To Hindus:  Is it true that a person cannot convert to Hinduism, one must be born to it?
154281
I am a convert to Hinduism.  So obviously, I believe one can convert.  I have never met a Hindu here in the USA who did not accept me as a Hindu.  However, I do know that some do believe you cannot convert.  So it just depends on who you ask.  There is no official "Church" in Hinduism which decides such matters.  There are many variations of thinking among Hindus.  So it is natural that you will find some differences of opinion on this.\n\nMost modern-day Hindus I have found accept me as a convert, as I have said, but many Hindus think it is odd that someone would convert to their religion, because they do not actively seek converts, and they teach that theirs is one among many valid paths to God.
429197
For most people what they believe in themselves is their religion. Some are raised into a religion and then keep that religion all their life....but not everyone does. Many people go through periods in their life where what they believe in does not match the religion they are following. What they are experiencing in their life, their perspectives, their approach to life, etc all start to come into play. Some may not leave their first religion (birth religion), but may start to definately develop their own personal theology and philosophy within the confines and language of that religion...others may leave that religion and either go to another religion that more closely matches their experiences, perspectives, approaches, etc....they will still start to develop their own theology and philosophy but they will do so within the confines and language of a new religion. And then there are those that do not turn to a religion at all, but instead create their own theology/philosophy using everyday language or language that they create to explain their beliefs, experiences, perspectives, approaches, etc.\n\nIn the end, as one Hindu teacher said, for every person in the world, that person is a religion in itself.
272934
hinduism. i am already part of it . though Hinduism may not be called religion in the sense other religions are known. It has no founder. It is much more than a religion. It is a total way of life.  \n\nWhen religion becomes organized, man ceases to be free. It is not God that is worshipped but the group or the authority that claims to speak in his name. It is not faith, but just social idolatry. God is not like a father in a patriarchal society, who has His favorite children to whom He communicates. This idea seems rather archaic and crude. Hinduism believes in behavior than belief and  experience over authority. \n\nThe genius of Hinduism is assimilative. Puritanism is alien to its life and thought. It never opposed scientific enquiry. \n\nHinduism's greatest feature has been its positive ideas and those who do not belong to it are not infidels or heretics. Hinduism does not believe in bringing about a mechanical uniformity of belief and worship by a forcible elimination of all that is not in agreement with a particular creed. Hindus have never conquered, plundered or committed genocides on other peoples and they never will, primarily because the deeper values enshrined in the Sanatana Dharma are against such mindless violence and expansionism. At one level every true Hindu sees his/her self being one with the Universal Self . At a more samsaric level, a Hindu also understands more than any other religionist in the world, the concept of a harmonious global society that should unite, prosper and live in peace.\n\nHinduism, in its plethora of symbols and images, is endlessly complex and therefore endlessly misunderstood, but its true mission is both simple and universal: soul-enlightenment. Hinduism is goal-oriented, not way-oriented. In other words, its focus is the ultimate attainment, Self-realization, in God. Symbolism helps the seeker to concentrate his mind on the worship and meditation of god.idols are just symbolic:\n\nYes, said he, but just how many gods are there Yajnavalkya?" "Thirty three". "yes," said he, but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "One."    \n                                                                        - Brhadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX, I\n\nGod's innumerable forms, and the acknowledgement of His Presence in everything, are an expression of the extraordinary vitality of India's collective imagination down through the ages. \n\nAccording to Thomas Berry, "In quality, in quantity, in significance for man's intellectual, cultural, and spiritual life, this literature in its totality is unsurpassed among all other literary traditions of the world."\n\n"Hinduism is a process - for this reason, Hinduism must be studied not as a fixed body of doctrine, but as a developing tradition that has changed considerably throughout the centuries and which is still changing in a creative direction. Everything in India makes sense in the light of the changing process. Nothing makes sense without it. Hinduism is still a living, changing process and must be seen as such."
259167
I am not sure what you mean. WHILE one remains in one faith, one cannot ALSO become a Jew by converting to Judaism. So, if that is what you mean, you are right, while having other religions one cannot ALSO convert to Judaism. But if one gives up that faith, then one can convert to Judaism and become a Jew.\n\nBUT, if you mean that no one can convert to Judaism at all, then you are very wrong!
954797
No, you do not have to convert. And chances are that there are a few churches around. So you probably could if you felt like it.\n\nDon't drink the Kool-aid.
1127593
While there is only one God, there are countless numbers of beliefs.\n\nWhen people convert, it is because they find their old belief subject to doubt, and they have found one that they are absolutely sure is true.\n\nBut, I read in a Salman Rushdie book; \n"Religious conversion, it is like getting on a train. Afterwards, it is only in the train itself that you are really belonging. Not departure platform, not arrival platform. In both these places you are totally despised. Such is converts"\n\nYou, however, is perfectly entitled to your own opinion.
487631
Yes, though you 'adopt' a culture.\n\nA religion is both a faith (what you believe) and a culture (what you do).  When people convert to a religion, they generally also adopt the culture associated with it.\n\nCulture is pretty hard to adopt just by will.  There are so many subtleties and one's native culture is so deeply ingrained that it takes years to immerse oneself fully.  I've been living abroad for three years, and I'm still culturally American, and not for lack of trying.
