Hindu Worship: Temples, Rituals, Idols, Sacred Objects, Deities, and Faith

One of the most misunderstood aspects of modern Hinduism is the worship of deities, that is the visible images of God, his incarnations, and divine associates, made of material elements such as stone, marble, metal, and so on). These "statue-like" forms of divinity allow easy access to the Lord, who, in general, is beyond the purview of the senses. At first, the deities can be provocative, particularly for a Westerner. How is the visible form in the temple an alternate manifestation of God, with no qualifying caveat? Is deity worship different than idol worship? Just what does deity wor ship mean? In what sense can this visible form be God? Why would rational people worship a material object as if it were divine? These are some of the questions we will address in this short book.