman, let me tell you that you are a fine example of Hindu courage. You plucked the courage to rise above and deliver your excellence.
Secondly: Politics is a matter that one true spiritual practitioner should not, must not and cannot engage in.
Thridly: To speak of India in the context of a “perception” of an American born Christian who converted himself into Hindu to extract maximum advantage of VEDAS and then to condemn the very culture, its people and nation at large bringing camouflage of confusion amongst our own kind is OBNOXIOUS. Such obnoxiousness is subtle. VEDAS cannot die, Sanatana Dharama cannot die, will not die and shall not become extinct. A remark to the effect of using words like “extinction” itself shows and proves that this collected knowledge is book knowledge.
India-Bharat is a land of spiritualism, its divinity feeds the entire world. This is the very belief of Great westerners who have come to nurture India with integrity and dignity without having to convert their religions. Some of these dignitories include,polititicians, scientists, and philosophers like Abraham Lincoln, Churchill, MountBatten, Einstein, Darwin, Martin Luther King, and many others. Vedic sanatan dharma will on the contrary be the only religion because gradually, our world problems have become common regardless of nationality, creed, caste, or religion.
Our world problem universally will gradually draw us all towards worst scenario with great epiphany, disasters, loss, grief, hurt, and much more.
Economically, our world will become a timid small place filled with narrow minded fears of irritating worthless issues as who should rule India, etc…..
Politically the world leaders are turning towards ancient Vedic wisdom to derive solutions in the simplest manner for example, the allotment of government surplus to help the poorest people in their mortgage, the bail out plans, the many initiatives created by governments to grant help to education and entrepreneurship, etc…..
India is NOT a frail nation as potrayed by the article of someone who needs to fully comprehend the burden and pain of being an INDIAN WOMAN. India is a powerful nation with development rate greater than that of U.S.A. Substantial progress is being made in the fields of ENGINEERING, MEDICINE, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. India is at the forefront of all with call centres and root plants in place across the nation. India’s film industry has conquered the western bollywood. India is a GREAT nation because we in INDIA do NOT believe in segregating people. India is the ONLY nation in the world, whose entire government is based on equality, love, compassion and humanity. Our whole hearted respect and integrity reaches out to our Muslim brothers and sisters who are fasting the month of Ramadhan with the divine intention of purifying and repenting upon karma. We love people because they are “NICE PEOPLE”.
To judge another human being out of race, religion, caste, creed, colour, nationality, and culture is NOT right from any true pious holy scripture may it be Quran, Bible, or Gita.
India has Hindus who are not only Hindus but who are also Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Karnataks, Nepalese, Tibetans, Bengalis, Maharathis, and many more SUB-HINDUS who all together celebrate sixteen different samskaras alike, throughout the year across the nation in such colourful and beautiful divinity. Perhaps, learning India from books, is different from actually being INDIAN.
My greatest sympathy and highest pity to the perception of the writer of the article that has very little or no significance to its reality.
Namaskara
Mrs Pt
September 5th, 2009 23:24
Actual facts:
In South Africa: Biggest unity prevails in the HINDU society. Navratri is one such time whence Africans salute the Mother Goddess Durga. South Africa’s finance minister is our PATTNI fellow.
Africa’s Hindu samaj leader is a Hindu PATTNI. Prabhudas Pattni. We are going to see generations of youth and generations of young Hindus and Muslims alike shinning out as brothers and sisters without the issues of religious tenebrousity.
Biggest industries and transnational corporations in INDIA are progressively run by HINDU born Indian families, of proud Indian nationality, most of them are in alliance and joint ventures with our muslim brothers and sisters.
In Africa alone, most of the products exported to your American continent, like food, agriculture, grians, basic necessities like flour and vegetables all come from our HINDU-MULSIM alliances that are trans-national international exporters of food and trading.
In the U.S.A.: Our entire AMERICAN population comprises experts placed in the highest places who are HINDUS. Doctors, professors, research scientists, medical practitioners, engineers, high tech scientists, specialists, and much more are HINDUS and MUSLIMS from INDIAN continent.
In India alone, there are world’s biggest centres for research and such huge centres are for specialist fields in finding cures and medicines for diseases, finding new technologies, finding new and more advanced ways to configure computers, generating better medical doctors, engineers and metaphysics. All of these are headed by Hindus in alliance with Muslims. We have never had a problem with forming partnership and unity throughout the world.
