The White Hindu
I am finally able to put into words something that has been tickling the back of my mind. It has to do with the relationship with God some people have. I think this may be a key difference between an Abrahamic conception of God and a Hindu conception of God. (Though it may be more due to individuals than particular religions. Just because I haven’t met Hindus who have this relationship with God doesn’t mean they don’t exist!)
So this commenter says “If you did something wrong, didn’t your dad punish you? How else would you learn?”
And I said that my dad didn’t murder my brother in order to punish my wrong doing. But then I started to think about this analogy of God as stern father. My dad doesn’t punish me now. I’m thirty-five years old. I’m a grown woman! In this commenter’s worldview, do we ever grow up?
I was finally able to put my finger on something that’s been bothering me for a long time. I see some people whose practice of their religion involves trying not to anger God, doing things because God commanded it (whether it makes sense or they understand it or not), dressing in a certain way to please God, eating certain things because God said so.
It all assumes we are children who need that guidance because we don’t know better.
We trust that God knows what is best for us and so do what he says. There may be stages in spiritual development where that is very appropriate. But does it last forever? Do we ever grow up?
When I was a child and teenager I was exactly like this. I felt virtuous for being a good little girl who pleased God. I liked to dress modestly and be all demure and submissive. I imagined God smiling down on me, pleased with my obedience. But then I grew up, learned to think for myself. I now chaff against rules. I have a compulsion to learn and discover everything for myself. I no longer value obedience or submission. And when it comes to extreme modesty, I just wonder why.
Too many religions infantilize people.
Too many religions (or religious leaders trying to maintain control) tell people, “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, we know what is best for you.”
My relationship with God is not as a father. I think God is a companion, a friend, perhaps a teacher. Someone who I am working with to develop my soul. There was an article I read last week that I loved that said God is a stepping stone towards moksha. Because while I think of God as a friend, in reality what I am here on this earth to internalize is that I am God. (And so are you).
“Because I said so” is not an appropriate answer to a grown woman.
We deserve to study, learn, and comprehend the full Truth. We can and should stretch, grow, learn, and understand what we are doing. If something doesn’t make sense to you, try to learn the reasons for it. Don’t accept “because God said so.” Too many people value ignorance and try to prevent themselves from thinking. Your relationship with God should not be keeping you ignorant and uneducated. It saddens me when people are proud of themselves when they are able to tamp down their own curiosity and intelligence in order to be good obedient children to God.
Just following the rules isn’t necessarily bad, of course. But I can’t respect people who follow the rules because they are afraid they will be punished if they don’t. I struggle to understand how people who are afraid of disappointing God. They have to be a teacher’s pet. So for example, why do some people not eat pork? Is it because they care about the suffering of animals or is it because God said so? You may say Hindus are the same way with beef but they are not. There is no rule from God saying not to eat beef. We don’t abstain because God said to. We do it for respect to the animal who gives us so much that they represent a mother.
Hinduism isn’t about rules and laws.
It isn’t about God keeping you to a narrow path and punishing any deviation. I don’t think any religion has to be that way but I’m shocked how many people seem to practice their faith in that way. Hinduism values knowledge and learning over obedience and submission. It also trusts that we are grownups and we are capable of understanding Truth.
It’s only some people who have this unfortunate conception of God.
The people who are happy to practice their own faith and let me practice mine, regardless of their beliefs, seem to be the ones who don’t see God as a stern parental figure (parental figure, maybe yes. But not strict, stern, and volatile). It’s the people who are desperate to convert me who are afraid to go too far off the prescribed path, who fear punishment. I wonder if they need to get the social support of others in order to feel safe. It seems they need for everyone else to be doing what they are doing. Someone thinking for themselves is just too dangerous.
A God worthy of worship is one who encourages us to think for ourselves.
One who is delighted to see us questioning and learning and growing up. We should not be children forever.
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Brian Hanechak
Amit Agarwal
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