Ego death

[tokezu]

Various versions of Hinduism exist. This is the same as every large religion. Research Christians and the Crusades. Those were bad times.

The honest truth is most Christians are peaceful and good people, this is the same with Hindus, Jews, ect.

Of course there are Hindus who reject these ideas. But I think Ismene has a point, that it is curious to see that the same vedic tradition that came up with the atman brahman philosophy, which basically says we are all one, still managed to argue for the cast system and regard the Dalits (so called 'untouchables') as subhuman. In their minds this was no contradiction. It just shows that a culture influenced by psychedelics isn't necessarily a more humane and empathetic culture, although some among us may want to believe that. Just look at the Aztecs and what kind of ideas they came up with, when they ate mushrooms...

 

[psy997]

I feel it is inaccurate to assume that the same humans who first expressed the atman and brahman were the same as those who created the caste system. Religions tend to be born pure or relatively pure, as their founding teachers are truly that, and become bastardized after the founders death.

 

[tokezu]

I don't think those first humans who came up with it are known, so it is really just speculation. I was talking about the vedic literature (which admittedly isn't as monolithic as the Bible for example) which argues for both. I just think one shouldn't praise Hinduism for what it (supposedly) got right, without pointing out what it clearly got wrong, that's all.