- I cannot accept that the Hindu deities are all different aspects of one God. Either they are Gods and Goddesses in their own right, or they are not. Hinduism says they are but aspects of Brahman, as are we.
- I cannot accept Hindu cosmology and theology. That is, advaita and its several flavors. I believe in wyrd and orlog, but not karma and reincarnation in the Hindu understanding of it.
- I do not believe in or am seeking moksha, liberation from the world of illusion. I don't believe that.
- I was told it's intellectual dishonesty (and I believe it is to a degree) to worship Gods who are part of a culture that puts a high value on vegetarianism, while I like a good horn of mead, ale, and a good rib steak, and holds beliefs I do not.
- Last, but probably most importantly, are my Gods and Goddesses not enough?
Now, in overthinking this it occurred to me... what of the literature? What of the books I have: the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, even some Buddhist writings that are clearly not in line with my beliefs? I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water, so I will probably just keep them on my bookshelves for their literary and entertainment value. And possibly for some universal truths I will find in them. But they would be no more than literature, not scriptures. As for the pretty statues I have, well they'll have to be packed away. I think to keep them on display would reduce them to being objets d'art. That may be an offense and affront to the culture and the deities themselves. I have thought about carefully packing them and sending them to the temple gift shop as donations.
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