" In the "Bhagavad Gita, a greatly revered philosophical poem depicting the dialogue between God as Krishna and a devotee, it says: 'All creatures great and small- I am equal to all; I hate none, nor have I any favorites.' This rules out the claim of anyone to be the privileged or 'chosen' agent of God, and thus makes exclusivism impossible in Hinduism (Mugilan)."

One of the largest differences between "Hinduism and other revealed religions is that Hinduism recognizes no prophet as intermediary with exclusive claim over truth. One is not required to acknowledge an intermediary as a prophet or as a chosen agent of God. In a revealed religion, one who denies the authority of this intermediary is called a non-believer, even if one believes in God (Mugilan)."

The Hindus can not conceive "any accommodation of a belief system that denies one's freedom of choice and conscience. Therefore, even an atheist is welcomed in Hinduism. A Hindu is free to question any or all of the scriptures...

To follow one's own chosen path calls for a guide and a discerning intellect, thus the scriptures and others are this guide (Mugilan)."
Conclusion

Hinduism has been practiced for thousands of years. By exploring Hinduism and its philosophies, one can gain a better understanding of it and choose whether or not to follow the religion.

Works Cited

Mugilan, Kalai. "Spiritual freedom: The essence of Hinduism." University Wire. (1998): 26 May.

Unknown. "Hinduism." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. (2004): 22 April.

Unknown. "Hindu philosophy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. (2004): 22 April.