660529
As a Hindu I believe that all religions are valid paths to God and that even those who may not belong to a religion, that they can also find the same ultimate truth hidden within the nature of their inner self. Hindus often point to various people in different religions who wrote about their experiences and show that they all, ultimately, had the same experiences of God and then explained to the best of their ability those experiences within the context of the religion they are in. Since God is so big and vast and infinite, no one person can ever know all of God and since each of us are unique and individuals and thus have different experiences in life, this leads us to approach and touch God differently.\n\nA few examples of those from different faiths discovering the same truth:\nSt. Terese of Liseaux in Christianity\nRumi in Islam\nRamakrishna in Hinduism\n\n"Truth is one, though humanity calls it by different names." Rig Veda.
768232
i don't believe in religion to begin with. i would never join or convert to please someone else. i have to be true to myself and my native roots.
688658
Hinduism is a way of life rather than a religion. We do not believe that our way is the only way to God. Even within our religion there are many different paths to becoming one with God. That is the ultimate goal for a Hindu to achieve liberation from the chain of reincarnation. The soul must be cleansed through the course of, in many cases, many lifetimes before it is rid of worldliness and can join the ultimate reality, what is known as Brahman, or God. There are many ways to becoming closer to God. You can do so through rituals or simply by being a good person. Krishna tells us that no matter what God we pray to, we are ultimately praying to him. God is both male and female, appears in many forms, is called by many names, and is everything. Hinduism is the world's oldest religion, and still continues today because we do not force a particular way of living on anyone. You are a Hindu if you are born one or if you choose to be. You do not have to follow any one ritual or any one set of rules to be Hindu. \n\nHope that helped at least a little. Contact me if you have questions.
684114
A person with strong faith does their sadhana (spiritual practices), keeps their dharma (does their duty...to their family, job, society, etc), and they seek to learn from spiritual teachers and to find a their guru. It is normal and acceptable to have doubt, to even go and look into other paths to see if perhaps these are better for you. It is common to return to the faith and again be at the same level of belief. It is said that some of us who have entered Hinduism now in this lifetime were at one time Hindus in past lifetimes...we have just come home now. So "longer absences", yes there can be very long absences. :)
535574
For Muslims? yes\n\nWill she convert to your religion to prove her love? \n\nDoes not look like it otherwise you would not been asking this question.\n\nSo she keeps her religion first and you secondary .\n\nWhy she does not open her mind ? and convert to your religion?\n\nAll Muslims are going to tell you that you must convert . But it goes both ways.\n\nIf she wont be Muslim anymore You will not have any problem marrying her.\n\nThough under civil law you can marry her, without either of you converting.\n\nAfter marriage a girl is supposed to join husbands family, it looks like you want to do opposite.\n\nAre you sure about conversion? \n\nIf you convert then what? \n\nWhat Islam has in spiritual section which advait Vedanta does not cover ? We do not have a one book religion not narrow definitions. There is so much to learn that whole life time is short. But the freedom Hinduism gives is unique.\n\nYou will be just getting loosing your family and if your marriage somehow did not work, you will have already lost too much. Because the moment you leave your religion for marriage , you lost an identity , you had since birth.\n\nUnder civil law you both Will be better off. Nobody will be loosing his/her personal belief yet get full benefits.\n\nOr you care more for the relationship to continue than her?\n\nGet another Girl will be my suggestion If she insists that you should really convert.\n\nOtherwise you are going to end up frustated after a few years.
346868
Zorastrianism? Cause you can't actually convert into being a Zorastrian.
997322
Not interested.\n\nHindus keep on converting all the time. For various reasons. A large number converted to other religions in liue of money , power or to stay alive that is on the point of a sword or gun.\n\nYet again Hinduism gives too much freedom and not many people even read there scriptures or books. They have little or superfecial knowledge about there own philosophies. Many know only what they read in popular media , which in turn is often propogated by non Hindu Proselytisers.In India the History we read today was written by British(evangelicals) and then communists. Both have their own ideological mission and work with an intent to advanmce there own beliefs.  So they overemphasise negatives and conviniently ignore counter arguments.  Hindus get education in these very schools. So they are taught these tghings only. Few people study on their own and analyse and see the other side of story.\n\nSuch people are unable to to answer questions put by missineries of non Hindu religion as the proselytisers have done there home work already. Something which never occured to Hindu. So they convert out of proper education and knowledge of Hinduism.\n\nYet again some Hindus convert to christianity as a "fashion ". After all it is the religion of a successfull community today. They think they are identifing themselves with winners. \n\nConversion to Islam is mostly for purpose of Marriage. Islam allows 4 marriages and divorce easy for men. Secondly Muslims have a tendency to get Hindu GF. And  if not before after marriage, they have to convert sooner or later.\n\nAnd Off course nobody is given death punishment for converting out of Hinduism.
749242
I didn't think it was possible to convert to Judaism, I always thought you had to be born into it.
29368
If Krishna is a neighbor, then that's fine. But if it is to love and serve as God, to find truth, or to worship then you are in trouble my friend. If you want to go to a destination, say Key West, you must first move toward that direction, and take the only road that leads you there, for all others roads will not get you there. And so it is with truth for God is not relative, for neither is truth. Any Religion will not take you to God. Religion is mans way to God, Christianity is Gods way to man. Jesus Christ said "I am the truth, the light, the way and that no one comes to the Father but through him" Some may call that narrow minded, but no one ever claimed to be who he was, then proved what he claimed to be. We all shall stand before God and give account of our lives, what we did with what God blessed us with, and the most important question is what we did with the truth of his word by receiving Jesus Christ, his son as the supreme love of our life. The odds of dying are still 1:1. We all shall receive eternal life, many  in heaven who accepted Christ, and others in hell whom rejected him. Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. Please give Christ the chance to reveal himself in his word, he will never let you down, leave you, nor forsake you. Christ's Blessings, John
21864
Baptism is forever.  Your choice of religious affliation is not.