# How do you worship an elephant? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632 "2007-01-04T02:28:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/21 "2007-01-05T01:17:39Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] I’d love to see a thread about Hinduism in general. It’s a religion that I find absolutely fascinating. [/QUOTE] If you have any advice I would love to start it. I am by no means an expert on Hinduism. As I said, my next-door neighbor could be practising a totally different way than me and still be Hindu. So i can’t do a “Ask the”, especially since I am not technically Hindu (I term myself atheist Hindu). What I’d like to see is a thread where all the Hindus on the boards came together and spoke about their individual views and thoughts and beleifs, and people threw out questions to all of us. Sort of like a panel rather than one person. But I have no idea how to make this happen. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/22 "2007-01-05T03:55:13Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] This board is very centered around the Big Three religions - Islam, Christianity, and Judaism [/QUOTE] I like that Judaism is one of the Big Three even though there are about 70 times more Hindus in the world. One of those quirks of the West running the show, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/23 "2007-01-05T06:30:53Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] How do you worship an elephant? [/QUOTE] Elephino! ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/24 "2007-01-05T07:19:29Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] If you have any advice I would love to start it. I am by no means an expert on Hinduism. As I said, my next-door neighbor could be practising a totally different way than me and still be Hindu. So i can’t do a “Ask the”, especially since I am not technically Hindu (I term myself atheist Hindu). What I’d like to see is a thread where all the Hindus on the boards came together and spoke about their individual views and thoughts and beleifs, and people threw out questions to all of us. Sort of like a panel rather than one person. But I have no idea how to make this happen. [/QUOTE] I would love to see that too. Have always been fascinated by Hinduism–I was given some Amar Chitra Katha comics as a little kid, and read them to pieces, but I still have 'em. Someday I’ll buy a whole bunch more. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/25 "2007-01-05T07:24:56Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I like that Judaism is one of the Big Three even though there are about 70 times more Hindus in the world. One of those quirks of the West running the show, I guess. [/QUOTE] On the other hand, nearly all the Hindus are actually IN “Hindustan,” (with a few scattered groups in South Africa, the Windward Islands, Polynesia, and a few U.S. and British cities). In contrast, two of the Big Three dominate a bit more than half of the other countries in the world and the Jews exert a strong influence in most First World countries. So, your observation is correct, but it is not an example of provincialism, as such. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/26 "2007-01-05T14:12:28Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] If you have any advice I would love to start it. I am by no means an expert on Hinduism. As I said, my next-door neighbor could be practising a totally different way than me and still be Hindu. So i can’t do a “Ask the”, especially since I am not technically Hindu (I term myself atheist Hindu). What I’d like to see is a thread where all the Hindus on the boards came together and spoke about their individual views and thoughts and beleifs, and people threw out questions to all of us. Sort of like a panel rather than one person. But I have no idea how to make this happen. [/QUOTE] I don’t term myself Hindu either, but I do come from a Hindu family, and I think this is an excellent idea. I’d like to be in on this if it happens. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/27 "2007-01-05T14:18:15Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Why a duck? [/QUOTE] The higher, the fewer. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/28 "2007-01-05T14:38:41Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] On the other hand, nearly all the Hindus are actually IN “Hindustan,” (with a few scattered groups in South Africa, the Windward Islands, Polynesia, and a few U.S. and British cities). In contrast, two of the Big Three dominate a bit more than half of the other countries in the world and the Jews exert a strong influence in most First World countries. So, your observation is correct, but it is not an example of provincialism, as such. [/QUOTE] Plus I have noticed - how do I put this politely - a significant portion of Indians I know do not get online and join message boards like this. I have tried on many occasions do join some Indian message boards, but this is the kind of crap I see - wuz up peeps wanna cyber hey no abcds Screw _that_. 🙂 I want intelligent, reasoned discussion with other Indians but a fair portion of Indians don’t think about their religion as much as we might here on the Dope. Honestly, a fair portion of _people_ fit this category, too, I just notice it more with Indians. I’ll think about starting that thread on Monday! ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/29 "2007-01-05T14:43:39Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] I’ll think about starting that thread on Monday! [/QUOTE] Please! I don’t know what questions I’ll have, but I’d love to read it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/30 "2007-01-05T14:44:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d love to see a thread about Hinduism in general. It’s a religion that I find absolutely fascinating. You could start with K.M. Sen’s book **Hinduism** , published by Pelican books > **[Hinduism (A Pelican book): Sen, K. M: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Hinduism-Pelican-book-K-Sen/dp/B0007FQGEC)** > > Hinduism (A Pelican book) \[Sen, K. M\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Hinduism (A Pelican book) It’s regrettably slim, but it’s a starting point. I see from Amazon that he put out **Hinduism: The World’s Oldest Faith** in 1961 and 1969: > **[Hinduism: K. M. Sen: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Hinduism-K-M-Sen/dp/B000IRT4JI)** > > Hinduism \[K. M. Sen\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Hinduism I haven’t read it, but I see there’s a **Copmplete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism** : > **[The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism: Johnsen, Linda: 9780028642277:...](https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Hinduism/dp/0028642279)** > > The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism \[Johnsen, Linda\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hinduism ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632/31 "2007-01-05T14:51:31Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] I’ll think about starting that thread on Monday! [/QUOTE] I hope you do. We’ve had “Ask the” threads before where lots of the answers depended on the individual answering, such as Ask the Black Guy, where every person who answered could really only speak from his/her personal perspective. You could mention that Hinduism is practiced in lots of different ways in your OP, then share about what you personally did/do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-worship-an-elephant/386632.md?page=1)