Now that we have seen who a Hindu is and who Christ is (1st 2 blogs) we see clearly that a Hindu too can be a follower of Christ without having to become a Christian. To become a Christian means that one has to leave one’s birth community and join another community. It also means that one has to reject one’s culture (ones way of life). However it is not a necessity that to be a follower of Christ one has to become a Christian. This false teaching has come from the Europeans who saw the Hindustani life as demonic and convinced people that in order to become a follower of Christ one has to reject the Hindustani lifestyle and adopt a European lifestyle. However this is not consistent with the Word. Both in Mark 5 and Acts 10 we see that neither the demoniac nor Cornelius and his household were required to leave their birth community to follow Christ. Also in Acts 15 the decision taken by the Jerusalem Council was that Gentiles were to remain Gentiles practicing their way of life; only they were to refrain from practices which were contrary to the Word. Yes, a Hindu isn’t required to leave his birth community or reject his Hindustani culture in order to be a follower of JC. A Hindu follower of Jesus also known as a Yeshu bhakta (devotee of Jesus) stays in his Hindu community practicing his Hindustani culture and giving allegiance to Christ and Him alone. Just as in all cultures there are good and bad elements so too in the Hindustani culture there are good and bad elements. Therefore the Hindu devotee is required to reject all that is bad and to use all that is good to bring Glory to the Most High through Sad Guru Yeshu. The Hindu Yeshu bhakta practices ones faith while being in his own birth community and using all symbols and elements of his culture in worship to Sad Guru Yeshu. In the broad spectrum of Hinduism there is place also for a Yeshu bhakta amongst the many other faiths.
ऊँ Sri Yeshu Sadguruve namaha
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
CHRIST AND CHRISTIANITY
As surprising as this may be to some; it should be known that the historical JC wasn’t a Christian but a Jew. He was born into a Jewish family and followed all Jewish customs and traditions. The first 12 disciples and the 120 followers who gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost were all Jews; not Christians. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down upon Jews and not Christians. Paul (Saul) who was called to go to the Gentiles was a Jew. His Jewish name was Saul and his Gentile name was Paul. He and others like him only much later became known as Christians (little Christs).
The 1st century devotees of Christ were known by others as the ‘Followers of the Way’. These devotees didn’t follow the tradition of Christianity as we know it today. They didn’t celebrate Christmas or Easter. So what is Christianity? It is the European tradition of later century (3rd century onwards) followers of Christ, a tradition and custom not akin to the Old Testament or New Testament. Both Christmas and Easter were pagan festivals to other gods. These festivals were redeemed by missionaries who went to share their faith with these pagans. Hence Christmas and Easter were included into the tradition of following Christ. So Christianity is Christ + European tradition and in some cases only the European tradition without Christ. Therefore it becomes imperative to distinguish between Christ and Christianity. Christianity is Christ in a European dress. The blue-eyed and golden haired Christ is European; not even Jewish.
The cosmic Christ transcends all cultures and can incarnate Himself into all cultures because He died and rose again for all nations, peoples, tribes, languages and cultures. His desire is to incarnate Himself into each and every type of people ie. into each and every culture. Therefore when Christ comes to N India He comes not as the European Christ but as the Hindustani Christ. The Hindustani Christ cannot be blue-eyed and golden haired; He is brown-eyed, black haired, brown skinned and in a sanyasi dress (saffron robes). He is the Maha Rishi of the Himalyas, the valleys, plains, plateaus and the seas. He is the Sadguru; the true Guru who came to fulfill the cry of our for-fathers who cried “take me out of untruth and show me the truth, take me out of darkness and let me be in the light, set me free from this bondage of death and give me immortality.” The Sad Guru says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. I am the Light of the world. He who walks after me will not walk in darkness but have the Light of Life.”
ऊँ Sri Yeshu Sadguruve namaha
The 1st century devotees of Christ were known by others as the ‘Followers of the Way’. These devotees didn’t follow the tradition of Christianity as we know it today. They didn’t celebrate Christmas or Easter. So what is Christianity? It is the European tradition of later century (3rd century onwards) followers of Christ, a tradition and custom not akin to the Old Testament or New Testament. Both Christmas and Easter were pagan festivals to other gods. These festivals were redeemed by missionaries who went to share their faith with these pagans. Hence Christmas and Easter were included into the tradition of following Christ. So Christianity is Christ + European tradition and in some cases only the European tradition without Christ. Therefore it becomes imperative to distinguish between Christ and Christianity. Christianity is Christ in a European dress. The blue-eyed and golden haired Christ is European; not even Jewish.
