Hi Barbara,
In Hinduism there is a heirarchy in the reincarnations too. Moreover a
womans salvation is through her husband. If her deeds are good as a
woman-being 'pativrata' , then the next incarnation would be of a male in
the high caste and there is salvation from there. There is room for getting
out of the cycles of reincarnation 'moksha' but only as a male. if however a
woman is not able to fully atone she goes to a lower birth of an animal or
whatever creature and again starts moving upwards to that male status. The
status of the lower caste male is the same as that of a woman. So the
concept of mercy does not arise. Only justification.Moreover with Hindu
scriptures being so numerous and many it is very difficult if not impossible
to read and know all of them. The time period is also very different. This
is also the reason for the huge diversity within Hinduism which allows all
different streams and sections.
In the OT I find God's vengefulness, for the most part, is while talking of
worshipping idols.The NT has the same stream BUT the status of women is very
different. While in the OT women were on the outer section of the temple,
the NT removes that division. I come to God as my own person, not through my
husband or any other male. I am made in the image of God and nothing can
change that. also there is room for forgiveness.I grew up as an
idolworshipper, so to say, but I Am forgiven. Even tho' God is vengeful , I
AM forgiven. God looks at the heart. In Hinduism its more like 2+2=4, and
thats that.No ground of appeal.No mercy. And where do you find
justification, which scriptures? Generally speaking, a lot of people come up
with a thought and then justify it with the Hindu scriptures ( a number of
Christians are also guilty of it, tho there are a great number of chances
for them being caught) You can almost never get caught in Hinduism.
My family is still Hindu, so I can safely say, the woman has NO value in
Hinduism. It is that sense of value I get from Christianity, of being made
in the image of GOD.Having those aspects of God's nature that a male cannot
replicate. And of coming before Him as a woman directly.
Sorry, for the long lecture.
Geeta

-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara Piazza-Georgi <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, December 05, 2000 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: jealousy & vengeance


>Thanks, Geeta. In a sense you confirm my understanding (I was
>not trying to equate the whole OT God, inclusive of the
>mercifulness, with karma, but only his "vengeful" attribute)
>
>What struck me is that you say "only in the life of a human being
>can he atone for his sins". If s/he doesn't, isn't s/he then
>condemned to do it in the next life? Or is the atonement then much
>harder?
>
>Do you see what I mean when I muse that the vengefulness of the
>Judeo-Christian God seems to be quite similar to the concept of
>karma, except that for us, since we don't have reincarnation, it is
>the descendants or the community who may be made to atone,
>rather than the individual him/herself in another life? Does the
>thought sound reasonable to you, or am I missing something? (My
>knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism is not very deep.)
>
>Hinduism and Buddhism don't have any element that parallels the
>"mercy" aspect, or the Christian teaching of redemption, do they?
>Maybe they don't need to, since they do not have the concept of
>eternal condemnation, either.
>
>Barbara
>
>Looking forward to heraing from you!
>
>Barbara
>
>