Recently, a user posted the questions listed below :

  • Why Hindu saints are targeted very badly in India?

    I am living out of India from last couple of years but I saw plenty of fake cases against Hindu saints in India. Why Hindus saints are targeted in India? There are plenty of Indian saints with fakes cases on them. What is the exact reason behind this?

  • Is everything in Hindu culture based on the science?

    As I read plenty of places maximum thing in Hindus Culture are scientific proved..If yes what is significance of Wearing ornaments?

So here, I would like to point out that asking politics-related questions and asking about scientific reasons behind the act will be considered as off-topic.

Regarding the first question, the user may think that he is on-topic because he is discussing about saints, but if we look at the question's body, it does ask for a political answer which is not good for the website. Reasons for not allowing such questions is, it will lead to:

  • Unnecessary debates over such questions as political views differ for every individual
  • Opinion based answers
  • May result in legal disputes

Coming to the second question, asking for scientific reason is considered off-topic as well. We are here to discuss about Hindu culture, tradition, Gods, stories, etc. Why should we disallow science-based questions:

  • Science and mostly superstition are redundant in nature
  • Users are looking for mythology or traditional answers
  • We have other websites for discussing science-related topics

If one discusses about science here, answers may result in redundancy amongst them especially when a person asks a question about a superstition. So asking something like:

  • Why people wear dhoti during puja (act of worship)?

...that seems fine and should be allowed, but if a user asks:

  • What's the scientific reason for wearing dhoti in a puja?

...now that should be considered off-topic, and users should flag or cast a close vote ASAP.


The on-topic page has been updated to reflect the above.

From our on-topic page:


  • Scientific speculation.
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  • 2
    Religion and Science are orthogonal and should never be mixed. – Vineet Menon Jul 3 '14 at 16:03
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    I do agree that we keep out questions asking scientific reasons. But, I disagree With @VineetMenon. It may be true for other religions; but for Hinduism, every practice and ritual (atleast, most of them) have a scientific notion behind them. They are being proved right by the modern scientific society! – TheLoneKing Jul 8 '14 at 17:44
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    has anyone enumerated the practices and rituals of Hinduism? If now, how are you claiming that 'most' of them have scientific reason? Some may have, I don't deny that, but extrapolating that to other pseudo-scientific explanation is simply a waste of time and insult to scientific temperament. – Vineet Menon Jul 8 '14 at 18:24
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    "Scientific speculation" is really a confusing term. Why not permit "scientific analysis" or "awareness of scientific basis"? From my understanding, Hinduism isn't a religion based on a single book or a belief system. For our times, it has become essential to understand the "science" behind Hindu practices so that one can develop better appreciation as well as shraddha. When we consider interpretation of shastras by acharyas and mahatmas as authentic and worthy of study, why not today's scientific analysis? Such analysis would be an area of study for current and future generations. – codeforester Jul 14 '19 at 21:12
  • @VineetMenon, nonsense. they are exactly the same – ram Jun 10 at 4:26
  • @ram you cannot link a question on this meta site and claim that my opinion is nonsense. You are talking about falsifiability, which isn't what science is about. The subject matter of science is materialism while for hinduism, whcih only considers materialism as a means to an end is spiritualism. – Vineet Menon Jun 15 at 6:15
  • @VineetMenon, science is exactly about falsifiability. lookup flying-teapot argument, or flying-spaghetti-monster, or any other nonsense that pseudo-scientists love to harp on. – ram Jun 16 at 21:27

I think they should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Some of these questions may indeed have proper answers.

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  • I agree, especially as the scriptures also include what may be called science or "Vedic science." Furthermore, modern scientists, particularly in quantum physics, have been verifying more and more truths we find in scripture. However, we should be clear that Hindu scripture speaks about these things using allusions and metaphor and should not be confused with Charvaka. – Rubellite Yakṣī Apr 11 '18 at 4:52
  • Also, I believe we should allow questions of historical significance. For example, in ancient times if a man was unable to sire a child it was permissible in emergencies to allow another to impregnate his wife. As far as I know, this is no longer normal. So, if a person asked about this practice of course one could answer by quoting the ancient law. I believe it should also be permissible to give an anthropological/archaeological explanation. – Rubellite Yakṣī Apr 11 '18 at 4:58
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    The on-topic-ness of a question can not be reliant on the answers. If you want to argue that some such questions should be allowed, you should make an argument that explains how that determination of "on-topic" or not can be made on a case-by-case basis based on the question itself. – V2Blast Mar 1 at 11:56

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