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==94:4. THE HINDU RELIGION==

==94:4. THE HINDU RELIGION==

94:4.1 With the passing of the centuries in India, the populace returned in measure to the ancient rituals of the Vedas as they had been modified by the teachings of the Melchizedek missionaries and crystallized by the later Brahman priesthood. This, the oldest and most cosmopolitan of the world's religions, has undergone further changes in response to Buddhism and Jainism and to the later appearing influences of Mohammedanism and Christianity. But by the time the teachings of Jesus arrived, they had already become so Occidentalized as to be a " white man's religion, " hence strange and foreign to the Hindu mind.

94:4.1 With the passing of the centuries in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India India], the populace returned in [[measure]] to the [[ancient]] [[rituals]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas Vedas] as they had been [[modified]] by the teachings of the [[Melchizedek]] missionaries and crystallized by the later [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmin Brahman priesthood]. This, the oldest and most [[cosmopolitan]] of the world's religions, has undergone further [[changes]] in response to [[Buddhism]] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism Jainism] and to the later appearing [[influences]] of [[Islam|Mohammedanism]] and [[Christianity]]. But by the time the teachings of [[Jesus]] arrived, they had already become so [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident Occidentalized] as to be a "white man's religion," hence strange and foreign to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu Hindu] mind.

94:4.2 Hindu theology, at present, depicts four descending levels of deity and divinity:

94:4.2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_philosophy Hindu theology], at present, depicts four descending [[levels]] of [[deity]] and [[divinity]]:

*1. 94:4.3 The Brahman, the Absolute, the Infinite One, the IT IS.

*1. 94:4.3 The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman Brahman], the [[Absolute]], the Infinite One, the IT IS.

*2. 94:4.4 The Trimurti, the supreme trinity of Hinduism. In this association Brahma, the first member, is conceived as being self-created out of the Brahman—infinity. Were it not for close identification with the pantheistic Infinite One, Brahma could constitute the foundation for a concept of the Universal Father. Brahma is also identified with fate.

*2. 94:4.4 The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurti Trimurti], the supreme trinity of Hinduism. In this [[association]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma Brahma], the first member, is conceived as being self-created out of the Brahman—[[infinity]]. Were it not for close [[identification]] with the [[pantheistic]] Infinite One, Brahma could [[constitute]] the [[foundation]] for a [[concept]] of the [[Universal Father]]. Brahma is also identified with [[fate]].

*94:4.5 The worship of the second and third members, Siva and Vishnu, arose in the first millennium after Christ. Siva is lord of life and death, god of fertility, and master of destruction. Vishnu is extremely popular due to the belief that he periodically incarnates in human form. In this way, Vishnu becomes real and living in the imaginations of the Indians. Siva and Vishnu are each regarded by some as supreme over all.

*94:4.5 The [[worship]] of the second and third members, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siva Siva] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu Vishnu], arose in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000_AD first millennium after Christ]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siva Siva] is lord of life and death, god of [[fertility]], and master of destruction. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu Vishnu] is extremely popular due to the [[belief]] that he periodically [[incarnates]] in [[human]] form. In this way, Vishnu becomes real and living in the [[imaginations]] of the Indians. Siva and Vishnu are each regarded by some as supreme over all.

*3. 94:4.6 Vedic and post-Vedic deities. M any of the ancient gods of the Aryans, such as Agni, Indra, Soma, have persisted as secondary to the three members of the Trimurti. Numerous additional gods have arisen since the early days of Vedic India, and these have also been incorporated into the Hindu pantheon.

*3. 94:4.6 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedism Vedic] and post-Vedic [[deities]]. M any of the [[ancient]] gods of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryan Aryans], such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni Agni], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra Indra], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma Soma], have [[persisted]] as secondary to the three members of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurti Trimurti]. Numerous additional gods have arisen since the early days of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedism Vedic India], and these have also been incorporated into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu Hindu] [[pantheon]].

*4. 94:4.7 The demigods: supermen, semigods, heroes, demons, ghosts, evil spirits, sprites, monsters, goblins, and saints of the later-day cults.

*4. 94:4.7 The demigods: [[supermen]], semigods, [[heroes]], demons, [[ghosts]], evil spirits, sprites, monsters, goblins, and saints of the later-day [[cults]].

94:4.8 While Hinduism has long failed to vivify the Indian people, at the same time it has usually been a tolerant religion. Its great strength lies in the fact that it has proved to be the most adaptive, amorphic religion to appear on Urantia. It is capable of almost unlimited change and possesses an unusual range of flexible adjustment from the high and semimonotheistic speculations of the intellectual Brahman to the arrant fetishism and primitive cult practices of the debased and depressed classes of ignorant believers.

94:4.8 While [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism Hinduism] has long failed to vivify the Indian people, at the same time it has usually been a [[tolerant]] [[religion]]. Its great [[strength]] lies in the [[fact]] that it has proved to be the most [[adaptive]], amorphic religion to appear on [[Urantia]]. It is capable of almost unlimited [[change]] and possesses an unusual range of [[flexible]] [[adjustment]] from the high and semimonotheistic [[speculations]] of the [[intellectual]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmin Brahman] to the arrant [[fetishism]] and primitive [[cult]] [[practices]] of the debased and depressed classes of ignorant believers.

94:4.9 Hinduism has survived because it is essentially an integral part of the basic social fabric of India. It has no great hierarchy which can be disturbed or destroyed; it is interwoven into the life pattern of the people. It has an adaptability to changing conditions that excels all other cults, and it displays a tolerant attitude of adoption toward many other religions, Gautama Buddha and even Christ himself being claimed as incarnations of Vishnu.

94:4.9 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism Hinduism] has [[survived]] because it is [[essentially]] an integral part of the basic [[social]] fabric of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India India]. It has no great [[hierarchy]] which can be disturbed or destroyed; it is interwoven into the life [[pattern]] of the [[people]]. It has an [[adaptability]] to changing conditions that excels all other [[cults]], and it displays a [[tolerant]] [[attitude]] of [[adoption]] toward many other religions, [[Gautama Buddha]] and even [[Christ]] himself being claimed as [[incarnations]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu Vishnu].

94:4.10 Today, in India, the great need is for the portrayal of the Jesusonian gospel—the Fatherhood of God and the sonship and consequent brotherhood of all men, which is personally realized in loving ministry and social service. In India the philosophical framework is existent, the cult structure is present; all that is needed is the vitalizing spark of the dynamic love portrayed in the original gospel of the Son of Man, divested of the Occidental dogmas and doctrines which have tended to make Michael's life bestowal a white man's religion.

94:4.10 Today, in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India India], the great need is for the portrayal of the [[Jesus|Jesusonian]] [[gospel]]—the Fatherhood of God and the sonship and consequent brotherhood of all men, which is [[personally]] realized in loving ministry and [[social]] [[service]]. In India the philosophical [[framework]] is existent, the [[cult]] [[structure]] is present; all that is needed is the vitalizing [[spark]] of the dynamic [[love]] portrayed in the [[original]] [[gospel]] of the Son of Man, divested of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occident Occidental] [[dogmas]] and [[doctrines]] which have tended to make [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_120 Michael's life bestowal] a [http://books.google.com/books?id=5Iw5IZCTh-kC&printsec=frontcover&dq=white+man&hl=en&ei=PhCUTPimFMH48Abh_LyRDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CFsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=white%20man&f=false white man]'s religion.

==94:5. THE STRUGGLE FOR TRUTH IN CHINA==

==94:5. THE STRUGGLE FOR TRUTH IN CHINA==