My Experience With Hinduism

The Experience

In the summer of 2023, I did an internship in Indonesia. On the day we went to Singapore, I visited a Hindu temple for the first time. I had no idea how eyeopening this experience would be. Within a two-mile radius, Singapore has a Buddhist Temple, an Islamic Mosque, and a Hindu Temple for tourists to observe their practices. This was the most religious diversity I had experienced in one place. Before all of this, all I knew about Hinduism was its popular practices of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. As I walked to the Hindu temple I saw colorful flowers lining the streets that tourists were in lines to buy. Stores were filled with gold jewelry glittering that drew onlookers in. I smelled the strong smell of incense all throughout the block as I walked towards the door.

As I crossed the street to the temple, I noticed a few signs outside urging me to leave my shoes outside. Nervously, I removed my shoes. I looked to my right and saw pictures of inappropriate dress for the temple beside a box where people could grab appropriate clothing. In the box were things like shawls, shirts, and long tunic cover ups. Before I entered, an intimidating man dressed with a simple white tunic around his waist stood at the top of the stairs. He seemed to be watching all who came in the door to be sure they were obeying temple rules. Immediately to my right, I saw a large group of men. Some were sitting, others standing and a few laying in the back.

As my fear grew, I followed another group of people who were walking the opposite direction. Inside of the temple I felt out of place as I observed people walking from case to case. Inside of these dark, four walled cases sat a golden idol or statue. Each one of these colorful, shiny, and excentric looking statues represented a different Hindu god. At each god, people offered items like the flowers, incense and jewelry I had seen earlier. There was no rhyme or reason to how these individuals would offer reverence to their gods. I saw a young girl light the incense candles in front of an idol. I watched as a couple whispered their prayers into the ears of a golden cow and expressed their affections by kissing it on the head.

The moment that caused this experience to have a lasting impact on my life came as I was leaving. I approached the room I had been avoiding the whole time, where all the men were worshpping when I first walked in. As I observed, it grew even more strange to me. In this giant front room, there a few idols that were bigger than the rest. The room was lined with gold detailing columns, colorful curtains, and mighty looking idols. The room was flooded with all kinds of people. Some people were extending their arms, others were dancing, and a few were spread out face down on the floor in reverence to the gods. I felt intimidated and unsettled by everything I was seeing. I stood there will eyes wide open, unsure how to interpret their charismatic expressions of worship to a god that was not the one true God.

The Explanation

After a few months of wrestling though what I had seen, I got to catch up with a friend who had gone to India. She shared the Gospel all summer long with people who were from a Hindu background and didn’t speak her language. From talking with her and reading books on Hinduism, I came to realize that these expressions were an act towards their gods to find spiritual awakening. Each person in Hindusim is trying to reach this spiritual realized reality through different means. For those in the Hindu Temple, speaking to gods and expressive worship was a way to be heard by their gods. I became very burdened for those who are seeking false gods because of an unrealized deep longing for the one true God.

In Christianity, there is hope when you feel unheard and unseen. The hope is Jesus. There is a mediator who sympathizes with our weaknesses. He was tempted like us but did not sin. He came to Earth, died, and rose again. Now, those who trust in Him can have a restored and personal relationship with God that was broken by the effects of sin. Therefore, followers of Jesus can approach the throne boldly.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16

As you think about those who are Hindu, crying out to different gods to be able to reach a greater spiritual reality, pray for them. Pray for those who are Hindu to recognize their longing for someone and His name is Jesus.