(Your Gods and my Gods- do you or I know which are the stronest) explain why Rudyard said that in the beginning of his story

The story has very much to do with superstition and respect for religion. Fleete desecrates a holy statue in a monkey temple. Fleete falls ill and the others conclude that Fleete is "bewitched" by a leper, "silver man", for "polluting the image of Hanuman." In the end the story explores the themes of colonial rule. It is impossible to rule a colony without hurting the people. I think the statement is rather rhetorical. It does not matter who has the most powerful God: the nature of colonialism is what destroys both occupier and the people who are occupied.