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Hinduism in Modern Times
Muslim influence:
British influence:
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Enters India for
commerce in 17th cent.
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By 19th cent. Britain
rules India and Christian missionaries arrive
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Several ancient Indian
customs are criticized and eventually outlawed:
Sati (widow burning), Child marriage, Caste System
19th Century Hindu
Reformers:
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founded the Ramakrishna
Mission (Vedanta Society) to promote both Vedanta philosophy as
well as social service to fill human needs
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Introduced Hinduism
to the West in 1893 at the first World’s Parliament of Religions held in
Chicago
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Vedanta
centers now
located in the West and around the world
20th Century:
Watch
the 1982 feature docudrama about the life and work of Mohandas K. (Mahatma)
Gandhi
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India today: about 25%
Muslim with small minority of Sikhs, Christians, Parsees
(Zoroastrians)
and Jains with Hindu majority living side by side in relative peace and
tolerance of each other although there are occasional outbursts of intergroup
violence.
-
Hinduism has come to the
West not only through the Vedanta Society but also through:
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Misunderstood as a
cult
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promotes ecstatic
Bhakti devotion of Krishna as the Supreme Godhead
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unlike most of
Hinduism, actively seeks converts from among non-Indians
Does arranged marriage
still take place amongst young, modern Indian Americans? Here's
an interesting article that appeared in the Washington Post Magazine
This ends the lectures on Hinduism
Test
your knowledge with some practice quizzes
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