What is the best Religion?

[Saint Frankenstein]

Most of Hinduism, is polytheistic.

Not the major forms of it.

 

[Desert Snake]

Not the major forms of it.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If most forms think that there are /various, deities, then that is polytheism.

 

[Kirran]

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If most forms think that there are /various, deities, then that is polytheism.

As a Hindu, I think it's accurate to say that most Hindus believe in one God with many forms.

Of the major philosophical schools, very few are polytheistic. Although of course a great many Hindus aren't associated with one of these. But I think they still aren't polytheistic, for the most part.

 

[Desert Snake]

As a Hindu, I think it's accurate to say that most Hindus believe in one God with many forms.

Of the major philosophical schools, very few are polytheistic. Although of course a great many Hindus aren't associated with one of these. But I think they still aren't polytheistic, for the most part.

Ok, fair enough.

 

[Kirran]

Certainly there are polytheistic Hindus too - you can find pretty much every idea in Hinduism.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm not sure what you mean by that. If most forms think that there are /various, deities, then that is polytheism.

First of all, "Hinduism" is just an umbrella term of a bunch of different Indian religions. "Hinduism" isn't a religion unto itself just as "Paganism" isn't a religion unto itself. It's a catch-all term. The major traditions under the "Hindu" umbrella are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartism. Then there's schools like Advaita. None of those are polytheist because they all believe that there ultimately one God/Supreme Being/Ultimate Reality with all the "personal Gods" merely being different facets of this Supreme Being. A lot of Hindus take the main deity of their tradition as being the Supreme Being. Vaishnavas worship Vishnu as supreme, Shaivas worship Shiva as supreme, Shaktas worship Devi (the Goddess) as supreme and so on. There are polytheistic Hindus, for sure, but they're not really talked about much. (Might be a class thing.)

It's similar to Vodoun. The Loa in Vodoun aren't actually deities. They're similar to angels or animistic spirits. Vodoun believes there is one supreme God.

 

[viole]

No, the ones who have been described by Holy books.I am not talking about man made gods.

My point. All those gods are different.

Ergo, they are all man made. Obviously. Same logic as above.

Ciao

 

[Mackerni]

Mack, mack, lemme ask you a question here.
I'm sure you think I'm a good person, and I'm sure that by that you don't think my religion is bad, but these standards would suggest otherwise. Paganism as a whole has very little influence when you look at the big picture, and we have no standard guidelines that unify us or command us to act a certain way. Also, we have no central figure. Our only figures are gods, and for those that don't believe in gods, their only figure would be nature or the spirit of the universe. My religion therefore violates three of your qualifications for a good religion. I'm only mentioning this to potentially challenge your definition of a good religion. I would argue that a good religion requires things you don't include, an that a good religion can lack some of the things you do include. Just my thoughts on it.

Good Religions (revised)
1) Influences its members
2) Have interactive members and activities
3) Have good people following it
4) People follow because they want to, not because they're forced to
5) Teach others philosophy and morality
6) Central figure is dead

Does Paganism influence its members? Yes. Does paganism have interactive members and activities? The organized ones do. Do they have good people following it? Most Pagans are good people. Are people forced to be in Paganism? No. Do they teach others about philosophy and morality? The organized ones do. Is the central figure dead? There's no central figure in most Pagan circles, therefore the question is null. Let me ask you something, the good religions qualifications might not apply to you, but does the bad religions qualification apply? Certainly not!

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Because a man made god cannot be the creator of this universe.

That's a non sequitur. Actually it's a bunch.

How do you get from:

1. 'A deity not mentioned in holy book' to 'this deity is man-made';
2. 'A deity is mentioned in holy book' to 'this deity is not man-made';
3. 'A deity mentioned in holy book' to 'this deity is creator of universe';
4. 'A deity is creator of universe' to 'this deity alone deserves to be worshipped';

?

 

[Hadayatullah Hubsch]

My point. All those gods are different.

Ergo, they are all man made. Obviously. Same logic as above.

Ciao

Different names do not mean different Gods. Also let us suppose, if according to your understanding they are different, still you will have to find the True One.

 

[Hadayatullah Hubsch]

As a Hindu, I think it's accurate to say that most Hindus believe in one God with many forms.

Of the major philosophical schools, very few are polytheistic. Although of course a great many Hindus aren't associated with one of these. But I think they still aren't polytheistic, for the most part.

How One God can have many forms? That means idols are all gods if someone claims so?
One means = 1, if not then please explain what One means?

 

[Hadayatullah Hubsch]

That's a non sequitur. Actually it's a bunch.

How do you get from:

1. 'A deity not mentioned in holy book' to 'this deity is man-made';
2. 'A deity is mentioned in holy book' to 'this deity is not man-made';
3. 'A deity mentioned in holy book' to 'this deity is creator of universe';
4. 'A deity is creator of universe' to 'this deity alone deserves to be worshipped';

?

That Book has to be a revealed Book. Not ordinary books that you read everyday. What is your God?

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

What I want to know is why are these the only options? I haven't voted nor am I going to because this poll is well...lacking.

He's following the revealed religion's definition of what constitutes a true religion: a true religion must be revealed. Convenient, isn't it?

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

How One God can have many forms? That means idols are all gods if someone claims so?
One means = 1, if not then please explain what One means?

Because he's all-powerful. According to Trinitarian theology The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are just different names for God in various guises. Using your logic Islam is polytheistic because Allah has so many epithets such 'Oft-Forgiving', 'Most Merciful', 'All-Seeing' and these must refer to different gods.

 

[Hadayatullah Hubsch]

Because he's all-powerful. According to Trinitarian theology The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are just different names for God in various guises. Using your logic Islam is polytheistic because Allah has so many epithets such 'Oft-Forgiving', 'Most Merciful', 'All-Seeing' and these must refer to different gods.

'Most Merciful', 'All-Seeing' are not forms of God. They are attributes of God. And we do not have any forms (idols or stones) to show those attributes.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

That Book has to be a revealed Book. Not ordinary books that you read everyday.

Just to be clear; when I say "holy book" I mean a text that is sacred to a revealed religion. So we're talking about the same thing here.

What is your God?

My gods (in the plural) are many. I worship multiple deities.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

'Most Merciful', 'All-Seeing' are not forms of God. They are attributes of God. And we do not have any forms (idols or stones) to show those attributes.

Neither do Christians.

 

[Kirran]

How One God can have many forms? That means idols are all gods if someone claims so?
One means = 1, if not then please explain what One means?

Well, IMO:

If God is omnipotent, God can appear as necessary for His devotees' development.

God is beyond form. God is beyond conception by the mind. So we approach God through concepts, through attributes, through forms, through beliefs, but these are only ways towards that which is beyond such things.

 

[Corthos]

Just curious, @Hadayatullah Hubsch, but how do you (as an Ahmadi Muslim) feel about the Baha'i religion? They are both very similar... No?

 

[LuisDantas]

Different names do not mean different Gods. Also let us suppose, if according to your understanding they are different, still you will have to find the True One.

Not really. You can, among other possibilities, decide that religion is more important than god-belief.