Your opinion on converts

[Breathe]

Namaste all :namaste

I was wondering what your opinions are regarding Hindu converts and potential Hindu converts. Why is the belief that one cannot convert to Hinduism so widespread? Where does this belief come from? Why did it originate?

Do you encourage or discourage them from searching deeper into Hinduism, or do you not get involved?

If someone asks you about your faith, do you answer or ignore?

If one says they want to convert (or have converted), do you resist or support?

I have another question, but I've forgotten what it was.

Thanks!

 

[Andal]

Namaskar,

I think conversion is fine as long as it is informed and done out of free will. People who are against conversion forget that at one time Hinduism did convert people. That's how it was firmly established in Indonesia and Thailand. Also many Greeks who entered India also converted. The oldest statue of Garuda we have was commissioned and inscribed by a Greek Vaishnav.

I think the issue is complicated though when you talk to Hindus in India where the concept of conversion has traditionally been fraught with problems, oppression, and lies. This is the case with the anti-conversion laws and what Christian and Muslims did in the subcontinent.

Being a convert myself and belonging to a temple that is a mix of native born and converts I have no problem with it. I would caution converts though to really study first. Understand that when they take on Sanatana Dharma, there are some cultural practices they will be expected to take on too.

Other than that, welcome to the family of Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana Dharma is eternal truth and eternal truth does not discriminate based on color, caste, gender, etc. It is fluid, dynamic, and beautiful. Truth is truth and it is foolish to not accept someone who sees the truth just because of their birth. You can not tell someone who sees the sun rises in the east that they can not believe that because they are born in America and instead they must accept that the sun rises in the north.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Satsangi]

Namaste all :namaste

I was wondering what your opinions are regarding Hindu converts and potential Hindu converts. Why is the belief that one cannot convert to Hinduism so widespread? Where does this belief come from? Why did it originate?

Do you encourage or discourage them from searching deeper into Hinduism, or do you not get involved?

If someone asks you about your faith, do you answer or ignore?

If one says they want to convert (or have converted), do you resist or support?

I have another question, but I've forgotten what it was.

Thanks!

The follwing is my take on conversion to Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism:-

(1) The belief that you cannot convert to Hinduism is widspread because there is almost no sect of Sanatana Dharma which actively seeks conversion like Islam or Christianity. Also there is no "formal" process of conversion except possibly by Arya Samaj or ISKCON; that fact that there should be a formality for conversion is not universally accepted because according to many there is no "conversion" in the Vedas. The Vedas and Sanatana Dharma fundamentally belong to everyone and hence there is no question of conversion back to it.

(2) If someone asks a question about Sanatana Dharma, most Hindus will encourage them and help them find answers. But, most Hindus will not actively ask them to "convert" or try to dislodge them from their fundamental belief. For example, they will tell Christians to be best at following Christianity in essence and the Muslims to follow Koran in essence.

(3) If someone asks me about my faith, I will definitely try to reply to all of their questions. But, I have noticed that many Hindus in India as well as in the West are not very comfortable about this because- they may not have the sufficient knowledge or they may feel "awkward" that their practices of the Hinduism may not be sound "good" to the foreigner.

(4) If someone says they want to convert; it is their wish- who am I to encourage or resist? If they ask should they convert- my reply would be yes if that would make them feel better. But essentially, they can follow the Ten Commandments in true spirit or the Koran without misinterpretation and be happy too.

(5) Feel free to post the question when you remember it...

Regards,

 

[Onkara]

Hi Odion
The harder part I find is deciding on which part of Sanatana Dharma answers one's needs. Once that is done one really starts to be a devotee of Santana Dharma (not sure what the noun is or if there is one).

