Berkley Center

Jyotsna Raj: I was born into a Hindu family, and therefore I'd identify as a Hindu. But sometimes people, when they grow older, change their religion. They choose the religion they want to belong to. And I would say that if I were to have to choose a religion, I would still choose to be a Hindu. And as for my religious identity, I'm not at all a religious person, but I see Hinduism as my way of life. And I'm very glad I'm born into this very liberal tradition, which allows me a great deal of freedom of thought. So I want to know how you would identify.

Indra Raj: I think probably if there was to be a word to describe what I am in a religious context, it would be an atheist. But I've always found the word atheist has a very negative connotation in our white Christian American society. And in India these days, Hinduism is the thing. And if you're not that, that's a problem too or whatever. But I really don't believe in God per se. I don't know what's out there. I heard some definition of atheism versus being agnostic is that when you're atheist, you know there's not a God. And when you're agnostic, you aren't sure. But I don't think I'm agnostic. But I don't-

Jyotsna Raj: So do you know that there is not a God?

Indra Raj: I don't know, but like-

Jyotsna Raj: So then you are an agnostic and not an atheist.

Indra Raj: But then there's this whole narrative around that being spiritual or something.

Jyotsna Raj: No, not at all. And agnostic simply means that you live in a state of almost like limbo because you don't have a belief one way or the other.

Indra Raj: No, maybe I am an atheist.

Jyotsna Raj: You are an-

Indra Raj: I really don't think there's a God. I think that this perception of God as shown in movies and through Christianity and things as this man in the sky or whatever.

Jyotsna Raj: But that is only a perception.

Indra Raj: So I don't believe that's real at all. I don't know. But I don't think that there's one power that's making everything happen. Because while I don't consider myself particularly spiritual in the typical religious sense, I think I'm a very moral person.

Jyotsna Raj: But I want to ask you this. When you were growing up, we never really talked to you about Hindu belief.

Indra Raj: No.

Jyotsna Raj: We never did. So the rituals I enjoy are part of my cultural identity. And even the superstitions. I'm a very rational person really. So those superstitions are very tongue in cheek for me. I don't really believe it. So this is, I think, what I value about Hinduism and why I feel I would still identify as a Hindu, because it allows me to be an atheist. Within the Christian tradition or the Islamic tradition, if you said I'm an atheist, you are per se, not a Christian or a Muslim. You can be an Atheist Hindu. So that is what I value about it. It is a very liberal tradition, open to ideas of other faiths and thought traditions.

And also, the best thing is it's very psychologically rooted. It looks at people and it says, if you are the worshipy kind of person, then find yourself a personal God. If you are an activist, if you want to do good things in life, then follow karma yoga, the path of duty and action. And if you are a spiritual person or an intellectual person, then think about it. Think about who you are, what your essence is. And it is a part of thinking about life, about the universe really. So it's very psychological. It allows you to follow, to do what is in your nature to do.

Indra Raj: Yeah. And I think those can be the best parts of religion.