We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

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Where’s the soul? And are Americans believing like Hindus?

Where’s the soul? And are Americans believing like Hindus? - Faith & Reason

Among the vibrant discussions in the Faith & Reason Forum right now is the thread Brain and Soul posted by reader qo, asking, essentially, where’s the soul and how does it affect the brain, which affects our behavior?

The relationship between soul and body drew attention earlier this week when Lisa Miller published in *Newsweek *“We Are All Hindus Now.”
Christians traditionally believe that bodies and souls are sacred, that together they comprise the “self,” and that at the end of time they will be reunited in the Resurrection … Hindus believe no such thing. At death, the body burns on a pyre, while the spirit – where identity resides – escapes. In reincarnation, central to Hinduism, selves come back to earth again and again in different bodies.Suggesting that Americans – conceptually – are leaning more Hindu, Miller cites these stats:

  • 24% of Americans say they believe in reincarnation

  • More than a third choose to be cremated (the Cremation Association of North America)

  • 65% believe many religions can lead to eternal life (2008 Pew religious survey)

“A Hindu believes there are many paths to God,” Miller writes. Likewise, Pew, as well as the massive American Religious Identification Survey and surveys by Baylor University, show that higher and higher percentages of Americans are leaving organized religions for “spirituality.”

Referring to the *Newsweek *article, Rob Dreher on his BeliefNet Crunchy Con blog states: “If you don’t teach doctrine, and why doctrine is important, you shouldn’t be surprised when people cease to believe it.”

But is Hinduism really so open? Just yesterday, Indian artist Subodh Kerkar told AFP news agency he’s received threats from Hindu hardliners for depicting gods in non-traditional poses (i.e. as an Oscar statuette and “The Thinker”).

DO YOU BELIEVE in the soul? If so, how do you think it relates to the body? Is cremation OK? Are Americans, in fact, believing more like Hindus? Does doctrine matter?

–By Anne Godlasky, USA TODAY

phir bijli band ker di hy
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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

Americans Becoming More Hindu

By Deb Baker on Friday, August 21, 2009.

http://www.nhpr.org/node/26588

Among “25 Surprising Things You Need to Know,” Newsweek’s Lisa Miller reports that “conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, our selves, each other, and eternity.” How can the land of mega churches, televangelists, and the Bible Belt become more Hindu?
America is a place where politicians pepper speeches with biblical references, athletes point heavenward when they score, and the founding fathers’ religious views are a matter of intense speculation. It’s also a place, Miller learned, where one in three people choose cremation, a majority believes there is more than one path to eternal life, and thirty percent of us describe our beliefs as “spiritual” rather than religious. Nearly a quarter of Americans believe in reincarnation.

Our fascination with Hindu thought isn’t new. Emerson and Thoreau read the Hindu scriptures and found much to agree with. The Beatles introduced transcendental meditation to popular culture. More recently, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love brought her quest to find God in an Indian ashram and on the mostly Hindu island of Bali to millions of readers. Americans have become so enamored of yoga that a group of entrepreneurs even tried to patent it.

There is certainly much more to Hinduism than yoga and meditation, but it’s not surprising that Hindu ideas have seeped into our culture through practices that are relatively accessible to Westerners. What I found notable is Miller’s finding that many Americans see more than one path to eternity. I’m hopeful this tolerance spills into public discourse and political problem solving.

phir bijli band ker di hy
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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

Interestingly, voice of America says something else here.

More Hispanic Americans are Converting to Islam

More Hispanic Americans are Converting to Islam
By Steve Mort Orlando, Florida *09 February 2007*
[watch Hispanic Muslim report / Real broadband - download](http://www.voanews.com/mediaassets/english/2007_02/Video/rm/HispanicMuslim_tv_9feb07_bb.rm)

http://www.voanews.com/voanews_shared/images/video_icon.gif

[watch Hispanic Muslim report / Real broadband

http://www.voanews.com/voanews_shared/images/video_icon.gif](http://www.voanews.com/english/figleaf/ramfilegenerate.cfm?filepath=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.voanews.com%2Fmediaassets%2Fenglish%2F2007_02%2FVideo%2Frm%2FHispanicMuslim_tv_9feb07_bb.rm)
watch Hispanic Muslim report / Real dialup - download

http://www.voanews.com/voanews_shared/images/video_icon.gif

[watch Hispanic Muslim report / Real dialup

http://www.voanews.com/voanews_shared/images/video_icon.gif](http://www.voanews.com/english/figleaf/ramfilegenerate.cfm?filepath=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.voanews.com%2Fmediaassets%2Fenglish%2F2007_02%2FVideo%2Frm%2FHispanicMuslim_tv_9feb07_du.rm)

