When and How Did the Hindu Religion Originate?

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Roh_Chris

Senior Member
Jun 15, 2014
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#41
Three hundred thirty MILLION gods?!

Which one do you talk to when you pray?
It depends on who is your family deity (like how every family has its own doctor) and also on what is your need. There is a god for every need - protection, war, wealth, wisdom, etc. However, some gods are universal and are worshipped by all hindus.

Excellent information, guys. Thanks so much!

Roh_Chris, another fascinating post from you (but I do question your timeline).

Ancient worshippers of the 5 elements - around 4,000 B.C. (or even earlier?)
Occurrence of Brahma - around 2,500 B.C. (if he is indeed Abraham)
(More additions to their gods thereafter)
Early Sanskrit inscriptions - between 300 B.C. to 150 A.D.


Sorry for being a goober. :)

No problem, my booger brother.

I stand corrected with respect to the timeline. Yes, your timeline looks more realistic. You may want to check this book "The development of Hinduism" by M. N. Ninam. It talks about how Hinduism is likely to have originated and the connection between Abraham and Brahma. Before you refer it, make sure it is a credible source. :)
 
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Tintin

Guest
#42
It depends on who is your family deity (like how every family has its own doctor) and also on what is your need. There is a god for every need - protection, war, wealth, wisdom, etc. However, some gods are universal and are worshipped by all hindus.

No problem, my booger brother.

I stand corrected with respect to the timeline. Yes, your timeline looks more realistic. You may want to check this book "The development of Hinduism" by M. N. Ninam. It talks about how Hinduism is likely to have originated and the connection between Abraham and Brahma. Before you refer it, make sure it is a credible source. :)
Thanks, brother. I'm open to correction too. :) I'll definitely check out the book you mentioned (just found it online) and be discerning in my reading of it. I recently reserved two books from my local library: Sita's Ramayana (graphic novel form :p :)) and The Principal Upanishads.
 

Roh_Chris

Senior Member
Jun 15, 2014
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#43
Thanks, brother. I'm open to correction too. :) I'll definitely check out the book you mentioned (just found it online) and be discerning in my reading of it. I recently reserved two books from my local library: Sita's Ramayana (graphic novel form :p :)) and The Principal Upanishads.
Wonderful to know that!

I would be happy to work on this research with you through online collaboration tools. I will PM you right away. :)
 

Pheonix

Senior Member
Jan 17, 2007
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#44
I'm not sure if its been mentioned or not, but from what little I've read about the origin of the hindu religion, there is some link with the aryan invasion back in 3000bc or whenever. whatever religion the aryan followed became the dominant and gradually absorbed local customs, traditions and deities to eventually form modern hinduism.
 
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Tintin

Guest
#45
I'm not sure if its been mentioned or not, but from what little I've read about the origin of the hindu religion, there is some link with the aryan invasion back in 3000bc or whenever. whatever religion the aryan followed became the dominant and gradually absorbed local customs, traditions and deities to eventually form modern hinduism.
Interesting. Thanks. But 3000BC? That's well before the Great Flood. So the timeline is a bit off.
 

Pheonix

Senior Member
Jan 17, 2007
578
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#46
Interesting. Thanks. But 3000BC? That's well before the Great Flood. So the timeline is a bit off.
Yeah I looked it up after I wrote this and the aryan invasion probably happened about 1500bc. They went other places beside india but I get the feeling they had the greatest impact on the indian subcontinent
 
Feb 19, 2015
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#47
How is it that we know the history and founders of four of the five main world religions: (Judaism - Abraham, Buddhism - Buddha, Christianity - Christ Jesus, Islam - Mohammed) but not of Hinduism?

I ask this question, first because I find such things interesting and secondly, because if you know the history of something, you know the identity behind it. If you know the identity behind something, you also know how to argue/discuss the truth or the falsehood from a historical standpoint (discussing it from a spiritual perspective isn't difficult). We know why Judaism is superior to the other three religions, but even it doesn't stake up to the grace and hope found in Christianity. And both Judaism and Christianity can be verified, as they are firmly rooted in human history. There's even evidence for China being a country that worshipped the one true God before paganism took over and in a big way, so that accounts for Buddhism etc. not being the most ancient religion in the East (although you could be forgiven for not knowing that to be true).

For example, how would you witness to Hindus in a manner that they find relevant, if you and they don't know the birthplace of their religion? Of course, the Holy Spirit plays His role by way of revelation in speaking to their spirit to reveal their need for a Saviour.
Still, I would like to know when Hinduism originated and who founded the religion.

Thanks, guys.

I was deep into Americanized Hinduism before I got saved. It's an extremely powerful delusion because the experiences of people who practice emptying their minds in meditative trance-like condition seem very real.