Here is what the website about.com says, for what it is worth, and personally I do not feel it will be much new to the reader, but it might add some thoughts to the pile

Being an ideal Hindu simply implies living a righteous life by obeying the two basic tenets of Karma, ie, doing one's duty and Dharma, ie, believing in what is right in order to attain salvation from this world.
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: Everyday, lifelong
Here's How:
Rise up from bed before sunrise.
Complete morning ablutions and bath.
Pay homage to the family deity.
Spend 10-15 minutes praying, meditating and reciting from the scriptures.
Prepare breakfast and eat it only after offering the same to the family deity.
Then throughout the day execute the tasks pertaining to one's profession with complete devotion, sincerity and honesty for the maintenance of the family.
In the evening perform group prayers in the family shrine along with all the members of the family.
This is followed by supper and obeisance to the family deity before retiring to bed.
Besides this daily routine, an ideal Hindu is advised to visit the nearest Hindu temple once in a while.
You should observe several important Hindu festivals with due reverence, and go on pilgrimage to a few holy places.
A Hindu is expected to give charity, help the needy, respect the elders in society and scrupulously pursue the path of moral rectitude in both personal and social life.
Compassion, consideration for others, love, sympathy, non-violence should be the ruling words in the life of an ideal Hindu.
Tips:
Avoid the seven deadly sins of wrath, envy, pride, covetousness, gluttony, sloth, and lechery.
Family deity can be any god or any saint whom you consider your own true god.
Have faith in God and believe in yourself.

source

 

[dharma_seeker]

^^ The noun that I think being used in Hindi, is "SANATANI" for a follower of Sanatana Dharma.

 

[dharma_seeker]

I am not against conversion as long as there is no force, allurements being used. It is the peson's own choice and free will.

 

[Onkara]

I am not against conversion as long as there is no force, allurements being used. It is the peson's own choice and free will.

Thats intersesting. I am not implying you are wrong. Personally I don't think I had or have much choice really. I feel it is more like a magnet. Sometimes I would be much easier for me to walk into the local Catholic Church but the magnetism isn't there. That doesn't imply either that things won't change, but I feel we are guided from within (which I could take as being free will).

Thank you for telling me the noun! Sanatani.

 

[dharma_seeker]

^^ I agree. IT is in your "Svabhava" really.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

It is nice to read posts of people from different parts of the world. Americans seem to think of religious freedom in terms of picking and choosing any faith you want, nobody can tell you what to believe, especially the government .

The folks from India are concerned more about economic blackmail and forced conversions. The freedom to keep your beliefs with out being extorted out of them.

A Indian friend of mine who is a professor at the University of California told me that as a child her parents sent her to a missionary school. This was the best school in the area. They wanted there child to get a good education. This High school student had to sit outside in the door way every day (rain or shine) in one of her class's, because the teacher would not allow anyone inside the classroom with Hindu markings on their forehead. This professor was from a poor family it was the only way for them to get a good education.
This is the type of thing that concerns Indians when it comes to religious freedom.

 

[Onkara]

Wannabe
Thats a moving story, one which makes us value the things we take for granted and face the challenge of our religious destiny, if a child can face up to it, so should I.

On American's feeling they can pick and choose. I often think that having so much choice leads to some of the dissatisfaction of not knuckling down and getting on with it. For me, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita clear so much doubt and questions, that it is really life changing; the conversion happened from and due to them not from any other person's blessing.

 

[K.Venugopal]

Religious conversions amount to not only accepting a new religion but denying one's previous religion. This does not make a convert wiser with the added knowledge of a new religion, but narrow minded due to not seeing the possibilities of truth expressing itself in all religions. Religious conversions generate intolerance and narrow mindedness. What is required is not the exclusive mindset of conversion propagated by the Abrahamic religions but the inclusive mindset of acceptance propagated by the Hinduism. Seeing truth express itself in all religions and being free to choose the religion we wish while accepting that others may find other religions enticing is the Hindu way unlike the Abrahamic way which says that truth is confined to only one religion and conversion to it is the only salvation. The former leads to peace among religions while the latter leads to warfare among religions. Hence, religious conversions are pernicious.

 

[Devotee]

Namaste all :namaste

I was wondering what your opinions are regarding Hindu converts and potential Hindu converts. Why is the belief that one cannot convert to Hinduism so widespread? Where does this belief come from? Why did it originate?

