Anonymous wrote:I’ll turn it around...

If your product is so good, why do you have to work so hard to sell it?

Ha that is what I always think... -a jew

DP. I am Hindu. I will remain a Hindu even if I convert. I will remain a Hindu even if I eat a beef burger. I will remain Hindu even if I don't believe in Hinduism. I am Hindu because the divinity resides in me as it resides in everything. When I say "Namaste" to you, I am saying "The divinity in me is bowing to the divinity in you".

Every religion believes that their God created the world. If this is the case, and as a Hindu, I believe that my Hindu God created the world, then to try to convert someone is to acknowledge that either 1) my God did not create the whole world or 2) my God made mistakes in creating Muslims, Christians or Jews.

If my God is not omnipotent and made mistakes then what would be the use of worshipping that God? For me morality of doing good and evil is most important. I must as a sentient being try and help others and do good. After that, my journey will happen automatically. Effortless rollercoaster of life!

I do believe that God was the creator of the entire universe and this world. As such when I see a Muslim, I see a God created Muslim Hindu. When I see a Christian, I see a Christian Hindu. So why convert? Why try to limit God by even having these categories like Hindu, Muslim, Jew etc? Isn't it enough that we all blink in and out of existence so magically? Life must be magic, no? I think that is what God is.

I like that I can say all of this and feel all of this and nothing can tell me that this is blasphemy. I like the freedom of Hinduism.

I’ll turn it around...

If your product is so good, why do you have to work so hard to sell it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately Hinduism and Judaism have strong cultural component.
Hinduism with Indian culture.
Judaism with Israel.
You have to have some kind of Cultural and historical connections with this Countries to belong.

Huh? This is such BS. Most Jews have no connection to Israel and belong just fine. You know the Jewish people existed way before the state of Israel?

Also, please be aware that there are many Hindus who do not live in India.

What a load of crock.

I think you missed the historical and cultural aspect of belonging.
The founding father was Abraham and God promised him the promised land.
For followers of Judaism Israel is the promised land.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately Hinduism and Judaism have strong cultural component.
Hinduism with Indian culture.
Judaism with Israel.
You have to have some kind of Cultural and historical connections with this Countries to belong.

Huh? This is such BS. Most Jews have no connection to Israel and belong just fine. You know the Jewish people existed way before the state of Israel?

Also, please be aware that there are many Hindus who do not live in India.

What a load of crock.

That's not really true. Jews didn't really exist as a people until the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai and by then, they were on their way to the promised land.

Israel as a state didn’t exist until 1947. Moreover, people can convert to Judaism.

Please just stop.

I'm a new poster and a Hindu. Married to a Jew. I'm mainly agnostic, but follow Hinduism loosely as part of my culture. I was raised vegetarian. I go to temple with my kids and husband occasionally. It is very inclusive and there is no way to convert. If you want to call yourself Hindi, that's fine. There's no yoga mat or stuff to buy. You just are. Many of us who grew up here only know the Sanskrit version of the prayers and not the meanings as we had no formal religious education. My parents taught me about the everything is one, all Gods are but one god, God is in every living thing. I like the ritual aspect of Hinduism but don't know enough to follow them. My mother has passed and my dad is in in India. I'd like to learn to pass on some knowledge and traditions to my kids, but I can't give them beliefs. I myself do not espouse strong beliefs re religion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately Hinduism and Judaism have strong cultural component.
Hinduism with Indian culture.
Judaism with Israel.
You have to have some kind of Cultural and historical connections with this Countries to belong.

Huh? This is such BS. Most Jews have no connection to Israel and belong just fine. You know the Jewish people existed way before the state of Israel?

Also, please be aware that there are many Hindus who do not live in India.

What a load of crock.

That's not really true. Jews didn't really exist as a people until the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai and by then, they were on their way to the promised land.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Judaism, but as far as Hinduism goes- it is not an exclusionary style religion. It is inclusive.

Religions that claim to be the 'only truth' or the 'only right way' and that all other beliefs are 'false' by forming a dichotomy of 'false gods vs real god', seek out converts.

Hinduism does not entertain that dichotomy. There is only ONE. Your path may be different than mine, but ultimately there is ONE.

While some religions have creeds and prayers that praise their version of the only right way and others as wrong, the Hindu prayer is

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu, Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

may every one be happy, may every one be free from all diseases
may every one see goodness and auspiciousness in every thing, may none be unhappy or distressed
Om peace, peace, peace!

This article is a good description.
https://yogabharati.org/article-blog/sarve-bhavantu-sukhinah

Part of it is this:

"This English translation above doesn't do justice. We're not praying just for everyone. We are praying for "all", every-thing-person-animal-atom-energy-quanta that exists. We are praying for the the welfare of the entire Universe, with no exception for "us" or another."

This is lovely and made we want to learn more. Where would you go if you wanted to explore Hinduism in the DC area?

