Who Is A Hindu

[Bharatvarsh]

Carl, Hindus are the ones who should decide what we should call ourselves. Whether Hindu was coined by invaders or not is immaterial, we took the term and made it into our own label with pride. Most Hindus call themselves as Hindus, only if u specifically ask them about what sect they belong to, will they say that they r "Vaishnavas" or "Shaivas", if u stop a Vaishnava person on the street and ask what his religion is he will say that he is a "Hindu" not a Vaishnava. We see Vaishnavas and Shaivas as sects of Hinduism. As for ppl ppl taking advantage of nationalism and defining Hindu to suit themselves, again the vast majority of Hindus have no problem with this definition then what problem does IKSCON (actually CON) have with it, no one is begging them to be Hindus. If they want to call themselves Gaudiya Vaishanavas cool but then these ppl should stop saying that they are Hindus when they need donations from Hindus, Hindus are fine with the label Hindu we do not want to call ourselves as Vaishnavas or Shaivas. Our foremost identity is Hindu everything else comes secondary and IKSCON should stop messing around with Hindus. Today if u go teach weird ideas to try separate Vaishnavas and Shaivas u r seen as a traitor to Hindus, as long as Hindus are fine with it its ok, screw IKSCON and what right do they have to speak for Vaishnavas. My family are Vaishnavas but they consider themselves to be Hindus first and foremost, not Vaishnavas.