Thread by @VishwambharMule

#Hindu
#KnowYourDharma
Sanatan Hindu Dharma and Secularism :-
Now a days we hear lot about secularism and how it's in danger due to Hindu Dharma.Many people cry day and night saying that ''India is secular country and it's secularism is in danger." So what is the meaning of
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secularism? and does secularism really in danger due to Hindu Dharma?
The term "secularism" was first used by the British writer George Holyoake in 1851.Holyoake invented the term "secularism" to describe his views of promoting a social order separate from religion, without
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actively dismissing or criticizing religious belief. In Hindi secularism can be called as 'धर्मनिरपेक्षता' - neutral view to all the religions which is misdefined as 'Sarv Dharm Sambhav' i.e. all religions are same. I want to ask one simple question to these people who say all
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religions are same that,if you think all religions are same then why have so many religions? Come to our Hindu Dharma and let's have only one religion.
If we analyse further about Sanatan Hindu Dharma and all other religions we see lot of differences. The first and main
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difference between Hindu Dharma and other religions is we cannot call Islam as 'Islamic Dharma' or Christianity as 'Christian Dharma' beacause the concept of 'Dharma' in Hindu Dharma is all together different,which I have explained in my last thread. We also cannot call Hindu
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Dharma as 'Hinduism' because the term 'ism' means the fixed doctrine of something i.e. a fixed book or fixed person. Whereas in Hindu Dharma we have "एकं सत् विप्राः बहुधा वदन्ति।" meaning the one truth(Brahman) is taught in many different ways. So Hinduism is exactly opposite
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to Hindu Dharma.
Another difference is about belief system, in Hindu Dharma we do not have concept of only one book and only one belief. Here a person is free to choose his path to know oneself and by knowing it he or she will acquire the ultimate goal of human life -

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'मुक्ति'(liberation).Whereas in the religious belief systems,which came later in time, are either limitations or distortions.Offshoots of Hindu dharma, like Buddhism,are limitations of the vast ocean of knowledge,because they demand from the follower to identify with only one
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of the sages or one set of texts. The Abrahamic religions are distortions because they demand not only blind belief in a Supreme Intelligence (in English called God), but also blind belief in wild claims about this God. So only Hindu Dharma gives us the freedom to choose the
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path and enjoy our life then, how does secularism comes in danger due to Hindu Dharma?
The next difference between Hindu Dharma and other religions is the concept of 'कर्म'(Karma) and 'कर्मविपाक'(the suffering due to Karma).The Neetisara says,
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'अवश्यमनुभोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभं |
नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म कल्पकोटिशतैरपि || -नीतिसार'
One is bound to bear the fruits of one's good or bad deeds.The karma does not diminish even after Billions of Kalp (Days of Brahma,which is equivalent to 4,32,00,00,000 years of man),
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without experiencing the fruits. Simply Hindu Dharma says your life is your making only and you will have indulgence of every karma.Whereas other religions ask people to just surrender to God and all your sins will be forgiven.
One more important difference is Hindu Dharma
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encourages asking intelligent questions and using one’s intelligence to its fullest in the search for truth.Yet other religions don’t want their followers to ask any questions or use their intelligence but want them to meekly accept what they are taught as ‘the one and only
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one human being and it divides humanity into those who follow this particular person and those who don’t.Those who don’t are dehumanized as unbelievers or heathen.
The concept of God in the Abrahamic religions and in Hindu Dharma is very different.The Hindu concept which is
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clearly expressed in the four Mahavakyas of the Upanishads– 'अहं ब्रह्मास्मि,तत्त्वमसि,प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म and अयमात्मा ब्रह्म'- makes great sense. The eternal, all-pervading consciousness is the absolute truth and it is the essence in all of this varied manifestation.
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The God of the Abrahamic religions in contrast is on the relative level. He(male) is separate from his creation and biased towards his followers. They say that at the last day of universe God will come and will take all the believers to the Heaven.
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In Sanatan Hindu Dharma we say 'वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्' meaning this earth is like one family and 'सर्वेपि सुखिनः सन्तु, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः।' meaning may all be happy and healthy. We always pray for all the living beings.We do not have concept of conversion. In contrast other
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religions classify humans in two categories one is believers and second non believers.Their aim in life is to make all non - believers as believers at any cost.Either accept their religion or accept death. These are some differences which I think make
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Sanatan Hindu Dharma unique in it's nature. Now I will ask readers to decide that does all the religions are same or not..!
Thank you..!
Jay Shriram..!

Reference:-
Hindu scholar Maria Wirth's interview.

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