Competing Religious Competing Religious Worldviews:Worldviews:

HinduismHinduism

APOL 6543APOL 6543

Jesus Christ: “I came to testify to the truth.”

Pontius Pilate: “What is truth?”

Context firstContext firstWhy compare religions?Why compare religions?

One Point of View:“Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” -Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:13-14)

I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:6)

God

Islam

Buddhism

Mysticism

Ba’hai

Another Point of View: Different Paths to the Same Goal?

Are all religions on the same Are all religions on the same path?path?

• There is some similarity between most or all religions

• But…. On the most basic level of theology, all other religions (except Judaism?) are incommensurate with Christianity

• If Hinduism is right, then Jesus Christ is a deceiver and an enemy of truth.

The Bible and other worldviewsThe Bible and other worldviews• If Genesis 1:1 is true then animism, polytheism, and

pantheism are false

• How should we interact with members of other religions?– Find common ground– Give respect when it is due– Acknowledge the good & do not make personal attacks– Highlight distinctions between in worldview & introduce them to

Jesus Christ– This is exactly what Paul did in Acts (Look at Acts 17:22-34 &

discuss)

Comparing worldviewsComparing worldviews• James Sire in The Universe Next Door (1997) defines a

worldview as “a set of presuppositions which we hold about the basic makeup of our world”

• A “Good” worldviewA) It is true (consistent with reality & what we know from

experience)B) It answers satisfactorily questions we need

answers (Ultimate reality, nature of humanity, life/death, knowledge, purpose, meaning, relationship, etc.)

C) It causes believers to be better than they would otherwise be

Throughout APOL 6543…Throughout APOL 6543…

• We are going to explore competing worldviews (religions exclusively but worldview would also encompass naturalism, humanism, etc.)

• Class discussion on the Christian worldview

Competing Religion #1Competing Religion #1HinduismHinduism

• Principle religion of India

• Approximately 1 billion adherents

• Began as animism/polytheism

• Evolved into polytheism/pantheism

• Hinduism is really not one single religion

Ganesh: A Hindu Deity

Brief historyBrief history• Aryan invasions around 1500 B.C.• Early animist religions merged with Aryan

(Persian) religion

• Gradually, a huge pantheon of gods spread down to major deities

Principle Gods of HinduismPrinciple Gods of Hinduism• Brahma

– Chief god of the pantheon

• Shiva– God of destruction

– worshipped as a male phallus

• Vishnu– Preserver and protector

• Krishna– The 8th emanation of

Vishna• Devi

– Chief female deity -> power animating the cosmos

Hindu ScripturesHindu Scriptures• Vedas Poems

– Ritualistic, circa 1300 BC• Upanishads

– Philosophical essays about Brahman, Atman, etc. circa 700 BC• Epics

– Mythic adventures of various Hindu gods• Puranas

– Mostly local legends, myths, & many local deities• Tantras

– Religious discussions and teachings

Important Hindu NomenclatureImportant Hindu Nomenclature

• Brahman• Atman

• Maya• Reincarnation

• Karma• Nirvana

• Universal soul• Soul, essence (part of a

Brahman)• Illusion• Disincarnated soul entering a

new body• Principle of cause/effect• Oneness with Brahman

Hindu WorldviewHindu Worldview• The physical world is an illusion (maya) – the physical

world is evil – suffering is illusory• Pantheism affirmed (Brahman)• When we die, atman (soul) is swallowed up into

Brahamn• Goal = escape the cycle of karma & reincarnation• Nirvana = oneness with the universal soul inside

yourself• Hindu worldview: man looking in, not out

Modern HinduismModern Hinduism• Yogic practices• Gurus (teacher),

Yogi (practitioners), Sadhu (Holy men)

• Transcendental meditation

• Hare Krishna

• Time is cyclic (a wheel of time)

• World is cyclically created by Brahman, sustained by Vishnu, destroyed by Shiva

Engaging with Hindus in apologetics…Engaging with Hindus in apologetics…• Hindu cosmology appears (responses)

• Physical world illusion (responses)

• Suffering and evil denied (responses)

• Class discussion