“A lot of things that have shaped American life in the last century have a Hindu origin,” said Dr. Jeffery Long a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Elizabethtown College. “Things that people enjoy or take for granted actually have a much deeper connection with the ancient tradition.”
Have you ever realized some popular icons such as The Beatles, Star Wars and yoga are all connected to Hinduism? At 3:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, Long will speak on “How Hinduism Changed America: The Enduring Legacy of Swami Vivekananda.”
His lecture, taking place in the College’s Susquehanna Room, is a slightly modified version of a speech he gave to 15,000 people in India least year. Hinduism, a religion that is considered to be the oldest in the world, is a mixture of cultural, philosophical and religious ideas originating in India. Long will discuss Vedanta, a Hindu philosophy that has woven itself into everyday life in the United States. “A lot of teachings of basic Vedanta are now part of mainstream thinking in America,” said Long. “However, people don’t know that’s the source of it, what those ideas are and how they got transmitted this far and wide.”
Vedanta was introduced to the Western World in 1893 by a Hindu Monk named Swami Vivekananda. These Hindu ideas, were spread rapidly through the West by artists, authors, professors and others who had large cultural reach. This resulted in a seepage into American culture.
A lot of teachings of basic Vedanta are now part of mainstream thinking in America”
This speech is close to Long’s personal and professional interests. A practitioner of Hinduism, Long became attracted to the religion after learning about its influence in popular culture. He hopes that his discussion, which is a summary of every thing he finds interesting, will encourage students to become more appreciative of cultural diversity. “People often have an idea of Hinduism as a very exotic tradition with cows, gods and goddesses, “ said Long “They don’t realize they, themselves, have some Hindu ideas. “
“How Hinduism Changed America: The Enduring Legacy of Swami Vivekananda” is a free event sponsored by the College’s Department of Religious Studies. For more information contact Christina Bucher at bucherca@etown.edu or 717-361-1182.
Long also will discuss Hinduism at noon, Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the Susquehanna Room, as a Presidential Community Enrichment Series Lecture. His talk is titled “Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know about Hinduism but Were Afraid to Ask.” Reservations for this lecture, $15, are required. Contact iaenrichseries@etown.edu for more information.