What makes a Hindu proud of their cultural heritage
Named after the legendary king Bharat, official name of India is “Bharat”. Since millenniums, This name has been in use till the Persians in the early 11th century named Bharat as Hindustan, meaning “Land of Hindus”. Subsequently, Indians were called as Hindus by Persians. Once the dominant religion of the world, Hindus with 1.2 billion followers, is the third largest religion in the world but if we go according to the definition of Hinduism and include yoga followers plus the religions like Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism etc that are offshoots of Hinduism, Hinduism has 2.5 billion followers and is still the world largest religion. Should this make all hindus proud? Just having the more number of adherents should make a follower of a religion proud? No is my answer
What makes a religion good or bad?
Increasing count of followers does not make the person/religion good or bad. Even the corrupt and cheap politicians have decent number of followers, who are impressed by their way of earning easy but cheap money. Just like Good or bad of a person is determined by his/her karma, good or bad of a religion is reflected in what it teach and how it appeals to the devotees to pursue the path of spirituality.
How I was compelled to write this article?
Recently, I noticed that many of the social evils happening in India are directly linked to Hinduism. If rape happens anywhere in India, then the fanatics/missionaries of other religions start their cheap tactics of labeling all Hindus as rapists. For example, once while I was travelling in local train, I intercepted the chat between two friends on rape issue as:
1st Friend(Christain): "Saala, You idol worshippers are taking the country back to the ninteenth century"
2nd Friend(Hindu):"And what you do my friend? You are worshipping some maths symbol(Cross)" and the argument continued.
Instead of answering the logic behind each other beliefs, they kept on fighting from one beliefs to other. Coming back to rape, I can’t understand what rape has to do with Hinduism? Do Hindu scriptures talk about raping women? When did the social issues that is the outcome of human desires, became the part of a religion?
Despite of rising rapes in India due to westernization, India still has the lowest levels of rapes in the world. (also read Why I am proud to be an indian)
UNICRI report on Top rapist countries of the world
Rapes across the world in percentage terms
Also, many missionaries are spreading false rumors about Indian festivals and culture. For example, consider the below piece of shit where the US media claims of a festival in Assam where the women’s can be raped publicly by men.
Assam rape festival triggers anger
Due to rising influence of Hinduism, foreign missionaries have been trying very hard to project Hinduism in a wrong way. Quite contrary to what the foreign missionaries report, Hinduism is the only religion to give utmost respect to women. India is the only country where a divinity is seen in female form of the universal Brahman.
Goddess Durga- Supreme universal mother and destroyer of all evils
Also read Is Goddess Durga the supreme universal mother
If a person who calls himself a Hindu but does not follow teachings of Hinduism and go around places raping women, should he be called a rapist or all Hindus should be labelled as rapist? Rape comes from sexual desires. Similarly, theft, cheating, murder, abduction and all other social evils arises from greed and materialistic desires. Since Hinduism preaches on controlling all forms of materialistic desires, Hinduism directly states against all social evils.
Why I am proud to be a Hindu?
Foreign authors have injected enough poison in the mind of the common Hindus by spreading false information about dowry, caste system, sati system that is no way a part of Hinduism and is nowhere written in authentic Hindu scriptures. Leaving all the unwise propaganda of western fanatics aside, let us go through some of the facts that would make all Hindus proud of their culture.
1) Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. Origin of Hinduism is still unknown but is said to be at least 10,000+ years old, much older than the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Incas etc.
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2) Hinduism is the most secular religion of the world. (also read Why hinduism is the most tolerant religion and Why hindu intolerance is rising in india)Though more than 98% of the world Hindu population lives in India, India is officially the secular state. The only official Hindu state in the world is republic of Nepal. Other countries with significant Hindu population include Singapore, USA, Thailand, Suriname, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Pakistan, Guyana, Fiji and UK.
3) Hinduism is the only religion that allows the worship of all forms of god, well reflected in the Vedic saying “Truth is one; the wise call it by various names.". Hindus have the liberty to worship Allah, Jesus, Ahura mazda etc and can visit all places of worship including church and mosques. According to Hinduism, reality of god is beyond the human conception and hence, the individual should be free to approach god in his own way. (also read What is hinduism-An overview)
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Hindu Bollywood stars banned from visiting Ajmer Sharif mosque
4) Unlike all other religions that treat a non-believer a sinner, Hinduism even accepts atheists and agnostics as an integral part of Santana dharma. Since Hinduism is based on consciousness and not entirely on god or prophet hood, it virtually accepts members of all religions and philosophies. Hindus do not insist that only Hinduism is true and all other faiths are false. (also read Why hinduism is not a religion but a culture)
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World coming to Hinduism-Courtesy of Amma
5) Hinduism still has the lowest divorce rate in the world (1.08%) though it is increasing considerably because of westernization. Marriage in Hinduism is not based on lust but it’s a sacred ceremony with a mindset of fulfilling seven commitments (seven pheras) to live a happy and prosperous life.
World divorce rates showing India at the bottom
6) Hinduism is the most non-violent religion in the world. India is the only country that has never invaded any other country but has always taken preventive steps to defend against invaders and brutal assassins. Because of this non-violence, India lost 80% of its territory (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and many south Asian countries) and more than 100 millions Hindus accepted execution but not forceful conversion of foreign British and mughal invaders. Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch believer of Hinduism, is known for its non-violence independence movement that made India the only country to gain independence through non-violent means. Ethics and beliefs of Hinduism preach against the genocides and plundering of other nations.
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Gandhi non-violence speech
According to Hinduism, god manifested himself in each atom, molecule, particle, soul, animal, plants etc. Since everything has god in its essence, whom to hate? Why to hate? Whom to be angry with?
