Wait...What?

As I was checking out from my hotel in India on Saturday, one of the employees handed me a small box. The two of us had become acquainted throughout my two week stay there. He wanted to give me a gift upon my departure. I opened the box and found the above ornamental sun. At first I thought it was pretty cool.

However, after a few seconds the employee said to me, "This is a sun god to protect your home. You can hang it up in your house to protect you and bring you blessings." My reaction was something along the lines of, "Wait..what?" I didn't actually say that, but it is what I was thinking.

I should have known. Much of Indian life and culture carries Hindu overtones. It is often difficult to know where culture ends and Hinduism begins. In this respect it is far different from the secularized culture here in the USA. Almost any type of statue, sculpture, pin, broach, or anything depicting any sort of likeness in India is directly related to Hinduism.

Well, I like the sun ornament gift I was given. Unfortunately, it's going in the trash. The reason is that I was told that it is a god. Of course we Christians know that it is not in reality a god of any kind. It is simply metal artwork. However, since I was told that it is a god I do not want to mess around with it. I refuse to play the postmodern game of thinking, "It means different things to us, so it's O.K."

My primary concern is that I do not want anything around my home that might confuse other people. Nothing idol-like is going to take up space in my place of residence.

I will always appreciate the employee who gave me this gift. I'm just not going to have it in my abode.

False Gods, False Gods Everywhere

India is a fascinating land because the worship of false gods is so blatant.

During my two weeks here I’m staying in a hotel that is about a forty minute drive from where I’m working. As I make that exciting and frenetic voyage back and forth each day I pass many, many Hindu temples. While they vary somewhat in the details, the architecture is essentially the same. Just as a Baptist church building sits on every street corner in Texas, there’s a Hindu temple in every neighborhood in India. Additionally, Islamic mosques – easy to spot because of their distinctive minarets – are sprinkled here and there between the temples.

The facility where I’m working is similar to the JCB plant back home in Savannah. The heavy equipment, tools, machines, offices, and even building color schemes are the same. The one main difference is that small Hindu shrines sit inside each assembly area. If I want to cross from one side of the skid steer building to the other I have to walk past pictures of Krishna, Vishnu, and Shiva to do so.

Last night I had the privilege of visiting with a co-worker’s family. He is a very friendly Indian man who I just met two day ago. To use an expression from the American South, his family “put on the dog.” Not literally mind you. This means that they prepared much nice food. I was stuffed with all sorts of wonderful Indian cuisine by the time I left. The only sad part is the false god worship. Not long after I first entered his home, my co-worker pointed to a picture up on a wall and said, “This is our family god Krishna.”

India has 800 million Hindus and 200 million Muslims (other religions, including Christianity, make up small percentages). For comparison, the entire United States only has 300 million people. The Indian religious scene is refreshing in a sense in that the people are at least honest and up front about the false gods they worship. There’s no hiding it. Of course they do not think of it as idolatry, but that’s what it is nonetheless.

We residents of the United States know that the worship of false gods is alive and well in our country. Just as numerous false gods exist in India, there are many others in the USA. The difference is that those in America are a little more subtle. What are they? Let’s name a few: money, power, status, privilege, comfort, food, sports, sex, cars, clothing, technology in general, Facebook, smart phones, exercise, politics, vacations, movies, houses, and even pets. You could probably add many more to this list. The American false god smorgasbord is as thriving as it is varied. I’m not sure which is sadder: Indians intentionally worshiping false gods or Americans cluelessly doing the same.

I realize that I’m painting with broad strokes here. There are doubtlessly many Indians who worship from the American list above. Also, some Americans do worship the more traditional false gods; I can think of a Hindu temple, Islamic mosque, and Buddhist place of worship in our relatively small city of Savannah.

My primary point in this post is that false gods take many forms. They are everywhere. We must all be vigilant to rid these from our own lives. Also, these realities should spur us to share the gospel widely and abundantly. While India has a vast population that needs the good news of Christ, let’s not forget about the need back in the USA.

As I write this post I can hear what sounds like some sort of Hindu chanting in the background. I’m not sure if it is coming from inside or outside the hotel. Regardless, someone is doing his morning puja (worship). We live in a world in desperate need of the only good news. Let’s be liberal sharers of the one message that can combat everpresent false gods.

I Am Greatly Blessed

We all occasionally fall into the trap of feeling sorry for ourselves. I do this sometimes because my job usually requires me to work 60-65 hours per week. If I don't push back against it, these types of feelings can consume me.

I was reminded today just how blessed I am. This morning I spent a total of close to two hours being driven around Delhi. I saw numerous people living in wretched conditions. The poverty extends far beyond anything in the United States. Frankly, words can't accurately describe it. You literally have to be here to understand it.

Additionally, and more significantly, India is a country consumed with false religions. Today I saw multiple temples to various Hindu gods. I haven't seen many Muslims yet, but I know that over 200 million followers of Allah live in this country (compared to over 800 million Hindus). While there is a Christian presence here, it is extremely small in overall percentage.

Meanwhile, I have a job that pays the bills, no deep financial problems, a fantastic family, and - most importantly - know the Lord. I am blessed.

Video of Varanasi Ghats

In contrast with where we now live, this video shows a glimpse of our home city from late 2006 until early 2007. Varanasi is the holiest city of Hinduism, and therefore is in desperate need of the gospel. The ghats (large stone steps) are the focal point of life and worship along the Ganges River.

