[classyT]

There's nothing to argue with Dave about. He's right. Paul didn't live in a bubble.

Paul didn't live in a bubble. He also didn't preach something that wasn't truth.

[joypulv]

We don't know how much of what Jesus said is lost. We do know that as a Jew he had new ideas about life, God, everything, that were non-Judaic (the poor and meek, heaven on earth, forgiveness, etc). Since Hindusism and Buddhism were around before he was born, and since ideas from India and China and other parts of the world did filter through to the middle east, and since some of the earliest gospel writings that have been found have a touch of 'other' about them, including that Jesus included women as equals in religious gatherings, some people are thinking that he did pick up ideas from those places.

Anyway, all that matters is that your friendship is not ruined over religious haggling that isn't going to go anywhere. I am puzzled that you would expect a Hindu to follow Jesus.

[Triund]

The discussion is really interesting. I stand with Tess. The reason, I shared this video is to show how much slowly and slowly and very subtlely Christianity is being watered down by including harmless looking rituals and traditions from other religions. Namaste, called Namaskar, is trademark of Hinduism. There are many religions in India and the religious fabric is very closely knit where people from all religions live together in harmony and celebrate festivals and fuctions together which is the beauty of Indian culture even though she had maximum riots in the name of religion yet, no non-Hindu uses this greeting. This is exclusively for Hindus. We can come up with thousand points to declare Namaskar as a very gentle gesture of greeting someone like shaking hand or Mid-eastern style of kissing on cheeks. However, Namaste is not cultural. It is very much religious. I am not a scholar of The Bible, but I am sure that whatever Paul was referring to in the Acts was not suggesting Christians to stoop low and follow pagan traditions. The Pastor in the video is clearly saying about Namaste taken from Hinduism and he is asking others to follow it too. We know in the Old Testament Lord God has been very big on mixing of HIS people with others. HE has said that HE is a jealous God. HE is not jealous about people's wealth, fame, accomplishments, jobs or any other thing except their bowing down to other gods. That is Lord God can not tolerate. Now a days in the name of humanism and tolerance, why is it that only Christianity has to bow down whereas other religions can walk holding their head high. The Bible also says that HE was the same yesterday, today and will be tomorrow. Then how can Jesus be different?
On the issue of buliding mosque at Ground Zero in New York, World renowned Apologist Ravi Zacharias says that he has no problem with the mosque provided the muslim leadership builds a church in Saudi Arabia.

My assignment and subsequently endeavor to share Jesus and HIS message with Hindus and others is assignment from Jesus Himself in Matthew 28:19. It is Light which displaces darkness and not the otherway round.

[Wondergirl]

Namaste/Namaskar, as I wrote earlier in this thread, is Indian, NOT Hindu. It is part of the culture, not the religion. Anyone who says it a function of a religion is greatly misinformed.

[Fr_Chuck]

And religion esp Christianity has often allowed parts of the local culture to come into the service, in forms of music, some customs and language,

Customs does not dilute anything, it is the teachings of salvation. Had some charges not been allowed, we would all have to convert to be Jews to become a Christian

[classyT]

Fr-chuck and WG-

Even if this is just a custom that is NOT what this pastor is preaching. He is preaching that the word means a little bit of God in everyone. It isn't scriptural. What he says is just not TRUTH.

What the word actually means and what this pastor says it means. Two different things. And I wouldn't go sit under a teaching like that. It isn't biblical.

[Triund]

Namaste/Namaskar, as I wrote earlier in this thread, is Indian, NOT Hindu. It is part of the culture, not the religion. Anyone who says it a function of a religion is greatly misinformed.

WG, I was born in India and grew up there. Mine was the only Christian family in circle of 50 km there.

[Wondergirl]

I worked with immigrant and second-generation Indians and Pakistani for 25 years. My experience is that Namaste is part of the culture, not the Hindu religion. It's like a Christian shaking hands.

[Triund]

And religion esp Christianity has often allowed parts of the local culture to come into the service, in forms of music, some customs and language,

Customs does not dilute anything, it is the teachings of salvation. Had some charges not been allowed, we would all have to convert to be Jews to become a Christian

Rev Father, with all due respect, I am aware that Christianity has inducted things from non-Jewish culture too, but the point is that what was the need of those inclusions? What were Christians lacking in their worship to Lord The Father that they had to adapt ideas from other worldviews rather than asking Lord God to give them creativity to add more things to HIS worship? If we think on this, do we not find that somewhere someone fed into his own motives to get some fame or name by introducing things to Christianity? I am OK with inclusions as long as they are cultural and has no string attached withit to any religion.

Secondly, if Jesus tells us to be a Jew to follow HIM, I would gladly do it. And Paul is telling repeatedly not to do things Jews do to fulfill their Law. For we Christians are not under the Law, we are because of HIS Grace.

Another thing is that as we are heading towards End Time and second coming of Jesus, Satan is working overtime to lure us and to thin the Word of God. Satan can not match with God, hence he is corrupting HIS creation. And since The Bible tells us that Devil will appear as Angel of Light, I think we should pray to Lord God to give us spirit of discernment to see through the light which Angel of Light is dispersing and identify him.

[Triund]

I worked with immigrant and second-generation Indians and Pakistani for 25 years. My experience is that Namaste is part of the culture, not the Hindu religion. It's like a Christian shaking hands.