7) Hinduism is a positive religion free of fear and sorrows. Devotees don’t fear hell, wrath and punishment from gods as they believe everything is the law of nature that acts in consequences of their karma.
8) Hinduism is the only religion that preaches to accept the truth/good from all sources. Unlike other Semitic religions which oppose scientific theories that states against their verses, Hinduism is open to all kind of scientific inquiry. Hinduism encourages its devotees to follow Gyana marga (path of knowledge), no matter where it comes from. So, Hindus are free to accept religious saying of other religious books like Quran, bible, torah etc.
9) Hinduism is not a religion but a philosophical thought that does not believe in conversion. Having missionaries/priests to increase the number of adherents/followers is a strict “no-no” in Hinduism. Unlike other religion, religious propaganda and false preaching is strictly forbidden in Hinduism though many greedy fake gurus are doing the same. Hinduism do not see salvation on paths of Hinduism alone, instead it says that salvation can be achieved through many other paths like the path chosen by Christians, Muslims etc. Hinduism is free of such strange obsessions that say of heinous sin and punishment (in hell) on following other paths of salvation.
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Swami Vivekananda message on how all of us worship same universal god
10) One of the distinguishing features of Hinduism is pluralism couple with freedom of choice. Hindus have the right to question and reject the beliefs, follow or reject the rituals, believe or not believe in god. Even if the Hindu says bhagavad gita or Vedas as absurd, he still lives a peaceful life like any other theist Hindu. Below verse from bhagavad gita says the same
"I am alike to all being. None is hateful or dear to me. But those who worship me with devotion are in me and I in them. As men approach me so do I accept them”
Krishna-The one supreme universal god with many forms (Avatar)
11) Hinduism is the most scientific religion in the world that is further open to new ideas, belief, thoughts and social experimentation. Modern mathematics, trigonometry, physics, medicine, yoga, astronomy etc was invented by Hindu sages and seers millenniums of year ago. Scientific concepts unique to Hinduism like meditation, yoga, reincarnation is gaining worldwide attention not only in the minds of common public but also scientists, philosophers and religious missionaries of other religion.I have already written more tha 25 articles on science in hinduism and would be writing hundreds of more in the coming years
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Hinduism FAILS Richard Dawkins: Quantum Physics for Oxford Physics Society
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HINDUISM- SCIENTIFICALLY proven RELIGION- A documentary with comments from famous scientists and physicists
12) World oldest book is Rig-Veda, the most sacred book of Hinduism. Believed to be the gift of the gods and older than the creation of the universe that was further extended by the spiritual experiences and meditative intuition of ancient Vedic sages, Rig-Veda has been proven scientifically to be at least 10,000 year old. No ritual is complete in Hinduism without the recitation of a verse form rig-Veda. 108 Upanishads, 18 puranas and other scriptures are derived from Vedas to suit the mindset of every generation. Since Childs likes to hear exciting stories, puranas have many mythological stories that reflect the deep spiritual concepts of Hinduism.
13) Hinduism is the only religion that promotes Vegetarianism but also allows Non-Vegetarianism. Since non-violence and respect for all living beings is the core belief of Hinduism, Hinduism recommends Vegetarianism. Non-Vegetarianism is only allowed in the case where the person cannot survive on Vegetarian food or is short of Vegetarian food. (Ex: places where there is no vegetations like deserts, polar regions etc). Also read Why humans are naturally herbivorous and
Do plants feel pain or sufferings and
Why vegan diet is better than non vegan diet
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Vegetarian McDonalds Opening in India
Vegetarian cuisines of India
14) Sanskrit, the sacred language of the Hindus, is the world oldest language. All ancient Indian literatures and sacred scriptures are written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit with 12, 00,000+ words is the world most perfect and systematic language. This is the reason why Sanskrit language is researched in all world leading universities. According to Forbes magazine (1987 edition), Sanskrit is the most suited language for computers and technology world.
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Sanskrit Language: The Most Scientific, Ancient, Spiritual2
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Sanskrit thriving in British schools
15) World oldest universities, Takshila and nalanda University preached Hinduism. Hinduism concepts like ayurveda, yoga, meditation, martial arts and mathematics were taught in Takshila and nalanda University. There were more than 1000 courses and subjects in Takshila University that included science, medicine, yoga and martial arts.
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Nalanda University
How atheists are more superstitious than theists?
Everyone says religion as a belief system but I say even atheism and agnosticism is a belief system. Unlike Hinduism that is supported by many sound evidences, atheism has no proof for its ideology. They cannot prove non-existence of god. They cannot prove the exiatence of this universe on is own. Also it is found that most atheists are immoral, unconscious living beings who easily dwell into illegitimate activities and wrongdoing as they are not afraid of their bad karma. Claim that �religion has caused most of the killing and bloodshed in the world is empirically false as atheists are responsible for triggering many violent activities.�
From now, if someone calls you superstitious for your belief then screw him by telling the above logic plus add your own statements to justify yur point.
Conclusion:
Hinduism is humanity oldest spiritual foundation, the only one that predates recorded history. Since Hinduism partially or wholly influenced all other religions of the world, Hinduism is rightly called as "cradle of spirituality" and "Mother of all religions". Essence of Hinduism has created such a vibrant Indian society that is neither submissive nor destructive, the one that neither gets destroyed by invading forces nor does it submit to external influences. Instead, it accepts the incoming influences and absorbs them like a mother who does not differentiate between her children. Tibetan, Bangladeshi, Jewish and Parsis refugees that came to India seeking asylum decided to stay permanently in India. Hinduism believes in “vasudaiva kutumbakam”, the whole world is her family, and everyone is welcomed in her arms. This is the secret behind the thriving Indian civilization and the rich cultural diversity of India, all of which makes all Indian proud of their Hindu ancestry.
Jai Hind!!!
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