What are the practical differences between Christianity and Hinduism?

[tomspug]

Putting origin and theology aside, in practice, what are the major differences between Christianity and Hinduism? What is the significance/importance of these differences?

 

[LuisDantas]

Quite frankly, any religion is a frame of reference that must eventually be transcended. A sufficiently wise religious will learn not to be too attached to his/her own frame and end up reaching much the same conclusions whether he started out by learning Christianism, Sanatana Dharma or whatever else.

I would say that the difference is on exactly which pitfalls you find in your way to piety and wisdom.

On a more mundane level, a Hindu has a greated degree of control over one's own doctrine by way of choosing specific Gurus, Yogas and devotional deities. The same is actually true of Christianity as well, but not as obviously and not to the same degree.

Of course, there is a major difference as well in that both Hinduism and Christianism are dominant religions in specific communities, but rarely if ever socially integrated to the same degree in the same community. There are strong arguments both for and against adherence to a "majority" religion, but in any case it is not the same as being part of a minority faith.

Also, and again in very general and therefore unfair in specific cases, Christianity is an Abrahamic faith dedicated to obedience to divine precepts and its authorities. Hinduism is not completely unlike it in this respect, particularly in Bhakti Yoga, but it does offer a greater lattitude and more options. It is possible to be a very rebel Hindu (Sanatana Dharmi). Of course, it is also possible to be a rebel Christian - St. Francis of Assis springs to mind - but there are subtle differences that may or may not be seen as significant.

Edit: Thanks for the tip, Don Pengouini. Corrections made.

 

[Surya Deva]

If you're talking about orthodox Christianity, the differences are huge and significant. If you are talking of Christian Gnosticism, the differences are small and less significant.

I will assume the former: Orthodox Christianity.

Reincarnation vs resurrection
Karma vs judgement
Non-duality vs duality
Meditation vs prayer
Maya vs Satan
Science and Philosophy vs Faith and theology
Pluralism vs dogma
Self-realization vs Heaven
Proactive vs Passive
Avatar vs Jesus only

They both inhabit different worlds to be honest.

 

[tomspug]

I understand that the theologies are different, but when it comes to PRACTICE, action, decisions, will... I ask this question because the more I look at Hinduism, the more I see the same method of interaction with others. Obviously the realm of the "self" is significantly different, but the conclusions that the self comes to with regards to "the world" seems to be quite similar.

 

[LuisDantas]

In that sense, Tomspug, religions are supposed to be very similar indeed. After all, they all deal with the same world, don't you agree?

 

[Surya Deva]

In practice they are very different too. The most common form of Hindu religious practice is meditation and idol worship, again this is virtually absent in orthodox Christianity.

 

[LuisDantas]

That too. But actual practice often transcends and falls short of such idealized portraits.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

To me, one of the largest differences, is that there is no set doctrine in Hinduism. You can find so many variations of a "Hindu" in the religion, whereas you will find that in Christianity, but not to an extent where the difference is so great they can possibly even classed as a new religion.

Another is, the rigidity (is that a word?) of Christianity, and the flexibility of Hinduism, now i am not saying either of them is right or wrong, just pointing it out.

Suraj gave a good list :yes:

 

[Elessar]

If you're talking about orthodox Christianity, the differences are huge and significant. If you are talking of Christian Gnosticism, the differences are small and less significant.

Um, just to clarify, here - I assume you mean traditional Christians, not orthodox. Orthodox Christianity is a denomination in itself, as opposed to Catholicism, Protestantism, etc. I believe you mean the difference between traditional Christianity and Christian Gnosticism;.

 

[Dunemeister]

Hey, Suraj, you're partly right about your dichotomies:

Reincarnation vs resurrection

Yes. This is a big one.

Karma vs judgement

I'm not so sure about this one. Karma is a form of judgment, but it's impersonal and there's no "court of appeal." Judgment, on a Christian conception, is more personal.

Non-duality vs duality

Far too simplistic. There are ways in which Christianity is dualistic but other ways in which it is not. On a large scale, you're right that Christianity posits a duality between the creator and creation, for instance.

Meditation vs prayer

No. Christians in touch with tradition meditate.

Maya vs Satan

Can't comment because I don't know what Maya is.

Science and Philosophy vs Faith and theology

Again, the opposition of faith and science is a product of fundagelical hocus-pocus. Traditional Christianity is very comfortable with science. Indeed, it's the soil from which science sprung.

Pluralism vs dogma

There are dogmatic Hindus and pluralistic Christians. Christianity at its best seeks a balance between these; a pluralistic dogma if you will.

Self-realization vs Heaven

I'm not sure what you mean by "self-realization" and how it contrasts with "heaven", so would you mind expanding on what you think on this point?

Proactive vs Passive

If Christianity isn't proactive, nothing is. (Of course, if we take modern American fundagelicalism as our model for Christianity, you have a point.)

Avatar vs Jesus only

How does "avatar" contrast with "Jesus only"? Details would help.

They both inhabit different worlds to be honest.

There is a stark difference between them, yes. I appreciate your insistence that both religions are unique and distinct, not to be reduced to the other.

 

[Surya Deva]

Yes. This is a big one.

Indeed, this difference alone demonstrates a major difference in philosophy, and explains why the other differences I listed.

