ORIGIN:
India, about 1500 B.C. to 2500 B.C.
FOUNDER:
No single person
ADHERENTS:
1998 worldwide: 825–850 million; India 780 million; Bangladesh
20 million; Nepal 20 million; Indonesia 7 million; Sri Lanka 3 million;
Pakistan 2 million. In Fiji, Guyana, Mauritius, Surinam, and Trinidad
and Tobago, over 20 percent of their people practice Hinduism. A considerable
number of Hindus live in Africa, Myanmar, and the United Kingdom.
U.S.: Estimated 1.5 to 2 million.
SCRIPTURES:
Vedas, Upanishads, epics, Puran-as, and the Bhagavad Gita explain the
essence of Hinduism. Hinduism is the world’s oldest surviving
organized religion. It is a complex family of sects whose copious scriptures,
written over a period of almost 2,000 years (1500 B.C.–A.D. 250),
allow a diverse belief system. Hinduism has no single creed and recognizes
no final truth. At its core, Hinduism has a pagan background in which
the forces of nature and human heroes are personified as gods and goddesses.
They are worshiped with prayers and offerings. Hinduism can be divided
into Popular Hinduism, characterized by the worship of gods through
offerings, rituals, and prayers; and Philosophical Hinduism, the complex
belief system understood by those who can study ancient texts, meditate,
and practice yoga.
GOD:
God (Brahman) is the one impersonal, ultimate, but unknowable, spiritual
Reality. Sectarian Hinduism personalizes Brahman as Brahma (Creator,
with four heads symbolizing creative energy), Vishnu (Preserver, the
god of stability and control), and Shiva (Destroyer, god of endings).
Most Hindus worship two of Vishnu’s 10 mythical incarnations:
Krishna and Rama. On special occasions, Hindus may worship other gods,
as well as family and individual deities. Hindus claim that there are
330 million gods. In Hinduism, belief in astrology, evil spirits, and
curses also prevails.
Christian Response: If God (Ultimate Reality) is impersonal, then the
impersonal must be greater than the personal. Our life experiences reveal
that the personal is of more value than the impersonal. Even Hindus
treat their children as having more value than a rock in a field. The
Bible teaches that God is personal and describes Him as having personal
attributes. The Bible regularly describes God in ways used to describe
human personality. God talks, rebukes, feels, becomes angry, is jealous,
laughs, loves, and even has a personal name (Gen. 1:3; 6:6, 12; Ex.
3:15; 16:12; 20:5; Lev. 20:23; Deut. 5:9; 1 Sam. 26:19; Ps. 2:4; 59:9;
Hos. 1:8–9; Amos 9:4; Zeph. 3:17). The Bible also warns Christians
to avoid all forms of idolatry (Gen. 35:2; Ex. 23:13; Josh. 23:7; Ezek.
20:7; 1 Cor. 10:20). No idol or pagan deity is a representation of the
true God. They are all false deities and must be rejected.
CREATION:
Hindus accept various forms of pantheism and reject the Christian doctrine
of creation. According to Hinduism, Brahman alone exists; everything
is ultimately an illusion (maya). God emanated itself to cause the illusion
of creation. There is no beginning or conclusion to creation, only endless
repetitions or cycles of creation and destruction. History has little
value since it is based on an illusion.
Christian Response: Christianity affirms the reality of the material
world and the genuineness of God’s creation. The Bible declares
that all is not God. God is present in His creation but He is not to
be confused with it. The Bible teaches that in the beginning God created
that which was not God (Gen. 1:1ff; Heb 11:3). The Bible contradicts
pantheism by teaching creation rather than pantheistic emanation. The
Bible issues strong warnings to those who confuse God with His creation
(Rom. 1:22–23). God created the world at a definite time and will
consummate His creation (2 Pet. 2:12–13). Christianity is founded
upon the historical event of God’s incarnation in Jesus Christ
(John 1:1–14).
MAN:
The eternal soul (atman) of man is a manifestation or “spark”
of Brahman mysteriously trapped in the physical body. Samsara, repeated
lives or reincarnations, are required before the soul can be liberated
(moksha) from the body. An individual’s present life is deter-mined
by the law of karma (actions, words, and thoughts in previous lifetimes).
