GEMS FROM THE
VISION AND PRACTICE
BEACH 10: HINDUISM FOR THE
NEXT GENERATION
Wave 8: Frequently Asked Questions
Q.2: Does Hinduism admit
conversions into it from members of other religions? Could I (a non-Hindu)
become a Hindu? Should I?
No. Traditional Hinduism has
no set procedures of converting anybody into Hinduism. But the reformist
movement of the 19th century, called the Arya
Samaj, which has a large following, has certain
procedures streamlined, by which a non-Hindu may be converted to Hinduism.
Traditional Hinduism never
worried about conversions from another religion into Hinduism
because the religion was never missionary in that
sense. However, there are stories, certainly, in the history of Hinduism, where
somebody born of Hindu parents went over to another religion, and then, was
reconverted to Hinduism.
The above is the answer to
the question: Could I become a Hindu? But to the question: Should I become a Hindu?, the answer
could be more emphatic.
First of all, why
should one become a Hindu? What is there so great in Hinduism, which
Jesus did not preach or Prophet Mohammed did not propagate or the Buddha was
not convinced of? Hinduism says: If you are a Christian, be
a good Christian. By being a good Christian, you are more of a good Hindu than
one who has been born in the religion of Hinduism, and does not have the right
attitude to other ways of believing in God. Hinduism is a question of
attitudes (See: Attitudes, not
Rituals) rather than any physical or formal belonging. In fact this is the
main reason why Hinduism never cared about conversions into it from other
religions.
Probably you like the idea of
getting more chances than just one life for improving your opportunities to
climb the spiritual ascent. Hinduism believes that, whether you are a Hindu or
not, you will get these several lives according to your karma. In other words, karma theory works irrespective of your
professing or not professing a religion. It is universally applicable.
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