When I witness to Hindu's, I try to focus on the thing I thought I never would have to face by believing in attaining enlightenment by my own efforts following a path of my own choosing; that thing is judgement. Hindu's believe they do not have to face judgement, they believe they will always get another chance to try to become enlightened untill they finally make it to being fully divine. This is nothing but a twist of the devil's desire to be like God, and the Hindu doesn't realize his dodging of judgment is a devilish desire. The deception is strengthened by experiences an individual can find through meditaiton..mindless meditation, emptying their thoughts to "transcend" the natural world.

The common thing in all religions is they teach that Hell is not eternal punishment. Some teach there is no Hell, some teach Hell is a real place of fire for punishment but God will eventually let everybody out of it...so what's the differentce? As long as they get to go without punishment in the end, after Hell is done or gone, they can do whatever they want to now.

You have to try to get a Hindu to see that they are listening to lying doctrines which are promoted by lying spirts. You have
to try to get them to question and doubt their experiences and teachers as being trustworthy. You have to tell them Hell is real and eternal and they need to be skeptical of the things they have been told in Hinduism

Hinduism I believe is the oldest of the Hinduisitic religions, Bhuddism is a twist from a smooth talking fat guy who changed a few things and made himself to be the most enlightened one of Hinduism. Americanized Hinduism has taken many forms, Zeroism is one of the new ones I read about.

It'a all existentialism. An atheist is existential in believing that simply because they exist outside of the fire of Hell now, it proves they have the right to live forever free of Hell.

Hinduism is the same existentialism as atheism. Try to plant seeds, but don't waste too much time with them. If they won't listen, they won't listen and you'll be wasting time. Set some bait of kindness if you can, if they are not hostile, but for the most part trying to reach them will be casting pearls before swine and they will turn on you and attack you and try to tear you down.

I won't tell of my experiences as a Hindu except when I find other born again Christians like myself who came out of it.
I don't want to in any way make the experiences which seemed to support hinduistic teaching into being something good, but I was very deep into it and it's a real miracle the Lord stopped me before I was completely gone. I talk to a lot of kids who like existentialism and hinduism, and a lot of adults. To them, I would have been a hinduistic master when I was in it. They don't know what they are dealing with and they think it's good. They don't realize the danger they face in Hell fire.

They don't realize they have no right to exist outside of the fire of Hell. Keep hammering around on this basic point, and your arguments will improve agaisnt Hinduism and existentialistic religions like Atheism.
 
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Siberian_Khatru

Guest
#48
SaintJoeNow said:
Hindu's believe they do not have to face judgement, they believe they will always get another chance to try to become enlightened untill they finally make it to being fully divine.
That seems incredibly ironic. Wouldn't this philosophy imply that there's a cosmic judgement after all?

There's a lot of interesting info in your post.
 
Feb 19, 2015
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#49
doesnt matter when Hinduism started or who founded it. The children of Noah spread and the nations of the world spread from them. Some of them were ungodly and invented their own religions the same as Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin with leaves when they hid from God in Eden thinking they could go their own way and live by their own works to cover themselves.

The different religions are all doctrines of devils from hell, and they all have some kind of twist of Satan's desire to reign as his own god in God's Kingdom denying God's right to rule over him and denying God the honor he deserved for creating beings who have intellectual, reasoning, and imaganative powers like His own. They all boil down to, like Satan, accusing God of not being good in their attempt to deny His right to confine rebellion in Hell so it will never again disrupt His creation.
 
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Breeze7

Guest
#50
Hey Great Thread and Forum TinTin. What a great discussion. I enjoyed reading the replies. Thank you very very much Rachel20 and Roh_Chris for the information you put forth. Thanks everybody but especially that background was nice.

I just wanted to add a little bit that I have found by happenstance or by life experience. Rachel20 you had mentioned that Pakistan and India were once togethor so to say maybe before those countries had those names. Well there are two famous archeaology sites on the Indus river or Sindhu river. The names are Homenjo Daro and Lolath. It seems ritual bathings and river worship were done at those sites. The ganges river in India is suppossed to be caused by the God shiva wringing out his or her hair after bathing. Many hindus worship at temples on that river. Another thing is at the time of the emperor Ashoka(the great) in India buddhism was accepted as the religion of the country. Ashoka dispatched people from his kingdom who traveled as far as Siam which is thailand now. These folks were said to have brought buddhism to that area near china. Heres another note. Ananda was known to be the closest disciple to the buddha. now the name ananda is used often in India. I have heard in India people name their children narayana or vasudeva because these were incarnations of god and to call your child this bestows you blessings as well as them. There is a great depth to the practices of the ancient indian brahmins and I don't think they mean any harm or offense to christianity. In fact they would hold christ as a very special incarnation of the supreme being and christ would be one of the greatest avatars likely. Finally there are some stories that after the ressurection christ went to india actually. There are stories that christ had a home in india.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
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#51
Sometime after Christ ascended................when man realized that they could not make a profit from preaching/teaching the Gospel of Christ............so they began to create their own versions.
 