The physical body is ultimately an illusion (maya) with little inherent
or permanent worth. Bodies generally are cremated, and the eternal soul
goes to an intermediate state of punishment or reward be-fore rebirth
in another body. Rebirths are experienced until karma has been removed
to allow the soul’s re-absorption into Brahman.
Christian Response: People are created in God’s image (Gen. 12:7).
The body’s physical resurrection and eternal worth are emphasized
in John 2:18–22 and 1 Corinthians 15. The Bible declares, “And
as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Heb. 9:27–28,
KJV). Since we die only once, reincarnation cannot be true. Instead
of reincarnation, the Bible teaches resurrection (John 5:25). At death,
Christians enjoy a state of conscious fellowship with Christ (Matt.
22:32; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23) to await the resurrection and heavenly
reward. A person’s eternal destiny is determined by his or her
acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (John 3:36;
Rom. 10:9–10).
SIN:
Hindus have no concept of rebellion against a holy God. Ignorance of
unity with Brahman, desire, and violation of dharma (one’s social
duty) are humanity’s problems.
Christian Response: Sin is not ignorance of unity with Brahman, but
is rather a willful act of rebellion against God and His commandments
(Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 1:28–32; 2:1–16; 3:9,19; 11:32; Gal. 3:22;
1 John 1:8–10). The Bible declares, “All have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, NIV).
SALVATION:
There is no clear concept of salvation in Hinduism. Moksha (freedom
from infinite being and self-hood and final self-realization of the
truth) is the goal of existence. Yoga and meditation (especially raja-yoga)
taught by a guru (religious teacher) is one way to attain moksha. The
other valid paths for moksha are: the way of works (karma marga), the
way of knowledge (jnana marga), and the way of love and devotion (bhakti
marga). Hindus hope to eventually get off the cycle of reincarnation.
They believe the illusion of personal existence will end and they will
become one with the impersonal God.
Christian Response: Salvation is a gift from God through faith in Jesus
Christ (Eph. 2:8–10). Belief in reincarnation opposes the teaching
of the Bible (Heb. 9:27). The Christian hope of eternal life means that
all true believers in Christ will not only have personal existence but
personal fellowship with God. It is impossible to earn one’s salvation
by good works (Titus 3:1–7). Religious deeds and exercises cannot
save (Matt. 7:22–23; Rom 9:32; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8–9).
WORSHIP:
Hindu worship has an almost endless variety with color symbolism, offerings,
fasting, and dance as integral parts. Most Hindus daily worship an image
of their chosen deity, with chants (mantras), flowers, and incense.
Worship, whether in a home or temple, is primarily individualistic rather
than congregational.
HINDUS IN THE UNITED STATES
• Traditional movements include the Ramakrishna Mission and Vedanta
Societies, Sri Aurobindo Society, Satya Sai Baba Movement, Self-Realization
Fellowship, and International Sivananda Yoga Society.
• Hindu-based sects include the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (Hare Krishna), Transcendental Meditation, Vedanta Society,
Self-Realization Fellowship, Theosophy, and Eckankar.
• Sects that have “Americanized” Hindu concepts include
Church of Christ, Scientists (Christian Science); Unity School of Christianity;
and several groups within the New Age Movement.
WITNESSING TO HINDUS
• Pray and trust the Holy Spirit to use the gospel message to
reach the heart and mind of your Hindu friend.
• Share your personal faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Keep your testimony short.
• Stress the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as God’s revelation
of Himself.
• Stress the necessity of following Jesus to the exclusion of
all other deities.
• Keep the gospel presentation Christ-centered. • Share
the assurance of salvation that God’s grace gives you and about
your hope in the resurrection. Make sure you communicate that your assurance
is derived from God’s grace and not from your good works or your
ability to be spiritual (1 John 5:13). • Give a copy of the New
Testament. If a Hindu desires to study the Bible, begin with the Gospel
of John. Point out passages that explain salvation.
N.S.R.K. Ravi, Interfaith Evangelism Team. Copyright 1999 North American
Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Alpharetta, Georgia.
All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
