Arbit wrote:Hinduism probably originated some 5000 years ago and has evolved over the centuries. Despite its warts, it thrives and draws seekers from around the world. IMO, several simple yet profound aspects of Hinduism have kept it relevant, whereas others that came before and after it have disappeared or struggle.
Many of us were attracted to the idea of a "Spiritual University" precisely because we were sincerely interested such things as the history and development of the human soul and religions. Instead, what did we get ... a dumbed down "bubble gum wrapper" sized version?
I suppose discussing the sustainability of the Hindu social and psychological model *could* be related to this topic in the way it influences Indians attitude to life today ... their collective genetic memory. I would have to agree with you in some elements, e.g. regarding the pluralistic model versus the monotheistic imperialist models of Islam and Christianity. India has a lot to thank the Sikhs for ... for saving it from become an Islamic state.
I also think you're also asking valid questions regarding why only Lekhraj Kirpalani or Virendra Dev Dixit speaking to God from their limited frameworks.
Wouldn't "God" interested in meeting new and more interesting people, and having slightly more interesting conversations?
Perhaps you ought to start a separate topic, e.g. "Re-evaluating Hinduism Post-BK".
Personally, I think climate and geography has a lot more to do with the success of any civilisation, and that their religious elements are relatively minor components to it ... except where it is a limiting factoring, e.g. not breeding (as per the BKs and others), or hereditary adherence only (as per Judaism and Zoroastrianism). I struggle with the whole idea of "Hinduism" as a separate religion. I tend to see "Hinduism" as just one express of the ancient animistic way of life that existed all over the world before the great empire builders started to utilise religion as a political tool.
Mr Green wrote:Karma ... Victims of circumstance like to make themselves feel better by believeing that perpetrator will get what goes around. It doesn't happen.
I tend to agree. It's largely just a mental "yukti", like forgiveness in Christianity, to help victims cope with their loss.
As a univeral mechanism acting on matter, it requires a *lot* of explaining that I just have not seen existing. You would have to remove these genetic causes/observations from the equation, and keep removing other explainable phenonema, and then see what was left.
I think you (Arbit) mentioned cases of good evidence of reincarnation ... which I know of. Could these be cases of genetic memory too? Personally, I can see the attraction of the soul equation as being stronger in such cases.
So where does "karma" exist? In the genes or the soul, or bits of both?
Genetic differences on the other hand ... I know a lot of Australians who are genetically equipped to survive up to seven days without water. They just drink beer instead.
Professor Hayes states elsewhere, “By sequencing the complete genomes of [two Africans] we were able to add 1.3 million gene variants to the [Human Genome] databases that weren’t there previously – simply because people hadn’t looked in Africa”.
I had not even heard of "genomic medicine" before. It's amazing the things you discover are going on in life when you don't spent all your waking hours going, "Baba, Baba, Baba".