I Don’t Live in a Christian World

Too often I feel like we fall into the mindset of seeing the world the way Christianity has dictated and we’re playing on their field. We explain and justify our beliefs and rituals through the lens of how Christianity sees them. I refuse to play that game. I refuse to live my life based on what Christianity deems good or bad. Let Christians see the world the way their religion explains it and let us see the world how ours explains it. If you’re Christian then it makes sense to see the world as Christianity interprets it. But if you’re not, then why would you?

Evangelicals are changing the face of religion (in America anyway) and trying to force us all to play their game. They want to play “who is the most right?” and they set the rules for that game. But you know what? We don’t have to play at all! We don’t have to prove anything to them. We can just live our lives, do our rituals, honor our Gods, enjoy our blessings, and leave other people’s religions entirely out of it.

This came up for me because there’s a disagreement going on over at Twitter about using the word “idol” to refer to a murti.

I think idol is a very good translation for murti. It’s not perfect, but translations never are. There are Hindus who find the term terribly offensive and say that I’m wrong for equating idols and murtis. This makes me wonder what they think the definition of idol is. To my understanding it is an image of a God infused with the power and energy of the God. How is that not a murti?

To me it feels like being upset by the word idol is a sign that you’re living in a Christian world. The Christians have decided that worshiping idols is wrong. I disagree. Many Hindus are afraid of their Christian neighbors seeing them as idol worshipers.

Why that fear?

Because Christianity has done a great job at making the whole world see them as the more civilized option and practices like idolatry as primitive and backwards. But it’s not true just because they say it is.

I say there’s nothing wrong with worshiping idols and we don’t need to behave as though there is.

This is just one example but I think this issue is very common and we don’t tend to notice it’s happening.

I urge you to reject worldviews that have been forced on you by other religions. You are Hindus and you have our own rules to see the world by. Don’t give in to those who tell you yours are wrong.