What do you believe

[xkatz]

I just wanted to know what most Hindu's believe in, in terms of their god(s). So what do you believe?

 

[Metempsychosis]

Oh my god,U gave completely forgotten important options:Monism and panentheism,this is how hinduism can be defined approximately..They come under Advaita Vedanta.Hinduism can be monistic thiesm.It can be monotheism under panentheistic sense.Buddhism is monistic non-theism probably.

 

[xkatz]

Oh my god,U gave completely forgotten important options:Monism and panentheism,this is how hinduism can be defined approximately..They come under Advaita Vedanta.Hinduism can be monistic thiesm.It can be monotheism under panentheistic sense.Buddhism is monistic non-theism probably.

Well arguably, pantheism is monotheism and monism is kind of like humanism and monotheism. At least that's my opinion but I could be wrong.

 

[Riverwolf]

"Other."

Dvaitadvaita.

 

[Metempsychosis]

Almost all the answers will be in others.

Well arguably, pantheism is monotheism

Tell this is Islamist..In hinduism,there is God pervades the creation (immanent) and beyond it (transcendent).Exoteric(orthodox) abrahamic religions completely seperate creator and creation.Thus differ from Hindu montheism.

and monism is kind of like humanism and monotheism. At least that's my opinion but I could be wrong.

Not sure what you mean by humanism.Monism ,there is one divine essence,all other substances are manifestation of it (approx).
For me humanism can be close to materialism sometimes but focuses on rationality and attaches importance to human dignity.I dont think Monism or any other religious concept is actually humanism,tough they may lead to humanism.

 

[Onkara]

I just wanted to know what most Hindu's believe in, in terms of their god(s). So what do you believe?

Hi Xkatz
I was introduced to the concepts of Sanatana Dharma via Advaita Vedanta which tends to refer to Brahman most frequently. However I have come to recognise that the Saguna forms/deities point to the Nirguna Brahman and I feel comfortable with Vishnu, Siva and Others.

What is your opinion?

Kind regards, Onkarah.

 

[xkatz]

What is your opinion?

Well I am not a Hindu but I am a pantheist I guess.

 

[Andal]

Namaste,

I picked monotheism in that I believe Vishnu is God. Vishnu has many many forms though and they are God as well. Under him are devas and devis (gods and goddesses)

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Madhuri]

I clicked 'other' because I consider myself Panentheistic and although it is a type of monotheism it is very specific. So yeh, I'm panentheistic and as a very simple explanation I generally say that it means I believe that God is both the Creator and the Created. Everything is a part of parcel of the Supreme but the Supreme is also something more.

 

[zenzero]

Friend xkatz,

What do you believe
I just wanted to know what most Hindu's believe in, in terms of their god(s). So what do you believe?

Born in a family where sanatan dharma is practiced. Does that make on to be a follower of the same?
No, each is born free on earth through some parents and religion is a path or way to understand the *self* which could be anything as that is a personal search which the individual undertakes. Each individual is unique and so his *self* too would have an unique history which one has to unravel to expose the *self*.
Belief is something which an individual accepts without his own verification but verified by others [maybe? or hearsay?]; so as time is eternal have till eternity to realize that *self* but the way is through own understanding, and realization of those understanding by individual verification .
Being means a process it is not complete and so the process too continues from eternity to eternity.

Love & rgds

 

[Satsangi]

I clicked "other" as I believe that all the above "isms" and "ists" are useless and a waste. Go into the refuge of a God realized Guru and you will be granted the real Gyan just by His presence and without speaking a word.

Regards,

 

[Smoke]

I clicked 'other' because I consider myself Panentheistic and although it is a type of monotheism it is very specific. So yeh, I'm panentheistic and as a very simple explanation I generally say that it means I believe that God is both the Creator and the Created. Everything is a part of parcel of the Supreme but the Supreme is also something more.

I find your explanation interesting, because Orthodox Christianity is panentheistic but that's not how an Orthodox Christian would describe it. An Orthodox Christian would never say that God is Created or that everything is part of God; God exists independently of the Creation and is whole and complete in himself. Orthodoxy does teach, though, that everything exists in God and through God, and the uncreated Divine Energies permeate and sustain all existence.

Or is that really so different from what you're saying?

 

[Metempsychosis]

I find your explanation interesting, because Orthodox Christianity is panentheistic but that's not how an Orthodox Christian would describe it. An Orthodox Christian would never say that God is Created or that everything is part of God; God exists independently of the Creation and is whole and complete in himself. Orthodoxy does teach, though, that everything exists in God and through God, and the uncreated Divine Energies permeate and sustain all existence.

Or is that really so different from what you're saying?

Christianity's focus on immanence makes it lot closer to Hinduism.Hinduism has both Immanence and transcendence.
Krishna says "Everything is in me(immanence) ,but I am not in them(transcendence)".

Islam on the other hand focuses too much transcendence,hence many muslims may deny Immanence.Judaism ,surprisingly has lot in common to Hinduism(some times more than Christianity) ,tough they look entirely different.

 

[Madhuri]

I find your explanation interesting, because Orthodox Christianity is panentheistic but that's not how an Orthodox Christian would describe it. An Orthodox Christian would never say that God is Created or that everything is part of God; God exists independently of the Creation and is whole and complete in himself. Orthodoxy does teach, though, that everything exists in God and through God, and the uncreated Divine Energies permeate and sustain all existence.

Or is that really so different from what you're saying?

I like Wikipedia's simple definition:

Panentheism is a belief system which posits that God exists and interpenetrates every part of nature, and timelessly extends beyond as well. Panentheism is distinguished from pantheism, which holds that God is synonymous with the material universe.

I am not so familiar with panentheistic Christian ideas and am actually surprised that any Christian sect would posit panentheistic beliefs but in any case, I cannot comment much upon it. I can, however, say that based on your description there does not seem to be a great difference in the two ideas. What I am saying, ultimately, is that everything that exists is an expansion of God's energy. Nothing is seperate from Him. He represents the Whole and everything within the whole is a part of the whole. I also posit that God exists in a complete sense (if we can really understand the meaning of this), independent if you will (but perhaps not truly accurate) from the whole. I think the main way that I see it is that one can say that everything is dependent on the whole but the whole is not dependent on the parts. Somewhat like a tree (first thing I thought of). The leaves cannot exist without the tree itself but the tree can exist without the leaves. However, the leaves are a part of the tree- they are manifest of the tree.
I do not know if this is a fantastic example but it might get the idea across.

But anyway, I say that God is also the 'created' because everything that exists is a manifestation of the 'body' of God. Absolutely nothing is seperate or 'other'.

Also if everything exists 'in' God, how can they not be a part of God? I wonder how they make the distinction in Orthodox Christianity.