The crux of VEDAS is THAT one must not CHANGE one;s original religion but one can still adapt and apply Vedic principles to their original religious belief, original family cutlures and traditions, and improve their respective traditions and culture.
Good value does not have labels.
“Good” humanity comprises compassion, love and universality of acceptance of all walks of life as one.
To speak of “extinction” of Hindus applies to those who are worthless, cowards and even those who are not capable of defending one’s integrity. If such is the case, then Indian history has produced magnificent GREAT SAVANTS all of whom have been HINDUS, like, Buddha, Krushna, Raama,
It is to the greatest dignity and greatest pride of INDIA, that we stand to deliver DIVINE VIRTUE and TRUTH through our Hindu heroes. Similarly, we have Muslim heroes in India, who have excelled and contributed towards humanity at large like Akbar shar jahan, HazratAli Immam Hussain, NoorJahan, and many more….We will never be short of divinity in India.
Vedic dharma embraces all humanity alike!
How can someone state that the humanity at large shall be extinguished at the cause of Muslims?
It is wrong, insensitive and even crude for a pious person to judge another human kind in such a trivial subjective context of political fragmentations of another country whose nationality one does not bear. Technically that is incorrect and not allowed.
There is conclusively no substance to the article, no logic, no rational and no consistency at all!
Regards
hcp
September 6th, 2009 00:15
unless americans unite, there is extinction of dollar………myth
At dollar = 1:64 to a Sterling Pound
Gold at 994:50 dollars per ounce
Extinction is more likely to happen to AMERICANISM that you so proudly project because, unless Dollar falls, how will the revised Obama regime fix your tumbled economy?
September 6th, 2009 13:20
As I understand it, the issue here is the future of Hinduism –whether we should allow it to perish or do something if possible to make it flourish or at least make it survive. Human beings suffer from countless mental infirmities born out of their prejudices and that fact ought not to be allowed to stand in the way of discussing the issue here. It is perhaps possible all religions have been created for the purpose of either offering various theological concoctions as cure for these maladies or at least to explain away such things to the satisfaction of the sufferer.. In fact the success of the proysytising religions was mainly due to their ability to sell their own religions as a cure for those who suffered disadvantages in another religious society. Christianity and Islam have been able to spread across the globe not on account of any extra religious truth in them but because of the mobility and military might of those who chanced to be born into those religious systems and Hinduism was confined to a corner for the opposite reasons It seems that phase is over but the danger to it still remains seeing the fact that a huge machinery oiled by external funds out of tax payer’s money from all Christian nations and manned by countless men and women to undermine it is still in place . What is worse, in India there has been put in place another set up for the purpose of demonizing those who protest against unethical practices employed by those in the business of converting people and interestingly it is manned by those’desi’ intellectuals.
Seen in this context you can understand the relevance of Knapp. The importance of Knapp lies in not what he says but that he says it. Now, consider this fact. There are any numbers of devout Christians who are scientists, educators, etc who are in the forefront of defending Christianity against the onslaught of the atheists in the U.S. They are proud of doing it and they are given prominent place in the national media. Contrast it with the attitude of the media and its intellectual in India. They are also defending but defending Christianity against Hindus!
I have heard any number of people talking about the so called ‘inherent strength of Hinduism to survive against all kinds of attack in a magical way. Mistake me not; they are attempting to put us to sleep. Hinduism survived primarily because the Hindus were concentrated in a corner of the world in huge numbers and secondly it was Islam and not Christianity which came into it first with military force and thirdly by the time Christianity arrived the idea of ‘one god’ seemed ridiculous.. How could there be two one gods?
