C. Eastern Religions

          1. Hinduism

          2. Buddhism

          3. Jaina, Taoism, Sikkhism, Confucianism, Shinto

          4. New Age

Eastern Religions:  Pantheism.  (except for Confucianism (dualist?), Shinto (animist?))

Pantheism.   The universe is God, God is the universe.   Therefore you are God and God is you.     Pan  all   Theism   God.

This is also called monism.  (as opposed to dualism or theism)

One thing for sure, if this is true, then the Bible is not!!!

Genesis 1:1    Hebrews 11:3

God created the universe—both heaven and earth (Col 1:16)

The universe definitely is not God!

You definitely are not God!

1. Hinduism.

Founder: no one individual is responsible for founding this religion.

            Hinduism is the national religion of India.  Certain parts of the world which have come under strong political influence by the Indian culture contain elements of Hinduism in their religion.  Early on, Hinduism was quite animistic.  Later, it evolved into more of a pantheistic religion  It has always been polytheistic.  It is very difficult to separate the caste system in India from the religious system of Hinduism because of its relationship to the reincarnation doctrine.  Nevertheless, many “gurus” have attempted to transplant a westernized form of Hinduism in the western world (Transcendental Meditation, Hare Krishnas, guru Maharaj Ji, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (Transcendental Meditation) Hatha Yoga, etc….)  As have Westerners (transcendentalism, Theosophy (Madame Blavatsky), Urantia, New Age, etc…)  There is a strong tendency toward mysticism in most sects of Hinduism.

The principle religion of India.

Approximately 1,000,000,000 adherents.

Began as animism/polytheism

Evolved into polytheism/pantheism

Syncretistic.  Hinduism is not really a single religion.

Principle gods in Hinduism.  All are eminations of Brahman

Brahma  Chief god of the pantheon.

Shiva  God of destruction. Worshipped

      as a male phalus.

Vishnu  Preserver and protector.

Krishna    The eighth emanation of Vishnu.

Rama   Seventh incarnation of Vishnu.  Hero of the Ramayana.

Devi  Chief female deity.  The power (shakti) that animates the cosmos.

Lakshmi  Female consort of Vishnu.  Godess of prosperity.

Ganesh   Elephant god.  God of wisdom and intellect.

Shakti  The divine mother

Kali  Avatar of Shakti

Scriptures:

1. Four Vedas.  Poems from around 1500-1200 BC.  Originally transmitted orally.  Written down around 500 BC.  Oldest surviving manuscript 1300 AD.  Very strong element of animism and polytheism.  Thirty-three main gods.  Gods of places and things.  Nature worship. Rig Veda (1028 hymns in 10 books)  Sama Veda (songs sung during sacrifices) Yajur Veda (priestly system), Atharva Veda.
2. Brahmanas.  1000-500 BC.  These introduced the priestly system and the caste system.  Explanations and instructions for sacrificial rituals.
3. Upanishads.  800-500 BC.  108 instructional religious poems.  Philosophical treatises.  More emphasis on meditation.  Brahman has evolved into a pantheistic “god.”  rather than an individual.  Brahman the spiritual reality behind the unreal physical world.  The world we observe is maya—an illusion.  The soul is Atman, and Atman is part of Brahman.  Therefore, we are in a sense deity.  The concept of karma is developed, related to the concept of sin.   Karma is a works salvation concept.  Reincarnation became part of Hinduism.  Note:  none of this was in the Vedas.
4. Baghavad Gita, Ramayana, etc., Epic poems from 200BC – 200 AD.  At this point, two main gods, in addition to Brahman emerge in Hinduism.  These are Vishnu and Shiva.  A strong sensual element emerges.  Vishnu and Shiva have undergone various incarnations.  This is what the epics are about.  Vishnu was incarnated as Rama and as Krishna.  The stories are strongly mythological in tone, containing such things as monkey-people, gods intervening in wars (as in Greek mythology) and the like.
5. Sutras.  Rules, doctrines, rituals, commentaries on the Vedas.  Attempting to bring together the various aspects of Hinduism.
6. Puranas.  The Bible of the common people of India.  Various myths, fables and legends concerning local gods and the like.  Totally unbelievable.  You will not find Hindus in the Western world using these.

Important words/concepts for understanding Hinduism:

Brahman  universal soul

Atman   soul, essence    atman is part of a brahman.

Maya   illusion 

Reincarnation  a disincarnated soul enters a new body, starting a new existence (samsara)

Shakti  power

Karma  a principle of cause and effect

Nirvana   oneness with brahman

Dharma   righteousness, teaching

Clearly, Hinduism can be a confusing religion.  The chief aspects to be aware of in

Western world are reincarnation, pantheism, meditation and mysticism.

The Hindu World View:

Maya.   The physical world is an illusion.  The physical world is evil.  Suffering is an illusion.

Brahman.   Universal soul.  Pantheism.

Atman (soul).  When we die, atman is swallowed up in Brahman

The goal:  Escape cycle of karma and reincarnation

Nirvana; oneness with the universal soul which is within yourself.

The Hindu world view has man looking inward, not outward.

The Caste System:

A historical remnant of the Vedic system and the interaction between the Aryans and the natives of the subcontinent

Brahmins   the priestly (Aryan) class

Kshatriyas   The ruling class.  Kings,  landlords, warriors.

Vaishayas   merchants

Shudras  servant/trade classes

Untouchables  literally out castes.  No caste  Dhalit the most common name in India.

Question:  Did the caste system create Hinduism or did Hinduism create the caste system?

Question?  Can Hinduism exist without the caste system?  Can real Hinduism exist outside India?

