[shared4you]

Classifying Hinduism and Buddhism as "religions" in the Western sense of the word is imprecise and misleading at best.

You can be a Hindu atheist: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charvaka

Swami Vivekananda popularized the Ramakrishna school of thought, but they themselves deny to be called Hindus.

Goa deputy Chief Minister considers himself to be a "Christian Hindu": http://www.firstpost.com/politics/india-hindu-nation-im-chri...

Hinduism in not an organized religion like Abrahamic religions. The definition of Hinduism is very fluid in practice.

Similarly one can be a Buddhist atheist as well.

PS: Also please add Sikhism and Jainism to the poll -- two other major Indian religions!

[mahranch]

> Similarly one can be a Buddhist atheist as well.

This makes me think of my time in Japan. On polls (or when asked), the majority of the Japanese will say or mark down "Buddhism". However, for all intents and purposes, they're atheist/agnostic. They don't believe in God or gods/deities, they view it kinda the same way we view Santa Claus. They only follow a few Buddhist rituals out of cultural pressure/habit (funeral services, news years celebrations, etc). It's extremely similar to how agnostics or even atheists will celebrate Christmas even though they don't believe in God. It's fun, everyone else is doing it so why not?

[joeclark77]

You can also be a Jewish Christian Buddhist Atheist if you want. You are Jewish if you're a member of the Jewish people (i.e. descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). You are Christian if you were baptized according to a valid Trinitarian formula. You are Buddhist if you believe in and practice Buddhism. You are atheist if you don't believe in God. The point? Religions are not all "the same kind of thing" and interchangeable.