Gen. 1:27

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Gen. 127
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HINDUISM
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HINDUISM
I. Background

• World Populations
• Christianity 2.1 Billion
• Islam 1.5 Billion
• Nonreligious/ Agnostic / Atheist 1.1
  Billion
• Hinduism 1 Billion

• USA Hindu Population
• 1900 1,700 people
• 1980 387,000
• 1997 1.1 million
• 2.29 million
• 2010 Over 2.5 Million

http//www.hafsite.org/resources/hinduism_101/hind
uism_demographics http//www.religioustolerance.or
g/hinduism.htm
http//www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.h
tml
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HINDUISM
I. Background

• Ancient Eastern Religion
• Buddhism Countless Pagan Variations
• Extremely varied beliefs practices no real
  orthodox Hinduism.
• Polytheistic and Pantheism, look within
  mindset.
• Affects Western Civilization
• New Age Movement
• Transcendental Meditation
• Wicca
• Holiness Movement 1800s

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HINDUISM
I. Background

• Hindu writings are massive (1400 B.C. to 500
  A.D.). 1. Veda (means wisdom) contains hymns,
  prayers, and ritual texts. Oldest.
• 2. Upanishads 800-600 B.C. Collection of
  writings, over one hundred still exist.
• a. A variety of writings including immoral
  stories to philosophy.
• b. Mark a change from sacrificial humans and
  magic formulas in the Vedas, to the mystical
  ideas about man and the universe specifically
  the Brahman, and the atman (the self or soul).
• c. Large influence on Gautama Buddha, the
  founder of Buddhism.

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HINDUISM
I. Background

• Hindu writings are massive (1400 B.C. to 500
  A.D.). 3. Ramayana An epic tale of India with
  24,000 couplets based upon the life of Rama, a
  righteous king. Supposedly an incarnation of the
  God Vishnu.
•   Mahabharata is a 2nd epic tale of India. 
  Story of the deeds of European (Aryan) clans
  consists of some 100,000 verses, from 400 BC to
  400 AD.
• Contains the Bhagavad Gita ("Song of the
  Blessed Lord). Most sacred to Hindus. About
  man's duty, which brings nothing but sorrow.
  Endorses bhakti (devotion to a particular god)
  as a means of salvation. Arjuna, main character,
  puts his devotion to Vishnu above his own
  personal desires. Ends with Arjuna devoted to
  Vishnu and ready to kill his relatives in battle.

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HINDUISM
II. Common Beliefs

• Brahman - The three-in-one god, composed of
  Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and
  Shiva (the Destroyer). 
• 1. Hinduism is polytheistic - worshiping the
  wives of Shiva (Kali), or one of Vishnus ten
  incarnations (avatars).  This is only the
  beginning.  There are literally millions of Hindu
  gods and goddesses by some counts, as many as
  330 million!
• 2. Hinduism is also pantheistic, asserting that
  all living things are Brahman (god).

Isaiah 4310 before me there was no God formed,
neither shall there be after me. Matt. 2819
Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit Gen. 11 In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth. Jer. 1023 O Jehovah,
I know that the way of man is not in himself it
is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
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HINDUISM
II. Common Beliefs
B. Caste System 1. Very ancient aspect of
Hinduism. By birth. 2. Four basic castes
(social classes), each with its own rules
obligation for living. a. Brahman (priest)
caste. b. Kshatriyas (warriors rulers). c.
Vaisyas (merchants farmers). d. Shudras
(laborers). e. Untouchables - Outside the
caste system, outcasts of Hindu society. 
Outlawed in India in the 1940s, still a very
real part of Indian society.
1 Cor. 47 For who maketh thee to differ? and
what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but
if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as
if thou hadst not received it? (James 21-9
etc.)
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HINDUISM
II. Common Beliefs
C. Karma - Every action, thought, or decision one
makes has consequences that will return to each
person in the present life, or in one yet to
come. D. Reincarnation - Aka transmigration of
souls, or samsara.  This is a journey on the
circle of life, where each person experiences
as series of physical births, deaths, and
rebirths.  With good karma, a person can be
reborn into a higher caste, or even to godhood. 
Bad karma can relegate one to a lower caste, or
even to life as an animal in their next life. E.
Nirvana - The Hindu goal, release of the soul
from the seemingly endless cycle of rebirths.
Enlightenment attained by becoming tuned in to
the Brahman within.
Heb. 97 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto
men once to die, and after this cometh judgment
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HINDUISM
II. Common Beliefs
C. Karma D. Reincarnation E. Nirvana
2 Cor. 510-11 For we must all be made manifest
before the judgment-seat of Christ that each one
may receive the things done in the body,
according to what he hath done, whether it be
good or bad. Knowing therefore the fear of the
Lord, we persuade men
John 146 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,
and the truth, and the life no one cometh unto
the Father, but by me. John 824 I said
therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your
sins for except ye believe that I am he, ye
shall die in your sins.
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HINDUISM
II. Common Beliefs
F. Three Possible Paths To Nirvana 1. Karma
yoga - Work your way. Very popular. Liberation
obtained by fulfilling ones familial and social
duties thereby overcoming the weight of bad karma
one has accrued. 2. Jnana yoga - Knowledge.
Ignorance causes rebirths. Dominant view, must
realize we are not individuals in order to become
one with the ultimate divine reality Brahman. 
Deep meditation, often as a part of the
discipline of yoga. 3. Bhakti yoga - Devotion
to one of the many personal gods and goddesses of
Hinduism.  Such devotion is expressed through
acts of worship, temple rituals, and
pilgrimages.  Favored by the common people of
India.
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HINDUISM
II. Common Beliefs
F. Three Possible Paths To Nirvana 1. Karma
yoga - Work your way. 2. Jnana yoga
Knowledge, Enlightenment. 3. Bhakti yoga -
Devotion to one Hindu deity.
Eph. 28-9 for by grace have ye been saved
through faith and that not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God not of works, that no man
should glory. 1 Tim. 23-5 God our Saviour
who would have all men to be saved, and come to
the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God,
one mediator also between God and men, himself
man, Christ Jesus, 1 Jn 521 My little
children, guard yourselves from idols.
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HINDUISM
III. Consequences
A. Logical Results Devalues Man - Man is not a
special creation and is equal to animals, since
all living things are equally manifestations of
Brahman. Man seeks to lose his individual
existence and consciousness.
Gen. 127 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him male and
female he created them. John 316 For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.
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HINDUISM
III. Consequences
B. Logical Results Sin Minimized You have
countless chances. Mess this life up? Dont
worry, youll work it off in the next life...
Sin is not against God, but only against oneself
(Karma) .

• Romans 323 For all have sinned and fall short
  of the glory of God.  Romans 323
• Romans 623a For the wages of sin is death

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HINDUISM
III. Consequences
C. Logical Results Souls Lost Hindus believe
that no religion teaches the only way to
salvation above all others, but that all genuine
paths are facets of God's Light, deserving
tolerance and understanding.
Rom. 1411-12 For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And
every tongue shall confess to God. So then each
one of us shall give account of himself to
God. Acts 412 And in none other is there
salvation for neither is there any other name
under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we
must be saved.
Let Us Look To Christ!
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