The cosmic Christ transcends all cultures and can incarnate Himself into all cultures because He died and rose again for all nations, peoples, tribes, languages and cultures. His desire is to incarnate Himself into each and every type of people ie. into each and every culture. Therefore when Christ comes to N India He comes not as the European Christ but as the Hindustani Christ. The Hindustani Christ cannot be blue-eyed and golden haired; He is brown-eyed, black haired, brown skinned and in a sanyasi dress (saffron robes). He is the Maha Rishi of the Himalyas, the valleys, plains, plateaus and the seas. He is the Sadguru; the true Guru who came to fulfill the cry of our for-fathers who cried “take me out of untruth and show me the truth, take me out of darkness and let me be in the light, set me free from this bondage of death and give me immortality.” The Sad Guru says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. I am the Light of the world. He who walks after me will not walk in darkness but have the Light of Life.”
ऊँ Sri Yeshu Sadguruve namaha
HINDU AND HINDUISM
Hinduism isn't a religion; it is a parliament of religions. Others say it is a way of life. Hinduism is made up of different faiths; among the image worshippers are Shaivaites, Vaishnavs, Shakts, Tantriks etc. Among non-image worshippers on one side of the spectrum are Arya Samajis, Kabir Panthis, Brahma Kumaris etc. and on the other side are non-theists such as Communists, Agnostics, Atheists etc. Hinduism has no single scripture of authority nor does it have a single founder; the scriptures are various and the founders are many. The theologies and philosophies vary widely and in many cases in direct opposition to one another. Shaivaites vie for supremacy with Vaishnavs and vice-versa. Shankaracharya ji's philosophy of non-dualism is very different from Ramanujachara ji's qualified-monism . The Chaarvaks are completely on another plane being hedonistic in their thinking; eat, live and die.
The word "Hindu" cannot be found in any of the Hindu scriptures. Its first usage is to be found around the 8th century when Muslims settled in the Indus valley. "Hindu" is a foreign word and it comes from the Persian word hind or the Arabic word al-hind, for the area of the Indus valley. This word is in turn derived from the Indo-Aryan word Sindhu meaning 'ocean' or 'river.' Sindhu became Hindhu because those who used it weren't able to pronounce the 'S'; instead pronounced 'H' hence Hindhu. The Persians distinguished between the Muslims and the Sindhus (non-Muslims) who settled in the Indus valley therefore the word "Hinduism" is also a foreign invention. Swami Dayanand Bharati in his book "Understanding Hinduism" writes " "Hindu" phenomena have off course always existed in what is known of Indian history, yet "Hinduism" can be truly termed a non-Hindu invention, at the very least in the sense that the term "Hinduism" was never used until it's introduction by outsiders and popularizing by Western Indologists." The word "Hinduism" was a very late invention. Gavin Flood writes " Towards the end of the eighteenth century "Hindu" or "Hindoo" was adopted by the British to refer to the people of " Hindustan," the area of north west South Asia who were not Muslims, Sikh, Christian, or Jain, and the "ism" was added to "Hindu" in the early 19th century. Indeed Ram Mohan Roy was probably the 1st Hindu to use the term in 1816. The term became widely adopted during the 19th century in the context of establishing a national identity that would become opposed to colonialism and in the creation of a religion that could match Christianity and meet it on a basis of equality."
The basis for being a Hindu isn't because of what one believes in ie what ones faith is but based on which community one belongs to. Therefore a Hindu can have different faiths. In the broad spectrum we have the image worshippers whilst at one end we have non-image worshippers who are theists and at the other end of the spectrum non-theists. Yet none will deny that he or she is a Hindu because irrespective of their faith they all belong to the Hindu community by virtue of the fact that it is the community into which they were born. There are caste Hindus and non-caste Hindus. Even though the non-caste Hindu would not like to have this 'stigma' of Hindu attached to him he is still a Hindu because of his birth community. He may change his faith and reject his birth community but he cannot change his birth community because he can only be born once; it is set in stone and cannot be erased. Therefore by the virtue of the fact that one is born into a certain community one is socially and culturally a Hindu. Ones identity is ones birth community.
ऊँ Sri Yeshu Sadguruve namaha
The word "Hindu" cannot be found in any of the Hindu scriptures. Its first usage is to be found around the 8th century when Muslims settled in the Indus valley. "Hindu" is a foreign word and it comes from the Persian word hind or the Arabic word al-hind, for the area of the Indus valley. This word is in turn derived from the Indo-Aryan word Sindhu meaning 'ocean' or 'river.' Sindhu became Hindhu because those who used it weren't able to pronounce the 'S'; instead pronounced 'H' hence Hindhu. The Persians distinguished between the Muslims and the Sindhus (non-Muslims) who settled in the Indus valley therefore the word "Hinduism" is also a foreign invention. Swami Dayanand Bharati in his book "Understanding Hinduism" writes " "Hindu" phenomena have off course always existed in what is known of Indian history, yet "Hinduism" can be truly termed a non-Hindu invention, at the very least in the sense that the term "Hinduism" was never used until it's introduction by outsiders and popularizing by Western Indologists." The word "Hinduism" was a very late invention. Gavin Flood writes " Towards the end of the eighteenth century "Hindu" or "Hindoo" was adopted by the British to refer to the people of " Hindustan," the area of north west South Asia who were not Muslims, Sikh, Christian, or Jain, and the "ism" was added to "Hindu" in the early 19th century. Indeed Ram Mohan Roy was probably the 1st Hindu to use the term in 1816. The term became widely adopted during the 19th century in the context of establishing a national identity that would become opposed to colonialism and in the creation of a religion that could match Christianity and meet it on a basis of equality."
