Download Understanding Hinduism

Understanding Hinduism
Basic facts:
Hinduism is an ancient religion that originated in the Indus Valley of India, around 2000 B.C. Because it teaches that
there are many paths to salvation, modern day Hinduism is a complex, continually changing combination of beliefs
and practices. In addition, Hinduism has produced several “spin-off” religions throughout its history, including
Buddhism and the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON). Millions of Hindus live in the US and other “western” nations
around the world. Hinduism has also entered and influenced popular culture in a variety of ways, including the
practice of yoga. Yoga, which is commonly practiced as exercise, originated as a Hindu method of self-discipline and
devotion to god. Today there are around 1 billion Hindus in the world, most of whom live in India.
Basic teachings:
For the Hindu, life is a circle. We are born, we live, we die, and then we are born again. Each person is stuck in this
cycle, called samsara. As we live through multiple lives, everything we do is judged by the dharma. Dharma is
the law of the universe and it is our duty in life. Added to dharma is the Hindu teaching about karma, the law
of cause and effect (or the law of consequences). Good deeds produce good effects in our lives, and bad
deeds produce bad effects. According to Hinduism, it is our karma that keeps us stuck in the cycle of reincarnation.
Thus the Hindu’s goal is to erase his bad karma by fulfilling the dharma. This process may take multiple
lifetimes. A Hindu can erase more bad karma by following one of several yogas, or paths to “salvation.” A yoga is
a sort of yoke, or burden that the Hindu must bear in order to earn his or her salvation. The yogas include meditation, bodily discipline, devotion to a chosen god, selfless actions, etc. When karma is finally erased, the Hindu may
achieve moksha, or release from the cycle of samsara.
One God or Many?
While there are certainly many Hindu gods (around 3.3
million), Hinduism also teaches that there is only one ultimate reality/god. This ultimate reality is called Brahman.
Brahman is not a personal god, but rather is an impersonal
cosmic force that encompasses all things. Brahman is
like a vast ocean and every other creature or god
in the Hindu system is like a drop of water in that
ocean. Thus while the Hindu may worship a particular god,
he ultimately believes that everything is god. God is in
you and in me. In contrast, Christianity teaches that
God is forever unique and distinct from creation
(Deuteronomy 6:4, Acts 17:24-25). He is all-knowing, allpowerful, and everywhere present. He is infinite in His
perfections. None of this will ever be the case for created
beings. We are not and never will be gods or part of God.
Hinduism and the Box
A hindu girl offers prayers
at a shrine
The Hindu believes that after death, he will be reincarnated again and again, until he has done enough
good to achieve moksha and be released from the cycle of reincarnation. Then the Hindu will cease to exist,
becoming one with the Absolute, like a drop of water in the ocean. Hinduism teaches that there are multiple
paths to salvation. As a result, Hindus have no difficulty embracing Christ as another path to moksha. But Christ
says of Himself “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.” (John 14:6). More than that, Christ’s path is not another yoga or yoke which we must bear. Instead,
Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves (Colossians 2:13). He took our punishment and made
a way to salvation for us (Isaiah 53:5). And salvation is not the “non-existence” of moksha. Instead, it is life forever in fellowship with God and with one another, for all those who trust in Jesus (Revelation 22:1-7).
Reaching out to Hindus
Open your eyes to the world!
Talk together about the Hindus God has placed in your path.
• What are their names?
• Where do you interact with them?
• What characteristics identify them as Hindu?
• What do you have in common with one another?
• If you do not already have a relationship with the person/people you have identified, how might you plan to
develop relationships?
Here are some good starting places:
Loving Relationships – Engage your Hindu friends in a
relationship. Listen to them in love. A genuine, loving interest
and investment in the lives your Hindu friends will open up
opportunity to share the truths about Jesus Christ.
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Understanding - Try to understand the Hindu mindset. For
more information on the Hindu culture and religion, visit www.christiananswers.net/evangelism/beliefs/
hinduism.html. A general overview of Hindu beliefs will help you relate but remember not to get too bogged down
by all the differences between the Hindu religion and Christian teaching. Keep the main thing the main thing: the
Gospel’s saving power for those who have faith in Jesus Christ.
Sharing the Gospel – Where do I begin?
A Hindu neighbor, co-worker or classmate comes from a completely different cultural perspective than yours. Most
Hindus you meet will be immigrants or second-generation Americans. If they have recently moved here from overseas, they may already be questioning much about their way of life and ours. Remember that your responsibility
isn’t to turn them into mainstream Americans; your hope is to tell them the Good News about a relationship with
God through Jesus.
• Although Hindu beliefs seem complicated, do not be afraid to witness and share the love of Jesus. Hindus are desperately searchiing for truth. Their emptiness can only be filled by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Hindus are aware of their sin and of their need for salvation, although their religion offers them no sure hope. Ghandi (one of
Hindu’s most respected leaders) even wrote, “For it is an unbroken
torture to me that I am still so far from Him...I know that it is the
evil passions within that keep me so far from Him and yet I cannot
get away from them.” Hindus need to know that the penalty
for their sin was paid in full by the sinless life and the sacrificial
death of Jesus, the Son of God.
• Emphasize that there is only ONE Almighty God, and that He became man only once - in Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
• Share how Jesus was born as a simple man, and that He came to bring salvation to ALL people: rich and poor,
men and women, and those of all nationalities.
• Pray and trust in the Holy Spirit to use your Gospel witness to reach the hearts of your Hindu friends and
neighbors.
Hindus need to know
that the penalty for
their sin was paid
in full by the sinless
life and the sacrificial
death of Jesus, the
Son of God.
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