Which one is the oldest religion: Hinduism or Paganism?

Question

or Hinduism just another form of Paganism?

Answer 1

Paganism is not a religion. Hinduism is the oldest religion on the planet.

Answer 2

Any religion that is not a major world religion seems to get classified as Pagan. Sometimes the word is used to mean non-Abrahamic religions, which would include Hinduism.

Pagan religions are really old, as evidenced by cave paintings. Religious beliefs changed slowly over time as civilizations evolved and ideas spread between cultures. In India it developed into Hinduism. In Europe, the line was interrupted by Christianity.

Neo-Paganism is the modern revival of the old religions. Hinduism never really disappeared, so it has a more continuous tradition.



So Paganism in general is older than Hinduism, but Neo-Paganism is newer.

Answer 3

Hinduism is the oldest found written religion. There is older story's of religion but they don't count those as written on the pyramids walls. So I would assume Pagan would be older but even I would have know way of knowing. Pagans left there story's in songs and paintings. Still a form of communication just people forgot how to poke there heads and ears up to see and hear.

Answer 4

Hinduism is a pagan religion to many christians in that it is a non-christian religion that has many gods, like the ancient Egyptians, classical Greece and Rome, and the Nordic religion of the Vikings.



The origins of the Hindu religion are probably not as old as Mesopotamian and Egyptian religion. Minoan and Greek religion also probably predate Hinduism. Roman and Nordic religion probably had there origins somewhat after Hinduism.



Primitive religion predates all these religions having its origin with mankind's first religious instincts in the early stone age of human prehistory. Shamanism among Siberians, Inuit, and Native Americans (among others) is a survival of ancient primitive religion. Primitive religion reflects humanity's innate religious impulse and is probably the truest and most natural of human religious types.



There is some interesting conjecture that late stone age pagan religions and especially the mideastern Judeo-Chrisitan & Islamic religions are strongly influenced by an alien presence on earth beginning just before the advent of agriculture and extending through the period of Sumerian supremacy. That sounds bizarre, but some have made a strong case from evidence in the Sumerian mythos.



I would say that Hinduism is the longest surviving, and still vital, pagan religion. If you need some dates for a paper or something, let me know and I'll get you the best dates I can find for the Rig Veda and other early religious scriptures and mythologies, including the length of the oral traditions that may have preceded the earliest written works.



Samm Dickens

(Bran th' Blessed)

Answer 5

Hinduism is very similar to some 'variants' of Paganism (its rather varied- like Abrahamic religions really!) as far as polytheism is concerned, but also differs and finds its own distinction by most aspects presented in R(i)g Vaeda and similar scripture.



As for paganism when this concerns nature worship, this is very probably the oldest form of religion and is not overly simiar to Hinduism.

Answer 6

Answer: It depends on who you ask if they agree or not that Hinduism is a form of Paganism. Personally, I feel it is not Pagan, but is instead the oldest of the Dharmic religions.



I would say that likely some variation on what would now be termed "Pagan" was likely the oldest religion as there are indications of various forms of worship that predate even the earliest known Hindu worship.



And BTW, Pagans are NOT all "nature-worshipers". There is actually a great variety of Pagan religions in the world.

Answer 7

Since there are many forms of Paganism and cave paintings pre-dating Hinduism, Christianity and other book religions/Monotheism show goddess and god both, I would say a form or paganism.

Answer 8

From the studies I have made- Hinduism is Not a religion, its way of life

The oldest religion as per records Zoroastrian religion or the religion that was set up by the very first prophet in Persia 4 to 5 thousand years ago- Mitrasimn was practiced by the Romans later an off-shoot of Zoroastrian

If you check the net you will find a lot of info

Answer 9

I would thank paganism, but Paganism and Atheism both started in ancient Babylon, way before Hinduism. Hinduism is another form of paganism about 1500B.C..It also gives off-spring to Buddhism.

Answer 10

It depends what you mean by pagan. Hinduism is a form of the Nimrod and mismaram version of using evil spirits to do things for you. IN that regard they are all the same.

Answer 11

paganism , which is not really an organized religion at all but a definition of early worship from many cultures, would definitely be the oldestas it is more prehistoric in origin than historic. it is also used as a perjorative term when referring to any other religion other than ones own. , hinduism is hard to define, as it encompasses many gods which r also said to be one god, but the earliest vedas r prob 5000 yrs old.

Answer 12

Paganism isn't a religion. It is a generic term that was coined to describe any non-Christian or non-Jewish religion observed within the borders of the Roman Empire. Later, it came to designate any religion that was not Christian, Jewish or Muslim. Today it is often used to describe a whole range of relatively new nature-based religions. So your question is really "Which is older: Hinduism or Not-Being-Christian/Jewish/Muslim?"

Answer 13

The animism of the Aborigines could be 40,000 years old. A religious grave was discovered near Lake Mungo dating to this time. Aborigines feel a strong enough connection to want this person left in peace. Their Dreamtime is ancient.

Answer 14

Paganism isn't a religion. It refers to everything outside of Judeo-Christianity. Hinduism is one of thousands of pagan religions.

Answer 15

Paganism is the oldest religion know to man.

Answer 16

Hinduism is considered just another form of paganism...

Answer 17

Olympianism is civlisations oldest religion.

Answer 18

Hinduism is just another form of paganism.

Answer 19

Hindu is the oldest extant religion in the world. Zoroastrianism is older, if I'm not mistaken.

Answer 20

neither of the above.

the oldest religion was Judaism it goes all the way back to Adam.

Answer 21

I think it's the Aborigines. They are the oldest on the planet.

Answer 22

Paganism is the worship of Nature... I should assume it's older...

Answer 23

a form of paganism easily.