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I am an atheist(not going in detail about that one), and I heard people say that "Hinduism accepts you no matter what". So that must mean I am a Hindu. Great. But here is the problem (other than being a paradox saying everyone is hindu), Pretty much NOONE accepts me >:). In my family, not hindu, in a temple, not let in. So on WHAT Vishnudamn terms(get it?...) does one say I am "accepted" as a Hindu by hindus unless acceptance means being rejected everywhere??? You are still judging me based on the terms on my belief.

EDIT: If rather I am supposed to be judged based on this, can someone provide me a couple verses from books most hindus agree on? The gheeta?

EDIT 2: This isn't a duplicate as I want a straight forward answer. The other discussion consists of reading through an entire chapter

KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends
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  • Hope I'm not in eternal damnation like christianity though... That would be cruel D: – KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends Dec 04 '17 at 09:53
  • What exactly do you mean by being atheist? You do not believe in god or supernatural phenomena, magic or what?.. – Tezz Dec 04 '17 at 10:08
  • I do not believe in (for the most part) any claims hinduism(or most other religions actually) make. Such as, super natural things, god. So pretty much go to hell! in most religions... I disagree with all claims religion makes, which are not of natural things(ie. trees, humans - theyre pretty natural) to sum it up. – KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends Dec 04 '17 at 10:16
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    First of all I don't think you are 100% atheist.. Had you been you wouldn't come in this site asking this question... ... There was a similar person (Prince Payasi) in Buddhas time who had atheist view, you can read his story here: Payasi Sutta read without any hurry with full concenteration... – Tezz Dec 04 '17 at 10:21
  • First off, I am a 100% atheist who became one starting with the love of physics, then, see the amount of contradictions and then quickly realized it probably wasn't accurate(my view). Second, I came to this site when I saw a post in my suggestions(no frikin idea why) about the "bhagvat gheeta". I am indian and decided to come here. Then thought I'd ask a question and this is the only one which comes to my mind fastest(the only one...). So yeah, Im an indian and treated like a terrorist because i dont believe in a man sleeping on a snake above the clouds watching you(animal abuse btw) – KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends Dec 04 '17 at 10:27
  • Why do you think they treat you like that? Shouldn't they be like you? They also contain same type of quarks-electron-proton-atoms inside their brain.. If you argue that it is due to change in configuration of these atoms in their brain then you should regard it as natural, because it's just physio-chemical changes in their brain governed by physical laws. So, how you are treated is just as per law of physics.. btw did you read the above Payasi Sutta?.. – Tezz Dec 04 '17 at 10:32
  • Do you believe that you're not just body or mind, and the self is beyond? – Pandya Dec 04 '17 at 10:33
  • @Pandya no. I think that the the body (mind is just inside of that) is the final place you can be. Matter is the final stage you can get to.(obv dm and de are other stuff) I am an atheist – KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends Dec 04 '17 at 11:38
  • certainly. In my opinion, as an atheist you may be a better Hindu than sectarian Hindus who say/write hurtful things about Hindu Gods/practices that they don't believe in, although they are believed by millions of fellow Hindus. – S K Dec 04 '17 at 13:35
  • Your Qn is answered here as well if you believe or respect Gita: Does Bhagavad Gita detest atheists?. Basically Atheism has power to retain a soul in the world cycle for consuming various colors of life. Theist will remain less time in the existence. – iammilind Dec 04 '17 at 14:19
  • @KidDoesCodingAndHasNoFriends "I think that the the body (mind is just inside of that) is the final place you can be." - I think so too. But this is the wrong forum for such discussions. "i dont believe in a man sleeping on a snake above the clouds watching you(animal abuse btw)..." LOL, you might be interested in this question I asked on cows: Is “cow” a concept or does it refer to just one species of milk-producing bovine animals? – Say No To Censorship Dec 04 '17 at 23:22
  • Bhagavad gita 3.16 https://www.vedabase.com/en/bg/3/16 "My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain." – brahma jijnasa Dec 05 '17 at 01:25

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Yes, you can be an atheist and a Hindu.

Gita acknowledges the right of a person to reject its teachings.

‘..Reflecting on this entire teaching, do as you think fit.’

Gita 18.63

However, Gita has very low opinion about atheists.

According to them nothing is ultimately real in this world. It is Godless and without any moral basis. Being born of sex union, what else but lust can be said to be its cause?

Gita 16.8

What happens to atheists?

Atheists would remain in Samsara, the cycle of birth and death, and will suffer.

The only way to end of sorrow is to know God. When men shall roll up space as if it were a piece of leather, then will there be an end of sorrow, apart from knowing God.

Svetasvatara Upanishad VI.20

Pradip Gangopadhyay
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  • Well I'll suffer anyway I guess :'( – KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends Dec 04 '17 at 13:13
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    You will remain in Samsara with both its pleasures and its sufferings. You will not end up in hell simply because you are an atheist. – Pradip Gangopadhyay Dec 04 '17 at 13:21
  • @KidDoesCodingAnd HasNoFriends Rishis like kashyapa, angirasa, bharadwaja definitely existed, since there are still Hindus with those rishis gotras. So, if they existed, authority of the shrutis as words of god is established. –  Dec 04 '17 at 13:54
  • "According to them..." -- who is they? Carvakas? – Say No To Censorship Dec 04 '17 at 23:17
  • Those who do not believe in God. They could be Carvakas. Gita 16.8 is a continuation of Gita 16.7 which talks of men of demoniac nature. – Pradip Gangopadhyay Dec 05 '17 at 11:33
  • @KidDoesCodingAndHasNoFriends that's not fully true though. While the Bhagavad Gita and Vaishnava which I follow are more inclined to Vedanta or having a god. Minamsa, Samkhya, Yoga, in certain cases Nyaya, and Vaisheshika may not explicitly deny a concept of god. They may have a concept of Ishvara, but less involved with the world ie deistic. They may be silent on god's existence. They may give reasons for god to and not to exist. Many of these schools have less dependence on god to achieve moksha. Also, atheists are simply stuck in samsara ie the good and bads of the world, so not hell. – Haridasa Jan 15 '24 at 19:33
  • So while you likely can not find pure atheism you can certainly find atheistic strands. I suggest Minamsa sutras or Vaisheshika sutras. – Haridasa Jan 15 '24 at 19:34
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Atheism is an epistemological position while Hinduism is a religious group.

So, can you believe that no gods exist while being a member of a religion? Sure! There is nothing that sais you cannot be a member of a club while believing that this club is BS. Makes me wonder why you'd want to, but you certainly can. Maybe you just like the rituals, like me. I'm a catholic atheist because I was raised that way and I still find it interesting.

Nerobyrne
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