Nothing wrong w/wanting respect and understanding. But that's not *all* that they are asking for. If the point of the game was to ridicule their beliefs and those that hold said belief then they'd have a point. But its a game that just happens to portray hindu characters in a way other than what they consider to be 'official' and 'true'. Smite simply added those characters to their own fiction, but neither in a manner nor w/the intent to ridicule.
No one thinks they are ridiculing or belittling zeus, because no one believes in zeus. And Smite and crew aren't doing anything different w/Kali than they are w/zeus.
Anyways, its called a strawman argument. Incorrectly portray your opponent as saying X, then argue against X (even though in reality, they aren't saying X at all). In this case -> paint Smite and crew as doing something that 'disrespects their religion'. And then argue about whether or not disrespecting religion is bad. Most people would agree that disrespecting an accepted religion is bad. But that's not really the issue. The real question is - is that what Smite and crew are actually doing? Because I don't think they are.
(People should be free to ridicule a religion, look at what happens in states around the world where people are not allowed to speak against official religion. But we're not talking about what they should be allowed to do, but what would be the civil respectful thing to do, whether it was in good taste or not, whether or not its disrespectful).
Ridiculing hindus would be disrespecting them, no doubt. Indirectly ridiculing them by creating a fiction whose obvious point is to paint hinduism as stupid, would also be an act of disrespect. But neither is the case here. There is no attempt at ridicule or belittlement. South park, as a counter example, ridicules many religions (and they should certainly be able to do so, but one would have to admit that they are on the ridicule side of the spectrum).
Including Hindu gods into Smites fiction, even though it may be inconsistent w/Hindu teachings, is not, by itself, disrespect. If that were the case, protestants would be disrespecting catholics because they incorrectly portray purgatory, transubstantiation, what it takes to be saved, etc.... Jewish people portray jesus in a way inconsistent christian 'truth', are they disrespecting christians? Mormons portray all sorts of christian icons (jesus/satan/the angel gabriel, etc...) in a way inconsistent w/christian ideas of what is 'true', are they disrespecting christians? Atheists argue against there being a god at all, are they being disrespectful? Its ok for the theist to tell the atheist he's wrong and there is a god, but not ok for the reverse? The movie What Dreams May Come starring robin williams incorrectly portrays heaven in the eyes of believers of the scripture, is that movie disrespectful? How about SPAWN? Where do we draw the line?
Sure, its a sign that Smite and crew don't believe in Kali, as they are not treating kali w/the same reverance that a true believer would. But that is not the same as disrespect. And they shouldn't have to treat the idea of Kali w/the same reverance that a true believer would. I don't know where the line is that I would consider one to be in bad taste, but wherever that line is, Smite is well on the respectful side in my eyes.
