The White Hindu has moved

The White Hindu has moved! This blog is no longer updated, but Ambaa is still writing The White Hindu every weekday at Patheos.com.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Christmas

I am back from the land of Bible quotes on gas station price boards, billboards for Christian radio stations, and ads for churches on TV and at the movies!

Everything went really well, actually.

I had told one cousin about being Hindu and the news had spread, though no one had a problem with it. The only reason I knew that the cat was out of the bag, as it were, was when we were having pizza for dinner one night.

My uncle was trying to convince me to try a new flavor of pizza and he said, "If you try it, you'll be saying 'Praise Jesus, that's good pizza.'" It's just an expression he uses, and then he stopped and said, "Or, 'Praise Shiva.'"

I was very surprised!

I had some conversations about it and as I said before, everything was really positive. My brother even chimed in at one point and shared his view that the resurrection of Christ is really just an example of reincarnation. The thing that made it special was only that he knew he had been reborn and most of us don't. That surprised me too, since my brother rarely weighs in on religious topics, it doesn't seem to interest him much. He also said that he doesn't see why anyone needs to pick one.

I'm glad for him and my parents that they do not feel a need to choose between Christianity and Hinduism, but I obviously do feel that need!

It was lovely to see my family, whom I love dearly. I wanted to visit our friend Kat, but a surprise snow storm made the roads impossible to drive for a day and a half!

But now I'm back safe and sound and ready for the next adventure.

12 comments:

  1. I'm glad it all went so well,
    Namaste
    Tandava

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  2. Good times and glad to see the Southern faction of your family are so supportive. I lived in the bible belt and know how intolerant some can be down there. I am sure though they had years to prepare since your folks lean a little to the left of Billy Graham :D

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  3. I can get sensitive about little things like the "Praise Shiva" quip. Sounds like your family is very accepting of your choices, though, and you are lucky to have them. I didn't know you were a Southern Belle.

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  5. I wouldn't say I'm a Southern Belle myself. My granny really is! I was raised in the North, but I always enjoy my trips to North Carolina very much!

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  8. Anonymous, you need to stop these posts. This blog is not about Islam and I will not have you antagonizing LuckyFatima. It is my blog and my right not to publish your comments.

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  9. Hmmm, that makes me feel bad that someone attacked me here :-(

    Can I clarify, Aamba just in case it was a miscommunication that elicited some Islamophobic rant. When I said:

    "I can get sensitive about little things like the "Praise Shiva" quip." I meant by that that I feel sensitive when family members seem to mock or jest about my choice to follow a different religion with little jokes like how your cousin did with you. It seems like you took it in stride, so good on you.

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  10. Aamba,

    I really hate we didn't get a chance to hang out, but I guess it's just meant for another time. I have never heard that theory that the resurrection was a form of reincarnation. Definitely something to ponder. Glad you had a great Christmas.

    @luckyfatima, I'm a Christian and I also find it awkward when people make jokes like that. I too get offended because it in fact DOES sound like a poke at your religious choices. So, if it makes a difference I'm on your side and completely understand where you were coming from.

    Kat

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  11. Lucky Fatima, Ah, I see, I was not sure what you meant by being sensitive about that. I actually took it as something very kind from my uncle. He was trying to include me, by modifying his comment to fit my own religion instead of acting like I would praise Jesus. I thought it was really sweet of him. I think it was just context that's missing, I didn't make it clear that he said it in not a mean way at all!

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  12. Oh and also, LuckyFatima, it wasn't anything you said that caused a problem comenter, he has simply been posting rants insulting Islam in general, I think just seeing a Muslim set him off.

    I'm sorry about that. You are a kind woman and I'll do my best to protect you from that kind of abuse, as much as I can.

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