This blog started when I read "Christian Science and Vedanta" by Swami Abhedananda and "Christian Science and Hindu Philosophy" by Swami Yogananda (here). What is the mistake that Christian Science made as a religion? It claimed that it could perform miracles, that it could cure the sick and even raise the dead. Thousands of people have died from medical neglect from Christian Science, no one has ever been saved from a life threatening illness or has ever been raised from the dead. Does this not prove that Christain Science mental techniques don't work, and thus obviously their philosophy of the non-existance of matter is false?
Hinduism is close to Christian Science in proclaiming matter is an illusion (but not non-existant). Both Swami Abhedananda and Swami Yogananda claimed that "Vedanta" could lead to healing the sick, raising the dead, not eating without losing weight, and the materialization and dematerialization of matter. Never once in all of history has there ever been and instance of any of these feats being accomplished. However, it seems that this question is more complicated in Hinduism, as I knew it would be, because Hinduism is more complex and nuanced than Christian Science.
First of all, unlike the two Swamis, most people don't associated magic powers with Vedanta but with Yoga and Siddhanta. However, as Dr. Davide Frawley and others have stated, there is less difference between these schools and Vedanta than there are similarities (here and here). There is some level of Vedanta thinking in these school that promise magic powers called "Siddhis". Even if Vedanta cannot be attacked on these grounds, then we can go after Yoga and Siddhanta for their inability to produce mystical results.
However, the Hindus are a bit more tricky than Mary Baker Eddy was, as while they admit that there are magical Siddhis powers to be had, that in general practioners should avoid trying to obtain them, and a guru who has obtained them is discouraged from showing them in public. This discouragement from showing these powers is likely used as an excuse to hide the fact that they don't exist. Swami Vivekananda said he believed spiritual healing was possible, but convientinety discouraged his followers from using it (here).
Christian Science acts like a test case. It takes Hinduism to such extreme conclusions that it becomes easier to see the errors and call them out. But getting trapped in philosophical discussion is difficult and it may be impossible to fully argue with a Christian Scientists, however they put their neck out on the line and said they could heal people, and they can't, so we have them don't we. Hindus have been more careful and are more multiplex, making them more difficult to defeat.
It would take years of learning to try to argue Vedanta or the metaphysical aspect of Yoga and Siddhanta, most people don't have that kind of time but want to do something to stop the spread of Hinduism. While most Hindus will say they are either not trying to obtain magic powers or that they are hiding them, there are gurus out there who preach that obtaining these Siddhis is possible and something to work toward. Those Gurus like Swami Abhedananda and Swami Yogananda who are willing to make bold statements need to be put to the test and so do their followers.
Even if Siddhi powers were discouraged to be used, are we supposed to believe not one person in history has gained these for their own sake to try to have control over others? There has not been one black magician in all of Hindu history who decided to use these powers for his own gain? Yoga does not say that seeking these powers for their own sake will negate your ability to gain them, in fact it warns against this, meaning it admits that it is possible. Whether it is Vedatan or Yoga or Siddhanta, Hinduism has a weak spot, and it involves these Siddhi powers, no mater how cleverly they try to hide their existance in the philosophy. Let's see these Siddhis and then we will believe your philosophy is real.
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