Abroad atheism is on the march probably because people no more want to be guided by ideas of others as to what they ought or ought not to do as has been their condition being under the sway of the Church. In India under Hinduism in the morning when you get up if you feel so you can proclaim to be an atheist and in the evening a devout Hindu or vice versa and no father or mother will deny giving their girl or boy to you in marriage
September 6th, 2009 14:40
HINDUS MUST UNITE FOR DEFENDING THEIR RELIGION AND WAY OF LIFE AND VALUES.IF CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM ARE ACCEPTABLE THEN CONVERSION FROM ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY TO HINDUISM IS ALSO EQUALLY ACCEPTABLE EVENTHOUGH THOSE TWO TRELIGIONS WILL ARGUE OTHERWISE.SEVERAL “ONE GODS” CAN BE ACCOMODATED ONLY IN A POLYTHEISTIC SICIETY PEACEFULLY.MERGER OF THE “ONE GOD” RELIGIONS INTO THE” MULTIGODS” HINDUISM IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR HUMANITY TO LIVE IN PEACE AND CO-EXIST.THIS CAN HAPPEN WHILE THE “ONE GOD” OF THE VARIOUS RELIGIONS CONTINUE TO BE WORSHIPPED.EFFORTS OF THE HUMAN BEINGS TO ESTABLISH “ONE GOD” THROUGH FIGHTING WILL ONLY LEAD TO ANNIHILATION OF HUMANITY AND LEAD TO “ANIMAL KINGDOM”.ONLY THE HINDU CAN PREVENT THIS BY LOUDLY PROCLAIMING AND FOLLOWING “POLYTHEISM”.BE PROUD OF POLYTHISM AND FOLLOW IT.IDEALOGICAL VICTORY OF POLYTHEISM OVER MONOTHEISM ONLY CAN ENSURE THE PEACEFUL SURVIVAL OF MANKIND.ONCE HINDUS REMAIN UNITED AND PREVENT THE CANCEROUS SPREAD OF CONVERSIONS BY MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS THIS CAN HAPPEN.OTHERWISE SEVERAL GROUPS OF “ONE GOD”FOLLOWERS WILL SEE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF HUMANITY .OF COURSE, NO “ONE GOD” WILL PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING SICE IT MAY BE FELT THAT EARTH IS FIT FOR ONLY “ANIMAL KINGDOM” AS THE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE LED TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION IN THE NAME OF GOD.
GOD HAS GIVEN A THINKING BRAIN TO HUMAN BEINGS ONLY TO HELP THEM TO SAVE THEMSELVES.
HINDUISM PRACTISING POLYTHEISM AND ACCOMODATING ALL MONOTHEISMS WITHIN THE FOLDS OF UNIVERSAL POLYTHEISM IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR HUMANS TO COEXIST PEACEFULLY AND HAPPILY.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS REALISM MUST COME IN ABUNDANCE TO THE MONOTHEISTIC ,CONVERSION ORIENTED ,BEINGS.HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN IS LEFT TO ANY BODY’S IMAGINATION .
R.S
September 6th, 2009 21:24
Narendran-ji: You confuse me completely. You state:
>>>”"”"”In India under Hinduism in the morning when you get up if you feel so you can proclaim to be an atheist and in the evening a devout Hindu or vice versa and no father or mother will deny giving their girl or boy to you in marriage.”"”"”"”"”"<<<<<
Perhaps you need to PROVE your claim. You seem to have antagonism without substantive evidence.
Nevertheless, time is the biggest factor: Watch what happens to the world at large, in the next few years especially between the Uranus-Saturn cross over and particularly with Mars close up to the earth.
You perhaps need a bigger picture: Where true racialism is? In Australia alone, racialism is highest in the world statistically!
When you look at the bigger picture: You will realise and learn the lessons of karma that what is more important in the present world facing severe economic crises is “coming together” to solve and resolve political economy of our world in despair.
Sooner than later, none of these “MAMBO-JAMBO” regimental falsity of false power under the pretentious umbrella of “personalised” religious institutionalisation shall come out. Victory always is towards the divine light of truth.
Most holy scriptures state:
“”"”"”Those who falsely claim, shall be subjected to utmost severity towards the end of their life here on earth and the life hereafter”"”"”. I believe in simplicity: What goes around shall come around eventually. Fake heroism never lasts longest. Fake heroism always ends in dismal illness. All this, that and the other, spread illness firstly out of fear to the humanity and illness to one’s own spirit of life out of lies, more lies and falsity of claims.
Anyone can claim whatever one wishes to claim.
There is divine intention in “RS”: Albeit RS is trying to merge a world already in deep hurt and grieving pain.
Ideally yes, RS has more resolute statement that makes some logical rationale and it is the very same belief every one of us will eventually undertake: That of “”"”coming together”"”".
RS: Your language is too powerful for me to comprehend, so forgive me, please, but I do not understand the polytheism and monotheism in so far as our dialogue is concerned.
Conclusively:
There WILL NEVER be extinction of VEDAS or SANATANA DHARMA. This conclusion is NON-NEGOTIABLE, within the parameters of SHRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA as authority of KAALKI aavatar coming to save the world from the wretched and hence, it is true, that ONE’S KARMA and one’s DHARMA shall determine one’s mode of death.
