Whose world is it anyway?

I think you're a little off-base with your characterization of Christians (and Jews and Muslims, though I can't speak to their traditions) as believing humans have "dominion" over creation. The creation story in Genesis does claim that humans have a special responsibility toward the Earth, but most Christians now assume that responsibility is to be faithful stewards of the environment, not to use it however we want. At least, I think that is an understanding of humans' relationship to the environment that is gaining ground in the Church.

So then one might prefer the god who commands the killing of the Egyptian first born, the Canaanites, that of the papal crusades, that of the islamic jihads, that of the Armenian genocide, that of the Holocaust, that of the genocide of the native Indians, that of the apocalypse, that of the book that is the source of more killing than any other ideology to have ever been visited upon man.

Hinduism teaches that the creator god is good. That principle is Brahma. Its power is Saraswati - knowledge and arts. These are wonderful things. But the story goes that Brahma lied. For the more concrete modern thinkers, the creation we see, that is lovely, is a myth, a maya. The principle of the now is in Vishnu and Lakshmi. The immanent avatar and wealth (power). The southern Hindu traditions suggest that same principle is in Shiva holding the poison of the world while we can enjoy the blessings with his power Parvati, the mother earth.

So if you want to worship the creative principle, go for it, bow to Brahma, study hard, acquire more knowledge, more arts. If you want to be in the Now, there is the maintainer, bow to Vishnu as your highest good. Always sacrificing himself as a form so that we can be uplifted, like a parent does for their loved child. Or you can devote yourself to the most abstract being in Shiva and yet ground yourself in Parvati.

In short, in Hinduism, you can worship even Atlas who carries the weight of the world unasked. Or Prometheus who brings the fire of enlightenment to mankind. Or Athena that embodies wisdom beyond time. You can even worship a void, formless yet Being. You can even worship a god that says, "dude, no karma, kill, rape, murder I'll get you into heaven, no problem."

And in the (no)things you worship you will find and define yourself to yourself - not my journey, yours. And then, please don't tell me how to worship because when you do, you imply you know more about Truth than I. Then I can ask, give me objective or logical proof that you are right (after all I worship Truth - Tat Sat).

hariaum

colossus of rhodes.

large bronze statue of the sun god ,helios ,in rhodes harbor,one of the seven wonders of the ancient world .built by chares ,it fell in an earthquake in 224bc.

or the atlas who carry the earth ball on his head and shoulder????

survival of the species need unquiting god ,need no god where earthquake can ruin him/her ,nor atlas who put the earth ball planet earth on the sidewalk and take a nap or fiesta .

nor the underground god who interfer with the above ground god,nor the god of the moon who in conflict with the god of the air!!!!!!!!!!!!!!this is so funnnnny

or the god of sociopsycology and the god of anatomy and physiology?

serious shame

You are very right about Hinduism's views on Nature. I come from the same tradition. So in some sense we understand it very well and so we can speak to it with authority.

But I would prefer if we don't speak with the same level of authority on what another religion or traditon's views on nature is.
Whether it be Abrahamic or otherwise.

If I were to take individual lines out of context and speak to it I could make the Bhagavad Gita look quite cruel as well.
This is what the extremists of any religion or tradition use to fundamentalize their religion or villify others. Though for one who understands its real meaning and context, we know it is not so.
I have read your other posts very carefully, and I have great respect for your thoughts and writing.
Please take this as a kind suggestion.

Mono1

are you saying all gods and visions are delusions or just not the ones you choose to believe in?

If the first, then we can discuss the triviality of philosophy.

If the second, can you give objective or logical evidence that one idea of god is better than another?

hariaum

people need to study and understand the difference between philosophy(ability to think)and divine revelation.

who,s world is it?
its the creator of this world.

there is no sun god or moon god or the earth ball god or african god or indian god or subcontractor god all these are none but *philosophy* and to be specefic all these are delusions,no more no less than the polytheism delusional gods of greco romanism ,and of course the rest of eastren philosophy.

"The Dharma traditions of India express this approach of respect to the highest degree of any of the major religions."

I generally agree with this sentiment, but we are also socialized to ignore the contribution of the Native American religions and Native African religions. I believe mature religions, those that have been around for several millenia realize who our mother is and how she shows us the face of our father. The Dharma traditions of India are an extant example that can help to reignite these major religious systems.

"Of course, incidents of abuse of nature occur in India, like anywhere else, but these are primarily due to ignorance and individual human greed, and they are not sanctioned by religious beliefs."

Himsa, it seems to me from the good nature of the vast majority of people I meet, is contrary to human nature. It is the sanctioning of himsa that promotes ignorance. The lowest common denominator of economics is kama. If you can sell to kama, you can sell anything. Increase your markets, increase profits. Churches, Mosques, Mormons, etc all are willing to sell via kama (gauranteed salvation, multiple wives in heaven or earth, school fees, drink, meat,...) Ignorance, whether in a Hindu or a christian leads to himsa (after all it begins with himsa to our nature to know truth). But certain religions teach ignorance, blind faith. Then they don't need to sanction himsa, they can let it happen and deny they are the cause.

"When will a brighter light be shown on these?"

Asato Ma Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
Mritur Ma Amratam Gamaya

hariaum