But here Hinduism goes even further. The doctrine of the Atman affirms that the human soul and the Brahman are fundamentally the same. Rather than see human beings as separate from and subordinate to God, the Hindu sees himself or herself as one with “god”and thus as “god” or as a part of “god.” It is especially striking to realize that in the practice of Hinduism there are many gods and goddesses who are not “god” in any biblical sense, yet are worshiped, prayed to, and relied on by the people.