Spring Break
Hindu lecture clears up misconceptions about religion
Religion
Claire Wilson
Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: News
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UA professor Subra Bhat gave a lecture Monday afternoon in the Union Theater titled "Hinduism 101," in which he explained how Hinduism fits the standard definition of a religion and defended the Indian caste system as part of the Hindu construct.
The lecture "started and ended with prayer with puja," said Ketan Chawla. Puja can be translated as worship.
Chawla, the treasurer of the Hindu Students Council, explained that the group decided to have this lecture to clear up "various misconceptions about Hinduism especially about multiple Gods" and also the fact that the "caste system is looked down upon."
The goal, Chawla said, was to provide "basic clarifications about Hinduism" and answers to questions that he commonly hears, such as asking "if we worship cows."
"India has one-fifth of the world's population, but Hinduism is not considered a religion," Bhat said. "It is just considered a way of life."
Hinduism meets the various criteria of the major world religions as he sees them including subscribing to a single, higher god, the presence of prophets, and having a sacred text Bhat said.
"Hinduism is a monotheistic principle expressed in polytheistic ways," Bhat said. "The goal of Hinduism is to find the absolute Truth, with a capital T."
Many students attended the lecture to learn more about the central beliefs of Hinduism, including freshman Kathryn Crabtree.
"I like to learn about different world religions, and I thought that [the lecture] would be interesting and informative," Crabtree said.
"[The speaker] covered a broad range of what Hinduism is," said Crabtree, a pre-nursing and Middle Eastern studies major.
Bhat also included points in his lecture to defend several aspects of Hinduism that he said have often been attacked by Westerners, such as the treatment of women and the case system.
"Hinduism is often criticized for making women second-class citizens," Bhat said, "but when foreigners attacked India, women were kept at home for their own safety, to keep them safe from the invaders."
The lecture "started and ended with prayer with puja," said Ketan Chawla. Puja can be translated as worship.
Chawla, the treasurer of the Hindu Students Council, explained that the group decided to have this lecture to clear up "various misconceptions about Hinduism especially about multiple Gods" and also the fact that the "caste system is looked down upon."
The goal, Chawla said, was to provide "basic clarifications about Hinduism" and answers to questions that he commonly hears, such as asking "if we worship cows."
"India has one-fifth of the world's population, but Hinduism is not considered a religion," Bhat said. "It is just considered a way of life."
Hinduism meets the various criteria of the major world religions as he sees them including subscribing to a single, higher god, the presence of prophets, and having a sacred text Bhat said.
"Hinduism is a monotheistic principle expressed in polytheistic ways," Bhat said. "The goal of Hinduism is to find the absolute Truth, with a capital T."
Many students attended the lecture to learn more about the central beliefs of Hinduism, including freshman Kathryn Crabtree.
"I like to learn about different world religions, and I thought that [the lecture] would be interesting and informative," Crabtree said.
"[The speaker] covered a broad range of what Hinduism is," said Crabtree, a pre-nursing and Middle Eastern studies major.
Bhat also included points in his lecture to defend several aspects of Hinduism that he said have often been attacked by Westerners, such as the treatment of women and the case system.
"Hinduism is often criticized for making women second-class citizens," Bhat said, "but when foreigners attacked India, women were kept at home for their own safety, to keep them safe from the invaders."
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