I am sure you will not disagree that the notion of resurrection is against science, for it posits that dead people will come back to life at an appointed time. It requires a faith which is mutually exclusive of science to accept. It also suggests that we only have one life, one chance, and does not take into account that people were not born equal and thus suggests a partial Christian god, which contradicts certain attributes of god which are believed by Christians.

Reincarnation, on the other hand does not suggest something which is against science but nor something which is immediately verifiable by science. Hence Hinduism and science do not contradict each other, and thus why Hindus accept scientific theories like evolution and big bang etc. Also, the notion of reincarnation explains the inequality in the world, explaining ones life as being the result of a past life actions and thus the objection of partiality cannot be levelled at the Hindu god.

I'm not so sure about this one. Karma is a form of judgment, but it's impersonal and there's no "court of appeal." Judgment, on a Christian conception, is more personal.

A judgement presupposes that certain actions which are a part of the universe have some moral value and then one is left to explain why god would allow for actions which have evil moral value. Hindus do not believe that actions in themselves are evil, but accept that certain actions carry effects which can be desirable or undesirable.

Far too simplistic. There are ways in which Christianity is dualistic but other ways in which it is not. On a large scale, you're right that Christianity posits a duality between the creator and creation, for instance.

Yes, the duality is between the creator and creation, including god and man. Hinduism admits no duality, the creator and creation are one. Everything is one single divine consciousness.

No. Christians in touch with tradition meditate.

I am aware that Christian mystics meditate and Christian monks do. However, on the large, meditation is not a part of regular Christianity. It is more about prayer, hymns, and attending Church. This is because of the dualistic universe Christianity believes in, there would be no reason to sit under a tree like the Buddha and meditate. However, for Hindus, because we believe in a non-dual universe, we do meditation to realise that divinity that is within us.

Can't comment because I don't know what Maya is.

Maya is the illusion that arises when being APPEARS to become non being. It is the origin of all duality and it is because of Maya that the ego takes formation and this is the cause of all evil action. In contrast, Christianity believes in an external and evil entity as the cause of all evil action.

Again, the opposition of faith and science is a product of fundagelical hocus-pocus. Traditional Christianity is very comfortable with science. Indeed, it's the soil from which science sprung.

It is indeed true that modern science sprung from Christianity, but as a counter-movement against it. The age of enlightenment rose as a direct challenge to Christianity and the modernist age saw a very strict separation between science and religion. The scientific theories like heliocentric world, evolution and psychology overturrned much of what Christianity believed. We are to a large extent living in a materialistic and scientific world, and in countries like in Europe(the birth place of modern science) Christianity has declined considerably.

Hinduism is a religion built up on philosophy and science, as opposed to faith. It is only religion that has its own schools of logic, metaphysics, grammar, medicine, psychology etc. In fact using rationality as a means to become liberated is one of the paths of Hinduism. The reverse has happened with Hinduism, rather than declining, it is spreading in the West, especially among the intellectuals.

There are dogmatic Hindus and pluralistic Christians. Christianity at its best seeks a balance between these; a pluralistic dogma if you will.

It is true that some Hindus can be dogmatic, but the philosophy itself is not dogmatic. Hindus can choose which deity they want to worship, they can choose from millions; they can choose the methods they want to worship with. There is no dichotomy of chosen and gentiles and no religious canons Hindus have to observe.
Moreover, Hindus accept all other religions. Thus it is fair to say that Hinduism is pluralistic and Christianity is dogmatic.

I'm not sure what you mean by "self-realization" and how it contrasts with "heaven", so would you mind expanding on what you think on this point?

'Heaven' in Christian theology is a spiritual place we go to after death provided we have been adjuged good and there we get salvation. In Hinduism, heaven is an imaginary place that one enters as a disembodied mind if they have good karma, but will return to the physical world and reincarnate. This cycle will continue until the person has not realised the divine in them in the here and now itself through Yoga.

If Christianity isn't proactive, nothing is. (Of course, if we take modern American fundagelicalism as our model for Christianity, you have a point.)

Except for certain sects like Protestenism, which many believe to be the soil from which capitalism sprung forth, Christianity on the whole is seen as a religion for the weak and poor, a religion which tells us to detach completely from all worldy affairs and seek god and love everyone. This is the opposite of proactivity which is more about an individual taking responsibility for themselves and fighting against the world with spirit to satisfy their desires. The kind of view Neitzche propounded on the eve of 'God's death'; Hinduism is proactive because it conceptualises life as a battlefield and we are in a war against the world. Every soul is on its own journey to find itself back to the source. It needs to fulfill all its desires before it can return to the soul and the world is the field it does that in.

How does "avatar" contrast with "Jesus only"? Details would help.

The notion of avatar means that there can be several living manifestations of god, even simutaneously. It recognises that everybody is capable of becoming an avatar.
While Christians accept only Jesus as the only son of god and manifestation of god, Hindus accept Jesus as only one of many and also accepts everybody will at some point in time become like Jesus.

 

[Hanslope]

Hinduism is not only the oldest of the great world religions but also the most syncretistic. Mainstream Christianity would not seem to have any rationale at all except for the place of Jesus of Nazareth at the heart of its belief system. Mainstream Hinduism, if it possible to make such an assertion, is essentially monistic at best, whereas Christianity claims to have its own interpretation of monotheism,. It is hard to conceive of greater differences between them though I stand to be corrected.