Any Ex-Hindus Other Than Me?

[Aoi Magi]

I love hinduism.
They have loads of festivals, all year round.
Atheism is kind of a part of the religion.
Loads of great philosophy.
I like sanskrit as a language.
Great stories. I personally think the Mahabharata is better than game of thrones.




The main reasons you don't get many ex-hindu atheists is because:
1) Hinduism has become an cultural identity of the people, and it's hard to break away from that.
2) In it worship of a deity, or even a belief in one is actually optional. So it is hard to pin them down.
3) Most people in a, uh... "developing nation", are too busy earning a living to engage in intellectual philosophy.

[vorlon13]

I see the 'only in a previous incarnation' joke has been made so I will just slink away.

[genkaus]

I love hinduism.
They have loads of festivals, all year round.
Atheism is kind of a part of the religion.
Loads of great philosophy.
I like sanskrit as a language.
Great stories. I personally think the Mahabharata is better than game of thrones.




The main reasons you don't get many ex-hindu atheists is because:
1) Hinduism has become an cultural identity of the people, and it's hard to break away from that.
2) In it worship of a deity, or even a belief in one is actually optional. So it is hard to pin them down.
3) Most people in a, uh... "developing nation", are too busy earning a living to engage in intellectual philosophy.

On the other hand, you can't eat steak. So it kind of balances itself out.

[Aoi Magi]

I love hinduism.
They have loads of festivals, all year round.
Atheism is kind of a part of the religion.
Loads of great philosophy.
I like sanskrit as a language.
Great stories. I personally think the Mahabharata is better than game of thrones.




The main reasons you don't get many ex-hindu atheists is because:
1) Hinduism has become an cultural identity of the people, and it's hard to break away from that.
2) In it worship of a deity, or even a belief in one is actually optional. So it is hard to pin them down.
3) Most people in a, uh... "developing nation", are too busy earning a living to engage in intellectual philosophy.

On the other hand, you can't eat steak. So it kind of balances itself out.

Which of the original scriptures in sanatan dharma prevents you from eating steak? If I remember correctly, one of the upapuranas forbids killing cows, nothing about oxes or buffaloes.
Also during "bali" or animal sacrifice to gods, a lot of places sacrifices young male calves, guess what the meat is used for afterwards....

[JesusHChrist]

Can I be a no gods, steak eating, fornicating wine drinking member, just with more holidays?

If so, sign me up.

[vorlon13]

Do they celebrate Festivus ??

[genkaus]

Which of the original scriptures in sanatan dharma prevents you from eating steak? If I remember correctly, one of the upapuranas forbids killing cows, nothing about oxes or buffaloes.
Also during "bali" or animal sacrifice to gods, a lot of places sacrifices young male calves, guess what the meat is used for afterwards....

Who said anything about scriptures? Like you said, it is more of a cultural identity. And within that culture most forms of meat are frowned upon.

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Can I be a no gods, steak eating, fornicating wine drinking member, just with more holidays?

If so, sign me up.

Sure. That's what I used to do.

[downbeatplumb]

I've seen tons of ex-Christians and Muslims on the forums, but I haven't met any ex-Hindus yet. I wonder if it's just because of the relative number of believers, or if it has something to do with the religion itself.

So anyway, if there are any of you, what's your story? I especially want to know how you guys told your parents, friends, and the priests at your temples. I'm trying to figure out how to break the news and get people to take me seriously, and I'd love to know a way that someone else managed it successfully.

Retrolord has joined today. An ex-Hindu catholic.

[Retrolord]

I stopped believing in Hindu gods because I couldn't find where they drew the line between mythology and what they actually believe.
Example- they have a flood story in which Vishnu becomes a fish and guides the last living man to safety.
It is almost entirely regarded as mythology. But if it is mythology, does that mean vishnu never became a fish? So one out of 10 avatars never happened? Buddha is also an avatar of Vishnu, yet he says there is no god. There goes one more. So if only 10 out of 10 avatars never happened how can Vishnu exist?
Also other things- Ganesh rides a mouse? Hanuman (monkey god) flew to the sun?

[Aoi Magi]

Can I be a no gods, steak eating, fornicating wine drinking member, just with more holidays?

If so, sign me up.

Yeh, actually 'ganja' and 'bhang' (read marijuana) are a necessary part of quite a few celebrations, especially those involving Lord Shiva. And Indra and Varuni, two elemental gods are pretty much drunk all the time, the second one is also the god of wine, so drinking is quite acceptable. So yeh, basically in the pantheon there is a god for almost anything and everything you want to do, and you are free to do whatever you want.

I stopped believing in Hindu gods because I couldn't find where they drew the line between mythology and what they actually believe.
Example- they have a flood story in which Vishnu becomes a fish and guides the last living man to safety.
It is almost entirely regarded as mythology. But if it is mythology, does that mean vishnu never became a fish? So one out of 10 avatars never happened? Buddha is also an avatar of Vishnu, yet he says there is no god. There goes one more. So if only 10 out of 10 avatars never happened how can Vishnu exist?
Also other things- Ganesh rides a mouse? Hanuman (monkey god) flew to the sun?

Matsa avatar, I like that one because it seems to be a variation on the biblical Noah story, but more badass. The original text basically says the king followed a fish to lead his people to safety during the flood, the fish being lord Visnu, which can happen, similar to how you'd follow a mouse to get out of a sinking ship. But who cares about reality in religion as long as the stories are fun.

Buddha? Those who follow mahayana buddhism, do worship him as a god, and the concept of freedom from birth-death cycle is pretty much the same as Hinduism.

I don't have a problem with anybody riding a mouse. If Jerry can pick up Tom and run with him, what stops a little dirt-boy from riding a mouse? Regarding hanuman, I am more awed by him carrying a freakin mountain on his palm and flying with it, than him flying to the sun. But hey, he is Hanu-man, the worlds first superhero before super-man and bat-man, how cool is that?