Post 71:
I don't think you're referring to me, but just in case -
Hindus have always consisted of people who had many Gods, or one (or more) ishtadevas, as well as some who did not think of Gods at all. Doesn't stop any of them from being Hindus.
My gripe was with this statement Sengotuvel made:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->What is a Hindu who has realised the absolute if he is not an atheist? What Gods does this ultimate Hindu's theism submit to?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->They're equating 'ultimate Hindu' with being an atheist (assuming they meant Hindus not occupying themselves with thoughts of any Gods). My point was there have been billions of 'ultimate Hindus' before us who did have Gods. So who's to define that only Hindus without Gods are deserving of the label? It's just one person's opinion, but the claim was made as if it were established fact rather than an arguable personal view. The quoted statement as written looks like this when reduced to its essentials: "the ultimate Hindu, who's realised the absolute, can only be an atheist".
I don't think you're referring to me, but just in case -
Hindus have always consisted of people who had many Gods, or one (or more) ishtadevas, as well as some who did not think of Gods at all. Doesn't stop any of them from being Hindus.
My gripe was with this statement Sengotuvel made:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->What is a Hindu who has realised the absolute if he is not an atheist? What Gods does this ultimate Hindu's theism submit to?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->They're equating 'ultimate Hindu' with being an atheist (assuming they meant Hindus not occupying themselves with thoughts of any Gods). My point was there have been billions of 'ultimate Hindus' before us who did have Gods. So who's to define that only Hindus without Gods are deserving of the label? It's just one person's opinion, but the claim was made as if it were established fact rather than an arguable personal view. The quoted statement as written looks like this when reduced to its essentials: "the ultimate Hindu, who's realised the absolute, can only be an atheist".