I stumbled upon your blog only a few days back. I was extremely happy to see someone still raising voice about “the facts of Hinduism that values linked to it and its relevance to the Indian society as a whole”. All right thinking Bharatvaasis definitely should have your blogs link in the “favourties” section of the browser.
Since that day I have been an avid follower of your blog and extremely rich and praiseworthy comments from fellow viewers.
Regarding this blog, I feel there is a danger of Western society looking at Hinduism from a “Abrahamic” religion perspective and making some generic statements about Hinduism that its all encompassing – and that anyone following any religion , doing anything as per he wishes in trying to attain a truth , then he becomes a Hindu. All these westerners need to study deeply into the religions and philosophical teachings of Sr Madhvacharya, Sri Sankaracharya, Sri Ramanujacharya and all philosophers of the “golden” age of Hinduism. Then and only then conclude whether they follow Hinduism or not. A common westerner thinks that the divine Bhagavad Gita is the be all and end all of the Hindu religion (like like Bible/Quran is from an Abhrahamic religion point of view). A link on dharmacentral.com/universalism.htm which you posted on another blog has hit the nail on the head debunking “radical universalism” – todays Hinduism for neo-Hindus.
Not matter how globalised we become, its important that religion is strictly followed in its land of birth/orgin. Elsewhere its becomes a bit generic and cheap. Like Hinduism should be followed by all Indians, Islam by Middleeastern countries, Chritsianity and Jewism in Europe etc, for the simple reason that the religion and its characters can be closely associated with. For Bharatvaasis, Hindusism is more that just religion, its a question of our faith, belief, love and everything for all characters, Gods, demi Gods and Rishis and philosopers of the land Bharat. The common westerners will simply find it very difficult to easily associate with these aspects the way we do. Similarly the charatacters, kings, philosophers etc in Bible become quite irrelevant and may not be able to associate with them like Westerns do.
Thats why I feel religious conversion is extremely dangerous anywhere in the world (most definitely those done by Christian missionaries of India) This just degrades all good religions of this planet.
For me – religion is the guiding light but politics around it is a deadly poison – a rakshasa that can devour this beautiful mother Earth!!!

- proud Hindu
Vikram

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@ Kaffir: We need to be careful…before using such pithy phrases or accepting them based on their “feel-good” interpretation by others without first understanding the context.

Well said.

As for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, I hope you did read this post (from some time back).

That is slightly incorrect. The factually correct (and politically incorrect) sentence would be “Christianity has become irrelevant in the West.”

Second – “Christianity had served its purpose admirably for the simple reason that it was guided by a God who was given to reason.” If the Christian God is given to reason, then why go forcibly convert millions and fight centuries of war against non-believers?

Third – “This has been absent in Hinduism and we have paid the price by not leading scientific and political advance.”
This is totally disproved by history. Vedic Indian society was at the forefront of scientific and mathematical discoveries right until the Islamic invasion of India.
Even the most anti-Indian historians like Romila and Max Mueller will give that to you.

Fourth -”The ancient Romans had a religion not unlike Hinduism if the number of Gods to which they subscribed was the measure of it.Where they part company with India is that they excelled in politics, law and administration.”
Have you ever heard of a book called as Arthashastra?