Editing Religious conversion (section)

===Hinduism===
{{See also|List of converts to Hinduism|Shuddhi (Hinduism)}}
[[File:Bodhinatha-samaya-diksha.JPG|thumb|240px|A yajna initiation to Hinduism ceremony in progress]]
Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning [[Hindu views on monotheism|monotheism]], [[polytheism]], [[panentheism]], [[Hindu views on Pantheism|pantheism]], [[pandeism]], [[monism]], and [[Atheism in Hinduism|atheism]] among others. Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no universally accepted governing body, no binding holy book nor any mandatory prayer attendance requirements.<ref name="sitachak">{{Citation | last = Chakravarti| first = Sitansu| title = Hinduism, a way of life| publisher = Motilal Banarsidass Publ.| year = 1991| page = 71| isbn =  978-81-208-0899-7}}</ref><ref>[[Julius J. Lipner]], Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition, Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0-415-45677-7}}</ref><ref>MK Gandhi, [http://www.mkgandhi.org/ebks/essence_of_hinduism.pdf The Essence of Hinduism], Editor: VB Kher, Navajivan Publishing, see page 3; According to Gandhi, "a man may not believe in God and still call himself a Hindu."</ref>  In its diffuse and open structure, numerous schools and sects of Hinduism have developed and spun off in India with help from its [[sannyasa|ascetic]] scholars, since the [[Vedic period|Vedic age]]. The six [[Āstika and nāstika|Astika]] and two Nastika schools of [[Hindu philosophy]], in its history, did not develop a missionary or proselytization methodology, and they co-existed with each other. Most Hindu sub-schools and sects do not actively seek converts.<ref name="cookson">{{citation | year=2003 | title = Encyclopedia of religious freedom | author1=Catharine Cookson | publisher=Taylor & Francis | isbn=978-0-415-94181-5 | page=180 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R0PrjC1Ar7gC&q=seek&pg=PA180}}</ref> Individuals have had a choice to enter, leave or change their god(s), spiritual convictions, accept or discard any rituals and practices, and pursue spiritual knowledge and liberation ([[moksha]]) in different ways.<ref>Bhavasar and Kiem, Spirituality and Health, in Hindu Spirituality, Editor: Ewert Cousins (1989), {{ISBN|0-8245-0755-X}}</ref><ref name="gf">Gavin Flood, Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Editor: Knut Jacobsen (2010), Volume II, Brill, {{ISBN|978-90-04-17893-9}}</ref> However, various schools of Hinduism do have some core common beliefs, such as the belief that all living beings have [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (soul), a belief in [[karma]] theory, spirituality, [[ahimsa]] (non-violence) as the greatest dharma or virtue, and others.<ref name="subramuni"/>

Religious conversion to Hinduism has a long history outside India. Merchants and traders of India, particularly from Indian peninsula, carried their religious ideas, which led to religious conversions to Hinduism in Indonesia, Champa, Cambodia and Burma.<ref>[[Jan Gonda]], The Indian Religions in Pre-Islamic Indonesia and their survival in Bali, in {{Google books|X7YfAAAAIAAJ|Handbook of Oriental Studies. Section 3 Southeast Asia, Religions}}, pages 1–47</ref><ref>Richadiana Kartakusama (2006), Archaeology: Indonesian Perspective (Editors: Truman Simanjuntak et al.), Yayasan Obor Indonesia, {{ISBN|979-2624996}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Java's Hinduism {{sic|nolink=y|reason=error in source|Revivial}}|first=Thomas|last=Reuter|publisher=Hinduism Today|date=September 2004|url=http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2004/10-12/52-53_revivial.shtml|access-date=2008-03-16|archive-date=2020-12-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229174130/https://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1308|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some sects of Hindus, particularly of the [[Bhakti]] schools began seeking or accepting converts in early to mid 20th century. For example, groups like the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] accept those who have a desire to follow their sects of Hinduism and have their own religious conversion procedure.<ref>See, for example: [https://archive.org/stream/IskconLawBook#page/n0/mode/2up ISKCON Law Book], International Society for Krishna Consciousness, GBC Press</ref>

Since 1800 CE, religious conversion from and to [[Hinduism]] has been a controversial subject within Hinduism. Some have suggested that the concept of missionary conversion, either way, is contrary to the precepts of Hinduism.<ref name="arvindsharma">{{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Arvind|author-link=Arvind Sharma|title=Hinduism as a Missionary Religion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3J7qJA7L4xwC&pg=PA31|date=22 April 2011|publisher=[[State University of New York Press]]|location=[[Albany, New York]]|isbn=978-1-4384-3211-3|pages=31–53}}</ref> Religious leaders of some of Hinduism sects such as [[Brahmo Samaj]] have seen Hinduism as a non-missionary religion yet welcomed new members, while other leaders of Hinduism's diverse schools have stated that with the arrival of missionary Islam and Christianity in India, the view that "there is no such thing as proselytism in Hinduism" must be re-examined.<ref name=arvindsharma/><ref>Gauri Viswanathan (1998), Outside the Fold: Conversion, Modernity, and Belief, Princeton University Press, {{ISBN|978-0691058993}}</ref>

In recent decades, mainstream Hinduism schools have attempted to systematize ways to accept religious converts, with an increase in inter-religious mixed marriages.<ref name=subramuni/> The steps involved in becoming a Hindu have variously included a period where the interested person gets an informal ''ardha-Hindu'' name and studies ancient literature on spiritual path and practices (English translations of [[Upanishads]], [[Agama (Hinduism)|Agama]], [[Itihasa]], ethics in [[Sutra]], Hindu festivals, [[yoga]]).<ref name="subramuni"/> If after a period of study, the individual still wants to convert, a ''[[Namakarana]] Samskara'' ceremony is held, where the individual adopts a traditional Hindu name. The initiation ceremony may also include ''[[Yajna]]'' (i.e., fire ritual with Sanskrit hymns) under guidance of a local Hindu priest.<ref name="subramuni">SS Subramuniyaswami (2000), How to become a Hindu, 2nd Edition, Himalayan Academy, {{ISBN|0945497822}}</ref> Some of these places are ''mathas'' and ''asramas'' (hermitage, monastery), where one or more ''gurus'' (spiritual guide) conduct the conversion and offer spiritual discussions.<ref name=subramuni/> Some schools encourage the new convert to learn and participate in community activities such as festivals ([[Diwali]] etc.), read and discuss ancient literature, learn and engage in rites of passages (ceremonies of birth, first feeding, first learning day, age of majority, wedding, cremation and others).<ref name="subramuni"/>