Re: Choosing one deity and sticking to it no matter what?
Namaste Onkara,
Personally, I see no problem at all with Hindus sticking to praying and worshipping just one deity. As with some folks, like EM, worship of one form of God is just plenty, and as they don't feel compelled to worship other forms, why worry about it? It doesn't make one any more or less Hindu, and it certainly couldn't be labelled as mere monotheism.
Advantage wise, I guess sticking to just one deity and school of religion would make things a lot less complicated. There's no mixed messages going into your subconscious - it's just like a straight road and you follow the directions. All paths lead to the same Brahman, even if you are just going down the one path. There are no real disadvantages within the sampradaya. It's having individuals crossing over and having to mingle freely amongst each other that could cause potential trouble. Not to undermine the tolerance within the many branch sects you find in the Hindu faith, but you can get very vocal worshippers who insist only their Deva is the Supreme Personality, essentially branding other aspects as demigods or lesser forms.
Om namah Shivaya
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gam Ganapataye namah
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ।
Lokaah SamastaaH Sukhino Bhavantu
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