As the third largest religion, how come we never hear any shit being caused by them?

Or am I missing out...

Bride burnings, acid attacks, general incredibly shitty treatment of women...naw, there's lots of good material there too. We'll get around to it at some point

First to tackle Christianity and Islam...

One thing is, they are very diverse.

Shouldn't we at least be fair and even... wouldn't wish to be called bias. Don't Hindus have the internet?

oldie but goldie: Hinjews

Teague wrote:Shouldn't we at least be fair and even... wouldn't wish to be called bias. Don't Hindus have the internet?

I'm an Hindu and can give you some updates or overview. Please let me what you are specifically looking for.

As Berthold said it is very diverse and often inconsistent (like all other religions but at a more complex level due to multitude of gods).

But over the years Hinduism has become more of a tradition and more recently a quest for spirituality rather than a religion. That is, most people don't take it literally or see it as the only truth or believe that you will burn in hell if you don't accept god. It is more based on karmic philosophy, good will happen those to who do good and evil actions beget evil consequences, irrespective of whom you worship or don't worship. In fact, atheism is an accepted tradition of Hinduism.

But the downside - people are gullible, superstitious, easily believe in all kind of babas, saadhus and other non-sense. Another big monster in the closet is casteism. In my experience almost all hindus with rural background (which is around 70%) are casteist. It is so severe that young couples are brutally beaten and tortured for falling in love with someone from a different caste. In some cases, these can even result in honor killings.

Fundamental Hinduism is more of corrupt politicians inciting the masses by manipulating their hatred towards islam (India has 3rd highest muslim population).

Regarding treatment of women, I think this is a misconception. While there might still be some archaic traditions that are actually oppressive, Hinduism is perhaps the only religion where female goddesses are given much significance and in many traditions the mother goddess is considered as a supreme deity. The rampant abortion of female fetus and dowry system are more of social and economic issues rather than religion.

As a last note, there is widespread Christian missionary activity going on in almost all rural villages and conversion is happening on a large scale. But interestingly, people still keep their caste even after changing the religion and most of other evils persist . Add to these the newly acquired attribute of intolerance - courtesy bible thumpers - you get a pretty neat idea.

Heh. Someone should PM natselrox. I'm sure he'll have to say a lot about that.
Oh and thanks for the info, amateur.

Hindus are more annoying than Christians when they really get going, no doubt about it.

Paul G wrote:Hindus are more annoying than Christians when they really get going, no doubt about it.

No way.

Paul G wrote:Hindus are more annoying than Christians when they really get going, no doubt about it.

Could you elaborate please?

In my experience, both are equally stupid in justifying their respective beliefs. But the main difference is, a hindu doesn't tell me that his god is the only true god and I would go to hell for eternity if I don't accept his god. In that sense, christians are way more annoying than hindus.

I'm surrounded by Hindus, so it's more noticeable to me. Sure, there's many secular (ish) Hindus but when you find a hardcore one, man, give me a christian any day.

Most atheists were at some point christians. That probably explains why hinduism tends to get left alone.

I will invite mangaroosh , he seems to know a lot about hinduism(s) philosophy(es).And it would be more fitting than the theology thread !

Graham Pilois wrote:Most atheists were at some point christians. That probably explains why hinduism tends to get left alone.

Yeah, plus Islam is in the spotlight, so that tends to come second.

Indeed.

Graham Pilois wrote:Most atheists were at some point christians. That probably explains why hinduism tends to get left alone.

Also most people who come to this forum (and came to the bygone RDF) to "challenge" atheists/evolutionists seem to be Xtians of some sort or another, even tho several are throwing up a smokescreen to mask the fact. The rest seem to be rare to the point where I'm personally not at all sure what the next most popular religion being proponented even is (it may be some new-ageish "I can make it up as I go long" thingy, or Islam)

Matt_B wrote:You don't get too many Hindus coming around knocking on doors trying to convert you.

C'mon ,don't be so ethnocentric.They make a pretty good job in india.

I've had all of one stop me on the street and try to push some religious material on me through my 45 years of life. Finland is still far away from India in that regard, apparently, tho there are even a few Indians working one floor above me these days...