@Mitwah posted:

There are many Christians that have the idols of "Madonna and the Baby".

Wedding rings are symbols of paganism. Why do Christians wear them?

Hindu beliefs are vast and diverse, and thus Hinduism is often referred to as a family of religions rather than a single religion am I right? Look, I cannot answer for Christians with idols; I know what God words says about idol worship and I try my best to live by His words. You are aware car, house and money etc. could be an idol to some folks.

The wedding ring itself is not inherently a symbol of paganism. The use of rings as symbols of commitment and love predates Christianity and can be found in various cultures throughout history.

In ancient times, rings were often used to symbolize a variety of things, including fidelity, authority, and social status. While it is true that some symbols and customs from ancient pagan cultures have been assimilated or adapted by various religions, including Christianity, the use of wedding rings as a symbol of love and commitment does not have a direct connection to paganism. I wear a wedding ring nothing pagan about me as you can tell.

@Keith posted:

Hindu beliefs are vast and diverse, and thus Hinduism is often referred to as a family of religions rather than a single religion am I right? Look, I cannot answer for Christians with idols; I know what God words says about idol worship and I try my best to live by His words. You are aware car, house and money etc. could be an idol to some folks.

The wedding ring itself is not inherently a symbol of paganism. The use of rings as symbols of commitment and love predates Christianity and can be found in various cultures throughout history.

In ancient times, rings were often used to symbolize a variety of things, including fidelity, authority, and social status. While it is true that some symbols and customs from ancient pagan cultures have been assimilated or adapted by various religions, including Christianity, the use of wedding rings as a symbol of love and commitment does not have a direct connection to paganism. I wear a wedding ring nothing pagan about me as you can tell.

Ashali Varma

Freelance journalist Ashali Varma has authored the biography of her father late Lt. Gen. PS Bhagat — ‘The Victoria Cross: A Love Story’. She was executive producer with ... MORE

In the last 11 years ever since I came back from my 20 years abroad, I realised that the British had coined a word called Hinduism. Like communism and Fascism. But unlike the latter two there was no such thing as Hinduism.

From ancient Times, even before the advent of the proselytising religions the books and thoughts of Hindus existed but were not recognised . When our Vedas were read and interpreted by European intellects they found it so profound, so true and intellectually challenging that they said there must have been a race just like ours who took Sanskrit the most perfect language from the North of Europe to India.

Thus came about the Aryan Invasion theory and the birth of the Indo- European languages. Growing up in India there was nothing to dispel this theory. In Fact our history was Delhi centric and I learnt more about the Islamic invaders than the Cholas, the Vijaynagar Empire, and the great Kingdoms of our ancient lands that spread all through South and East Asia. I only realised this when I travelled to Indonesia and saw so much of my culture and traditions there as well as in Angkor Wat, in Cambodia and then China where there is the oldest Buddhist monastery where they still teach martial arts and say proudly that we got this from India.

But we were brought up to believe in the later aspects of a strange religion called Hinduism- something that never existed apart from the minds of our invaders. After all they said they were people of a book but we could not or did not tell them we were the people of a library. We did not just have the ancient wisdom of the Vedas but so much more.

Somehow we could not explain to them that our philosophy was 5000 years old and it was about the Universal Truth – Sanatam Dharma that all mankind should aspire for.

This philosophy was so unique, so very different from Islam and Christianity that it dared to say we were all one. We each had the God Particle in us and there was no heaven or hell just Universal energy, a higher consciousness that we could all connect to if we wanted.

Some of the greatest scientists and thinkers in the West, including Thoreau, Einstein, Oppenheimer, Schrodinger, the co-creator of quantum theory, was inspired by the Vedic texts and he along with Heisenberg built theories which were consistent with Vedantic concepts. These are just a few.

English writer, novelist, and philosopher, Aldous Huxley was a prominent member of the Huxley family. He was the one who took Vedanta and Upanishads to Huxley family, as well as implemented the principle of ‘ahimsa’ in the family. He was also a Vedantist in the circle of Hindu Swami Prabhavananda and is known for his philosophical book ‘The Perennial Philosophy’, which talks about the mystics of Hinduism.