Let us be true to ourselves, and not fear about what will happen tomorrow. Let us be divinely patient towards our children, and let us guide our children to always never hurt another human being. Let us build families that are close and let us build homes that are filled with LOVE, DIVINE COMPASSION, and lot of joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rest is nor here nor there. Our own HOME is a retreat of HOLY SHRINE in which our family matters most!
Let there be peace in the Celestial world. Let there be peace in the spirit world, and May the GREAT DIVINE LIGHT grace us with peace here on human earth.
AUM SHANTIH SHANTIH SHANTIH$
September 9th, 2009 15:22
i would like to clarify 2 points b/c i may not have articulated myself properly in previous posts
1. in the gita krsna tells arjun that one must clean out problems within his own family before taking care of problems in another. knapp is from white america so he best understands their mentality. he suggests how indians should vote in politics but does not criticize politics in white america? right wing christianity has a strong hold in the us yet he has no critique of this. i’d like to see him talk w/ whites who donate money to hateful xtian missionaries and instead donate money to poverty relief efforts or tolerance orgs like splc.org. the us only donates .01% of its funds to foreign aid while the bulk of their donations goes to military violence.
in a hinduism class i took in college a white student asked why hindus “worshipped” cows. several indian, nepali, and black students tried explaining that we don’t worship we just treat animals with respect. he refused to listen until the white academic college professor confirmed that hindus only revere the cow. when the white teacher with the pHd stated it, the student finally believed him. this is my point: white america will listen to other educated white academics who are not hinduphobic before they listen to ppl of color. that is reality.
2. >> modern day Hindus will not be the trouch bearers of Sanatana Dharma in the next century. Rather it will be Europeans/Americans. Because only those people who are creative and ready to accept reality can understand Sanatana Dharma.<<
so do these ppl LACK creativity and are out of touch with reality? hinduamericanfoundation.org filed a lawsuit against cali for their hinduphobic textbooks. tattva is a website with most of its contributors being indian youth. hindu voice uk is also run by hindu youth. these are the future leaders of the hindu community. they’re creative, intelligent, and organized. i am saddened that the person who made this comment has such a low opinion of non-whites.
most desi muslims i know feel india is inferior and view arabs as the supreme race & culture. desi xtians have the same problem except they view westerners as the most intelligent. it’s a shame there are hindus who feel the same way. they seem to be in line with the creators of the aryan invasion theory who also said black africans were too dumb & uncreative to build pyramids so it must’ve been built by europeans.
September 9th, 2009 16:24
To the author of article: Hinduism Not actually Hinduism : Vedic Sanatana Dharma based on Vedas.
Most westerners have established authentic faith in Vedas being scientific.
Narrated by Badarayana, the author of the treatise Brahma-Sutra, also called Vedanta and Uttara-Mimamsa the four aphorisms are,
“Athato Brahma-Jijnasa
Janmadyasya Yatah
Sastra-Yonitvat
Tat-tu Samanvayat”
i.e., Now we desire to know Brahma. The inquiry is about Brahma – the Cosmic Spirit. Due to Him, the universe exists. Also, due to Him, the Vedas exist. And, there is one-to-one correspondence between the two – the events seen in the universe and the words read in the Vedas.
Divinity emanates from contemplation: Contemplation is culmination of “shabda” “arthat” and “bhavana” with an intention. Now, intention determines one’s course and one’s fate and one’s destiny.
The Vedas explicitely say:
“Rco aksare parame vyoman yasmin deva adhi visve niseduh
Yastanna veda kimrca karisyati ya ittadvidusta ime samasate” Rgveda 1.164.39
Its meaning: The Vedic Rcas (hymns) originate from the eternal God and are eternal in nature. Knowing their meaning gives rise to the tastiest bliss that is enjoyed by the noblest souls. If one doesn’t care to know their meaning then who is to blame?
“”"”"”The word has a meaning. If one knows the word and recites the same without knowing its meaning then it is waste of time and energy. It is almost like a donkey carrying the weight of saffron without being able to get its taste. We humans must be true to our human potentials. We must seek to know the meaning of the Vedic hymns that are the most precious gift from God to us. Unlike His other gifts of air, water, food, sun, moon, earth, etc. that are for us and other conscious species, Vedas are for humans alone - for all human beings without any distinction whatsoever as long as we have the gift of the human vocal cord, we have the inalienable right to recite the Veda-mantras.”"”"”"”"
Garuda Purana and Shiva Purana both elitely state that the light of truth shall never diminsh or extinguish. The light of truth shall remain ever effulgent. Only the sinful hearts shall NOT be able to see its brilliance, only the truly stubbron will not be able to believe that behind the silver linning and the clouds manifests the divinity of Lord Surya_Narayana.
