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Home , Avyakta, Ubhaya Bharati

• How do present God to those who say there is no God? • How do Hindus handle non- belief?

ASVRMD What We Will Talk About 1.Some facts about Non-believers 2.Is there G-d; G-D; GOD? (Deut:12:3,12:4) 3.Why Should We believe in God? 4.Talking with God. 5. Hindu Approach to a Non-believer 6.Challenges in Approaching the non-believer 7.Blessings we have

ASVRMD 1.Some facts about Non-

believers.

ASVRMD Non-believers: 1.Those who say there is no God. 2.Those who say there is God but they do not believe in God- Because: • “Every man makes his own destiny. • “God helps only a few fortunate ones even though they are evil. • “He watches the pious people suffer- God is ungrateful!!! • “I pray but my wishes are ignored!” • So how big is the issue world-wide? ASVRMD Non-Believers: •Accurate demographics of atheism: difficult to obtain because of variations in concepts of atheism in different cultures. •About 7% of world population. Estimated:500 to 750 million people worldwide”:Phil Zuckerman (Sociologist): • Majority in China and Russia. • Asia and the Pacific= 76% • Europe (12%), • North America (5%), • Latin America and the Caribbean (4%), • Sub-Saharan Africa (2%) • Middle East and North Africa (less than 1%). =100% ASVRMD Percentage of Atheists in some countries:(2017) (WIN/Gallup International Association (WIN/GIA); (Showing steady increase from 2006, 2012 and 2015) • China:90% •India:5%. (Fell from 23% in • Czech:72% 2015) • Germany:60% • Belgium:64% • So fortunately for Indians it is • Australia 63% not as serious an issue as other • Hongkong:63% countries!! • Norway:62% • Same trend for Indians in USA • Canada:57% and other countries. • Austria :53% • USA:39% (up from 35%ASVRMD in 2015) • Some Reasons for Increase in Atheism: •Lack of adequate emphasis on God at home and in schools. •Increase in distraction with gadgets; •Media glamorizing fast life and temporary worldly pleasures with instant gratification instead of conveying messages of morality and piety. •Busy working parents and Adult caretakers losing control on vulnerable young minds. •Lack of moral behaviour of adult caretakers, parents & religious leaders.

ASVRMD Non-Believers. • Atheistic schools are found in earliest Indian thought. • Existed from the times of the historic Vedic period. • Western atheism: roots in –*pre-Socratic Greek philosophy

ASVRMD Consequences of Atheism

expressed openly: Death by law in 13 Countries:“Kafir”:if expressed or reject the official state religion: Islam • Cannot run for office:Not believing in God is political poison, if expressed openly! • Peers don’t trust Atheists. • Not respected by their leaders or neighbors. • Harder to get a job • Cannot get custody of children as easily! ---Nick Wing:HuffingtonASVRMD Post: 1/16/2014 Consequences of Atheism

expressed openly: • Difficult to volunteer in their communities. • Openly advertise their belief • When taking an oath or in courts- have to say- “so help me God!” • Cannot Form an organization • Cannot Be a boy scout ---Nick Wing:Huffington Post: 1/16/2014

ASVRMD •Non-Believers in . Vedic Culture: (world wide in the past): Sanatana (“Eternal Law”). •Non believers always existed:(, Naastikaas)- had equal status in society- •Some sacred : declared atheistic?? Controversial!! (*Sankhya, Mimamsa etc). •Hinduism: no force to take a particular path; but believes in showing the right path, the path of Dharma.

ASVRMD Non-Believers. • Abrahamic religions condemn non-believers • Hinduism:No condemnation. • Every one is entitled for liberation or , if one follows Dharma & exhausts • There is no eternal damnation • Show benefits of believing: • Logical belief in God makes life tolerable in enduring difficulties. • “Religion is an emotional crutch” -Seema Rao • Fervent belief in God is the key to

happiness” ASVRMD 2.Is There a G-D; G-d; God ?????

ASVRMD • YES!!!!!- YES!!!! • YES!!!!

• Plenty of Spiritual & Scientific Evidence! • Quantum physics. • God continues when science ends!! • Science can be complimentary-not contradictory to God. • Science was the “Religion” for Ancient Indians. ASVRMD Why we believe in G-D or G-d (God)? • & : Law of Karma: the fruits of actions: administered by a Conscious agent, a Supreme being called Iswara. •The creation, maintenance & annihilation of many complex universes must have a Supreme Creator. ” •Operation of this complex universe by laws of nature like seasons etc.is not possible otherwise. •DNA code informs & programs the cell behavior-. •GOD: G=generator; O=operator; D=destroyer. •Mystic experiences & innumerable documented miracles not explained by science. • y” “Big Bang Theor ASVRMD • “Big bang theory”: came in 1927 AD, from a Belgian catholic priest, George Lemaitre. • But Jagadguru Sankaracharya, in 7th century BC, quoted a verse from Vedic wisdom in his Geeta commentary: • “Narayana paro avyaktaat anDam sambhavam, andastantu me lokaat sapta dveepa cha medini” •Narayana is beyond the Avyakta (undifferentiated quantum energy) •From the Avyakta the Mundane Egg was born ; •Within the Mundane Egg, verily, are these worlds

•And the Earth is made up of ASVRMDthe seven Dvipas (continents). The Ledger of Life(Karma) =Credit; Papa (sin)=liabilities. Pious people constantly attempt to build up credit & decrease liabilities with good deeds, & avoiding bad. Punya(Good Deeds, with Paapa(bad deeds with good karma) negative karma)

Good life with comforts, Poverty, failure, fame, fortune, good unexpected obstacles, education etc disasters, etc. + Resultant Pattern of life ASVRMD 3.Why Should We believe in God? Practical reasons With scientific evidence of benefits

ASVRMD • Life is like an uncharted Sea (samsara) • God helps in guiding the fulfil the 4 aims of life: Dharma, , & moksha: –-attainment of liberation by fulfilment of material desires with wealth obtained by righteous living. • Belief in God gives direction re: right & wrong, sin & virtue etc., like charting the sea in a well- guided sail boat. • God is the father, mother, friend & guiding light. • Helps in leading a righteous life: fear of Sin etc.

