Yesterday I went to Indian Festival in Fort Lauderdale, and had a chance to converse with an interesting Indian. He was dressed in traditional Indian outfit, with different symbols from the Hindu religion. For anyone not familiar with Hinduism seeing this dress could come as a shock. There were 3 most prominent symbols drawn on the surface of his outfit: the "OM" symbol, a six-edged star (Star of David in Judaism) and the Swastika. Although I knew about the origin of those symbols, it still felt very strange to see swastika neighboring star of David on Hindu dress. A reminder of how fast people twist the world around us into it's complete opposite, and how quickly we (especially the Europeans / Americans) forget our history.
Another thing that surprised me, if not in content (because I already knew about this) then in delivery was his mention of Christ. Leaving no room for doubt, as if we were speaking of a widely known and non-disputed fact he informed me that Christ spent a dozen years of his life in India (starting from age 13, point after which Bible is skipping right to his 30s), and that he died in India, returning there after crucifixion.
There was also another thing he mentioned, one that really took me by surprise. Religion, he said, was European invention. Before Europeans came to India and explained to everyone that they are religious, and are practicing this or that religion, the concept itself did not exist in that society. There was no religion, and one couldn't be religious, atheist, or agnostic. There was simply a way of life. One or another. That's it. And now that I think of it, the concept does seems very artificial. Nations that today preach religious tolerance are partly responsible for creating the need for it in the first place. How ironic is that.
Just a small chat with someone raised in a different culture, and the world stands on it's head, and truth, whatever it is, is banging on the door.
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Department of preventive strike and disproportional retaliation
8 comments:
What he didn't explain, however, was how Jesus got to India and what he was doing here. What about his family? What happened to them? And when did he have the time to learn carpenting if he was spending it in India/Tibet???
He didn't explain all those things because we talked for just a few minutes about this. However, many of those questions are, though valid, are not answered in bible either. In effect you are asking me if he filled even more blanks left by the bible.
As to carpenting, 1) you don't need 16 years to learn that 2) you can do it in india too 3) he could have learned the skill before the age of 13
Isn't the swastika a Native American symbol?
I didn't know about this before reading your comment here, but I googled it, and indeed it seems that native americans TOO have this simbol. While this is exciting to find out, it is not surprising at all. It is my opinion (based on reading I beed doing) that native americans are no-so-distant decendents of authentic (indian) indians. And they didn't come here over the Bering, but in ships, and not that long ago. One or two thousand years.
There goes Columbus. Although from what I read, the ships that brought them here were also operated by jews (indian jews).
YP: You forgot the Marsians!
It's all their fault!
Some of them were jews too!
tssst. I will tell you a secret, but don't tell anybody. some israelies are jews too! Now, how whild is that?!
If you watch some of the old silent cowboy/Indian movies, you might see a swastika or two.
wow, cool.
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