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didymos

Guest
#52
Hoss, so what you're saying is that there were different Indian 'tribes' in the ancient past, each of which may have had separate beliefs and practices post-tower of Babel, that later fell under the blanket of Vedism that led to Hinduism? That's a start. Thanks. :)
Hinduism basically is a western term describing a whole world of traditions and pagan practices (a lot of them regionally based). Nobody 'founded' it as such. I suggest you study the 'Bhagavad Gita' too btw.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
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#53
Oh, goodness............somehow or other, I completely missed the word "HINDU" in the title of this thread.........excuse me, ignore my comment.......gotta go find my meds...........sigh
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
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#54
I was in fact a bit confused about what you meant p_rehbein... but then I was born confused so I considered it my normal state.
 
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Tintin

Guest
#55
Sometime after Christ ascended................when man realized that they could not make a profit from preaching/teaching the Gospel of Christ............so they began to create their own versions.
I was going to mention that Buddhism came about in 600BC and was an offshoot of Hinduism, but it seems this comment is no longer necessary. Also, Buddha came from India and wasn't especially rotund or particularly jolly.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
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#56
I was in fact a bit confused about what you meant p_rehbein... but then I was born confused so I considered it my normal state.
yeah...........I seen ya looking at me....... tomato.jpg


(private joke hidden within)
 
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didymos

Guest
#57
I was going to mention that Buddhism came about in 600BC and was an offshoot of Hinduism, but it seems this comment is no longer necessary. Also, Buddha came from India and wasn't especially rotund or particularly jolly.
... Buddhism is as much of an 'offshoot' of hinduism as protestantism is an offshoot of catholicism.
(Btw, recent archaelogical research may prove that buddhism may even be older than that)
 
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Tintin

Guest
#58
... Buddhism is as much of an 'offshoot' of hinduism as protestantism is an offshoot of catholicism.
(Btw, recent archaelogical research may prove that buddhism may even be older than that)
Okay, interesting. Thanks. Either way, Buddhism is much younger than Hinduism. And ancient China, as a nation, worshipped the one true God, Shang Di, up until about 800BC (when their godly practices and traditions began to be corrupted by some dodgy emperors, eventually leading to Daoism).
 
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didymos

Guest
#59
Okay, interesting. Thanks. Either way, Buddhism is much younger than Hinduism. And ancient China, as a nation, worshipped the one true God, Shang Di, up until about 800BC (when their godly practices and traditions began to be corrupted by some dodgy emperors, eventually leading to Daoism).
Which reminds me: you should read this too. :p


 
Feb 19, 2015
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#60
The context of Deuturonomy 12:30 is about STUDYING OTHER RELIGIONS IN ORDER TO PRACTICE THEM.
All you have to do is read the entire verse.

There is nothing wrong with studying other religions in order to witness intelligently to people.
Deuteronomy 12:30 is not a prohibition against study.
It's a a prohibition against FOLLOWING other religions.
All you have to do is read the entire verse.

The BEGINNING of the verse is about "following" other religions,
and the END of the verse is about "following" other religions.

I'm going to give Jeff_56 the benefit of the doubt,
and just assume that maybe the New Living Translation is unclear,
and Jeff was not trying to intentionally take the passage out of context.

Deuteronomy 12: 30
Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.


The underlined sections at the beginning, and the end, show clearly the context of the entire verse is about FOLLOWING other religions, and DOING LIKE THEY DO. It is NOT about study, or academic pursuits... it's about following other religions.
The warning was for the danger of studying strange Gods, warning agaisnt it because they may become a snare and you might pick up their religious ways and bring chastisement from God on yoursefl. We don't have to study other religions to witness to the people who are decieved in them. If we know God and are skillful in how we use the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, if the word of Christ dwells in us richly, we can answer all religions from the standpoint of truth without studying those religions. We need to grow in grace and in knowlege of the Lord, not in knowlege of other religions.

Once we know the Truth, He is to be our focus....to know Him, to grow in grace and in knowlege of Him, to understand the depths, and heights, and breadthe of His love for us which is unfathomable and a lifelong pursuit untill we see Him face to face. What you knew about strange religons was enough to know about them from the time you got saved, forever. God wants our focus to be on Him from that point forward. "If your eye be singe, your whole body shall be full of light". We as born agains believers are the enlightened ones. Studying strange religions is a waste of time. When it's necessary to deal with or answer somebody who is steeped in a strange religion, the Lord will give us the things to say and His Word will not retrurn to Him void if the lost will hear it or not.

All religions are basically the same, self-justifcation, the same as the devil's desire to justify himself to be exempt from Hell.
The difference in human relgion and devilish desire is that the devil knows he lost and is doomed to Hell, the religious won't believe it untill they can't get out of the fire. The religious don't know where they are going, the devil does.

You as a child of God with the Spirit of the Lord in you are fully equipped to answer anyboyd in any religion on a one on one basis. There is no need to study strange religions after you are saved and the passage does warn agaisnt studying strange religions. Most people will not listen, will not hear the truth. You just have to try to show them God's love, and tell them the truth, and it's better to walk away than to cast your pearls before swine who will turn on you and tear you to apart.