I know there are similar base values, but someone told me today that the Hare Krishna's are considered a cult sect of hinduism. Is there any truth in this?
Oh, and please just stick to the religions above in your answer. This is purely an academic curiousity and not a call for conversion or preaching. Thanks!
2006-09-08 13:01:45 · 7 answers · asked by Switch Angel 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, they are indeed. Hare Krishnas are simply a weird offshoot of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a bengali school of Vaishnavism (followers of Vishnu). They look rather weird to hindus because they don't keep the strict caste system all hindus adhere to. They take outcaste Westerners (all Westerners are by definition) and suddenly turn them into high-caste Hindus (brahmins). That is absolutely impossible because caste is transmitted solely by BIRTH.
That why in the most sacred Hindu Vaishnava temples, like Puri (the famous Jagannath Mandir) non-indian Hare Krishnas are not allowed to enter, not even to approach within a certain distance. And indians HKs if they go alone, are ok, but if the temple pujaris realize they are HK, they won't be allowed to enter because they are thought to be polluted by contact with the other outcaste HKs.
So to real hindus, HKs are NOT hindus. But they do follow vaishnava hinduism in their life, more or less.
It's a bit even more complicated now because there are MANY indians (hindus) who became HKs, both in India and worldwide.
So in the real world, many hindus accept them, but probably will not let them (westerners) step into their kitchen!!!
PS if you need more info, email me. pls be specific in your questions. It's a big subject.
2006-09-08 13:16:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
Hare Krishna is the mahamantra mentioned in the kalisantarana upanisad. Hare Krishna people follow the sanatana dharma (the eternal dharma of the soul, i.e., being the servant of the Lord). Just like we can't remove saltiness from the salt, sweetness from the sugar, similarly, we cannot remove nature of servitude from the soul. In this world, even if somebody becomes the prime minister, still he is the servant of the people. So, an intelligent person should know this and start serving Krishna, the Supreme Lord by chanting His holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hinduism, however is a misnomer because the very term 'Hindu' or "Hinduism' does not appear anywhere in the Vedas, the books of knowledge. This term was coined by the Persians who pronounced Hindu in place of Sindhu while referring to the people living near Sindhu river.
2016-03-27 03:22:29 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, Hare Krishnas are to Hinduism a bit like Fundamentalism is to Christianity.
2006-09-08 13:05:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the top of my head,but I'm sure info on this is easy enough to find, the Hare Krishna religion sort of branched off from main stream Hinduism in the 16th or 17th century CE following a divine revelation from the religion founder, whose name currently also escape me. Following the revelation, he started dancing and singing the name of Krishna, hailing him as the only true god and encouraging others to share his revelation. This is why, until today, Hare Krishnas can be found everywhere encouraging others to share their faith.
The Hare Krishna reject traditional Hindu politheism as well as the casts system and see Krishna as the only true God as well as a religious guide, very much in the way that some christians view Jesus.
I hope this helps,
f.j.
2006-09-08 15:14:29 · answer #4 · answered by josephlincolnlordstanley 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yeah, Hinduism is a respectible religion, like being Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Budist etc.
Being a Hare Krishna, is more like that Morman guy with a ton of guys calling himself a follower of Christ... Kinda smearing the name.
Krishna is a Hindu God, which is "legitimatly" worshiped in India etc. but the "cult" worshippers are into weird sex practices and some kind of wierd drug stuff.
I had a friend who hitch hiked cross country for a couple years, he stayed at a Hare Krishna "house" for 2 days. He told me they had this "insense" burning EVERYWHERE which seemed to be drugged. You had to chant the whole time you were there...
They let them stay there over night, but they made them work till midnight and then made them sleep on the bare floor. They could never stop chanting. My friend said the insense/drug made it feel like he had been there 2 weeks when it had only been two days... He was kinda freaked out by the whole thing.
2006-09-08 13:11:34 · answer #5 · answered by Crystal Violet 6 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Hare Krishna believes that you can liberate yourself in one human lifetime and enter a spirit abode called Vaikunthaloka where the Creator resides. It is brainwashing to the fullest. Other is just about recycling your soul.
2006-09-09 15:45:42 · answer #6 · answered by Stephanie D 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Sure, OK. I'm not either one. One bothers you in airports, the other one does not.
2006-09-08 13:07:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