Is proselytizing violence against humanity?

Srivatsannin Kirrukkal wrote a sincere blog on intolerance of Islam and Christianity towards other religions and this was followed by Joseph's reply in his blog, this led to fervor in the debate on the issue & the proselytizing. There are many people who vouch that it is the people who are intolerant not the religion itself, they have their compulsions to say so, but when we consider the opinion of people who have profound knowledge of all religious text, they speak otherwise. Insecurities of Hindus & other indic religions against proselytizing is least understood and less debated issue, Usually people who raise these issues are labeled as Hindu fanatics or digress from the topic with irrelevant or personal remarks and this way they could discredit the person and their concerns and arguments, therefore they can avoid the discussion. In contentious issues as this, there is always a possibility of a discussion becoming a open brawl. It would help us, if we follow ancient Hindu tradition of engaging the 'other' using a technique called "purvapaksha" This means you must first study the other's viewpoint very seriously and become an expert in it, Only then can you debate against it. This helps us to understand each others viewpoint clearly and this allows us to focus on issue on the hand & its contention.

Many people think that the strife between Christians(missionaries) and Hindus & other indic religions is a recent one because of rise of right-wing extremism, but this is due to lack of forum to address growing insecurities of Hindus and other religions, which arise from fraudulent conversions and inability of the administration to control immoral missionary activities, such as inducements for conversions, making defamatory & false remarks against other religions, using violence to intimidate people to convert and protection/support received by Christian terrorists from the church, this approach is mostly used in North-Eastern States & tribal regions and providing charity to only those who are willing to convert, as observed during tsunami relief efforts. Missionary activities became more subtle when compared to their open protection and encouragement received during british rule, it should also be noted that conversion and social unrest was one of the cause for 1857 revolt along with other reasons.

Here is the views of Mahatma Gandhi on Christian missionaries in India, This was compiled by Swami Aksharananda (Track No. 010119.1, Jan. 19, 2001) and produced by Vidya Bharati.

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I Call Myself a Sanatani Hindu

I call myself a Sanatani Hindu, because I believe in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, and all that goes by the name of Hindu scripture, and therefore in avataras and rebirth; I believe in the varnashrama dharma in a sense, in my opinion strictly Vedic but not in its presently popular crude sense; I believe in the protection of cow … I do not disbelieve in murti puja. (Young India: June 10, 1921)

Why I am Not a Convert

Hinduism as I know it entirely satisfies my soul, fills my whole being … When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of tragedies and if they have not left any visible and indelible effect on me, I owe it to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. (Young
India: June 8, 1925)

I Disbelieve in Conversion

I disbelieve in the conversion of one person by another. My effort should never to be to undermine another's faith. This implies belief in the truth of all religions and, therefore, respect for them. It implies true humility. (Young India: April 23, 1931)
Conversion: Impediment to Peace

It is impossible for me to reconcile myself to the idea of conversion after the style that goes on in India and elsewhere today. It is an error which is perhaps the greatest impediment to the world's progress toward peace … Why should a Christian want to convert a Hindu to Christianity? Why should he not be satisfied if the Hindu is a good or godly man? (Harijan: January 30, 1937)

No Such Thing as Conversion

I believe that there is no such thing as conversion from one faith to another in the accepted sense of the word. It is a highly personal matter for the individual and his God. I may not have any design upon my neighbour as to his faith which I must honour even as I honour my own. Having reverently studied the scriptures of the world I could no more think of asking a Christian or a Musalman, or a Parsi or a Jew to change his faith than I would think of changing my own. (Harijan:
September 9, 1935)

No Conversion Designs Upon Me

I am not interested in weaning you from Christianity and making you Hindu, and I do not relish your designs upon me, if you had any, to convert me to Christianity. I would also dispute your claim that Christianity is the only true religion. (Harijan: June 3, 1937)

Conversion

Conversion must not mean denationalization. Conversion should mean a definite giving up of the evil of the old, adoption of all the good of the new and a scrupulous avoidance of everything evil in the new. Conversion, therefore, should mean a life of greater dedication to one's country, greater surrender to God, greater self-purification. (Young India: August 20, 1925)

