Posted on 08/12/2010 1:19:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Her parents were Baptist and Catholic and she was born in Georgia, part of the US Bible Belt. But Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts says she is now a practising Hindu. Speaking to the September issue of Elle magazine, Roberts said she goes to the temple to "chant, pray and celebrate."
The 42-year-old actress, who won a million hearts with Pretty Woman and an Oscar with Erin Brockowich, took to Hinduism during the shooting of her upcoming film, `Eat, Pray and Love' last year. In the movie, she plays a divorced woman who travels to Italy for food, India for spirituality and Bali, where she finds love. In the interview, Robert also spoke of reincarnation. "I've been so spoiled with my friends and family in this life. Next time I want to be just something quiet and supporting," she said.
Swami Dharamdev of Hari Mandir, Pataudi, where `Eat, Pray and Love' was shot for three weeks in September-October last year, said it is good news if someone accepts Hinduism from the heart. During the film's shooting, he said, a makeshift temple had been constructed nearby where unit members would light lamps and burn incense sticks. "Julia too would pray there, run her hands over the lamp and her hair as we all do," he recalled. "She also got her three kids here. I tied the sacred red thread on their wrists and applied the tilak on their foreheads," he said.
Swami Dharamdev recalled the actress also requested him, through her private assistant, to pray for her mother who was ill. "Before she left I told her, `you may choose not to eat or love. But don't forget to pray. Make that a part of your life, not just acting in this film'. She smiled and nodded affirmatively," he said.
In a statement, Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism in the US, also said he and his fellow practitioners welcome Roberts into the fold.
Julia's move to Hinduism has sparked off a torrent of online response. Some are highly critical of her; others the opposite. "Another confused celebrity trying on the religion "flavour" of the month. Hindu? Does she even know what that means? How can you convert to another religion after making a film? Next thing you know she'll be wearing a Kabbalah bracelet after going to a Madonna concert!," was a comment posted on The Daily Mail's website. However, Anne, Leicester, wrote, "I like Julie Roberts, admire her work on screen and her commitment to her beliefs. If she's living her life to the ideals of Hinduism, that's all to the good. I look forward to seeing her latest film.
Well, if you were one of those who call themselves "agnostic", that is supposed to mean that you believe there's no use in looking.
I never said God was unfair, I just asked some questions that no one seemed to answer..
How do you know it doesn’t mean someone just hasn’t had sufficient proof?
What answer are you looking for that others have not answered pretty extensively? It seems to me that rather than question people so much you might better be directing your questions to God with a Bible open in front of you....and read til He reveals His answers directly to you. He wants us to know Him and He wants us to seek what He says....especially since you seem to have difficulty understanding the answers you’ve been given.
"When I use a word, it means just what I want it to mean." (Guess the source.)
I was using the term canonically, as its originator defined it.
Looks like you want “Proof” on matters which require faith not proof. Which puts you in a delima stuartcr. God says blessed is he who believes without seeing. There is plenty and more than enough evidence supporting the reality that God is who He says He is... and has done that which He says He has done and will do in the future. One will have great difficulty acquiring faith apart from believing the possibility of God....and faith will always come as one studies the scripture and asks God to reveal truth...He has never let me down in that respect.
Thank you, but I’m not looking for answers from God, I’m looking for answers from people.
I was using Merriam-Webster.
I don’t want proof of anything, I just want to know what people have for an answer to my questions.
WHY?
And I was channeling Richard Mitchell (the Underground Grammarian), who said, "A word that means almost anything means almost nothing."
I don't know Julia Roberts. But I have to say I don't see much Christianity in the trashing of her beliefs on this thread, or in trashing the beliefs of a billion Indians practicing the world's first and oldest spiritual tradition.
Personally, I don't think they were. In appreciation of your Socratic questions I added one. :)
I don't know Julia Roberts. But I have to say I don't see much Christianity in the trashing of her beliefs on this thread, or in trashing the beliefs of a billion Indians practicing the world's first and oldest spiritual tradition.
Sorry for the double post.
Because it’s interesting to possibly hear what other people have to say on the subject. There isn’t anything wrong with asking people about things, is there?
Is that like saying...’silence speaks volumes’? I guess we have different references.
Same here.
To continue a discussion, you have to synchronize them.
I prefer to leave the term "agnostic" as Huxley defined it. Since you reject that definition, that indicates you must believe that there is some use in inquiry. Probably the term "skeptic" would fit better.
Always nice to know that the Hindu religion doesn’t discriminate against equines.
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