Spiritual Forum. Org

I recently had the distinct pleasure of viewing Nina Paley's "Sita Sings The Blues" in a local theater. It was everything everyone says about it, and more. If you have the chance to see it, do!

But what really really fascinated me about it - and the reason for this post - was the relationship the three shadow puppet narrators had to the story. They were arguing over details of what really happened in a way that reminded me more of people comparing variants of a folk tale, that it did of devouted faithful debating points of worship. I got the sense that these characters had no lack of faith in and devotion to their Gods; and yet the unquestioning reverence for liturgy that you see in certain kinds of Christianity was entirely missing.

It made me reflect on what a weird thing is the western attitude toward fact and truth where these intersect with religion. I think, perhaps, that devotees of Rama and Hanuman in India would be baffled at a U.S. Evangelical Christian's insistence that every story in the Old Testament must be regarded as factually true on the same level as today's bus schedule and January's Presidential inauguration. And yet this isn't because they consider their Gods to be less real, less active in their lives, less worthy of worship.

Am I on the right track, here? Can someone more knowledgeable in Hindu matters comment?