Re: Chris Butler, Jagad Guru, Science of Identity
Date: April 15, 2020 10:48PM
Hinduism is complex. It basically is an umbrella term for the scholarly observation of an ancient peoples evolving an amalgamation of Faith's along the Indus River. It's the only "major religion" that is technically not a singular religion or religion at all. It's a loose term applied to many Faith's, philosophical paths and cults emerging from india. If we want to get specific it's about the concept of Dharma, or proper action. Which is interpreted in many ways. The concept seems to have emerged in vedic texts. These texts started as 4 major texts and was built upon by philosophers and poets and religious folks over thousands if year. The vedic ideas cover a convoluted and oft contradictory array of symbols. Myths, rules, rituals, social orders (aka caste system with brahmins on top), prayers, and philosophical considerations. Through it all it tries to unify the many, and often divergent themes, through the concept if Dharma. The general idea is a hindu accepts the veda as literal revealed knowledge. Or knowledge for mankind passed down to us by God, to the 4 headed creator of this specific universe, all the way down in a so called unbroken chain to the present horror show we have of gurus all over the world taking thier followers for a scam.
Most hindus accept god as Brahman, or, an unknowable creative impetus that is always pervading everything and from which everything comes and returns at death. Many hindus are atheistic or dont believe in a personal god at all, but adhere to the general notion of dharma. Others are monotheistic and believe in 4 armed vishnu as a top diety, and others prefer one of vishnus many avatars like rama, narashimha etc. Still others have evolved the Vaishnava, or vishnu worship portion of "hinduism", to worship Krishna, originally considered an avatar of Vishnu, as the topmost godhead. Other schools worship Shiva, Devi, Shakti, etc.
Socially, and within India and the context of its history, the vedic faith was primarily practiced by brahmins (priests and gatekeepers of vedic mantras and ritual) and the Kshatriya, or Administrative caste, such as kings and warriors. And, the merchentile caste, like business and farm owners etc. The lower caste, the sudras, were the workers and lowest rung of society. They were not allowed entrance to temples, or to really access vedic ideas. Needless to say they suffered at the hands if the upper castes for thousands of years. The Bhakti, or devotional sects, emerged largely from this social imbalance. But even they could never quite shake the hierarchy.
Hinduism as a study of mythology and its deep symbolism as well as reading of scripture for support and inspiration is great. Belief in God or a higher power like Brahman, an unknowable, all pervading force if creative impetus, light etc. I think this is something humans who pursue spiritual interests can get behind pretty universally. It's when you attribute human qualities to God or gods and make up stories about them and dictate that they should be accepted as litteral events in history that the whole thing starts to unravel. It may have worked for ancient man to explain natural phenomena, the cosmos, and deep fears and questions we yearned to answer. In modernity it has little value to believe in this stuff wholesale. In fact its troubling and detrimental. Again, this is not to negate the undeniable value of myth in the evolution of man. There are many movies and books that teach us lessons, ask us to reflect on our lives, understand things differently and so forth. We accept the deep message of these tales as a way to guide us in virtues, values, morals, ethics, resolving problems, Dealing with family and functioning in society. But we dont go on and make a God out of John Malkovich and start to worship him and really believe the films are real. Honestly, even that would be more authentic. but you get my point.
Hinduism is culturally relevant in India. Outside of India it loses much of its depth and context. Just like people in France doing gospel singing would be odd and inauthentic. Or a group of Chinese people practicing Slavic old Faith's of worshiping Rod and Swiatovit would be bonkers. Or a man from Alabama having an altar to Odin would raise a brow or two. And you sure as shit would not want one of these folks as a progressive world leader...
Listen, a whole sector of the Indian population (young and old, and very intelligent) has already woken up to the shere foolishness of this stuff. There are many Indians who are tired of thier archaic history crippling thier nation and want to move on and create a nation free of this past. Under Modi and his fanatical nationalist thugs, this is challenging. But these modern day thinkers and seekers are done with skirting hinduism. In their very recent memory it equaled a corrupt adherence to vedic caste hierarchy, as recent as yesterday. A nation that struggles with extreme poverty, some of the highest rape rates, anti Islam sentiment mirroring the KKK, and a host of issues that have nothing to do with Islamic and British invasions of the past. Nothing. This stuff gets so intertwined that all we can hope for is educating people and showing how tragic it is to live in this day and age and still believe the rain is made by Indra whose body is covered in eyes that used to be vaginas. I mean, holy cow!@#*???
Myths have and had thier place as important tools for human thought evolution and should continue to be studied and put in historical context. Obviously. But a nation of people believing wholesale in flying monkey soldiers and 10 headed demons is nothing short of a catastrophe and riot.
So yeah, I'm passionate about breaking this cult down and ones like it by hopefully waking up a few followers or confused ex members, in hopes that 3 generations from now we dont have a major fallout of ficked up kids. In no way do I want to tread on religion or belief in a higher power whatever that may be to a person. But make it your authentic realization and not some ideas manufactured in ancient india by horny poets, verbose writers, and mentally ill philosophers. Just because it's old and sounds mysterious and beautiful or has some nuggets of insight (mostly in samkhya and advaita which rely on rational principles) does not make it absolute reality by any measure. It's something that worked for certain people in a particular country some thousands of years ago. It had context back then. It has no context and place in modernity. It's scary to have leaders emerging and getting so close to the White House who were raised like this. Let alone ones that have no cultural context for believing in these cults. Remember, Tulsi is a woman who believed and advocated electroconvulsive therapy for gay teens while campaigning with her father some 15 to 20 years ago. That is some dark archaic shit right there. Where do you think they got those ideas? Shes still getting her directives from that same place.