The basis for being a Hindu isn't because of what one believes in ie what ones faith is but based on which community one belongs to. Therefore a Hindu can have different faiths. In the broad spectrum we have the image worshippers whilst at one end we have non-image worshippers who are theists and at the other end of the spectrum non-theists. Yet none will deny that he or she is a Hindu because irrespective of their faith they all belong to the Hindu community by virtue of the fact that it is the community into which they were born. There are caste Hindus and non-caste Hindus. Even though the non-caste Hindu would not like to have this 'stigma' of Hindu attached to him he is still a Hindu because of his birth community. He may change his faith and reject his birth community but he cannot change his birth community because he can only be born once; it is set in stone and cannot be erased. Therefore by the virtue of the fact that one is born into a certain community one is socially and culturally a Hindu. Ones identity is ones birth community.
ऊँ Sri Yeshu Sadguruve namaha
MY STORY
I am a swami having my ashram in one of the most holy cities of north India. It is the land of my forefathers. My roots are embedded very deep in this soil of my Motherland. The rich, deep, vibrant, colourful and exotic culture courses through my very veins and arteries; it is in my blood and somewhere deep inside of my soul! I have found my home here. In 1997 when I first set foot on this soil I knew then in my very depths…I was home again after a very long absence. It felt good for my senses to be assaulted by the pungent odours of the food of the street vendors and stale urine wafting through the air; the cacophony of sounds of temple bells ringing and rickshaw walas calling; the vibrant yet non-bustling images of every day life. Yes, this is my home; where I truly belong! It was a Divine Voice that called me here.
I made my entry into this world in Durban, SA a long time ago. SA is a beautiful land but sadly it’s beauty is hidden by the deep scars it sustained during the battle for it’s ownership. It is ravaged and torn! There is much spilt blood; of the ancestors of the land who died trying to protect what was theirs and the blood of the white savages who tried to rip and wrest the land away from those who owned it by virtue of the fact that they were born in that soil, literally! There is hatred and bitterness! Violence ravages the people of this land! Darkness casts a huge shadow over all!
It was in this land that I tried to make an existence; existence is very apt because that’s all it was. It was no life; mere existence; shadows of what should have been my life! Broken images of a cracked mirror forever disjointed; never to be made whole again! I was dysfunctional and emotionally unbalanced. Inside of me there was a yawning chasm which needed to be filled; I tried to fill it with hard drinking and clubbing. The more I tried to fill it the more it wouldn’t go away! There is no reason to live…why was I born into this world? What is the purpose of my life? There is no purpose; only suffering! ‘You were born to suffer” is the only answer which came from inside of me time and time again. So why live? It’s better to die now and end all this suffering! My life was one big suffering!
Trying to make an existence in the land of apartheid wasn’t easy; it only complicated things. I hated the white man! Yes, every white person whether born in SA or outside of it. They could enjoy all the facilities and utilities which I was deprived of. Even though I was born in this land it wasn’t my right to enjoy these basic pleasures but others from outside could come to ‘the white man’s paradise’ and enjoy it to their heart’s content!
Is this not an injustice! Had I been caught sitting on the white bench in the park then I would have been booted about and fined. What was my sin? I was the wrong colour, man! My place was on the green bench.
Growing up in SA there wasn’t one day where I was made to feel that I belonged to it. The black man knew that this was their land; the white man was forcefully trying to make it his own. But I was brown; neither white nor black! In between; neither here nor there! We were always reminded that the Indian’s place was in the ocean because the Indian came from somewhere across the Indian Ocean. So, there was always the thought playing in our minds…we have to go back there from where we came; we don’t belong here! Yet, in my wildest imagination I never thought that some day I would make that journey.
