My Hindu Faith Gives Me My Freedom: Vivek Ramaswamy
NEW YORK, NY (IANS) – Presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy has said that it is his Hindu faith that led him to the presidential campaign, and that as a president, he wants to make faith, family, hard work, patriotism “cool” in the US again.
Speaking at the ‘The Family Leader’ forum, organized by The Daily Signal platform on November 18, the 38-year-old spoke about Hinduism, Christianity, and his traditional family values.
“My faith is what gives me my freedom. My faith is what led me to this presidential campaign…I am a Hindu. I believe there is one true God. I believe God put each of us here for a purpose. My faith teaches us that we have a duty, a moral duty to realize that purpose. Those are God’s instruments that work through us in different ways, but we are still equal because God resides in each of us. That’s the core of my faith,” Ramaswamy said.
Born to Indian parents who moved to the US from Kerala, Ramaswamy also spoke of the traditional values instilled in him by them.
“I grew up in a traditional household. My parents taught me family is the foundation. Respect your parents. Marriage is sacred. Abstinence before marriage is the way to go. Adultery is wrong. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Divorce is not just some preference you opt for…you get married before God and you make an oath to God and your family,” the Republican presidential hopeful said.
Calling Hindu and Christian faiths “shared values” of God, Ramaswamy said that as a president he will make faith, family, hard work, patriotism, and faith “cool” again in the US.
“Can I be a President who can promote Christianity across the country? I can’t…I don’t think that’s what we should want a US President to do either…but will I stand for those shared values? Will I promote them in the examples that we set for the next generations? You are damn right, I will! Because that’s my duty,” Ramaswamy said.
In July this year, the Ohio-based biotech entrepreneur was targeted for his Hindu faith by a televangelist who asked citizens not to vote for him.
In August, Conservative pundit and author Ann Coulter made racist comments against Ramaswamy and fellow Indian American presidential candidate Nikki Haley, calling their clash during the Republican primary debate a “Hindu business”.
Ramaswamy is the nation’s second Hindu presidential candidate after former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who ran as a Democrat in 2020.
In his address to prospective voters, Ramaswamy often rues that faith, patriotism, hard work, and family “have disappeared, only to be replaced by new secular religions in this country”.
Anil
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Mr. President RAMAswamy!
Who is that God? LOL!
And as a Hindu, people who live in Hindustan, there are many local Gods:
Brahma and his group
Mahesh, Shiva and his group
Vaishnav and his group (Rama. Krishna…….)
Buddha and his group
And many new Gods popping up and rising: Swaminarayan, Sikh Gurus
and then there are Jains and invaders (Muslims, Christians) and refugees (Zorastrians-Parsis, Christians of Syria, Muslims denominations……..)
So who is the one god?
Confused?
November 20, 2023America and American money can do that.
Ram Sanatani
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I do not think that you have deep understanding of the Hindu faith. God in Hinduism is not an entity, like in Abrahamic religions, that requires a unique name. Instead, One God in Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma is the universal intelligence and energy that resides in all of us as our soul, and you are allowed to give it any name. This is what Vivek has been quoted to say in this post.
If you like, good references for you to read up on are (1) Bhagavad Gita, (2) Teachings of Parmahansa Yogananda of Self Realization Fellowship.
November 20, 2023Anil
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On abstinence!
Krishna and Radha!
If it is wrong, I hope Ramaswamy stays away from Krishna……LOL!
November 20, 2023Polygamy…..now I will not even go there as I still have a slim chance that Yama will take me to the gates of Swarag (Heaven).
Qmind
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Donna Brazile a democrat told Vivek to ho home. No self respecting Asian will never vote for the Democratic party ever.
He’s attracting 20’s and 30’s young voters who have never voted before or never voted Republican. On Ytube interviews with him, DeSantis and Namtata Randhava (no pseudo name for Social Media !!) every commendation is for Vivek. Trump is leading 60% versus DeSantis of 20% in Florida as far as we wake his poll numbers do not reflect the younger voters who are never polled so Vivek is leading after Trump. Trump’s choice of VP should share Trump’s vision of America Firsr Movement beyond 2028. The only one who has the vision and qualification is Vivek. DeSantis and Nikki are puppets of Ronna McDaniel and have limited intellect. After Suoer Tuesday March one or both will fold or the money spigot will dry up !! “The Kid Stays In The Picture”
November 20, 2023VIJAY
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Does Christianity faith have a monopoly on American Presidency? If the answer is yes, that goes against the American Constitution. If the answer is no, Good Luck, Vivek!
November 21, 2023Pradeep Srivastava
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“Presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy has said that it is his Hindu faith that led him to the presidential campaign, and that as a president, he wants to make faith, family, hard work, patriotism “cool” in the US again.”
The terms, “faith, family, hard work, patriotism” have always been “cool” in the US because they are like motherhood and apple pie. However, the US being predominantly a Christian country, the term “faith” for Americans is synonymous to the term, “Christianity” In the wake of the global interest in yoga, meditation, and Hinduism at large, many Christians, especially the hardcore kind, feel threatened by presidential candidates who wear Hinduism on their sleeves. It doesn’t seem like Ramaswami appreciates this aspect of American culture.
“Speaking at the ‘The Family Leader’ forum, organized by The Daily Signal platform on November 18, the 38-year-old spoke about Hinduism, Christianity, and his traditional family values.”
Traditional family values of Hinduism are indeed similar to those of Christianity’s, but they are not identical to each other. Since Christians are not aware of Hinduism’s universality, ecumenism, and timelessness, Christians are always paranoid about Hinduism and fear that someday Hinduism may start dominating over other religions, including Christianity.
“My faith is what gives me my freedom. My faith is what led me to this presidential campaign…I am a Hindu. I believe there is one true God. I believe God put each of us here for a purpose. My faith teaches us that we have a duty, a moral duty to realize that purpose. Those are God’s instruments that work through us in different ways, but we are still equal because God resides in each of us. That’s the core of my faith,” Ramaswamy said.”
This is beautiful and in line with what Hinduism teaches.
“In July this year, the Ohio-based biotech entrepreneur was targeted for his Hindu faith by a televangelist who asked citizens not to vote for him.”
This is the point I have been making. Hindu faith is anathema to Christians.
“In August, Conservative pundit and author Ann Coulter made racist comments against Ramaswamy and fellow Indian American presidential candidate Nikki Haley, calling their clash during the Republican primary debate a “Hindu business”.”
Unfortunately, a very high percentage of Republicans are racist. Who can forget Senator Mitch McConnell’s remark about making President Obama a ‘one-term president’?
“Ramaswamy is the nation’s second Hindu presidential candidate after former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard who ran as a Democrat in 2020.”
We all know the fate of Gabbard in the Democratic primary elections of 2020. The fact that she was a proud Hindu may have harmed her.
I am personally not against Hinduism at all. On the contrary, I am a staunch and practicing Hindu. I just don’t think being a Hindu helps one in politics in a predominantly Christian country like the US.
Bobby Jindal and Niki Haley would not have become governors in Louisiana and South Carolina, respectively, if they had not converted to Christianity.
“In his address to prospective voters, Ramaswamy often rues that faith, patriotism, hard work, and family “have disappeared, only to be replaced by new secular religions in this country”.”
November 21, 2023The term “secular religions” is an oxymoron. “Secular” by definition means “nonreligious”