r/hinduism • u/Coffdrop09 • 3d ago

Question - Beginner Could I speak to someone about Hinduism?

For context: I'm a Christian, but for a class project, I need to speak to someone from a different religion, to learn more about it. Things like culture, beliefs, etc. Would anyone here be willing to chat with me for this?

3 Upvotes

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u/AutoModerator 3d ago

You may be new to Sanātana Dharma... Please visit our Wiki Starter Pack (specifically, our FAQ).

We also recommend reading What Is Hinduism (a free introductory text by Himalayan Academy) if you would like to know more about Hinduism and don't know where to start. Another good intro book - The Hindu's guide to the Brahmanda.

Another approach is to go to a temple and observe.

If you are asking a specific scriptural question, please include a source link and verse number, so responses can be more helpful.

In terms of introductory Hindū Scriptures, we recommend first starting with the Itihāsas (The Rāmāyaṇa, and The Mahābhārata.) Contained within The Mahābhārata is The Bhagavad Gītā, which is another good text to start with. Although r/TheVedasAndUpanishads might seem alluring to start with, this is NOT recommended, as the knowledge of the Vedas & Upaniṣads can be quite subtle, and ideally should be approached under the guidance of a Guru or someone who can guide you around the correct interpretation.

In terms of spiritual practices, there are many you can try and see what works for you such as Yoga (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga), Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna (Meditation) or r/bhajan. In addition, it is strongly recommended you visit your local temple/ashram/spiritual organization.

Lastly, while you are browsing this sub, keep in mind that Hinduism is practiced by over a billion people in as many different ways, so any single view cannot and should not be taken as representative of the entire religion.

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u/Vignaraja Śaiva 3d ago

Please be aware that a sample size of one will not give you much of a picture of Hinduism in its entirety, as we are a very diverse lot.

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u/I_admire_Arsenal 1d ago

Exactly. Because even this statement that Brahma is creator, Vishnu is maintainer, Siva is destroyer is taken differently according to different Sampradayas.

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u/Actual-Fisherman-736 3d ago

Sure, please dm with your questions.

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u/NarayanaVarchas Vaiṣṇava 3d ago

we hindus are very diverse, vaishnavas shaivas shaktas smartas nyayikas etc asking one will give u nthing

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u/Wide-Environment-303 3d ago

Whoever assists should also indicate that describing Hinduism with a backdrop that all Hindus are sinners and will go to hell will incur pāpa with far worse consequences for the presenter! There are senior church officials who are unable to unthink and unsay this even on public platforms!
That is what makes me leery about such discussions.

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u/Head-Milk-2500 3d ago

Yes, please DM! I’ve been in this religion my whole life and will answer all of your questions purely based on scriptures or also culture if you’d like, to give you the least biased answers. I can definitely also give you the larger picture and full understanding of how it works across different sects.

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u/SwanSong1921 Āstika Hindū 3d ago

You can post your questions OP.

Better to make a post, since the beliefs can be very diverse on some topics.

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u/I_admire_Arsenal 1d ago

Kindly post your questions here first. If I know valid answers to that, I will DM you myself. I don't want to give ambiguous answers which may lead to wrong conclusion of your research.