Aping of Europeans and Americans

As I wander about through the length and breath of India I see many Christian Indians almost ashamed of their birth, certainly of their ancestral religion, and of their ancestral dress. The aping of Europeans by Anglo-Indians is bad enough, but the aping of them by Indian converts is a violence done to their country and, shall I say, even to their new religion. (Young India: August 8, 1925)

Why Should I Change My Religion

I hold that proselytisation under the cloak of humanitarian work is unhealthy to say the least. It is most resented by people here. Religion after all is a deeply personal thing. It touches the heart. Why should I change my religion because the doctor who professes Christianity as his religion has cured me of some disease, or why should the doctor expect me to change whilst I am under his influence? (Young India: April 23, 1931)

Missionary Aim: Uprooting Hinduism

My fear is that though Christian friends nowadays do not say or admit it that Hindu religion is untrue, they must harbour in their breast that Hinduism is an error and that Christianity, as they believe it, is the only true religion…so far as one can understand the present (Christian) effort, it is to uproot Hinduism from her very foundation and replace it by another faith. (Harijan: March 13, 1937)

Undermining People's Faith

The first distinction I would like to make … between your missionary work and mine is that while I am strengthening the faith of people, you (missionaries) are undermining it. (Young India: November 8, 1927)

Physician Heal Yourself

Conversion nowadays has become a matter of business, like any other…India (Hindus) is in no need of conversion of this kind… Conversion in the sense of self-purification, self-realisation is the crying need of the times. That however is never what is meant by proselytisation. To those who would convert India (Hindus), might it not be said, "Physician, heal yourself." (Young India: April 23, 1931)

Missionaries: Vendors of Goods

When the missionary of another religion goes to them, he goes like a vendor of goods. He has no special spiritual merit that will distinguish him from those to whom he goes. He does however possess material goods which he promises to those who will come to his fold. (Harijan: April 3, 1937)

If I had the Power and Could Legislate …

If I had the power and could legislate, I should stop all proselytizing … In Hindu households the advent of a missionary has meant the disruption of the family coming in the wake of change of dress, manners, language, food and drink … (November 5, 1935)

The Only Begotten Son of God?

I regard Jesus as a great teacher of humanity, but I do not regard him as the only begotten son of God. That epithet in its material interpretation is quite unacceptable. Metaphorically we are all sons of God, but for each of us there may be different sons of God in a special sense. Thus for me Chaitanya may be the only begotten son of God … God cannot be the exclusive Father and I cannot ascribe exclusive divinity to Jesus. (Harijan: June 3, 1937)

Western Christianity Today

It is my firm opinion that Europe (and the United States) does not represent the spirit of God or Christianity but the spirit of Satan. And Satan's successes are the greatest when appears with the name of God on his lips. (Young India: September 8, 1920)

Western Christianity (cont'd)

I consider western Christianity in its practical working a negation of Christ's Christianity. I cannot conceive Jesus, if he was living in flesh in our midst, approving of modern Christian organizations, public worship, or ministry. (Young India: September 22, 1921)

Christianity and Imperialistic Exploitation

Christianity in India has been inextricably mixed up for the last one hundred and fifty years with British rule. It appears to us as synonymous with materialistic civilization and imperialistic exploitation by the stronger white races of the weaker races of the world. Its contribution to India has been, therefore, largely negative. (Young India: March 21, 1929)

No Room For Them

In the manner in which they are working there would seem to be no room for them. Quite unconsciously they do harm to themselves and also to us. It is perhaps impertinent to say that they do harm to themselves, but quite pertinent to say that they do harm to us. They do harm to those amongst whom they work and those amongst whom they do not work, i.e., the harm is done to the whole of India… The more I study their activities the more sorry I become… It is a tragedy that
such a thing should happen to the human family. (Harijan: December 12, 1936)

Outrage!