Here are some of the instances:

• “The Bhagavad-Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the clearest and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of the humanity.” [“Sacred Jewels of Yoga: Wisdom from India’s Beloved Scriptures, Teachers, Masters, and Monk”]
• “The Bhagavad-Gita is perhaps the most systematic scriptural statement of the Perennial Philosophy. To the world at war, a world that, because it lacks the intellectual and spiritual prerequisites to peace, can only hope to patch up some kind of precarious armed truce, it stands to point, clearly and unmistakably, to the only road of escape from the self-imposed necessity of self-destruction.”

These are the great thinkers from the West that we were not taught about regarding their thoughts on the greatest philosophy given to them by India.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was greatly influenced by Indian scriptures and even challenged the Christian scriptures.

Now that we have the internet we can easily look up the Western thinkers who were inspired by what we can finally call Sanatam Dharma- the Universal Truth. As Indians, we can finally be proud of our heritage and what we gave to humanity.

https://timesofindia.indiatime...eligion-as-hinduism/

@Keith posted:

What's your understanding of this statement? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God."

In Sanatan Dharam that word is "OM" "ॐ".

@Mitwah posted:

In Sanatan Dharam that word is "OM" "ॐ".

My question was do you understand the statement? I didn't asked for a comparison with sanata dharam because if you did understand the statement you can see it addressed your concern about Jesus and idols. For clarity see John 10:30 then read the statement again.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

@Keith posted:

My question was do you understand the statement? I didn't asked for a comparison with sanata dharam because if you did understand the statement you can see it addressed your concern about Jesus and idols. For clarity see John 10:30 then read the statement again.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

That word is OM. This fact predates Christianity. Why do you Christians use the image of the cross as a symbol?

@Mitwah posted:

That word is OM. This fact predates Christianity. Why do you Christians use the image of the cross as a symbol?

That's not answering my question. As for your question concerning the cross, it was answered in earlier post.

@Keith posted:

That's not answering my question. As for your question concerning the cross, it was answered in earlier post.

Om is the word. Then stop finding fault with those who see divinity in other objects. Symbolism exists in your Christian cult.

@Mitwah posted:

Om is the word. Then stop finding fault with those who see divinity in other objects. Symbolism exists in your Christian cult.

Yes, symbolism does exist in Christianity but the difference between Christian and Hindu is we don't build and worship those symbols as a god. There is only one God. Who's Eternal, omniscience, omnibenevolence, transcendence, immutable and omnipotence.

@Mitwah posted:

@Keith posted:

Yes, symbolism does exist in Christianity but the difference between Christian and Hindu is we don't build and worship those symbols as a god. There is only one God. Who's Eternal, omniscience, omnibenevolence, transcendence, immutable and omnipotence.

Hindus all worship a one Supreme Being (Brahman) who created the universe, though by different names. This is because the peoples of India with different languages and cultures have understood the one God in their own distinct way.

Hindus all believe  He is all-pervasive. He created many highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers.

Many Hindus believe Jesus was a holy man, a wise teacher. Many also believe in his miracles since Lord Krishna did the same.

@Keith posted:

Yes, symbolism does exist in Christianity but the difference between Christian and Hindu is we don't build and worship those symbols as a god. There is only one God. Who's Eternal, omniscience, omnibenevolence, transcendence, immutable and omnipotence.

But you do worship a man as God.

For Hindus, that one God is Param Bramha or Para Brahman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Para_Brahman

@Mitwah posted:

But you do worship a man as God.

For Hindus, that one God is Param Bramha or Para Brahman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Para_Brahman

I worship the "I AM". The one true God, whom I worshipped in spirit and in truth.

@Keith posted:

I worship the "I AM". The one true God, whom I worshipped in spirit and in truth.

LOL!

@Keith posted:

I worship the "I AM". The one true God, whom I worshipped in spirit and in truth.

The last time I checked, there are over 5000 Gods. What about Allah, Jehova and the other 4999? That makes you an atheist. LOL!

There are folks who believe that God is one being - God the Father, or Mother. Jesus was simply a man, not the incarnate deity.

@Mitwah posted:

The last time I checked, there are over 5000 Gods. What about Allah, Jehova and the other 4999? That makes you an atheist. LOL!