Really just reading from valid sources is the first best step. Since Hinduism doesn't have any formal conversion tactics, there aren't a lot of truly clear cut ways to learn more directly. This is why most books about Hinduism on the market are really terrible, they are written by 'academics', not the people that practice and live it.

Western Americans/Europeans that practice and live Hinduism are good resources for general information. They are used to Western religions that have these kinds of resources.

My favorite Bhagavad Gita text is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Geeta-Swami-Chinmayananda/dp/817597074X

Different texts have commentary from different people, that one is really good. Some language sounds a little old-sounding and could be updated but the explanations are excellent.
If you're really interested, it's benefitted me immensely to read several different commentaries of the Gita.

This one is also good and a little easier for the first time around:
https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-2nd-Eknath-Easwaran/dp/1586380192/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/133-7842639-2082526?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1586380192&pd_rd_r=ed0dcd47-16ed-47b7-9262-1a4c27898b94&pd_rd_w=7U5ox&pd_rd_wg=3ocxN&pf_rd_p=ff9b5089-1414-4e8f-9675-3397e98bf276&pf_rd_r=BM6R925BY7ZZFRGGNZSV&psc=1&refRID=BM6R925BY7ZZFRGGNZSV

The Upanishads by the same author is also a good first time read.

This woman on YouTube is an American that gives a pretty good overview, I've not seen any of her other videos so can't comment on them. I'm not a big fan of the version of Gita she recommends, it's from the Hare Krishna folks and while I love their Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, I don't really connect with the Vaishnavite/Bhakti path.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3yAHSyZESQ

This is a free ebook from a Hindu monastery created by Westerners. They follow Shaivism path.
https://www.himalayanacademy.com/view/what-is-hinduism

Anonymous wrote:Ultimately Hinduism and Judaism have strong cultural component.
Hinduism with Indian culture.
Judaism with Israel.
You have to have some kind of Cultural and historical connections with this Countries to belong.

Huh? This is such BS. Most Jews have no connection to Israel and belong just fine. You know the Jewish people existed way before the state of Israel?

Also, please be aware that there are many Hindus who do not live in India.

What a load of crock.

Ultimately Hinduism and Judaism have strong cultural component.
Hinduism with Indian culture.
Judaism with Israel.
You have to have some kind of Cultural and historical connections with this Countries to belong.

Anonymous wrote:Because in Judaism you don't need to convert to get a portion in the afterlife. Anyone who keeps 7 noahide laws is rewarded. (Unless they're Jewish then they need to keep all 613)

We don’t have to keep all 613.

Because in Judaism you don't need to convert to get a portion in the afterlife. Anyone who keeps 7 noahide laws is rewarded. (Unless they're Jewish then they need to keep all 613)

Anonymous wrote:I can't speak to Judaism, but as far as Hinduism goes- it is not an exclusionary style religion. It is inclusive.

Religions that claim to be the 'only truth' or the 'only right way' and that all other beliefs are 'false' by forming a dichotomy of 'false gods vs real god', seek out converts.

Hinduism does not entertain that dichotomy. There is only ONE. Your path may be different than mine, but ultimately there is ONE.

While some religions have creeds and prayers that praise their version of the only right way and others as wrong, the Hindu prayer is

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu, Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

may every one be happy, may every one be free from all diseases
may every one see goodness and auspiciousness in every thing, may none be unhappy or distressed
Om peace, peace, peace!

This article is a good description.
https://yogabharati.org/article-blog/sarve-bhavantu-sukhinah

Part of it is this:

"This English translation above doesn't do justice. We're not praying just for everyone. We are praying for "all", every-thing-person-animal-atom-energy-quanta that exists. We are praying for the the welfare of the entire Universe, with no exception for "us" or another."

This is lovely and made we want to learn more. Where would you go if you wanted to explore Hinduism in the DC area?

I can't speak to Judaism, but as far as Hinduism goes- it is not an exclusionary style religion. It is inclusive.

Religions that claim to be the 'only truth' or the 'only right way' and that all other beliefs are 'false' by forming a dichotomy of 'false gods vs real god', seek out converts.

Hinduism does not entertain that dichotomy. There is only ONE. Your path may be different than mine, but ultimately there is ONE.

While some religions have creeds and prayers that praise their version of the only right way and others as wrong, the Hindu prayer is

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah |
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu, Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

may every one be happy, may every one be free from all diseases
may every one see goodness and auspiciousness in every thing, may none be unhappy or distressed
Om peace, peace, peace!

This article is a good description.
https://yogabharati.org/article-blog/sarve-bhavantu-sukhinah

Part of it is this:

"This English translation above doesn't do justice. We're not praying just for everyone. We are praying for "all", every-thing-person-animal-atom-energy-quanta that exists. We are praying for the the welfare of the entire Universe, with no exception for "us" or another."

Why aren’t the followers of this religions trying to convert others compared to followers of Christianity , Islam or Mormon .