How can hindus believe in one god

Hindus believe in many Gods who perform various functions; like executives in a large corporation. These should not be confused with the Supreme God.

The unique understanding in Hinduism is that God is not far away, living in a remote heaven, but is inside each and every soul, in the heart and consciousness, waiting to be discovered. And the goal of Hinduism is knowing God in this intimate and experiential way. Hinduism is both monotheistic and henotheistic. Many Indians — particularly Hindus — believe that God can be manifest in people, including in people in lower castes.

Far fewer believe God can manifest in people who have done bad things in their lives. Broadly speaking, Indians who have had financial difficulties in the previous year i. Majorities among all major religious groups believe in God. But unlike most other religious beliefs, Indians from General Category castes are slightly more religious in this way.

While belief in God is nearly universal in India, the kind of God s that Indians believe in varies. Respondents were shown 15 images of gods on a card as possible options though they could also name other deities , and they could select up to three gods. In Hindu temples, Shiva is represented both through his male form as well as a symbol, known as a lingam.

In fact, destruction is considered central to creation as it may pave the way for beneficial change. Krishna is more popular in the Northeast than in any other region. And Hanuman and Lord Ram, the god of chivalry and virtue and hero of the epic Ramayana, find far less affinity among Hindus in the Northeast than they do elsewhere.

Hindus are much more likely than those in other religious communities to believe that each of these manifestations is possible. These began to appear around the time of the Buddha note: almost all dates in Hinduism are controversial , and, of course, have interesting names.

From the unreal lead me to the real! From darkness lead me to light! From death lead me to immortality! These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a very important passage 3.

It takes the form of a student asking his master about the number of gods. There you have it: monotheism. Hindus see only one God behind their ubiquitous plethora of gods. Tags: Existence of God , Hinduism , spirituality. He is the author of numerous public health articles and texts and also a Biblical introduction to the Bahai Faith: Thy Kingdom Come, from Kalimat Press.

By clicking "Continue" "Submit" , I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and consent to receive communications email, telephone call, or text message from Bahaiteachings. Message and data rates may apply.

I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. By clicking "Submit", I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and consent to receive communications email, telephone call, or text message from Bahaiteachings.

The official website of the Baha'i Faith is: Bahai. The official website of the Baha'is of the United States can be found here: Bahai. Interested in Other Topics? Never miss an article. The giving of offerings is an important part of Hindu worship. Others believe that all the deities are a manifestation of one.

The caste system is a social hierarchy in India that divides Hindus based on their karma and dharma. Many scholars believe the system dates back more than 3, years. Many subcategories also exist within each caste. Today, the caste system still exists in India but is loosely followed. Many of the old customs are overlooked, but some traditions, such as only marrying within a specific caste, are still embraced.

A Pakistani Hindu family offers prayers and light candles as they mark Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in Lahore, History of Hinduism, BBC. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us!

Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. With about million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions. Its practice has historically been most prominent in East and Southeast Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian religion that may have originated as early as 4, years ago. Zoroastrianism was the state religion of three Persian dynasties, until the Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. The history of Judaism is essential to understanding the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage of law, Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.

Although its roots go back further, scholars typically date the creation of Islam to the 7th century, making it the youngest of the major world religions. Wicca is a modern-day, nature-based pagan religion.