Hindus rated ‘fairly warmly’ in USA

Former President Barack Obama getting a shawl from a Hindu priest during Diwali celebrations in White House
Former President Barack Obama getting a shawl from a Hindu priest during Diwali celebrations in White House

CHICAGO: Most religious groups in USA rate Hindus fairly warmly, according to “polling and analysis” posted by Washington DC headquartered Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank.

Asked to rate a variety of groups on a “feeling thermometer” ranging from 0 to 100, Americans’ feelings toward Hindus have shifted from relatively neutral place of 50 in 2014 on the thermometer to somewhat warmer rating of 58.

Americans aged 18-29 put the Hindus at 64 on the thermometer, which is higher than Jews, Atheists, Evangelical Christians, Mainline Protestants, Muslims and Mormons. Jews gave Hindus a thermometer rating of 70, which is highest given to Hindus by any religious group.

Hindus were rated at 70 by those who had personal connections with someone in the Hindu community, as compared to 54 given by those who had no such connection.

But only 22% of Americans say they personally know a Hindu.

These were among the findings of a new Pew Research Center survey of 4,248 adults conducted between January nine to 23 on the Center’s nationally representative American Trends Panel.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, published in 2015, the Hindu population in USA reached 2.23 million, an increase of about one million or 85.8 percent since 2007, making Hinduism the fourth-largest faith.

Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged Hindus to continue with the traditional values of hard work, higher morals, stress on education, sanctity of marriage, etc.; amidst so many distractions to scale still greater heights.

Hindus should continue to focus on inner search, stay pure, explore the vast wisdom of scriptures, make spirituality more attractive to youth and children, stay away from greed, and always keep God in the life.

Suresh Shah