Do you encourage or discourage them from searching deeper into Hinduism, or do you not get involved?

If someone asks you about your faith, do you answer or ignore?

If one says they want to convert (or have converted), do you resist or support?

I have another question, but I've forgotten what it was.

Thanks!

I am a convert to Gaudiya Vaishnavism. At first I was worried about whether I would be accepted or not. Then I got over that. I began to look at Hinduism as a personal relationship with the truth. Hinduism is Sanatana-Dharma. It is the eternal occuation of the living-entity. Therefore its not conversion, but reversion back to our original state. According to Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Sanatana-Dharma, the eternal law or religion of the soul is to serve God (Krsna). Therefore, at least according to me, all are welcome to devote themselves to Krsna because its our purpose.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

When I first came to Hinduism (20 years ago) no westerners called them selves Hindu's. They called them selves Yogi's or Vedanten's or even the religion they came out of. Today some converts do call themselves Hindu's. I know a Christian pastor who has a Hindu Guru. I also know hindu's who say they are Atheists and they are Hindu's. It's not so easy to say who is and is not a Hindu when it comes to converts. Many people who practice yoga and follow yogic principles will say they are Buddhist.

I even read a Swami from one of the Sankara Maths say. Every one is born a Hindu you have to make the choice not to be.

Many Hindu's believe Buddhists are just one more sect of Hinduism. So it's hard to tell what conversion even means.

Then you have some of the Orthodox folks in India who believe you have to be born a Hindu in India to be a Hindu. I asked one of these Orthodox fellows about the Hindu's in Bali, He said they are an exception to this rule.

Wow, who can figure the whole thing out.

 

[Valjean]

One problem is Hinduism doesn't have a formal doctrine or any consistently definitive theology, so it's hard to say exactly what defines a Hindu. Another is that Hinduism is still so interwoven with culture that it's practically synonymous with 'Indian'. It's not a discrete set of beliefs like the Abrahamic faiths.

That said, if someone wants to define himself as Hindu, I have no problem with it.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

One problem is Hinduism doesn't have a formal doctrine or any consistently definitive theology, so it's hard to say exactly what defines a Hindu. Another is that Hinduism is still so interwoven with culture that it's practically synonymous with 'Indian'. It's not a discrete set of beliefs like the Abrahamic faiths.

That said, if someone wants to define himself as Hindu, I have no problem with it.

How about if I say I follow Seyornism. Will you let my freak flag fly.

 

[Valjean]

How about if I say I follow Seyornism. Will you let my freak flag fly.

Right on, brother.
(boy, are you dating yourself)

 

[rcscwc]

How about if I say I follow Seyornism. Will you let my freak flag fly.

No problem. Hindus do not have any dogmatic doctrines.

 

[Breathe]

I visited my local mandir recently, and the answers regarding converts that I got was kind of confusing. Someone said We converts are welcome to adhere to Hindu beliefs, but can't be a Hindu by calling myself one. Another said "Conversion? Well, I don't know about that, but I don't know too much". (this wasn't the only thing I spoke about though, but the relevant part here)

Confusing! I need to ask the priest his opinion, though.

But, what do the words/opinions of another mean, if anything? Does it mean that should I, for example want to consider myself Hindu, I can, but I can't be buried with Hindu rites? That I cannot take the sacred thread? What does it mean, besides not being accepted as a convert? Your thoughts?

 

[Valjean]

The swami or guru you talked to at your mandir evidently considers 'Hindu" essentially synonymous with 'Indian', Odion, and can't quite picture your changing your ethnicity or nationality.
As I said before, religion in many societies is not a discrete sociologic category as it's become in the West. In India it's still somewhat interwoven with the total culture.

You'll always be a Hindu in my book, Sri Odion.

 

[Breathe]

I was thinking that, actually - maybe he thinks of Hindu as "Indian", so he thought I was effectively saying "Can I be Indian?".

The people I spoke to were just laypeople, though, not a swami or guru - that's kind of why I need to speak to the priest - see his opinion on it.

You'll always be a Hind in my book, Sri Odion.

Thank you!! !