Varanasi Hit Again

In 2006-2007, our family had the opportunity to serve the Lord for several months in the city of Varanasi, India. Varanasi is considered to be the holiest city in all of Hinduism. Even if you have never heard of it, you've probably seen photos of people walking down large stone steps to bathe in the Ganges River at Varanasi.

Because of its religious significance, Varanasi is occasionally the target of terrorist attacks. According to news reports, a bomb detonated today at one of the busiest locations along the river. At least one person has died and about 20 are injured. Read more about it here and here.

Above all else, the city of Varanasi needs prayer for spiritual awakening to the glorious grace of Jesus Christ. Although some Indian Christians live in Varansi, it is Hinduism that dominates all of life there. Muslims make up a significant minority.

Please pray for the people of this city.

On Goat Sacrifices and Stampedes

Click here to read a tragic story about an argument over goat sacrifices leading to ten deaths during a Hindu festival in India. Pagan practices always lead to negative results. We have much to be thankful for that Christ is our once for all sacrifice.

Hebrews 5:27, "He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself."

Hebrews 9:26, "...for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

Hebrews 10:10, "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Hebrews 10:12-14, "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."

Looking to the wrong god

When our family served in India, we were constantly confronted with various forms of Hindu worship. The vast majority of the population in our city was Hindu. Additionally, many Indians trekked to our city to participate in elaborate Hindu religious rituals.

The sad part in watching the Hindus worship was that they were looking to the wrong god for help. The Hindu pantheon of gods offers many, many different gods to choose from. We know, however, that there is really only one God: the triune God of the bible.

I encourage you to actively try to get to know Indians in your neighborhood, workplace, etc. The majority are probably Hindu. Meet them. Get to know them. Love them. Share the hope of Christ with them.

To read more about Hindu worship in India and Christians who are trying to reach them with the good news, click here. What you will find is an interesting article about Hindus worshiping the false god Ganesh as part of a typical Hindu festival.

But for the grace of God, I would be right there worshiping Ganesh with them.

A Nation of Hindus?

Dr. Mohler discusses our country's continued slide toward pluralism/inclusivism. In the way most people pick-and-choose what they want to believe and are accepting of everything, we are becoming a nation that is more Hindu in belief than biblically Christian.

Catholicism & Hinduism: 10 Similarities

(I originally posted this on my previous blog. Because of continued commenting there, I decided to re-post it here.)

I know everyone will not be happy with this post. That's fine - healthy discussion is usually a good thing.

After having lived in the USA and India, I have been exposed first-hand to both Catholicism and Hinduism. This pertains to both belief and practice. Let me say first of all that not all Catholics believe the same things or practice in the same ways. This is also true for Hindus. Therefore, the following 10 similarities are generalizations based upon what I have experienced both here in America and in South Asia.

I'd also like to point out that we have friends who are Catholics and friends who are Hindus. This post is not intended to be an assault on either religion, but rather a comment on similarities that I have observed.

That said, here we go.

Ten Similarities:

1) Repeated sacrifice - At every Catholic Mass, Jesus is again "sacrificed." This is why the elements of the Mass are literally thought to be Christ's body and blood. When Hindus go to temple, they perform some sort of sacrifice, usually presenting an offering to the gods.

2) Rituals - The Mass itself is a type of ritual. Also, the Rosary is one of the most well-known rituals of the Catholic faith. At a Hindu temple, various rituals are performed such as ringing a bell to wake the gods, bowing before the gods, and chanting different mantras.

3) Prayer to multiple saints/gods - Many Catholics (not all) pray to various saints within the Catholic church. Most Hindus (not all) pray to various gods within the Hindu pantheon. Some of the most popular are Shiva, Vishnu, Lakshmi, and Ganesh.

4) Priests - both Catholics and Hindus must go through a priest to get to god. There is no direct access to any god.

5) Cathedral/Temple - In both religions, all important practices occur at some type of building. There is little encouragement for meeting in homes because priests cannot be at multiple homes at the same time.

6) Images & Icons - In Catholic churches, pictures and statues of saints are common-place. These typically receive veneration. At any Hindu temple, there will be multiple statues of the various gods. These will include Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesh, Hanuman, Lakshmi, Durga, and others.

7) Works-based salvation - In both Catholicism and Hinduism, salvation is based, at least in part, upon the works of the individual. This is far different from the cry of the Protestant Reformation: "Justification by faith alone."

8) Lack of knowledge of sacred writings - Within both religions, the typical follower of the faith has limited knowledge of the sacred writings of his religion. The same is true within Protestantism, but to a much lesser degree. Within Catholicism and Hinduism, the priest is heavily relied upon for scriptural knowledge and understanding.

9) Centered on Rome/Ganges River - Both religions are very centralized. Rome is the epicenter of Catholicism, is the home of the Pope, and is a destination for thousands of Catholics each year. For Hindus, the Ganges River is the site of pilgrimage. Many Hindus travel hundreds of miles to take a dip in the "holy river," in the hope that it will wash away their sins.

10) Death: purgatory/reincarnation - Both faiths teach that upon death, people do not go directly to heaven or hell. For Catholics, purgatory awaits. For Hindus, death leads to another cycle of reincarnation.

I will let you draw your own conclusions about the significance of these similarities. If you have any comments about why you think these exist, please let me know.