Summary:

1. Hindu scriptures are not defendable as “inspired” in the same sense as the Bible.  They contain much of what is clearly myth, fable etc.
2. One will find a significant amount of self-contradiction in Hindu faith as the religion has evolved extremely over time.
3. Although they may sound very pious, the essence of Hinduism is self-centered, as Hindus believe they are deity.  There is a strong emphasis on self-realization.
4. The New Age movement is essentially an offshoot of Hindu religion.

Hinduism in the West:

Yogic practices  Hatha Yoga

Gurus (teacher), yogi (practitioners), sadhu (holy men)

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi   Transcendental Meditation

Hare Krishna

Hinduism and Time/  Hindu Cosmology

Time is cyclic.  There is a “wheel of time.”

World is cyclically created by Brahma, sustained by Vishnu and destroyed by Shiva.

Creative/destructive cycles called Yugas

One cylcle of time is a maha yuga = 4,320,000 years

• • Satya yuga (Krita yuga):- 1,728,000 Human years (already past)
  • Treta yuga:- 1,296,000 Human years (already past)
  • Dwapar yuga:- 864,000 Human years (already past)
  • Kali yuga:- 432,000 Human years (5,110 years have passed; 426,890 years remain). Kaliyuga started in 3,102 B.C.; CE 2008 corresponds to Kaliyuga year 5,110

    1000 maha yuga = 1 brahma “day” = 1 kalpa

    2 kalpa = 1 full brahma day

    365 brahma days = 1 brahma year = 1 full cycle = 311 trillion years

    One full cycle = 100 “Brahma years”  311 trillion years.

    Then Brahma himself dies and is reborn

    Many different levels of heavens/worlds/hells

    These levels are horizontal (flat)

    The physical world is illusory and it is evil

    Lower levels are even more evil than ours

    Popular Hindu Cosmology:   The earth is on the back of four elephants standing on top of a turtle, encircled by a serpent, swimming in a sea of milk…

    The Sutras

    Is the Hindu World View a good one?

    Is it true?

    Hindu cosmology (cyclic time, earth on the back of four elephants on a turtle swimming in a bowl of milk) is patently false.

    The physical world is real and it is good.

    Evil is NOT an illusion

    Does it answer the important questions?

    It does better than postmodernism or naturalism!  But what is our purpose?

    To disappear?   What is our value, as individuals?  None?

    Does accepting this world view make one a better person?

• • Debatable.  Better than naturalism.  Karma.  Self-focus and dispassion are not helpful.
  • Suffering is not real.
  • Evil is not real.

    Note:  Christian groups do the lion’s share of benevolent work in India.  Why? Because we have a better world view!  The Christian response to suffering is compassion.

    New Age Religion

    Is it:

    Palm reading?    Channeling?      Seances?      Meditation?        Reincarnation?

    Occultism?     Gurus?      Paganism?     Gnosticism?      Mother Goddess worship?

    Yes…  all the above, and more!

    So, what is it, in essence?  It is a syncretistic conjoining of many popular religious beliefs, but its essence is pantheism, inspired by Hinduism.

• You are God, I am God, the trees are God, we all are God!

• New Age is Western pantheism

• New Age is a syncretistic blend of Gnosticism, Hinduism, Spiritualism, Mysticism, Buddhism and Paganism.

• New Age is Monism!  God is everything  I am God!!!

  “Once we begin to see that we are all God, then I think the whole purpose of life is to re-own the God-likeness within us.”

• Start with a shaker of the occult

  Transcendentalism  Ralph Waldo Emerson  Truth through human intuition.

  Theosophy (divine wisdom) Madame Blavatzky.

  I AM mysticism  Guy Ballard  Ascended Masters “channeled” through Ballard.

• Stir in some Hinduism

  All of these relied heavily on Hindu theology and practice.

  Reincarnation

  Pantheism

  Meditation    (but New Age does not seek to escape the world…no asceticism)

• Combine with Greek Philosophy/Gnosticism/Mystery Religion
  • Man has a spark of the divine
  • Need a guru to initiate you into “deeper truths”

    Interpret the Bible allegorically-let it tell a story

• Add just a touch of paganism

  Mother Goddess/the divine female/priestesses/feminism

• Combine it all together with a Post-modern reaction to scientific materialism/rationalism
  • Experiential religion
  • No sin (because we are god)

    You get the ultimate man-made (Western) religion.   All religion is truth.

    This is very appealing.  I wish it was true!

    Enlightenment is realizing the truth that you are God.

    There is no sin.  Sin (if it exists) is ignorance.

    The goal is self-realization.

    Quotes from Deepak Chopra:

    “Holding on to anything is like holding on to your breath. You will suffocate. The only way to get anything in the physical universe is by letting go of it. Let go & it will be yours forever.”
    ― Deepak Chopra

    “Walk with those seeking truth… RUN FROM THOSE WHO THINK THEY’VE FOUND IT. ”
    ― Deepak Chopra

    “There is no holy life. There is no war between good and evil. There is no sin and no redemption. None of these things matter to the real you. But they all matter hugely to the false you, the one who believes in the separate self. You have tried to take your separate self, with all its loneliness and anxiety and pride, to the door of enlightenment. But it will never go through, because it is a ghost.”
    ―Deepak Chopra

    Response to New Age Religion

• New Agers claim their religion is reasonable, but it is not.

  Their revelation through channeling is self-contradictory.  No two new age teachers will agree on even the most basic theology or practice.

  All religions are not the same

  Christianity: One triune God. A personal God.

  Islam:  One impersonal God.  Predestination.  God cannot have a son.

  Hinduism:  Many gods, pantheism

  Buddhism:  No god—God is irrelevant

  Zoroastrianism: Dualism—good vs evil

  Confucianism: Polytheism

  Jesus:     We are not God.    We definitely do have a sin problem.  Reincarnation is false hope.  “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” Hebrews 9:27