31–40 of 41 posts
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21877571 (500+ upvotes and 200ish comments, but from Xmas '19) - happy Xmas posts have been very popular in the past, I don't hang around here as much any more to note if other religious festivals are covered much.
What is “Xmas”?
Ultimately, there’s no difference as every Indian state has its own language so it’s all nitpicking. Because I’m a bum, I like to point out that South Indian (where I’m from) and East Indian states use the etymologically correct name, Deepavali.
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Can you share some examples of such music? I'm Indian and ex-Hindu. There isn't any music associated with this festival around my parts. I'm curious to know if people of other parts of India (or ethnic Indians in other parts of the world) have associated some kinds of music with Diwali. I suppose the language would help with figuring out which part of India it's from.
Hey genuine question : what does being ex-hindu mean to you ? I'm an Indian Atheist myself, but I never found my move away from Hinduism to be difficult or grating. My parents & community just sort of accepted it and moved on. If I had to be pedantic, I could call myself a Nastik/Charvak Hindu and I would technically be an 'Atheist Hindu'. I did have a "I refuse to do a namaskar or enter temples" Dawkinian emo-phase,…
I suppose that depends on the age group. Among Indians, a person's religiosity isn't so easily discernible to me when they are in their 20s. That's the age when most people are generally just having a good time. But with anyone in their 30s or above, their religious values are easily seen. These values play a big role in whether they marry, whom they marry, how they raise kids, the historical figures they revere, the roles of men and women, the assumptions they hold as true, shared greivances, etc.
I have more in common with my Chinese and irrelegious European friends than I do with Indians of any religion. I have more in common with my ex-Muslim and ex-Christian Indian friends than I do with my Hindu family. I don't have much in common with the global left either, who seem to be god-less but not religion-less. One manifestation is the kind of topics I must nod along on, lest it provoke an argument or a fight.
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Can you share some examples of such music? I'm Indian and ex-Hindu. There isn't any music associated with this festival around my parts. I'm curious to know if people of other parts of India (or ethnic Indians in other parts of the world) have associated some kinds of music with Diwali. I suppose the language would help with figuring out which part of India it's from.
Hey genuine question : what does being ex-hindu mean to you ? I'm an Indian Atheist myself, but I never found my move away from Hinduism to be difficult or grating. My parents & community just sort of accepted it and moved on. If I had to be pedantic, I could call myself a Nastik/Charvak Hindu and I would technically be an 'Atheist Hindu'. I did have a "I refuse to do a namaskar or enter temples" Dawkinian emo-phase,…
I think this sort of vague belief system as a religion is generally a defining attribute of Eastern religions, in some ways better described as an extension of spiritualism than an organized system like Abrahamic religions.
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Hey genuine question : what does being ex-hindu mean to you ? I'm an Indian Atheist myself, but I never found my move away from Hinduism to be difficult or grating. My parents & community just sort of accepted it and moved on. If I had to be pedantic, I could call myself a Nastik/Charvak Hindu and I would technically be an 'Atheist Hindu'. I did have a "I refuse to do a namaskar or enter temples" Dawkinian emo-phase,…
My two cents: someone being ex-Hindu means to me that they’ve reasoned themselves out of the doctrine and dogma. My assumption is that this person would be skeptical and not believing in things such as reincarnation or the caste system. On the other hand, it doesn’t mean they have shed their entire Hindu identity”. They’d still probably culturally celebrate and partake in festivities: just without that belief. Dunno…
As a Hindu, it's disappointing that people outside Hinduism see the caste system as either a doctrinal or dogmatic part of Hinduism. The belief in Reincarnation is dogma, the caste system is not. The caste system existed outside the belief system, and while certain sections definitely reinforced and exploited it, many traditional systems within the umbrella of Hinduism certainly saw it as a social ill. Rather, the caste system was a social hierarchy that developed in ancient India in parallel to Hinduism, and existed as well in religious groups that rejected Vedic Orthodoxy. Nor is the caste system as people think of it really a thing in Hinduism practiced by communities long isolated from the Indian mainland, such as Bali or the Caribbean communities.
Etymologically, Deepavali is a Sanskrit word meaning row of lamps (Deepa means lamp). Diwali is a colloquial form used in Northern states of India, as the word in their language for a lamp is Diva/Diwa. Ultimately, there’s no difference as every Indian state has its own language so it’s all nitpicking. Because I’m a bum, I like to point out that South Indian (where I’m from) and East Indian states use the etymologica…
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What is “Xmas”?
Athiest Christmas
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Hey genuine question : what does being ex-hindu mean to you ? I'm an Indian Atheist myself, but I never found my move away from Hinduism to be difficult or grating. My parents & community just sort of accepted it and moved on. If I had to be pedantic, I could call myself a Nastik/Charvak Hindu and I would technically be an 'Atheist Hindu'. I did have a "I refuse to do a namaskar or enter temples" Dawkinian emo-phase,…
> being an ex-hindu doesn't immeditely mean anything to me I suppose that depends on the age group. Among Indians, a person's religiosity isn't so easily discernible to me when they are in their 20s. That's the age when most people are generally just having a good time. But with anyone in their 30s or above, their religious values are easily seen. These values play a big role in whether they marry, whom they marry, h…
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Darn the first couple saved URLs are for videos that have been removed. I did buy one Lakshmi song last year on itunes, my favorite Lakshmi mantra, and it's still available (with lovely CGI): Sri Lakshmi Gayatri Mantra 108 Times | Powerful Mantra For Wealth & Luxuries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugWlHwkOlfM Note that I am not in a position to make any kind religious endorsement of this or any other videos! Consid…
The combination of "Diwali" and "Lakshmi" makes sense! It's been so long since I attended a Lakshmi worship ritual that I've forgotten what gets chanted. The traditional music is monophonic. The track you linked to definitely a modern re-interpretation. Maybe people are coming up with some seasonal music all around me, and I'm just unaware. The way that Coca Cola re-invented Christmas for Americans, maybe a handful o…
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What is “Xmas”?
Christmas, but with Χρῑστός (Khrīstós) abbreviated to Χ. One can read even more about its history here: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Xmas#Etymology