Is there historical evidence for Hinduism?
Let me begin to respond to that question by raising a counter-question. Is there historical evidence for the claim that 2+2=4, or for the idea that it is better to tell the truth than to lie? For that matter, does historical evidence support the theory that the universe has an exact mathematical center? Of course the answer to these questions is neither yes nor no. Historical evidence does not apply; in order to find support for these propositions one has to go to other disciplines, specifically arithmetic, ethics, and astrophysics. They are not matters of historical inquiry. Now, in a somewhat guarded way, Im going to say the same thing about Hinduism. Obviously, given the great complexity of Hinduism with all of its many branches, what Im saying will be more obvious for some phases of the religion than for others, but ultimately it all boils down to this point: Since Hinduism does not base itself on historical truth claims, historical evidence cannot support (or, for that matter, den
