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Hindu Americans comprise one of the fastest growing
populations in the United States. The Hindu American
population currently numbers around 2 million, but
this does not include the estimated 32 million others
who derive inspiration from Hindu spirituality and
practice Hindu teachings such as yoga and meditation.
With growing numbers comes an increasing awareness
of a place in American dialogue and with rising alarm
Hindu Americans note the dichotomy between their perception
of the faith they practice and the faith that is described
in mainstream media. Too often, media coverage of
Hinduism relies on stereotypical fallacies and the
analyses of Hindu “experts” who are rarely
practicing Hindus themselves and lack insight into
the faith that comes from such practice.
View the online version below, download a printable
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The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) presents
herein, some of the common omissions and oversights in media
coverage of Hinduism. Each typical error, derived from actual
references in print and broadcast media, is followed by elaborations
and alternative suggestions in a collaborative effort to correct
these inaccuracies. We sincerely hope these will be useful.
Misrepresentations are not limited to this list. HAF remains
available to actively assist in obtaining information pertaining
to Hinduism, offering Hindu perspectives on contemporary issues
and providing access to a vast network of well-respected Hindu
spiritual leaders and academics.
“Hindus, for example, generally
reject the idea of a vindictive god bringing destruction to
the world, said Ariel Glucklich, an associate professor of
theology at Georgetown University and a specialist in Hinduism.
Krishna and other major gods who participate in human history
are "always unfailingly on the side of good," he
said.” (Washington Post, January 8, 2005)
There are three common errors in this report.
Firstly, Hindus worship one Supreme Being through many different
names. Different regional beliefs, traditions and languages
have created what appear to be many Gods understood in distinct
ways. All forms of life are sacred. The implication of a community
of many equal “major gods” is inaccurate. The
Vedas, the scriptures sacred to all Hindus, speak of “Ekam
sat vipraha bahudha vadanti” (Truth is one; the
wise call it by many names). Secondly, describing the Hindu
perception of God with a small ‘g’ is insulting
to most Hindus, just as it is rarely found in association
with depictions of the Judeo-Christian God. Lastly, the Gods
are rarely referred to by their first names; Hindus would
preface “Krishna” with the word, “Lord”
or “God” purely out of respect.
“Some trace cow worship back to
Lord Krishna, who is said to have first appeared as a cowherd
and protector of cattle. Several other gods also lived for
a time as cows, and the animals remain a powerful symbol of
the religion.” (The Associated Press, May 14, 2005)
Although Hindus respect and honor the cow, they do not worship
them in the same sense in which they worship God. Hindus considers
all living things to be sacred, an attitude reflected in reverence
for the cow.
In Hinduism, the cow is seen as a generous,
ever-giving source, which takes nothing but that which is
necessary for its own sustenance in return. Hindus treat the
cow with the same respect accorded to the mother, as the cow
is a vital sustainer of life, providing milk and a means of
ploughing the earth to grow crops. The cow received such status
as a result of the historical need of early agrarian Hindu
civilization. The Rig Veda (4.28.1;6) recorded, “The
cows have come and have brought us good fortune. In our stalls,
contented may they stay! May they bring forth calves for us,
many-colored, giving milk for Indra each day. You make, O
cows, the think man sleek; to the unlovely you bring beauty.
Rejoice our homestead with pleasant lowing. In our assemblies
we laud your vigor.”
The cow thus represents Hindu values of selfless
service, strength, dignity, and ahimsa, or non-violence. For
this reason, although not all Hindus are vegetarian, they
traditionally abstain from eating beef.
“The Bhagavad Gita is not as nice
a book as some Americans think. Throughout the Mahabharata…Krishna
goads human beings into all sorts of murderous and self-destructive
behaviors such as war…The Gita is a dishonest book;
it justifies war.” (The Philadelphia Inquirer,
November 19, 2000)
The Bhagavad Gita, perhaps Hinduism’s
most popularly revered text, is essentially a conversation
between Lord Krishna and the great warrior Arjuna on the eve
of the great battle depicted in the epic Mahabharata. Lord
Krishna, a manifestation of God, delivers a philosophical
discourse on aspects of living the spiritual life towards
attaining moksha, freedom from cycles of birth and death and
living as one with God. Hinduism extols ahimsa, non-violence,
and in more than 5,000 years of recorded history, Hindu rulers
have never attacked a land in the name of religion or with
the goal of conversion. Although considered a sacred text,
the Gita does not claim ultimate authority on religious ideals,
as, for example, the Christian Bible does for Christianity.
The Vedas, a series of four ancient scriptures are treated
as more authoritative texts.
Written in Sanksrit the Vedas impart knowledge
for living. The oldest portions date back as far as 6000 BCE,
making them the oldest scriptures in the world. The four Vedas
are Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. Each Veda has four sections,
Samhitas – hymn collections, Brahmanas – priestly
manuals, Aranyakas – forest treatises on philosophy
and Upanishads – enlightened discourse.
“A Hindu temple houses idols of
goddesses and gods, which are typically carved in stone or
marble from India.” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
September 5, 2000)
The use of the word “idol” to
refer to the representations Hindus use in worshiping God
is inaccurate. There is no Sanskrit (the medium of Hindu scriptures)
equivalent to the word “idol,” and by definition,
“idol” means a false god and “idol worship”
refers to the worship of graven images. The correct term is
murti and refers to a powerful visual tool for contemplating
the nature of God. In English, the closest word would be “icon.”
Followers of Hinduism do not blindly worship idols, but use
divine images, murtis, as focal points designed to be aides
in meditation and prayer. Hindus do not consider God to be
limited to the murti, but it is a sacred symbol that offers
a medium for worship. Indeed, Hindus perceive only one God
who is infinite and can be addressed in infinite ways and
the multiple Gods and Goddesses are a manifestation of that
infinite.
“At Mr. K's Party Shoppe in Utica,
producer of one of the winning tickets, many of the unlucky
were back at the counter today, hoping to ride good karma
to victory in next week's drawing. "I guess they think
we're the good luck store," said Melvin Kassab, son of
the convenience store's owner.” (Washington Post,
May 11, 2000)
Karma is often misinterpreted to mean “luck” or
“fate,” something over which one has no control.
However, the Vedas explain that every person is responsible
for and in control of their own actions. Karma is the universal
principle of action and reaction on physical, mental, and
spiritual levels; our thoughts and actions will return to
us in the future. Since each action has a reaction, the cycle
of karma is endless. To avoid being trapped in this cycle
Hindus endeavor to become unattached to the results of their
thoughts and actions. When a person can act without thought
of reward they are free of the cycle of karma.
"Pooja's case was the latest in
a series of well-publicized incidents in which brides have
balked at dowry demands, suggesting that some young women
are losing patience with the age-old Hindu tradition."
(The Washington Post, March 27, 2005)
Dowry is the practice of payment to the bridegroom's family
by the bride's family along with the giving away of the bride
during the marriage ceremony. The practice originated as a
means of helping with marriage expenses and became a form
of insurance against mistreatment by a bride's in-laws. Dowry
was outlawed in 1961, but remains a social evil that is practiced
across several religious traditions throughout South Asia.
Dowry is not a part of Hindu tradition.
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