06-03-2006, 12:03 AM
<span style='color:red'>>>The problem with those who are apologetic or even ashamed of Hinduism is not that they feel that way â its that many such people find a special urge to justify their feelings as if they are rooted in sound logic and knowledge of the religion.
That is exactly my point - the bolded part in particular. The urge to justify, or however else one might want to phrase it, is IMHO one of the central issues... Associated with that, of course, is the need for approval...
Intuitively, it seems to me that a part of the problem maybe that quite a chunk of those who are actually in "apologetic" or "ashamed" mode may be assuming that all the negative things they've read about Hinduism in the English language is common knowledge worldwide; hence a need to explain (justify). Of course this is not the case. Most non-Indians I have encountered have just one association: Hinduism = many gods. End of story.
The knot here is that when our interface with the global community is largely of these types, i.e. those who themselves are of a fragile constitution in this area so to speak, the prospect of Hinduism getting a neutral airing is limited.
It is a difficult situation. Much depends on the starting point of the Hindu in question. As Ramanujan points out, one has every right to be ashamed, apologetic and ignorant about one's civilisational heritage (and yet be proud or not) and still regard himself as a hindu... I do not think this group forms the majority, however. One could even see that (i.e. shame as well as the resignation to being a Hindu nevertheless) as a strength of Hinduism... Smile
The true majority back home I believe are the ones I mentioned earlier, sons and daughters of the country in the country who don't give a crap what anybody thinks of anything... They're part of the Hindu ethos and that's that. Twisted Evil
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That is exactly my point - the bolded part in particular. The urge to justify, or however else one might want to phrase it, is IMHO one of the central issues... Associated with that, of course, is the need for approval...
Intuitively, it seems to me that a part of the problem maybe that quite a chunk of those who are actually in "apologetic" or "ashamed" mode may be assuming that all the negative things they've read about Hinduism in the English language is common knowledge worldwide; hence a need to explain (justify). Of course this is not the case. Most non-Indians I have encountered have just one association: Hinduism = many gods. End of story.
The knot here is that when our interface with the global community is largely of these types, i.e. those who themselves are of a fragile constitution in this area so to speak, the prospect of Hinduism getting a neutral airing is limited.
It is a difficult situation. Much depends on the starting point of the Hindu in question. As Ramanujan points out, one has every right to be ashamed, apologetic and ignorant about one's civilisational heritage (and yet be proud or not) and still regard himself as a hindu... I do not think this group forms the majority, however. One could even see that (i.e. shame as well as the resignation to being a Hindu nevertheless) as a strength of Hinduism... Smile
The true majority back home I believe are the ones I mentioned earlier, sons and daughters of the country in the country who don't give a crap what anybody thinks of anything... They're part of the Hindu ethos and that's that. Twisted Evil
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