Download Hinduism: Facts and Thoughts

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Hinduism: Facts and Thoughts
Hinduism is the world’s oldest major religion still in practice. It originated from the Indian subcontinent. There
are about 1 billion Hindus in the world (3rd largest religion after Christianity and Islam), and about 900 million
of them live in India. In the United States, there are about 800,000 Hindus (0.4% of the population).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Directions: Read each “fact,” and then answer the “thought” part.
1. FACT: Hindus believe that everything in the cosmos is connected (Brahman), and some call this a version
of “God.” Additionally, many Hindus worship other, lesser “gods” (which are technically “parts of Brahman”).
There are 3 major lesser gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) and around 330,000,000 total gods!
Thought: If someone who believed in one God debated with a Hindu who believed in many gods
(manifestations of Brahman), what could a Hindu say in defense of what they believe?
2. FACT: Hinduism is the world’s oldest major religion still in practice. Furthermore, it is vast in the sense
that it is flexible in its rules and allows many types of acceptable worship.
Thought: To what extent does its age help or hurt the doctrine of Hinduism? Explain.
3. FACT: Hindus believe in reincarnation. They believe that the soul is born again and again as different
people, animals, or plants throughout time until it reaches perfection and unites with the cosmos (“moksha”).
Thought: What are your thoughts on the idea of reincarnation? Explain.
4. FACT: Hindus believe in Karma, which means “whatever goes around comes around.” In other words,
Hindus believe that our actions, both good and bad, come back to us some way in the future, helping us learn
from life’s lessons and become better people.
Thought: To what extent do you believe in karma? Explain.
5. FACT: Many (but not all) Hindus believe that it is necessary to have guidance from a “guru” to help them
with Hinduism and life. The guru is a religious person (usually an elderly male) that can be so important that
his influence exceeds a Hindu person’s parents.
Thought: In general, what person/group of people do you seek when you have questions about life?
6. FACT: Hindus believe in non-violence and non-injury in both deeds and thoughts.
Thought: To what extent do you think it is realistic to practice non-violence in thoughts and deeds?
7. FACT: In India, it is now illegal to discriminate against, insult, or abuse anyone based on their caste
(social class). However, India has had a long history of their caste system, similar to racism in US history or
class differences in European history. Thus, many argue that the caste system still exists in India.
Thought: In your opinion, what type of person in the US today experiences discrimination, insults, and
problems based on who they are? Explain.
8. FACT: Many Hindus are vegetarians. The cow is sacred to Indians, and they are very protected by Indian
law. Mahatma Gandhi - a hero in Hindu culture and a man who helped achieve Indian independence from
Great Britain - once said, “One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral progress by the way it
treats its animals.”
Thought: To what extent do you agree/disagree with this quote? Explain.