Contrary to popular belief, scientists are not universal skeptics who doubt everything. We constantly question and probe, but we do so mainly to explore the wonder of the natural world. If we keep questioning an idea, usually we do so not because we are trying to find fault but because we want to be rigorous in our pursuit of truth. If I believed that pigs could fly without first questioning such an idea, then I would be watering down the marvelousness of natural phenomena for which we actually have evidence, such as the idea that plants have memory or that we can revive the brains of dead pigs. These things are just as magical as the idea of pigs flying, and perhaps even more so because they can unfold before our own eyes!
Given this scientific background, I experienced difficulty in accepting and understanding certain prevalent religious and spiritual ideas in India. The three major religions in India are Hinduism (pronounced Hin-doo-ism, and not to be confused with the Indian language of Hindi), Islam and Christianity. Hinduism is the most widespread religion and the one with which I have come into contact most frequently. Hinduism is a monotheistic religion centered around one God, a formless entity known as Brahman (pronounced Brah-muhn) that represents all of nature.
