In the September 2010 issue of Elle magazine, Julia Roberts announces that she is now "definitely a practicing Hindu." She states that she and her family go to a Hindu temple to "chant and pray and celebrate."
Visiting Hindu temples and engaging in their practices does not necessarily a Hindu make. Is this simply a "when in Rome..." (which she also visited) syndrome, or has Roberts actually embraced the core tenets of the religion?
According to Dr. Frank Morales (aka Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya), there are many fallacious ways of "becoming" a Hindu. These include automatically being born into the faith (through parents, caste, or nationality), and/or generically believing in reincarnation (without specifying much else).
Perhaps "Hindu by association" should be added to this list. Does visiting India count? Does acting Hindu within a major motion picture count? Does tacit compliance with restricted access to a Hindu temple during a holy season of worship count? Does dressing the part count? Does engaging in some of the rituals count?
Dr. Morales contends that the two primary factors which determine whether one is actually a Hindu (or actually an adherent of any of the world's great religious traditions) are these: (a) the scriptural authority upon which the tradition is based; and (b) the fundamental religious tenet(s) that it espouses. He therefore defines a Hindu as "an individual who accepts as authoritative the religious guidance of the Vedic scriptures, and who strives to live in accordance with Dharma, God's divine laws as revealed in the Vedic scriptures." By this yardstick, natives of India who reject the Vedas are not Hindu, whereas natives of America who embrace them are.
To what extent Roberts has embraced the Vedas is a question that only God (and millions of fans) can wrestle with. In the meantime, her own pronouncements shall have to suffice.
Did you know...
The Hindu Temple Society of Capital District, NY Inc. is conducting a vegetarian food drive in order to assist the area's poor and hungry people. They are working in conjunction with the "Food Pantries of the Capital District" - an organization that collects and distributes food to 36 pantries for the needy.
Resources
http://www.albanyhindutemple.org/
http://blogs.ajc.com/the-buzz/2010/08/05/julia-roberts-now-a-practicing-hindu/?cxntlid=thbz_hm
http://hinduism.about.com/od/basics/a/whois.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism
Comments
I just saw Julie Robert's new movie - 'Eat Love and Pray' and I thought it dealt with a lot of the issues that people face in relationships. It was great that the main character was taking up meditation every day which is very difficult for most people to practice.
Beyond that, the movie didn't go really far in saying how much of a Yogi that the main character was to become. Maybe there will be a part two in which the main character becomes deeper into her practice and worship of the divine.
Many people think that a focus on human relationships is a substitute (they think is spirituality) for the worship of the divine but actually we are all meant to have a personal relationship with the divine when we are ready to.
This movie did recognize the importance of a teacher and played with your trust for the teacher at times maybe to show that not all teachers are worthy of one's trust. The movie was also realistic in how it portrayed the Indian culture by not glorifying all of it and confusing it with spirituality.
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