I like Hindu gods

[GoodbyeDave]

The true and living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob says you should repent of your idolatry. There is no other God but Him.

I think that sounds like an inferiority complex.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

For some reason I feel an affinity for Hindu gods even though I do not believe in any gods to be real. Should I do something about this?

Namaste,

Listen to your Inner Voice, let her advise you, then meditate on the advise and do as you desire.

Dhanyavad

 

[Milton Platt]

For some reason I feel an affinity for Hindu gods even though I do not believe in any gods to be real. Should I do something about this?

Religion can be a very interesting topic to study. You do not have to believe something to be true to enjoy reading about it.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Generally though, Hindu gods are portrayed as friendly, helpful, with little anger, just love and helpfulness. That might be why you feel the way you do as well. There's no wrath there.

Aside from many depictions of Kali or Chhinnamasta, though.

 

[Sand Dancer]

I was an atheist before i developed an attraction to Lord Vishnu. Perhaps something like this will happen if you let it?

I think I like Vishnu as well, especially the Krishna avatar.

 

[Sand Dancer]

You say that you like Hindu gods! Which of the 330 million Hindu gods do you like?

Color me overwhelmed. I had no idea there were that many.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Color me overwhelmed. I had no idea there were that many.

It's not a factual number. It's probably from jokes about how many Hindu deities there are. I doubt they have any more deities than China or Japan.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Try to know more about Hinduism. Hinduism is not just about Gods but much more. I am a Hindu and a strong atheist. Although I do not think we have agnostics in our ranks. It is either yes or no. A pantheist is not an agnostic, and an agnostic cannot be a pantheist. If you do not believe the Gods to be real then you are an atheist. You need to analyze your views.

ps.: I thought you had done that by now. Yeah, which God or Goddess. Let us not forget the Goddesses. They are mighty and loving too.

Well, I was/am atheist but I guess an agnostic (unsure) atheist. I believe there are none but I am open to being wrong. So if I am atheist but want to be Hindu, how do I do that? Also it seems that there are few non Asian people who go to temple and I am always self-conscious. I am of Scottish origin and stick out like a sore thumb. lol

 

[Sand Dancer]

No, I very much belong to Hinduism and am a staunch Hindu. I am also a strong atheist (which means I reject even the possibility of the existence of Gods and Goddesses). That is why I said try to know more about Hinduism.

So what are these things that make you a Hindu?

 

[Sand Dancer]

If you feel an affinity that must mean something. In traditional societies, one worships the gods that ones family worships. For those of us with no such tradition, being drawn to particular gods is generally the first step.

But why do you not consider them to be real? The American anthropologist and art historian Stephen Huyler had been visiting India regularly for 20 years before, at a village ceremony, he suddenly was aware of a goddess: "I was completely surprised, overwhelmed beyond any expectation. In that one moment I, who had come as an observer, had become a participant. I was transformed." The film-maker Maya Deren had many similar experiences when she went to film Vodu ceremonies. Many, many people throughout history have had close encounters with gods. They know the gods are real. Those who have not been so lucky can still acept their testimony; after all, how much of the stuff that you were taught at school have you (or could you) personally verified? If you can swallow a blue up quark, believing in a god is a modest step!

If you have a temple within range, try visiting it. If not, try praying to the gods: they will hear you and may even make their presence known.

I was a Christian for many years, and since leaving, I did not want to commit to any god belief without evidence. I would like to find out of any exist but do not know how. There is a temple in my city and would like to go, but I hate going alone and do not want to stand out as new, different, etc. Maybe I will get up the courage.

 

[Sand Dancer]

The true and living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob says you should repent of your idolatry. There is no other God but Him.

You can have him. Never again will I believe in such an evil deity. Monotheists are often very narrow minded. Thanks for more evidence of that.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Namaste,

Listen to your Inner Voice, let her advise you, then meditate on the advise and do as you desire.

Dhanyavad

This is beautiful. Thank you.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Well, I was/am atheist but I guess an agnostic (unsure) atheist. I believe there are none but I am open to being wrong. So if I am atheist but want to be Hindu, how do I do that? Also it seems that there are few non Asian people who go to temple and I am always self-conscious. I am of Scottish origin and stick out like a sore thumb. lol

It is more in your mind than in the mind of Hindus at temples. There are many in this forum who are not Indians but are accepted happily in temples. Just like in case of non-Indians in temples, it does entail some period of getting used to you for the Hindus too, but soon you are accepted as being one.

So what are these things that make you a Hindu?

Hinduism does not demand anything other than humane behavior (action according to 'dharma') from its adherents. For all things other than that, there are no compulsions and you are on your own. It does demand allowing other people to have their own views. No 'One God' that you are obliged to worship and none other, and no one philosophy (Like ObjectOf Mercy said, that is not much of mercy ). Choose from the scores that you find there, variety is the other name of Hinduism.

There is a temple in my city and would like to go, but I hate going alone and do not want to stand out as new, different, etc. Maybe I will get up the courage.

