Why? In the view of the descendants of Mediterranean civilisations — "the West" (Christendom) and West Asia/North Africa (Ummah), Hindus are the last remaining large group of pagans, and idol-worshippers to boot. Everyone else like them has been "saved" by hook or crook, stick or carrot.

Am I wrong?

The term "pagan" historically referred to individuals who practiced polytheistic religions outside of the major world religions and Hindus worship Brahman ultimately. Also the "idols" are not seen as the deity but a physical representation that helps worshiping the deity.

But I'd love to be corrected as my knowledge is very superficial.

> The term "pagan" historically referred to individuals who practiced polytheistic religions outside of the major world religions

Not really, all nature worshippers have been called pagans by followers of Abrahamic religions. "Major/minor" is a modern concept, the original idea was of true believer and heathen – Religion was never a democracy

> Hindus worship Brahman ultimately. Also the "idols" are not seen as the deity but a physical representation that helps worshiping the deity.

Talk to 10 Hindus and you will get 20 definitions of Hinduism. Not surprising, when considering its 4000 year old roots and its practice in an ultra-diverse society.

>Hindus worship Brahman As a Hindu, some people see this as the ultimate truth, while quite a lot of others don't. There are a lot of paths to salvation, depends on whom you ask.

* * *

I knew that I didn't know too much, now thanks to your comment, I'm searching for books about Hinduism and its history. Very interesting!

Thank you very much for the detailed answer!!

Not disagreeing per se, but I find it interesting to regard Hinduism as anything other than a major world religion.

I don't know about the rest, but you're wrong in the assumption that religion today has any relevance in how someone is perceived in the west.

Well, except for islam.

It does for evangelical christians, who form a large voter base and wield lots of political power.

I don't think even to them this stands out more than India having an order of magnitude lower GDP per capita than western countries.

Evangelical Christians dislike anyone who are unlike them in any way. This isn't some sort of special targeting against Indians.

Nativity scenes, as well as the countless number of icons and statues seen in Catholicism and Orthodoxy, would count as a form of idol worship under strict interpretation of Abrahamic religious texts too. So yes, you are wrong.

I think the parent commenter was trying to portray Indians from a Western perspective, to highlight the disdain that the West has supposedly held for India.

They're not wrong, by the way; Nixon was reportedly vitriolic in his racism against Indians[1].

[1]: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/03/opinion/nixon-racism-indi...