How is the Hindu world view radically different from the Christian/western perspective of life and reality?
For any person coming from a Christian background, trying to understand the Hindu religion may seem overwhelming. Those who choose to learn about the religion may often become stuck while trying to dissect the plethora of gods and goddesses represented in the various mediums. While sometimes colorful, sometimes funny and even sensual, each Hindu god represents the various spiritual paths which one may take. Although many would label this religion as polytheistic, Hinduism is pantheistic where each god and human and creation is a manifestation and one and the same. This leads to the idea that God is present in everything. Not only that, but similarly there are gods for various attitudes, thoughts and emotions for each individual. This is a significant difference between the Hindu and Western ideas.
Referring to the Bible, God is said to create man, and man can’t say that he is in the same divine position as his Creator, whereas in Hinduism, each creation is considered incarnation of that power. In Hinduism it is believed that God is a part of every individual and is part of the Divine. No one is distinct from God or each other.
Two essential teachings of Christianity which involve sin and salvation are both absent in the teachings of eastern religions like Hinduism. “If there is no sin, no salvation is needed, only enlightenment,” Peter Kreeft. While Christianity may tell you to you to your neighbors, Hinduism will tell you that you are your neighbor. “Since individuality is illusion, so is free will. If free will is illusion, so is sin. And if sin is illusion, so is hell,” Kreeft....