The number of Hispanic Americans converting to Islam is growing rapidly – particularly in New York, California, Texas and Florida, which have the greatest concentration of Hispanic residents. Muslim leaders say interest in Islam has increased in the past few years, and they also note that Muslims and Hispanics, many of whom are immigrants, share a number of common concerns. Steve Mort reports from a mosque in Florida that has seen a steady increase in Latino worshippers.
The al-Rahman mosque in Orlando opened in 1975 and is the oldest Muslim place of worship in the city.
But over the years its membership has changed, and now increasing numbers of Hispanics, like Jesus Marti, are joining the congregation. “It’s the right way to be worshipping God, and I love the Islamic religion. It really has given me a lot of knowledge, and I have learned so many things from Islam.”

http://www.voanews.com/english/images/Jesus-Marti_tv_9feb07_210.jpg

Jesus Marti
Jesus, a Puerto Rican living in Florida, converted to Islam only a year ago. He is one of tens of thousands of Hispanic Muslims in the United States: estimates range from around 70,000 to 200,000. He says that while he has faced criticism for converting to Islam, he has found broad acceptance as a Muslim in America. "Islam is not a country. Islam is a religion. Islam is definitely a way of life, for discipline where you follow and you try to enhance yourself to get the most positive things out of yourself for the benefit of your own self and for the benefit of your own family and the society as a whole." Muslim leaders say Jesus Marti and other Hispanics choose Islam for a variety of reasons. They say Muslims and Hispanics face common issues and concerns, like finding their way in a new, unfamiliar country. The media focus on Islam since September 11th has also been factor.

http://www.voanews.com/english/images/Imam-Muhammad-Musri_tv_9feb.jpg

Imam Muhammad Musri
Imam Muhammad Musri is president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida. The society has about 40,000 members. Iman Musri says Latinos and Muslims find they have a lot in common. "There are so many common denominators between immigrant Muslims and immigrant Hispanics who see the issues common to both of them -- immigration issues, as it is a big discussion in the United States, and there are other issues of trying to find a job, keep a job, buy a home -- all the same struggles two groups of people happen to be going through creates this bond between them". Hundreds of worshippers attend Imam Musri's mosque, and there is an increasing demand for religious literature in Spanish. He points to Spain's historical ties with Islam. And that many Hispanics find Muslim culture and values similar to their own. Iman Musri says, "Many who come from Central and South America come with conservative values and, as well, Muslims come with conservative values. And here in the States they find that those values are put in question or are being challenged. So it is common to see Hispanics and Muslims working on similar projects in terms of family and education and reforms to protect their values, their conservative values they have." For Jesus Marti and his fellow Hispanic worshippers, the decision to convert to Islam is personal, but also part of a broader trend. He hopes greater diversity among America's Muslims will help strengthen understanding of Islam within the wider U.S. population.
Timepass-December 2013
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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

In UK…

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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

*In Texas


*

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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

Hope one gets the idea!

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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

Hahah... :) very prompt Diwane.

The Hi/Bye Thread
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Would you pls tell me then whats the importance of wearing cross?f it is just a mean of showing respect,then why should millions of Christians wear it on a daily basis and what about nuns and other preachers?I did my schooling from a Christian Convent and till this I did not have this newly `discoverd' knowledge that Cross was st a mean for respect.Hope you are not drifting away from making sensible comments ,my friend.!!!

You did not name ,but you meant.Thanks fo admitting it.

You said abbou killing of Budhists in India and this is a whole new kind of information for all of us.You would have spotted a few instances of religious riots happened in India ,but hope you are also aware of whats happening in Pakistan where minority religious harassment finds no ends.Remember what had happened in the last week of July and that was the third attack against Christians in just two months time!!! Hope you are cleaning your home before peeping over to others.

I am sure you have got just state fed info about Hindusim and thats why you are making statements on Kamsautra and half nudity.Hope we will have some meaningful talks next time.
If this is the way you are taking this discussion,I think it's better I should not waste my precuous time debating with you.

