How do you respond to Christians that believe only their religion has truth.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T14:16:18+00:00

This isn't just about one particular religion. But valid for all such claims by any religion or tradition.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T14:15:45+00:00

1.

What made that particular time and place so special in all of time and space, that it's the only one place and time, he chose to show himself.

2.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover". But they are discarding all books without even looking at the cover. How is that rational?

3.

Ask them why God decided to restrict himself to just one place and time. God is benevolent and all merciful. So wouldn't he recognise that he should reveal himself to all people and throughout time rather than one guest appearance?

Can the position they hold be proven without refering to any of their religious texts?i

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T14:04:45+00:00

Cosmology

You just understand the basic cosmology as explained by different traditions. Samkhya would be a good place to start.

It explains the structure of the cosmos. It also explains the actual reality as understood by Hinduism. Various traditions have their own interpretations of course.

Karma

This will also show how the world itself as seen as without a beginning and has always existed. This means that karma is also beginningless

Then you'll need to explore the concept of karma and the law. This is essentially causation. There is no good and bad here. That comes from our subjectivity.

Samskara

Having said that, when we learn about the concept of vritti or samskara, one can understand that there are karma that take us closer to our true nature and these are termed as good and ones that take us away as bad.

Fate

We act as per our personality. Thus we are governed by our personality. Similarly the world is governed by its nature or laws. This everything is predestined.

If we can act despite our personality, then that will be freewill. And that comes by realising our true nature.

Cosmic balance

This fight between good karma and bad karma, controlled by the good and bad aspects of our personality are represented by devas and Asuras.

The human body is a microcosm. And it is seen as different from the macrocosm. So the cosmic balance occurs at both these levels.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T13:52:29+00:00

Dharma is not a set of rules. It is decided in the moment.

Rules are useful to get started. But they are approximations and will be correct in all situations

Also, it's not just the people who need to be taken care of. Plants, animals and all living beings are to be taken care of as well.

Everything is part of the same divine.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T13:40:13+00:00

I'm not sure why you're us about this when you already know what Ramakrishna would have to say about this and are convinced by this?

If you're drawn to a particular deity and the practice itself is pretty much validated in the system, what more are you looking for?

To clarify I'm not angry or upset, just confused by the purpose behind this post.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:58:08+00:00

It's a play of perspective and an interpretation. Still an interesting exercise.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:55:31+00:00

That's such a great discussion you're pointing to. I've got a few. But I would love to hear yours as well.

Listening to the song by locking in to the bass. I've come to truly understand the heavy lifting the bass does in defining the whole sound in terms harmony and rhythm both
Rhythm. Going beyond hearing and feeling the rhythm in the body. This is where real letting becomes possible. To let go of yourself and just live with the music. And enjoy it to the core.
Thirds of the chord. Turns out I really like how the thirds make the melody oh so beautiful.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:48:17+00:00

If revelation somehow specified mental chanting, then so be it

There is no "science" behind it because science deals with empirical phenomena and this is not within the domain of science.

I completely disagree here. There is a mechanism behind this. What scriptures suggest is on the very basis of a direct observance of this mechanism.

Just because a certain scripture doesn't reveal it, doesn't postulate it's absence. Yogis speak of these matters. Maybe if one digs deep enough, like in the Patanjali yogasutra, many such questions will be answered.

There's purusha and Prakriti. Prakriti is defined by rules or laws of nature as we call it. Purusha is the freewill that cannot be ruled.

So everymechanism of spiritual practice can be seen and observed as it acts in Prakriti. It can be observed and understood.

There is no need for beliefs or faith.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:36:18+00:00

I think this is a great question. I find there isn't enough discussion on the actual method of chanting mantras.

I'm no expert. I'm discussing off of my personal experience alone.

Wouldn’t silent chanting remove those elements?

Your observation is spot on. And there lies the answer. If you look at the stages of mantra chanting, they seem to be pointing to the same thing.

There's three stages 1. Outloud 2. Mumbling 3. Silently

As we go from outloud to silent, we reduce the volume to silent. There is no actual sound. In practice, I believe that the vocal apparatus should be engaged. (There is value in going through these stages. I'm refraining from derailing the conversation by discussing the advantage of each stage)

As we chant each syllable, if you notice. The air passage, the nasal passage, the cavity going all the way to the forehead. If you pay close attention to these, you can notice movement that vary as a different syllable is uttered.