There are folks who believe that God is one being - God the Father, or Mother. Jesus was simply a man, not the incarnate deity.

I worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who sent His only son to be crucified on behalf of sinful humanity, offering a path to reconciliation with Him. His son made the ultimate sacrifice by shedding His blood. Through His sacrificial love, our entire debt of sin has been completely paid.

Therefore I serve 1, that ONE God. I hope you know all your 5000 gods by name

@Keith posted:

I worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who sent His only son to be crucified on behalf of sinful humanity, offering a path to reconciliation with Him. His son made the ultimate sacrifice by shedding His blood. Through His sacrificial love, our entire debt of sin has been completely paid.

Is Allah not the God of Abraham?

@Mitwah posted:

Is Allah not the God of Abraham?

Why are you asking me? You need to grab one of the Muslim brothers to ask that question. I cannot answer for the Muslim. Why don't you ask those 5000 gods you might an answer from one. By any chance any of those gods name is Google?

@Keith posted:

Why are you asking me? You need to grab one of the Muslim brothers to ask that question. I cannot answer for the Muslim. Why don't you ask those 5000 gods you might an answer from one. By any chance any of those gods name is Google?

Hahahahahahahahaha. So Jesus is the son of Allah and the other 5000 Gods.

Why don't Jews believe in Jesus?

@Mitwah posted:

Hahahahahahahahaha. So Jesus is the son of Allah and the other 5000 Gods.

Why don't Jews believe in Jesus?

Please don't put words in my mouth. I never stated Jesus is the son of 5000 gods. Don't confuse the God I serve with your 5000.

Why don't you asked one of your 5000 gods why the Jews don't belive in Jesus? Let me know what answer they come up with and I will give you my answer.

Remember, I am not looking for 5000 answers only one.

@Keith posted:

Please don't put words in my mouth. I never stated Jesus is the son of 5000 gods. Don't confuse the God I serve with your 5000.

Why don't you asked one of your 5000 gods why the Jews don't belive in Jesus? Let me know what answer they come up with and I will give you my answer.

Remember, I am not looking for 5000 answers only one.

Do you consider your Temple to be a sacred place and remove your dirty shoes before entering? Like me Jews believe that he was a great teacher and not God. He is not the only way to Param Bramha.

Which one of the 5000 Gods is the real Father? You even created a ghost that you proclaim to be holy.  You have been brainwashed.

@Mitwah posted:

Do you consider your Temple to be a sacred place and remove your dirty shoes before entering? Like me Jews believe that he was a great teacher and not God. He is not the only way to Param Bramha.

Which one of the 5000 Gods is the real Father? You even created a ghost that you proclaim to be holy.  You have been brainwashed.

I need to make this clear so that they wouldn't be any confusion. NONE of your 5000 gods is the God I serve. Why?, because God says in Isaiah 45:5, "I am the Lord, and there is no one else; There is no God except Me."

Look at John 14:6-7 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.'"

This passage is significant because Jesus is presenting himself as the exclusive means to have a relationship with God the Father.

Before I proceed any further think about this:

• In the days of Moses, Abraham, David, and Isiah, etc.: When God's people turn to do evil what does God do? Did He not cause them to suffer for the evil they committed?
  
  
• How were the people reconcile back to God? Was it not by sacrificing a Bull/Ram/Goat etc.?  Are the Jews/Christians still sacrificing bulls/rams/goats on an altar TODAY?  WHY not? Christ was the ultimate sacrifice for US ALL.

Jesus declares that He is the way, the truth, and the life. By identifying himself as "the way," Jesus is asserting that He is the only route or path to God. He is the embodiment of truth and provides the source of eternal life.

Moreover, Jesus emphasizes that knowing him is equivalent to knowing the Father. He reveals the intimate relationship between himself and God the Father, indicating that through a personal relationship with Jesus, one can know and have access to the Father.

Overall, John 14:6-7 highlights the central role of Jesus in the Christian faith. It conveys the belief that salvation and a genuine connection with God are only possible through Jesus, as He is the exclusive mediator between humanity and the Father.

