Today christianity is taking the thrusts of a foe that is all but
invisible to the faithful. And if it can, it will pierce to the heart before
declaring its name. The enemy is Hinduism, and the war being waged is a war of
dogma.
When Vedanta Societies were founded in this
country, around the turn of the century, first efforts were directed to
establishing that there was no real difference between Hinduism and
Christianity. Not only was there no conflict, but a good Christian would be a
better Christian by studying and practicing the Vedanta; he would understand
the real Christianity.
In early lectures, the Swamis attempted to show
that those ideas which seemed peculiar to Christianity — like the Logos and the
Cross — really had their origin in India. And those ideas which seemed peculiar to Hinduism — like
rebirth, transmigration of the soul and samadhi (or trance) were also to be
found in Christian scripture — when it was properly interpreted.
This kind of bait caught many sincere but
misguided Christians. The early push was against what might be called
"sectarian" dogmas, and for a so-called scientific religion based on
a comparative study of all religions. Primary stress was always on this: there
is no such thing as difference. All is One. All
differences are just on the surface; they are apparent or relative, not real.
All this is clear from published lectures that were delivered in the early
1900's. Today we are in great danger because this effort was so very
successful.
Now common parlance has "dogma" a
derisive term. But this scorn could not have originated with those who know
that it refers to the most precious heritage of the Church. However, once the
bad connotation became fixed, the timid, who never like to be associated with
the unpopular, began to speak of "rigid dogma," which is redundant
but bespeaks disapproval. So the attitude was insidiously absorbed from
"broad-minded" critics who either didn't know that dogma states what
Christianity is, or simply didn't like what Christianity is all about.
The resulting predisposition of many Christians to
back down when faced with the accusation of holding to dogma has given the
Hindus no small measure of help. And aid from within had strategic advantages.
The incredible fact is that few see that the very
power that would overturn Christian dogma is itself nothing but an opposing
system of dogmas. The two cannot blend or "enrich" each other because
they are wholly antithetical.
If Christians are persuaded to throw out (or what
is tactically more clever) to alter their dogmas to suit the demand for a more
up-to-date or "universal" Christianity, they have lost everything,
because what is valued by Christians and by Hindus is immediately derived from
their dogmas. And Hindu dogmas are a direct repudiation of Christian dogmas.
This leads us to a staggering conclusion: What Christians believe to be
evil, Hindus believe to be good, and conversely: What Hindus believe to be
evil, Christians believe to be good.
The real struggle lies in this: that the ultimate
sin for the Christian, is the ultimate realization of good for the Hindu.
Christians have always acknowledged pride as the basic sin — the
fountainhead of all sin. And Lucifer is the archetype when he says. "I
will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God. I will ascend above the clouds; I will be like the Most
High." On a lower level, it is pride that turns even man's virtues into
sins. But for the Hindu in general, and the Advaitin or Vedantan in particular,
the only "sin" is not to believe in yourself
and in Humanity as God Himself. In the words of Swami Vivekananda (who was the
foremost modern advocate of Vedanta): "You do not yet understand India! We Indians are Man-worshippers after all. Our God is
Man!" The doctrine of mukti or salvation consists in this: that "Man
is to become Divine by realizing the Divine."
From this one can see the dogmas of Hinduism and
Christianity standing face to face, each defying the other on the nature of
God, the nature of man and the purpose of human existence.
But when Christians accept the Hindu propaganda
that there is no battle going on, that the differences between Christianity and
Hinduism are only apparent and not real — then Hindu ideas are free to take
over the souls of Christians, winning the battle without a struggle. And the
end result of this battle is truly shocking; the corrupting power of Hinduism
is immense. In my own case, with all of the basically sound training that I
received at the convent, twenty years in Hinduism brought me to the very doors
of the love of evil. You see, in India "God" is also worshipped as Evil, in the form of
the goddess Kali. But about this I will speak in the next section, on Hindu
practices.
This is the end in store when there is no more
Christian dogma. I say this from personal experience, because I have worshipped
Kali in India and in this country. And she who is satan
is no joke. If you give up the Living God, the throne is not going to remain
empty.
Return to the first page