How would one expect that supreme elite light to be extinguished?
If we are truly speaking of facts: More churches in EUROPE are being brought down and in their places, residential constructions are taking place.
Strive to seek the divine truth, the divine light of truth, the divine beauty of the truth that sacredly sits in the deepest most consciousness of every good human soul. A Good Human Spirit of life is a divine soul of God. God is the divine light of truth. That is what is keeping HINDUSTAN alive: Its LABOURERS, ITS HONEST HARD WORKING LABOURERS, THE DIVINE INTEGRITY OF DIVERSE CULTURAL SPECTRUM COMPRISING PUNJAB, MAHARASHTRA, SINDHU, BENGAL, GUJURAT, MADRAS, BANGALORE, PUT TOGETHER IN ONE BEAUTIFUL CONCH OF VISHNOO BHAGAVAN. INDIA OR BHARAT HAS, IS AND WILL ALWAYS SURVIVE UPON DIVINITY THAT IS BEAUTIFUL FINE ARTS, BEAUTIFUL TALENTS, AND CREATIVITY AT ITS HIGHEST.
So, how could someone take away our Indian creativity?
It is like depriving one: One’s essential nature// One common complaint: It is not what we read and write that matters but what we contemplate and establish to be the “truth”
ASATO MA SATT GAMAYA
TAMASO MA JYOTIRR GAMAYA
MRITYUR MA AMRITAM GAMAYA
Premma cha shantish: Greetings and Best wishes 9-9-09 Mrs tp
December 18th, 2009 14:00
This article is very much true. In India Law is so not equal for relegion, Muslims can marry upto 4 women resulting in big family while for hindus face a severe punishment though people are living bad marriage, how does an offence differentiate anyone based on religion?, is murder in one relegion allowed while others not.
Please wake up else there is extinction of Hindus for sure.
April 30th, 2010 08:56
I think this article was really a solid kick off to a potential series of posts about this topic. So many people pretend to understand what they are talking about when it comes to this topic and really, nearly no one actually get it. You seem to really dominate it though, so I think you should start writing more. Thank you!
August 2nd, 2010 11:48
Hello,
"Saligrama" a form of idol worshipped by Hindus is found in Ghandaki Nepal. can anyone give full details ?
Really great post, enjoyed reading it. Thanks
November 1st, 2010 11:06
[...] soul stirring research by an American follower of Sanatana Dharma Dr Stephen Knapp about the need to get the act [...]
December 17th, 2010 08:04
My stance is unequivocally anti-Islam, since I ardently believe Muslims, our inveterate enemies, are ruining and degrading India, promoting terror and terrorism, polluting our environment, murdering our people, overpopulating our country, compromising and infringing our rights, and harming our interests.
All riots and bomb blasts, which have claimed hundreds of Hindu lives, have been initiated by Muslims. Hindu ‘aggression’ has merely been reactionary. Are we supposed to sit back and watch barbaric jihadis and orthodox Muslim fanatics trample over our rights, burn our buildings, destroy and desecrate our sacred temples and holy shrines, and murder our people in our own land? My family friend, her daughter in law and granddaughter, were all raped in a madrassa once, on their way to Muradabad, outskirts of Delhi. This highlights their utter debasement of everything pure, including education and knowledge, since a madrassa is a school of learning. Muslims, scum of the earth, have been inculcated and indoctrinated in filth all their life.
The Mughals may have ruled us for 800 years, and razed our Ram mandir to the ground, erecting a Babri Mazjid in its place, but they shall rule us no longer. We’re no sitting ducks. Just because we Hindus are patient and peace loving, we get taken for a ride. And the government and media houses lick Muslim ass, to secure minority vote banks. And when the BJP stands up for Hindu rights, it is termed fanaticism, bigotry and separatism. Is it a mere coincidence that literally all terrorists are Muslims? We sheltered them when they were thrown out of Pakistan. Today, when an India-Pakistan match is being played, green Paki flags are seen waving in Muslim localities. Jis thaali se khaate hein, usi mein chhed karte hai. Will we sit back and watch them blow up, ruin and raze to the ground OUR country?
Also, as a vegetarian, I am anti-halal slaughter of animals, since I believe it is barbaric and unethical. I support jhatka, and wish to speak up for the rights of animals, and eradicate atrocious Muslim practices like halal killing. Let us unite, speak up and speak out to protect, preserve and promote HINDUstan.