During Jesus' time, there were various expectations and hopes among the Jewish people regarding the arrival of the Messiah. Many Jews anticipated a Messiah who would deliver them from foreign oppression, particularly the Roman occupation. They hoped for a political and military leader who would establish an independent Jewish kingdom and restore the glory of Israel.

Jesus' actions and teachings disappointed those who expected him to lead a military campaign. He spoke of a different kind of kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, and taught his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them. As a result, many Jews who had hoped for a political liberator became disillusioned and rejected Jesus as the Messiah.

Jesus let them know He "came to seek and to save the lost"

1. Seeking the lost: Jesus came with the purpose of seeking out those who were spiritually lost and separated from God. This refers to all humanity, as sin has separated people from a right relationship with God. Jesus came to reach out to those who were lost in their sins, offering them the opportunity to repent, be forgiven, and be reconciled with God.

2. Saving the lost: Jesus' mission was not only to seek out the lost but also to save them. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus provided the means for salvation. He offered himself as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, providing a way for people to be reconciled with God, not gods, and receive eternal life.

Go tell all of that to the Jews. You cannot convert me.

"Born again Christians." What is this nonsense all about? Who invented this idiotic slogan?

I don't believe John 14:6-7. I believe you Christians made it up later and put those words in his mouth. How come there are no mothers and daughters?

I don't believe John 3:16. It's propaganda created by followers to influence  the perception of others.

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.

@Mitwah posted:

Go tell all of that to the Jews. You cannot convert me.

"Born again Christians." What is this nonsense all about? Who invented this idiotic slogan?

Don't be ignorant to understand my friend. The term "born again" comes from a conversation between Jesus and a religious leader named Nicodemus, as recorded in the Gospel of John (John 3:3-7). Jesus told Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

To be born again means to experience a spiritual rebirth, where an individual's old nature, characterized by sin and separation from God, is transformed into a new nature through faith in Jesus Christ. It involves repentance, which is a sincere turning away from sin, and the acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.

This transformation is often described as a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and receiving the gift of salvation. It is not merely an intellectual assent to certain beliefs but a genuine heart transformation that results in a new life guided by the teachings of Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Being born again is seen as essential for eternal life and entering the kingdom of God. It is viewed as a spiritual awakening, a new beginning, and a fresh start in one's relationship with God. Through this experience, believers are seen as becoming part of the family of God, with a new identity as children of God.

So you are saying the Bernados only needs to own up to the carnage they leave us or you are saying the  Muslim Terrorists, or the Blacks gang thugs and serial rapists or murderers just need to own up and Christ will save them?

I believe John made up that story.  Teachings of Sanatan Dharma "Jaisi Karni Vaisi Bharni" what you sow so shall you reap.

Go preach your crap to the racist KKK members down south.

As he went on his way Jesus saw a man blind from his birth. His disciples put the question, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents? Why was he born blind?"

Is this not  inferring reincarnation?

I have met many Christians who believe in reincarnation, which many claimed was an old practice in Christianity.

Jesus coming again, is this not reincarnation?

@Mitwah posted:

So you are saying the Bernados only needs to own up to the carnage they leave us or you are saying the  Muslim Terrorists, or the Blacks gang thugs and serial rapists or murderers just need to own up and Christ will save them?

I believe John made up that story.  Teachings of Sanatan Dharma "Jaisi Karni Vaisi Bharni" what you sow so shall you reap.

Go preach your crap to the racist KKK members down south.

You're beginning to bore me due to your foolish statements. I will eventually ignore you if you cannot provide proof of what you're stating. If you don't have anything good to say just stay quiet. All you're doing right now is illustrating how ignorant and incoherent you're.

@Keith posted:

You're beginning to bore me due to your foolish statements. I will eventually ignore you if you cannot provide proof of what you're stating. If you don't have anything good to say just stay quiet. All you're doing right now is illustrating how ignorant and incoherent you're.

When Jesus was in India did he study Sanatan Dharam?

Jesus spent his adolescent years in India where he studied under under various Monks or Priests. When he told that fella he would have to be born again he was speaking of reincarnation.  Jesus did not say you must be born again in the spirit.

To be born again is another chance for your Aatma to merge with the Paramatma.

The book of John is full of lies.