| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| THE DANGER OF HINDUS SPEAKING IN THE NAME OF OTHER RELIGIONS | |
| It
may be that some religions have misinterpreted what was a more yogic
teaching by their founders. Others may faithfully represent what the
founders of their religions intended, even if there is no real
spirituality or mysticism in it. Others may have a mysticism but
different than that of Hinduism. But Hindus must allow members of
other religions to speak for themselves, define themselves and be
who they are, which may not reflect the teachings and practices of
Hinduism.
If members of other religions do not find Hinduism or Vedanta in their religions, it may not be because they haven't understood their religions but because such teachings have little place within their traditions. If they do find Vedanta in their religion let them say so. A Hindu shouldn't have to speak for them in this regard. To tell other people that they have misunderstood their own traditions, and that such traditions originally reflected a Hindu-like spirituality, is not tolerance but intolerance.It refuses to accept that there can be any other model of religion than the Vedantic, that if someone has another view of religion it is only because they have misunderstood their own tradition. True tolerance consists of allowing people to have their own beliefs and practices, regardless of whether we accept them or not, or whether they are similar to what we do or not. Superimposing a Hindu view of other religions upon them is not tolerating, or even understanding them. It may be based on an intent to spiritualize other religions but it is not looking at what they really are and so can only lead to confusion. |
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