From when you did start your affinity for Christians and Jews?I simply fail to understan what has prompted you to make statements about Hindus mingling with Christans and Jews?Are you talking from the code of existence of minorities in Pakistan?Then I am sorry my friend.Minorities in India live happily with Hindus and thanks to your concern for them.But pls ask your government to take care of Hindus,Christians,Ahmedis and other minorities of Pakistan.Hope we will not hear more bad news for them soon.

My Muslim friend is happy to live in India and he does not share the same view of yours about India and Hindus :) .He lives happily and peacefully in india and he knows the realities or does not want to take in the `state sponsored milk products of his western neighbour'. :) . That state simply can not protect the interests,guarntee the safety and security of it's own majority of people,let alone the minorities.My friend knows this aswell :)

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LOL... How do you know what your friend actually believes? Perhaps he simply wants to be polite and refuses to bring up topics of religion.

Many Pakistanis are very similar to your friend and dont harbor any resentment or negative feelings towards Hindus. So this tolerance you speak of is not limited to Indian Muslims.

Ofcourse, I also know many INDIAN MUSLIMS who actually are extremely bigoted in their views of others, expecially Hindus.

Your broad generalization of Indians Muslims is rather pathetic, considering your basing it on one friend.

I can tell you one thing, at the end of the day, the Muslims of India are really not so different in their attitudes towards Hindus and others. The are different only in context.

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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

Diwana what is the point of your last few posts in this page. Is it actually to show that Americans are converting to Islam more.
I think you are very insecure and lack faith in your religion.

Timepass-December 2013
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Really , so why do u go there. Why do you pray to that side and why you dont even go to toilet facing that direction. I guess you need to look up what the meaning of worship is.
If indeed God created everything, then religion is also created by God ( which I dont believe). So I guess all religion should be equal right. So why bother.

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I said my closest friend is a Muslim.I have got my other Mulsim friends and I can get a general over view.Moreover ,I consider Indian Mulsims are really different from Muslims of many other Muslim countries ,not because of their belief or rituals but because of their allegiance and respect for India.Indian Muslims,generally, consider India first and religion comes only second to them.That makes a big difference.

There is always a difference between many' andmost'.Yes,many Pakistanis may be tolerant towards Hindus in Pakistan but in India most of the Muslims are respectful towards Hindus.

The greatest point is that,Indian Muslims do not consider Pakistan as their vocal point.

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You are throwing the text of holy book in defence of holy book do you see the dichtomy in that line of circular logic..
My question is why would God almighty suddenly say that.. when within 7oo years of chrstianity there was enough coprruption in religion to warrant not only refomr but copmplete overhaul then why is that now till eternity god given laws are suddenly averse to corruption hence reforms modification..

I am logically not conviced at all ....

What' ll u throw on the person above u
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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

Most of the conversions are happenign in jail cell and I woudl certainly not advertise.. Moreover what does conversion prove other than that one more soul got brainwashed by this or that faith preacher..

This is debate of ideology and can;t be proven or disproven by majority or minority vote..
When majority of people believed that sun revolved around earth that belief still was wrong..

IN mattrers of knowledge number of followers count for nothing zilch zero nada

When did you sleep yesterday?
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As I said earlier, thats the Islamic version. Not everyone accepts that :)

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Re: We are all hindus now: NewsWeek

So... as you move away from religion you become more hindu?

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No, as your beliefs start leaning towards Hinduism you become more Hindu.

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Peace afishcurry

Circular argumentation only gives unsubstantiated conclusions it does not mean invalid or valid arguments. Logical identities are circular statements.

Such as x = y here y confirms x and x confirms y

Also, you can also have iterations which are not circular but when dealing with things like a Holy Book often arguments which are iterative are dismissed for being circular.

x = (x-1)/2

Here one can argue that x is being used to determine x ... it is but each time x is used the following x becomes closer to the truth. That is the sort of understanding that should be applied to scripture in that it is shown to be self supporting and consistent.

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Peace afishcurry

Have a reference for that statement in bold?

Also, as for the last statement you gotta avoid number of followers because I agree with you. Rather you have to look at who are the best people amongst all faiths in character and status and then look to what religion they choose to follow.

Yes it may be that Islam has a high rate of conversions in the jails but at the same time it is high for those priests, rabbis, gurus who are well respected by their peers ... they too go on to become Muslim.

How many Imam's can you note change their faiths and how many clergy from other faiths can you cite become Muslim?