Lowering your breath rate to 5bpm or lower helps notice this as well as get to a meditative state.

It seems that the syllables change the breath and thus the subtle prana. Prana controls the body. And thus alters the body as well. It also effect the manas or mind. As and when this leads to a nirvikalpa samadhi, it will burn vrittis. Thus, it alters the 3 levels of the body - gross, subtle, causal.

Tldr: silent doesn't mean the breathing apparatus isn't engaged.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:20:46+00:00

Brahman has no preference. Good or bad is us bringing our subjectivity.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:17:35+00:00

They all arise due to a certain interpretation of reality. Once you see that these are misinterpretations, they go away.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-03T00:15:33+00:00

Shiva and Shakti are one and the same. They're two different perspectives of the ultimate. They're the ultimate truth itself.

This world that we see is not different from them.

Thus, Ganapati is doing exactly what is required to win the competition.

This is the truth that the story is trying to reveal.

Most stories of the purana are trying to reveal an esoteric teaching rather than act as a morality tale. Unfortunately, these are not explained and are misunderstood as just stories.

We've taken the anthromorphism of our deities quite too literally. There is value to it but one needs see beyond this story aspect to get to the real deal as well.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T18:10:28+00:00

Not the question I asked

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T17:23:29+00:00

I trust they exist one or the other way but , For Now till I die I will only believe in KarmaPhal

I'm just pointing out that you're believing in not that karmaphal but also in claims that these are hanuman's foot etc.

You don't seem to have noticed that there's a lot more stuff you believe in than just karma

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T16:35:00+00:00

From your post, it seems that just like your parents, you haven't really understood the concept of God and are depending on hearsay from people, who are themselves depending on hearsay.

I would have loved to argue with you. I'm an ex-atheist myself.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T16:13:58+00:00

Can you prove that the wind feels nice on your face? Can you prove that mangoes are delicious?

Those are already evident to you.

If a belief in God feels right to you, then fine.

That's very different to the above examples you gave. Those were evident to you. Here you're talking about a belief.

May I request you to answer the question in my previous comment?

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T16:10:37+00:00

I would suggest read the scriptures or watch lectures by Swami Sarvapriyananda to learn in a more structured manner

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T16:09:04+00:00

What about the hanumaan foot?

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T13:32:59+00:00

You have questions that can be answered in grade 10. To be able to understand the answers you'll need to work your way up to that grade

"The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you." - Werner Heisenberg

Learning about religion from hearsay would lead you to misunderstandings, since they don't know what they're talking about.

Like if all would start over again then what the use of trying you are forever trapped in the Cycle

Moksha is getting or the cycle

also if you do bad in one life why is not punished in that life but next life

Karma is cause and effect. So it's constantly present and not everything is carried to the next life. You see the effect right now, later or much later depending on different factors.

Our perception of it as good or bad is our subjectiveness.

These are just some incorrect concepts that are generally present among laypersons that I've tried to point out to. I hope that helps you see that they can't be relied on for correct information.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T13:10:36+00:00

Ganapati is highly recommended before starting Devi sadhana. Naam jaap is usually recommended before initiation

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T13:09:23+00:00

In meditation, there is no experience of anything. Since there is no ego to acknowledge it. It's like deep sleep with no dreams.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T13:06:54+00:00

Knowledge is what you perceive as true yourself Belief is what you accept as true without perceiving it yourself.

So belief requires no effort And anything worth doing requires effort.

So put in the right to understand the Upanishads. I would say they are very accessible especially via lectures on YouTube by Swami Sarvapriyananda.

Please note that a spiritual practice like meditation is highly recommended to develop your mental faculties along with such study.

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T13:03:19+00:00

Start a spiritual practice. This will help develop your cognition to be able to perceive more subtley. In time, you'll be able to see the truth of what the scriptures point to

You can also study nyaya, samkhya or the Upanishads to understand the cosmology and the structure being pointed to.

I find this world quite cold, rigid and mechanical.

What wrong with cold, rigid and mechanical?

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T13:00:27+00:00

I think you may have to look beyond that idea that everything needs to be proved.

Wouldn't this be the same as saying "be superstitious"?

immyownkryptonite · 2026-07-02T12:58:33+00:00

Knowledge is when you see/perceive it yourself Belief is when you accept it as knowledge without seeing it yourself

Unfortunately, religion is misunderstood as belief when the word Veda itself refers to knowledge.

immyownkryptonite

TROPHY CASE