Post 117: <!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->I consider these beliefs of not accepting back people as the most superstitious kind and have done irreperable to damage to Hindu society, if the Hindus had the right sense then they would have reconverted everyone all the way upto the Afghan-Iran border when the Marathas and others gained power, then we wouldn't be in this sorry state today where 30% of our land was chopped off and stolen from us in one swipe and surprisingly we still have Hindus who think we have the luxury of rejecting voluntary converts, I don't know what world they live in but they are doing serious damage to dharma with their actions.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Wholeheartedly agree.
- I'm for reconversions (Indians who choose to go back to Hinduism).
Reconverted Hindus, when they are truly Hindus, when they are/seek to be as knowledgeable or as interested in being Hindu as the rest of the average Indian Hindu - totally don't see a difference between them and myself.
There is of course the difficulty that Hinduism, like all natural belief systems, is much more than a religion, it really is a way of life. One's entire family makes you a Hindu by imparting their wisdom which they have carried down since who knows how long.
If your parents were not Hindu, to then return to the fold might be easy with a mere ceremony, but it would take time to know all of what Hinduism means, like it would take time for a full-grown person who was adopted to get to know all about his biological parents again. This is the problem experienced by many people who return to their Old Religions again. Not everything makes sense to them immediately. In such cases, Hindus might have questions like why are there rituals that do this, why is Shiva bluish purple, what's up with praying to a vigraham, why the many Gods, why does God get married and have children? How can all be one and one be many? Why is God male or female, why is the cow sacred, what does one do in a temple and why? The questions asked depend on the person, but there are usually some. When one grows in a Hindu environment it's easier to learn. But it's not impossible for anyone who truly wants to understand, to find out, understand and accept it all.
Reconversions in the same generation are generally the easiest: they were Hindu at some point, so they know about it already.
- Totally okay with people in some foreign land who happen upon Hinduism, researching and exploring it for themselves and choosing to be Hindu
- Not pleased with Indian organisations who take Hinduism abroad like 'missionary organisations'. Many people only get exposed to one view of Hinduism, usually limited by the limitations of the Hindu organisation itself. If the Hindu organisation does not know all of Hindu tradition but thinks only its way is right, this is passed on to its followers.
This is only my opinion, but sometimes being Hindu is not the right thing for all people.
In other cases, I am certain some non-Indians were Hindus in (many of) their recent past lives. For example David Frawley or Ishwar Sharan who wrote The Myth of St Thomas book. They're like the typical knowledgeable Hindus I've met from the more well-informed older generations. And I think Michel Danino also belongs in this group, from the stuff I've read of his work.
- I'm for reconversions (Indians who choose to go back to Hinduism).
Reconverted Hindus, when they are truly Hindus, when they are/seek to be as knowledgeable or as interested in being Hindu as the rest of the average Indian Hindu - totally don't see a difference between them and myself.
There is of course the difficulty that Hinduism, like all natural belief systems, is much more than a religion, it really is a way of life. One's entire family makes you a Hindu by imparting their wisdom which they have carried down since who knows how long.
If your parents were not Hindu, to then return to the fold might be easy with a mere ceremony, but it would take time to know all of what Hinduism means, like it would take time for a full-grown person who was adopted to get to know all about his biological parents again. This is the problem experienced by many people who return to their Old Religions again. Not everything makes sense to them immediately. In such cases, Hindus might have questions like why are there rituals that do this, why is Shiva bluish purple, what's up with praying to a vigraham, why the many Gods, why does God get married and have children? How can all be one and one be many? Why is God male or female, why is the cow sacred, what does one do in a temple and why? The questions asked depend on the person, but there are usually some. When one grows in a Hindu environment it's easier to learn. But it's not impossible for anyone who truly wants to understand, to find out, understand and accept it all.
Reconversions in the same generation are generally the easiest: they were Hindu at some point, so they know about it already.
- Totally okay with people in some foreign land who happen upon Hinduism, researching and exploring it for themselves and choosing to be Hindu
- Not pleased with Indian organisations who take Hinduism abroad like 'missionary organisations'. Many people only get exposed to one view of Hinduism, usually limited by the limitations of the Hindu organisation itself. If the Hindu organisation does not know all of Hindu tradition but thinks only its way is right, this is passed on to its followers.
This is only my opinion, but sometimes being Hindu is not the right thing for all people.
In other cases, I am certain some non-Indians were Hindus in (many of) their recent past lives. For example David Frawley or Ishwar Sharan who wrote The Myth of St Thomas book. They're like the typical knowledgeable Hindus I've met from the more well-informed older generations. And I think Michel Danino also belongs in this group, from the stuff I've read of his work.