ASVRMD Scientific Evidence: University of British Columbia :2007 •Belief in God tends to make people more generous, cooperative, enforce social morals; fair in their thinking towards unrelated groups of people with similar but not exact same beliefs. University of Houston:2007 •Political leaders who invoke God in their rhetoric are trusted more. •Modern voters more likely to vote for a candidate perceived as religious even atheists and agnostics.

ASVRMD Scientific Evidence: 2009: University of Toronto: Thinking about God reduces stress in believers. Not in non-believers.

2010: Rush University Medical Center: Confirmed findings by second independent research. Believers responded better to treatment than non- believers: especially in disorders like bipolar and depression etc.

2013: McLean Hospital, Harvard University: Believers tend to worry less & tolerate uncertainty better. Conversely, less one trusts God the more one tends to worry and the less tolerant the individual becomes

of uncertainty. ASVRMD • A Christian should be a good Christian. A Hindu should be a good Hindu. A Muslim should be a good Muslim. Let each one be a true practitioner of his/her religion”. (14 April 1996).

• You should have full faith in your religion and lead an ideal life”. (4 September 1998)

• “A person wanting to convert should try to be a good follower of his/her own faith, rather than seek goodness in change of faith” Mahatma Gandhi.

“Hindus must live according to dharma - righteously and advance their spiritual growth - while remaining humble”

ASVRMD • Is Godless society always bad? • Are all societies believing in God good, righteous? • Cults?

ASVRMD • *Several atheistic communities involved in philanthropic activities. • Several sections of population commit atrocities in the name of God & religion, take advantage of innocent believers & their young children! • Mis-guided? Who should teach them?Civic duty of all of us! ASVRMD 4.Talking with God

ASVRMD But………….. For most of us, this communication seems to be one way!! We pray but do not seem to hear or see God*!! *So, Where & How do we meet God?

ASVRMD Intuition is the highest form of intelligence, transcending all individual abilities and skills- Sylvia Clare

“God is known not by Tuition, but by Intuition, Cognition and Spiritual Revelation” –Acharya S.V.Rao MD

ASVRMD Heavens-field of spirit

Quantum field- mind field

Material world-field of physical existence

ASVRMD ASVRMD ASVRMD Hinduism--How do we “find” God? • Divine being exists in unseen worlds • Temple worship, rituals, sacraments & personal devotionals create a communion with these devas & Gods • Therefore, humans need to be righteous, moral compassionate, kind and do good deeds. • ESSENTIALS TO KNOW GOD: – SATGURU(SPIRITUALLY AWAKENED MASTER – PERSONAL DISCIPLINE, GOOD CONDUCT, PURIFICATION, PILGRIMAGE, SELF-INQUIRY & MEDITATION.

ASVRMD How do we find Union with God? • Geeta:11:54,55: –God said: One who has no animosity towards any one, who is not attached to material possessions, who does My work and who has unswerving devotion to Me, will know, see and reach Me. (gain access to Me)

ASVRMD How do we find union with God? • Geeta 11:55 –Doing God’s work –Giving priority to God –Being devoted to God only –Being unattached to material things –Loving all beings equally –Service to Humanity

ASVRMD What are the main obstacles to leading a successful moral life, & Union with God? • Selfish Desires • Wavering Mind

ASVRMD How does one remove Selfish Desires? • Realization of True Self as a spark of (God) (Atma;soul) – Who am I? – Answer: “like alI beings, I am a divine soul” – My physical body is only a temporary rented space. • Mind control is the key!! (biggest challenge!) Learn the order of Superiority of Components in our possession!! ASVRMD Controlling mind & ATMA-Soul desire

Senses are superior to body; the mind BUDDHI-intelligence is superior to senses; the intellect is superior to mind. Atma is superior to MIND intellect

Thus knowing Atma to be superior to SENSES intellect, restraining the self by Self, conquer the difficult enemy of desire. BODY ASVRMD 6 Inner Enemies (Thieves) Waiting To Steal “Jewel” of Intelligence

Anger

Desire; Lust

Greed Jealousy

Pride

ASVRMD 5.Hindu Approach to a Non-believer

ASVRMD Hindu Approach to a Non-believer •Scriptures and scriptural stories. •Scientific proof. God’s particle.

•Evidence of predictable events in the universe. •Mystic experiences of sages. •Miracles by evolved •Near death experiences. •Events from past life. ASVRMD • Married Mandana Mishra of Mithila (Behar)- • A staunch ritualist. • Referee in the debate: Sankaracharya & Mandanamishra. • Impartial judge • Debated with Sankaracharya • Cornered Sankara on Kama • Sankara had to enter the dead body of King Amaru of !

ASVRMD 6.Challenges in approaching Non-

believers.

• Hard Core Beliefs; • Close-minded, Stubborn unreasonableness, • Ego • Treating! change of belief as a “defeat or Compromise”! • Positive change of heart is a great victory, not defeat!! ASVRMD 7.Hindu View Of Blessings We Have

• God’s Unconditional Mercy & Grace Giving Humans Most Developed Brain. • Free Availability Of Spiritual Knowledge thru: books, media, places of worship etc. • Pious Teachers, Rabbis, Clergy, • Discourses by highly evolved unselfish souls, Satsang

etc. ASVRMD \ Thank You & God BlessYou All!! ASVRMD