I had reached the very depths of despair…my life was a deep groaning from inside. In my hopeless and miserable existence of stumbling and groping in the darkness…Divine Light shone brightly and the darkness was swallowed up! When I was wallowing in the stinking cesspool of iniquities Divine Grace reached out and pulled me out! I was calling out to Death to come and end my miserable existence…to squash out my existence as one would a cockroach by pressing it under foot. But Divine Life came and touched me and penetrated into the very depths of my spirit! Since I was born this was the very first time I felt I was alive; I was dead but now I am alive! My spirit was suffused with the Divine Spirit! Now hopelessness and despair fled away as Divine Hope and Divine Joy filled me! My mind was made new and Divine Knowledge obliterated all lies! My soul was filled with Divine Peace as Divinity filled me and penetrated every fabric of my being! I was made whole again! Divine Love entered my heart and all the poison of hatred and bitterness evaporated! Now there was only love for all of mankind irrespective of race or colour. Yes, even love for the white man!
I am rich; not with the riches of this world but with incomparable and unfathomable riches of Eternal Divinity! This world had only pain and suffering to offer me therefore I seek nothing from this world. The riches which I have this world can neither give nor take away! I am content in Divinity. Divinity is all the riches I need!
Divinity called me back to my Motherland to give these Divine Riches to those who are hungering and thirsting after true spirituality. The ashram is the place where people who come seeking are given freely these Divine Riches. Yes, Divine Grace is touching and mending many broken lives; they are whole again! Divine Glory is filling this place and Divine Praise is being lifted up by thankful hearts!
I made my entry into this world in Durban, SA a long time ago. SA is a beautiful land but sadly it’s beauty is hidden by the deep scars it sustained during the battle for it’s ownership. It is ravaged and torn! There is much spilt blood; of the ancestors of the land who died trying to protect what was theirs and the blood of the white savages who tried to rip and wrest the land away from those who owned it by virtue of the fact that they were born in that soil, literally! There is hatred and bitterness! Violence ravages the people of this land! Darkness casts a huge shadow over all!
It was in this land that I tried to make an existence; existence is very apt because that’s all it was. It was no life; mere existence; shadows of what should have been my life! Broken images of a cracked mirror forever disjointed; never to be made whole again! I was dysfunctional and emotionally unbalanced. Inside of me there was a yawning chasm which needed to be filled; I tried to fill it with hard drinking and clubbing. The more I tried to fill it the more it wouldn’t go away! There is no reason to live…why was I born into this world? What is the purpose of my life? There is no purpose; only suffering! ‘You were born to suffer” is the only answer which came from inside of me time and time again. So why live? It’s better to die now and end all this suffering! My life was one big suffering!
Trying to make an existence in the land of apartheid wasn’t easy; it only complicated things. I hated the white man! Yes, every white person whether born in SA or outside of it. They could enjoy all the facilities and utilities which I was deprived of. Even though I was born in this land it wasn’t my right to enjoy these basic pleasures but others from outside could come to ‘the white man’s paradise’ and enjoy it to their heart’s content!
Is this not an injustice! Had I been caught sitting on the white bench in the park then I would have been booted about and fined. What was my sin? I was the wrong colour, man! My place was on the green bench.
Growing up in SA there wasn’t one day where I was made to feel that I belonged to it. The black man knew that this was their land; the white man was forcefully trying to make it his own. But I was brown; neither white nor black! In between; neither here nor there! We were always reminded that the Indian’s place was in the ocean because the Indian came from somewhere across the Indian Ocean. So, there was always the thought playing in our minds…we have to go back there from where we came; we don’t belong here! Yet, in my wildest imagination I never thought that some day I would make that journey.
I had reached the very depths of despair…my life was a deep groaning from inside. In my hopeless and miserable existence of stumbling and groping in the darkness…Divine Light shone brightly and the darkness was swallowed up! When I was wallowing in the stinking cesspool of iniquities Divine Grace reached out and pulled me out! I was calling out to Death to come and end my miserable existence…to squash out my existence as one would a cockroach by pressing it under foot. But Divine Life came and touched me and penetrated into the very depths of my spirit! Since I was born this was the very first time I felt I was alive; I was dead but now I am alive! My spirit was suffused with the Divine Spirit! Now hopelessness and despair fled away as Divine Hope and Divine Joy filled me! My mind was made new and Divine Knowledge obliterated all lies! My soul was filled with Divine Peace as Divinity filled me and penetrated every fabric of my being! I was made whole again! Divine Love entered my heart and all the poison of hatred and bitterness evaporated! Now there was only love for all of mankind irrespective of race or colour. Yes, even love for the white man!
I am rich; not with the riches of this world but with incomparable and unfathomable riches of Eternal Divinity! This world had only pain and suffering to offer me therefore I seek nothing from this world. The riches which I have this world can neither give nor take away! I am content in Divinity. Divinity is all the riches I need!
Divinity called me back to my Motherland to give these Divine Riches to those who are hungering and thirsting after true spirituality. The ashram is the place where people who come seeking are given freely these Divine Riches. Yes, Divine Grace is touching and mending many broken lives; they are whole again! Divine Glory is filling this place and Divine Praise is being lifted up by thankful hearts!
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