Hinduism; organized religion or compilation of smaller belief systems? Some would say that Hinduism is a combination of these two terms and more. What encompasses the Hindu religion? Why do people today, even in modern America, still practice a faith that some may even consider paganism? Compared to the dominant monotheistic religion of Christianity, where does the Hindu religion stand? Although Hinduism is not the main religion of the world, it still has a large number of followers today. Hinduism is ranked as the fourth largest world religion, with approximately 900 million followers (Adherents.com, 2007). According to the Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance (2006), "Hinduism is generally considered the oldest organized religion in the world." Hinduism has no particular founder, no distinct Hindu orthodoxy, dogma, or even moral system. Hinduism is actually a set of beliefs and practices that developed gradually over time. Early Hinduism Traditional theory as to the genesis of Hinduism traces the roots of the religion to the Indus Valley. The development of Hinduism has been influenced by numerous invasions over the years. The greatest influence is believed to have been that of the nomadic Indo-European Aryan tribes who invaded northern India around 1500 BCE (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). According to the Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance (2006), "these beliefs mixed with more advanced indigenous Indian beliefs, often referred to as 'Indus Valley culture.' Nevertheless, many archaeologists and religious historians today reject this theory, because the origin of the theory was based on earlier belief regarding the age of the earth and the biblical story of Noah's ark (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). The book of Genesis is believed to date the creation of the earth to 4,000 BCE. Noah's Flood at 2500 BCE, which contradicts the date of the Aryan invasion (Ontario Consultants for Religious Tolerance, 2006). Despite the original and emerging theories about the origin of the Hindu religion, Hinduism has developed into a religion with its own rites. .Hinduism, monotheistic, polytheistic or something else? Hinduism or Sanātana Dharma is a henotheistic religion; it can also be considered polytheistic and monotheistic. It all depends on one's point of view and perspective on how Hindus worship their god. Hinduism recognizes a single deity and considers other deities to be a manifestation of this supreme god. This is part of the central or fundamental theme of the Hindu belief in the absolute and supreme Reality, called Brahman, and its identification with Atman (the individual soul).).