Non-Ethnic Hindus

[Schizophrenia]

I am interested in Hinduism, and I have been reading a bit, specifically regarding Krishna Conciousness.

I have noticed many Non-Ethnic practitioners regarding ISKCON, yet I have read that only Ethnic Hindis may practice Hinduism.

Anyone got a straight answer regarding this?

[Brah Brah Bro]

the idea of 'ethnic hindis" seems off to me im not really a great authority on the demographics of india but there are so many ethnic groups bengali, punjab, etc. that are all hindus that what your saying doesn't seem to make that much sense. were they trying to talk about non caste groups? like indigenous groups that aren't even a part of the traditional hindu caste system? anyway I've never heard anyone make the case that hinduism ISNT for everybody

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

To my knowledge anyone can be Hindu and if I were Hindu, I'd be an Aghori.

[Astarte]

I am interested in Hinduism, and I have been reading a bit, specifically regarding Krishna Conciousness.

I have noticed many Non-Ethnic practitioners regarding ISKCON, yet I have read that only Ethnic Hindis may practice Hinduism.

Anyone got a straight answer regarding this?

I think the connection with Hinduism and Indian origin is more related to the sacredness of the Ganges River, meaning, being far from it for too long might impinge upon successful practice of Hinduism in an orthodox sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganges_in_Hinduism

[Sir Comradical]

I am interested in Hinduism, and I have been reading a bit, specifically regarding Krishna Conciousness.

I have noticed many Non-Ethnic practitioners regarding ISKCON, yet I have read that only Ethnic Hindis may practice Hinduism.

Anyone got a straight answer regarding this?

My cousin married a Hindu and now she's a Hindu, so no problems there. Who cares anyway? Where in the Gita or wherever else does it say you can't call yourself a Hindu? If you want to get into Hinduism, just read the sacred texts, but don't swallow everything because there's a lot of dumb shit like the Manusmruti.

[manic expression]

Yes, anyone can be a Hindu. The only things you'll run into are: most Hindus aren't used to non-Indian/Balian Hindus, so if you go to a mandir you might draw a few looks (they're just curious, it's still very welcoming). If you're in India and you haven't married into a caste, some people might still act in old-fashioned ways (so if you hand someone a cup of water, they'll expect you to put it on the table and remove your hand before they can touch it). That's really it, though. If you practice Hinduism, you're a Hindu.

ISKCON is absolutely full of non-Indians...but they're doing their own thing. You might want to head down to a nearby mandir and see how you like the more mainstream practices instead.

[Sir Comradical]

^ Are you Indian, manic?

[manic expression]

No, but the area where I grew up had a big desi community so I learned a lot about the culture from friends and their families, etc.

[ComradeMan]

I am interested in Hinduism, and I have been reading a bit, specifically regarding Krishna Conciousness.

I have noticed many Non-Ethnic practitioners regarding ISKCON, yet I have read that only Ethnic Hindis may practice Hinduism.

Anyone got a straight answer regarding this?

As far as I know that's absolute nonsense. Unless perhaps you stumbled across some dubious Hindu nationalism stuff. Hindus don't even really have the concept of conversion as such and there is no formal religious conversion as there is with Abrahamic religions or Buddhism. Marriage to a Hindu is usually seen as an automatic conversion anyway. "Ethnic Hindis"- I am not sure that Hindu is an ethnic term really and there are certainly a lot of non-Hindi speaking Hindus.


To my knowledge anyone can be Hindu and if I were Hindu, I'd be an Aghori.

Fascinating as aghorism is I am not keen on taking bites out of dead bodies pulled from the Ganges or living in charnel grounds.

[Nehru]

I am interested in Hinduism, and I have been reading a bit, specifically regarding Krishna Conciousness.

I have noticed many Non-Ethnic practitioners regarding ISKCON, yet I have read that only Ethnic Hindis may practice Hinduism.

Anyone got a straight answer regarding this?

Caste system is part of Hinduism, so yes, non-Indians will find it hard to fit into the system even if they do convert to Hinduism. Iskcon is a different story, since the founder wanted to increase membership - so he disregarded caste system and started initiating everyone.

[Nox]

caste

:thumbdown:

[Schizophrenia]

Thank you all so much. I have learned a good bit from your answers. :)

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

Fascinating as aghorism is I am not keen on taking bites out of dead bodies pulled from the Ganges or living in charnel grounds.

I was unaware that the bodies came from there. As I understand it they mainly live in the cremation grounds so I assume the bodies would be fresh. Eating flesh, meditating on corpses, drinking whiskey from skulls, smoking ganja, drinking bhang, dreadlocks, etc. I'm so there.

Praise be to Shiva!

[Sir Comradical]

No, but the area where I grew up had a big desi community so I learned a lot about the culture from friends and their families, etc.

Especially when you use words like that.

[ComradeMan]

I was unaware that the bodies came from there. As I understand it they mainly live in the cremation grounds so I assume the bodies would be fresh. Eating flesh, meditating on corpses, drinking whiskey from skulls, smoking ganja, drinking bhang, dreadlocks, etc. I'm so there.

Praise be to Shiva!

No they are not. Some castes of people for various reasons are not cremated and dispersed in the Ganges they are just ritually put into the river and float down it... :crying: That's where there supply comes from.

Here's a link WARNING IT CONTAINS SOME IMAGES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PknfxJHwpuI&feature=related

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

Here's a link WARNING IT CONTAINS SOME IMAGES WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PknfxJHwpuI&feature=related

I am the Baba of Fire!

Thanks for the link, I'm going to try to find the full doc.

[ComradeMan]

I am the Baba of Fire!

Thanks for the link, I'm going to try to find the full doc.

Aghoris are by no means considered mainstream within Hinduism and are actually reviled and feared- although respected, because a lot of what they do is in direct opposition to many other Hindu schools of thought. You might consider this book Aghora Volume I: At the Left Hand of God: Robert E. Svoboda (1986) ISBN-10: 0914732218: ISBN-13: 978-0914732211- I'd suggest you do some research about the Tantric traditions in general as well otherwise it may be hard to contextualise the material in this book.