WG, we are not in any debate here, but what ever I have said is what I learnt and saw growing up for more than three decades back home. Since our family was the only one in that area, my Mom was very big on religious issues since she is very strong believer in Lord Jesus and she was very careful on what me and my siblings were bringing home. She would explain us what was acceptable for us as a Christian and what was not, what was cultural and what was not. Her being a teacher, we had no reason not to trust her. And when I grew up and observed the society around me, I did not find anything she said in my childhood contradictory to what society was offering.

[Wondergirl]

Ah, yes. Now I understand. I too had a mom whose personal beliefs and opinions filtered everything I experienced.

[classyT]

Ah, yes. Now I understand. I too had a mom whose personal beliefs and opinions filtered everything I experienced.

Whether Triund"s mother had personal beliefs and filtered experiences really isn't the point. Truth WG... will always be just that.

[dwashbur]

Whether Triund"s mother had personal beliefs and filtered experiences really isn't the point. Truth WG... will always be just that.

Agreed. The question is, which interpretation of Namaste is the truth?

I'm not usually real big on Wikipedia, but this bears quoting:

As it is most commonly used, namaste is roughly equivalent to "greetings" or "good day," in English, implicitly with the connotation "to be well". As against shaking hands, kissing or embracing each other in other cultures, Namaste is a non-contact form of respectful greeting and can be used universally while meeting a person of different gender, age or social status.

Namaskār (Devnagari/Hindi: नमस्कार) literally means "I bow to [your] form".

"The spirit in me respects the spirit in you," "the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you," and others, are relatively modern interpretations, based on literal translations of the Sanskrit root of namaste.[citation needed] They are usually associated with western Yoga and New Age movements.

In other words, the interpretation that this pastor is taking, and apparently some are accepting, is based on a slavishly literal rendering of the term, coupled with a total misunderstanding of the actual cultural factors involved, with a touch of guilt-by-association thrown in for good measure.

This pastor is full of something other than the Holy Spirit.

[Triund]

Ah, yes. Now I understand. I too had a mom whose personal beliefs and opinions filtered everything I experienced.

WG, the filter my Mom used on me saved me a lot of time in checking all theories about other worldviews myself. She told me about the Truth in the Word of God and about Jesus. Later in life when I looked at other religions and followings I can see whom to trust and put my faith in. I still have my free choice to apostate. And I can do it anytime, but I am not interested at all to crawl on the ground when I am soaring high in the sky with blessings of Lord Jesus.

[classyT]

WG, the filter my Mom used on me saved me a lot of time in checking all theories about other worldviews myself. She told me about the Truth in the Word of God and about Jesus. Later in life when I looked at other religions and followings I can see whom to trust and put my faith in. I still have my free choice to apostate. And I can do it anytime, but I am not interested at all to crawl on the ground when I am soaring high in the sky with blessings of Lord Jesus.

You are in good company. Timothy also was taught the truth by his mother and grandmother and Paul writes about it in one of his epistles to Timothy. Nothing in the world wrong with being taught truth at an early age and having things filtered. In the end, we all are given a choice concerning Christ. Being brought up a Christian and being a Christian are two completely different things. And AMEN to your statement about not being interested in crawling on the ground. There are not enough Chrstians BOLD enough to say that.

Romans 6:1 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

What this pastor is preching is NOT Christian. You can spin it... call it just another custom or a difference in culture but it is WRONG. Way to call a spade spade. I can't stand milquetoast Christianity. I'm totally impressed by your posts. :)

[dwashbur]

What this pastor is preching is NOT Christian. You can spin it...call it just another custom or a difference in culture but it is WRONG. Way to call a spade spade. I can't stand milquetoast Christianity. I'm totally impressed by your posts. :)

Yes, what he's preaching isn't Christian. It's also not correct about the meaning of the word. I'm not sure what part of that isn't getting through to you, Tess.

[classyT]

Dave,

I got it. Does it matter?
HE is teaching it is a HINDU term. Whether it IS or it isn't... HE BELIEVES it is. And what he is saying is in my opinion... heresy. I don't know why you want to split hairs. Blown away by it.



NOTE:
Edit... I re read the question to make sure I am not missing anything. I stand by what I have already said. If the priest, pastor or whoever is teaching it as a hindu relgious term... does it matter if it isn't? I don't understand Why you aren't getting that??

[Kahani Punjab]

I would just like to add that the word NAMASTE is a Sanskrit word, which is a combination of two root-words - Nam:+te i.e. Namah(s)te, where Nam means 'I bow (before)' and te stands for 'you/thou' and so NAMASTE means I BOW BEFORE YOU.

[Wondergirl]

Kahani, is it more of a cultural thing or a religious one?

[dwashbur]

Dave,

I got it. Does it matter?
HE is teaching it is a HINDU term. Whether it IS or it isn't....HE BELIEVES it is. And what he is saying is in my opinion...heresy. I don't know why you want to split hairs. Blown away by it.

Believe me, I've seen much worse "teaching." Also, you and Triund seem to be going at it as if what he's saying about Namaste is true. That's my problem. And again, it's not a HINDU term. It's an Indian term. He calls it a Hindu term, but he's wrong.