If you have Hindu friend, take him/her along.

 

[Milton Platt]

Well, I was/am atheist but I guess an agnostic (unsure) atheist. I believe there are none but I am open to being wrong. So if I am atheist but want to be Hindu, how do I do that? Also it seems that there are few non Asian people who go to temple and I am always self-conscious. I am of Scottish origin and stick out like a sore thumb. lol

All you have to do is believe in the existence of a deity and *presto* you are no longer an atheist.

 

[Valjean]

It's not a factual number. It's probably from jokes about how many Hindu deities there are. I doubt they have any more deities than China or Japan.

The "number of Gods" gets complicated, and differs at different levels and from different points of view. There is no one answer.
For practical purposes, you may create as many Gods as you want.

From the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Chapter 3:

When the question "How many gods are there?" was put, Yājñavalkya contemplated the list of gods given in a passage, or a Mantra of the Veda called the Nivid, which has reference to a group of gods called Viśvedevas.
And in accordance with the statement made in that Mantra, called the Nivid in the Veda, Yājñavalkya says: "Three hundred and three." The answer was given. Then he says: "Three thousand and three."
"All right! Let me see," was the retort of Śākalya. "Is this the answer that you give me to my question, how many gods are there? Three thousand and three; three hundred and three! Have you no other answer to this question?" Then Yājñavalkya gives another answer.
"There are thirty-three gods."
"All right!" Again he asks, not being satisfied with this answer. "Tell me again properly; how many gods are there?"
"Six are there."
"All right!" He was not satisfied; he again asks a question. "How many gods are there. Tell me again. Think properly."
"Only three gods are there."
Not being satisfied, he asks again: "How many gods are there? Tell again.
"Two gods are there."
Again he asks a question, not being satisfied. "Tell again; how many gods are there?" "One and a half gods"
Then he was very much upset. "What is this you say, one and a half gods. Tell again properly; how many gods are there?"
"One god is there," he said finally.

 

[Valjean]

Well, I was/am atheist but I guess an agnostic (unsure) atheist. I believe there are none but I am open to being wrong. So if I am atheist but want to be Hindu, how do I do that? Also it seems that there are few non Asian people who go to temple and I am always self-conscious. I am of Scottish origin and stick out like a sore thumb. lol

Maybe loose the kilt?

So what are these things that make you a Hindu?

Belief in levels of reality, and of Maya, obscuring them.

 

[Aupmanyav]

All you have to do is believe in the existence of a deity and *presto* you are no longer an atheist.

Give me even a sliver of evidence and I will believe whatever you say.

"All right!" He was not satisfied; he again asks a question. "How many gods are there. Tell me again. Think properly."
"Only three gods are there."
Not being satisfied, he asks again: "How many gods are there? Tell again.
"Two gods are there."
Again he asks a question, not being satisfied. "Tell again; how many gods are there?" "One and a half gods"
Then he was very much upset. "What is this you say, one and a half gods. Tell again properly; how many gods are there?"
"One god is there," he said finally.

Good that Sākalya did not repeat the uestion. Had he asked again Yājnavalkya would have said 'half' or none'.
In practice there are probably 10,000. Even different villages have their own deities, e.g., 'Kalu Nag Devta'. Names of other Gods and Goddesses are listed on the right in Youtube.

Here the Gods are meeting each other. See the camaraderie. No ill-will, no competition.

 

[Marcion]

For some reason I feel an affinity for Hindu gods even though I do not believe in any gods to be real. Should I do something about this?

It depends how easily you are satisfied.
I see Hindu gods, prophets, sons of God, manifestations, messengers and messiahs as products of the rich human religious imagination, not as anything I can relate to myself.

What fascinates me though is how some of those gods or gurus started out as very special human beings who later became deified by their admirers during the long history in which their forms and descriptions were adjusted by human imaginative thinking (myth formation).

Especially interesting are the stone age forms such as the phallus worship and the worship of famous tribe leaders with symbolic heads of large powerful animals such as lions, elephants or crocodiles.

The traditions of South Asia are so rich, ancient and varied that I fail to understand how people can remain attracted to any of the Abrahamic religions in this age of the internet.

 

[Vinayaka]

I was a Christian for many years, and since leaving, I did not want to commit to any god belief without evidence. I would like to find out of any exist but do not know how. There is a temple in my city and would like to go, but I hate going alone and do not want to stand out as new, different, etc. Maybe I will get up the courage.

You will be welcomed openly. There is nothing to fear. I'm white, and we've never had a problem. That's over 40 years, and over 100 Hindu temples. Just go.

 

[Valjean]

Give me even a sliver of evidence and I will believe whatever you say.
Good that Sākalya did not repeat the uestion. Had he asked again Yājnavalkya would have said 'half' or none'.
In practice there are probably 10,000. Even different villages have their own deities, e.g., 'Kalu Nag Devta'. Names of other Gods and Goddesses are listed on the right in Youtube.

I've read there are 3,306 deities mentioned in the Vedas.