Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on May 29, 2012 at 8:30pm

@Davyd O

Well, I'll give you one point for not just falling into the religion of your family/culture without question.  Do you mind sharing the criteria that brought you to Hinduism?

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Permalink Reply by Davyd Ondrejko on May 30, 2012 at 1:12pm

I was a devout Christian, praying to God for guidance, and Sri Shiva revealed himself to me in a blinding light which knocked me to the floor.  No, I don't have any proof.  No, I can't really differentiate it from the multitude of other cases of people claiming to have seen God (under whatever name).  Or angels, or aliens, or inhabitants of Lemuria, or whatever.  Yes, I fully realize it may very well have been an hallucination or mental break of some sort.  No, I don't expect anyone else to believe me or change their lives based on this.

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on May 30, 2012 at 1:39pm

So, in sum, you're not telling us anything at all.

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Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on May 30, 2012 at 10:14pm

@Davyd

Did Sri Shiva say anything to you?  Have you had any sightings since?  Does your family have any history of mental illness?  How did you go about finding a Hindi temple near your home?

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Permalink Reply by Davyd Ondrejko on May 31, 2012 at 3:15pm

@Heather

1) No, not in words.  Following that experience, I did find quite a few writings from different religious traditions which seemed to be of a similar nature.

2) Nothing quite so dramatic, no.

3) I assume you mean my biological family (I was adopted), and I can't be totally sure of that, although I realize that depression and alcoholism run in the bloodline.  (Both of which I have experienced at times in my life, though not prior to the experience in question.)

4) I actually didn't.  I was living in a rural area of Pennsylvania at the time and it wasn't very religiously diverse.  Fortunately, I was attending a nominally Christian college with a well-stocked library and some professors who were quite knowledgeable regarding religion.  One of Hinduism's basic ideas is "Many paths, one truth."  I explored various religious traditions when I had the chance over the years, until I moved near a Hindu Smarta temple in Ohio and started attending there on a regular basis (until I moved to Texas, at least).  I met a scholar there who taught me a little Sanskrit and also discussed the religion from the point of view of someone born into it.  I also attended an ISKCON gathering a few times there.  Now I'm disabled and rarely leave my home, and don't really get to any churches/temples/etc.

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Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on May 31, 2012 at 10:03pm

@Davyd

Ok, but did you know your vision was Sri Shiva at the time you were having the vision - as in had you studied Hinduism previously and recognized Sri Shiva; or did you not know who Sri Shiva was until a later time when, upon reading some Hindu material, you recognized him?  How did that part work?

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Permalink Reply by Mabel on June 1, 2012 at 11:58am

Yes, I fully realize it may very well have been an hallucination or mental break of some sort.

@ Davyd - In other words, you are not 100% certain of your belief. What is the price you have paid, are paying, and will pay if it was a hallucination?

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on September 6, 2012 at 10:12pm

So, if Ahura Mazda had revealed himself to you in a blinding light, you'd be a Zoroastrian. I guess you're just the victim of whatever god gets to you with their blinding light first.

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Permalink Reply by Lewal on May 31, 2012 at 8:13am

I feel I'd be remiss if I didn't correct you here; Batman doesn't die, ever. He's Batman. That's just science.

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on May 31, 2012 at 9:09am

Batman is the only major "superhero" who is 100% human and isn't really a superhero. He has no nonhuman powers. He can't shoot spiderwebs, can't deflect bullets with bracelets, can't fly, has no special senses, etc. He's just a guy in a silly suit with a lot of gadgets.

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Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on May 31, 2012 at 10:43am

Batman has the greatest superpower of all - he's ungodly rich!

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Permalink Reply by Sharon M on June 3, 2012 at 10:39am

Gotta disagree with you there.... his greatest superpower of all is he's ungodly intelligent

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