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Indian religions are interesting topic. It is birthplace of major religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Hinduism the most popular religion is

Indian religions are interesting topic. It is birthplace of major religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Hinduism the most popular religion is unlike any other. Over time it is constantly modified and evolved. While Christianity and islam grew by replacing previous practices, Hinduism stitched all into one. So it has trees, fire, wind deity as well as abstract gods. Popular schools with different thoughts evolved and merged into a unified stream. Sadly recent radicalisation have dented its malleability.

rocknor 5y ago
Hinduism is not really a "religion", as the western term implies. From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism#Definitions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism#Definitions Hinduism includes a diversity of ideas on spirituality and traditions, but has no ecclesiastical order, no unquestionable religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, panentheistic, pandeistic, henotheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic or humanist. According to Doniger, "ideas about all the major issues of faith and lifestyle – vegetarianism, nonviolence, belief in rebirth, even caste – are subjects of debate, not dogma. > Sadly recent radicalisation have dented its malleability. Hindutva shouldn't be confused with Hinduism: https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/on-the-difference-between-hinduism-and-hindutva/ https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/on-th...
- pmoriarty 5y ago
  "Hinduism" is more of an umbrella term for hundreds of different religions, practices, and beliefs. Christianity and Islam also have many, many different sects and varying beliefs, but Hinduism is even more varied.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - srean 5y ago
    Indeed. The word Hindu does not occur in native literature, its an exonym https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endonym_and_exonym https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endonym_and_exonym If I remember correctly earliest recorded use of the word is in Persian/Zoroastrian text. There it's used not as a name of a religion but as a name for people living on the other side of the Indus river (called Sindhu in Sanskrit)
    - db1234 5y ago
      Correct. The right name is 'sanaatana dharma' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San%C4%81tan%C4%AB https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San%C4%81tan%C4%AB
      - unmole 5y ago
        Calling it the right name is excessive. The term is of fairly recent origin and motivated by a desire to avoid using a Persian loanword.
skanga 5y ago
Fair enough but Zoroastrianism isn't really an Indian religion.
- blackoil 5y ago
  Don't meant to imply that. Though Zoroastrianism and Vedic Hinduism maybe offshoot of some same proto religion. They have lot of commonalities in them.
huevosabio 5y ago
> While Christianity and islam grew by replacing previous practices, Hinduism stitched all into one. I think to a good extent you can say Catholicism grew by absorbing other religions. It started with Judaism, but then continued to subsume other pagan religions. Christmas itself has pagan roots.
- blackoil 5y ago
  True but for none to that extent. It is difficult to be not Hindu, if you are part of the region no matter what you believe and practice you are Hindu. There are even atheist branches of the religion. So in European context, think of a religion believing in Norse and Greek gods as well as Christian God simultaneously in a single fabric.
  - unmole 5y ago
    Isn't this conflating Hindu with Indian? Yes, Indian tradition has always been syncretic. But etymology aside, Hindu and Indian do not mean the same in modern usage.
  - selimthegrim 5y ago
    I think some Sikhs might differ with you there.
- throw0101a 5y ago
  > Christmas itself has pagan roots. I was under the impression that the "Calculation hypothesis" (Easter + 9 months) was the most likely: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Calculation_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Calculation_hypothes...
  - wavefunction 5y ago
    The Biblical story has the shepherds out in the fields with their flocks when an angel heralds the birth of Jesus and there is some debate about whether this would have been the case during the Winter. Christmas is definitely based on pagan traditions though, which you can see in the traditions of bringing a tree into the house and decorating it.

rocknor 5y ago

Hinduism is not really a "religion", as the western term implies. From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism#Definitions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism#Definitions Hinduism includes a diversity of ideas on spirituality and traditions, but has no ecclesiastical order, no unquestionable religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, panentheistic, pandeistic, henotheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic or humanist. According to Doniger, "ideas about all the major issues of faith and lifestyle – vegetarianism, nonviolence, belief in rebirth, even caste – are subjects of debate, not dogma. > Sadly recent radicalisation have dented its malleability. Hindutva shouldn't be confused with Hinduism: https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/on-the-difference-between-hinduism-and-hindutva/ https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/on-th...

pmoriarty 5y ago
"Hinduism" is more of an umbrella term for hundreds of different religions, practices, and beliefs. Christianity and Islam also have many, many different sects and varying beliefs, but Hinduism is even more varied.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- srean 5y ago
  Indeed. The word Hindu does not occur in native literature, its an exonym https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endonym_and_exonym https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endonym_and_exonym If I remember correctly earliest recorded use of the word is in Persian/Zoroastrian text. There it's used not as a name of a religion but as a name for people living on the other side of the Indus river (called Sindhu in Sanskrit)
  - db1234 5y ago
    Correct. The right name is 'sanaatana dharma' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San%C4%81tan%C4%AB https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San%C4%81tan%C4%AB
    - unmole 5y ago
      Calling it the right name is excessive. The term is of fairly recent origin and motivated by a desire to avoid using a Persian loanword.

skanga 5y ago

Fair enough but Zoroastrianism isn't really an Indian religion.

blackoil 5y ago
Don't meant to imply that. Though Zoroastrianism and Vedic Hinduism maybe offshoot of some same proto religion. They have lot of commonalities in them.

huevosabio 5y ago

> While Christianity and islam grew by replacing previous practices, Hinduism stitched all into one. I think to a good extent you can say Catholicism grew by absorbing other religions. It started with Judaism, but then continued to subsume other pagan religions. Christmas itself has pagan roots.

blackoil 5y ago
True but for none to that extent. It is difficult to be not Hindu, if you are part of the region no matter what you believe and practice you are Hindu. There are even atheist branches of the religion. So in European context, think of a religion believing in Norse and Greek gods as well as Christian God simultaneously in a single fabric.
- unmole 5y ago
  Isn't this conflating Hindu with Indian? Yes, Indian tradition has always been syncretic. But etymology aside, Hindu and Indian do not mean the same in modern usage.
- selimthegrim 5y ago
  I think some Sikhs might differ with you there.
throw0101a 5y ago
> Christmas itself has pagan roots. I was under the impression that the "Calculation hypothesis" (Easter + 9 months) was the most likely: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Calculation_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Calculation_hypothes...
- wavefunction 5y ago
  The Biblical story has the shepherds out in the fields with their flocks when an angel heralds the birth of Jesus and there is some debate about whether this would have been the case during the Winter. Christmas is definitely based on pagan traditions though, which you can see in the traditions of bringing a tree into the house and decorating it.