KAUAI, HAWAII, May 13, 2024 (Hinduism Today, by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami): In Western television shows, references to God are rare. However, when the Divine is mentioned, the prevailing sentiment often revolves around the assertion that “God loves you.” This mirrors contemporary perspectives on the Divine. Indeed, amid life’s challenges, it is reassuring to be reminded of the comforting principle that God cares for you. In Hindu philosophy, the idea that “God loves you” is present but enriched by profound subtlety. There is a strong emphasis on “You love God” and “God is love.” This slightly different focus provokes the devotee’s sincere effort to cultivate and intensify love of the Divine. Before looking in more detail into deepening one’s love of God, let’s look first at a second Hindu concept, that of faith.

In our modern world, an increasing number of individuals state that they don’t believe in God and see no need to affiliate with a religion. A popular poster on the web expresses this sentiment, depicting a teenage girl boldly declaring, “I’m too old to believe in fairy tales.” Western thought often, though not always, defines religious faith as an unquestioning belief in God and religious tenets, a perspective aligned with Webster’s dictionary. In contrast, the Hindu expression of faith transcends doctrinal allegiance. In Hinduism, faith is not a consensus of belief; nor is it a static condition. Rather, it undergoes constant deepening through personal experience and spiritual growth. The spiritual truths of Sanatana Dharma, initially embraced without tangible proof, find ultimate validation through individual experiences. Swami Chinmayananda, founder of Chinmaya Mission, succinctly encapsulated this notion, stating, “Faith is to believe what you do not see. The reward of faith is to see what you believed.”

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