Only the other day a missionary descended on a famine area with money in his pocket, distributed it among the famine stricken, converted them to his fold, took charge of their temple, and demolished it. This is outrageous. (Harijan: November 5, 1937)

Let the Hindu be a Better Hindu

I came to the conclusion long ago … that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism. So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu … But our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian. (Young India: January 19, 1928)

Welcome Them Back

If a person through fear, compulsion, starvation, or for material gain or consideration goes over to another faith, it is a misnomer to call it conversion. Most cases of conversion … have been to my mind false coin … I would therefore unhesitatingly re-admit to the Hindu fold all such repentants without much ado … If a man comes back to the original branch he deserves to be welcomed … in so far as he may deem to have erred, he has sufficiently purged himself of it when he repents his error and retraces his steps. (Collected Works: Vol. 66, pp. 163-164)

Our craving for social acceptance!

Yahoo News reported that:

A woman who told police she wanted to be a "cool mom" pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges Monday for having sex with high school boys at parties where authorities said she supplied drugs and alcohol.

He said Johnson told investigators "she was never popular with classmates in high school and now began `feeling like one of the group.

Not her immoral acts, but her explanation which made me to ponder!. Why most of us crave for social acceptance? for being social animals? but why our desire for acceptance blinds our thinking? why this acceptance should have so much bearing on our mind?. Is this something to do with our genetic make-up or something else? I'm confused, i can't reflect my thoughts properly and my intellect fails me!.

Self delusion

I always wonder, why as a nation we are easily flattered by smallest concession and self-bestow honor, in reality which was not even granted to us and why can't we see things in a way they are? Well, i'm referring to joint statement released by India and USA in which they declared that:

The U.S. says it is now in favour of "full civil nuclear energy cooperation" with India, which it describes as "a responsible state with advanced nuclear technology". In return, India has agreed to "separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities and programs in a phased manner" and place its "civilian nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards."

And this significant declaration of understanding has been hailed by most Indian news media as virtual recognition of India as a nuclear power and officially it remains formality for us to join nuclear club. Well, i disagree to this interpretation because if this is the case, then why didn't USA allow India to ratify NPT(nuclear non proliferation treaty) as a nuclear state, in that way, it will not have hard time in persuading US congress to lift restrictions on India and the NSG to agree to adjust international regimes so that India can shop for civilian nuclear energy!. Instead, US government is still optimistic that, India would abandon nuclear weapons and ratify NPT as non-nuclear state. Mood in the white house is quite evident from US senior state department official's comment in the NY Times:

Excerpt:

A senior State Department official, giving a briefing under ground rules in which he could not be identified, said that the Bush administration still hoped India would eventually give up nuclear weapons, and that the administration rebuffed an Indian request to be recognized formally as a nuclear weapons state under the treaty.

"The discussions went through various permutations," he said. "We didn't feel we could somehow formally recognize India as a nuclear state. Ultimately, we hope they will elect to join the NPT."

Acquiring civilian nuclear energy is important to Indian economy, considering its growing energy needs. Agreement reached between both the nations is a climb-down from their respective positions and who benefited most from this agreement is subject of another discussion. This agreement should not be conferred additional importance than it require.

Update: Had interesting discussion with vatsan related to nuclear proliferation and other issues>

Petty politics of Madhya Pradesh

From rediff:

Claiming that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was included in a list of 38 terrorist outfits in an United States website, Madhya Pradesh Congress on Saturday demanded a high-level probe into it and said the party would raise the matter in the State assembly.

It is plain stupidity to give credence to foreign websites, so much that this issue needs to be raised in State legislative assembly. Well, coming to this news, it isn't new, Terrorism Research Center based in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC has listed RSS under terrorist organizations and the reason provided for this categorization has fallacy, which i'm sure RSS would exploit if at all this issue was raised in assembly. Moreover as per press release of Jitendra Kumar, Convenor of SIFI:

"I investigated the details of TRC; it is simply a paper organization with a website and no office. Neither this organization nor its directors are known to the U.S. State Department, institutions and think tanks involved with foreign affairs and issues related to terrorism."

Therefore i expect this issue to boomerang on to congress if they pursue seriously.

Congress Legislature Party spokesman Sajjan Singh Verma demanded the resignation of Gaur for his alleged links with the RSS.

Demand for resignation of a Chief Minister is uncalled for and it exposes their lack of respect for Indian judicial system. why should anyone resign, just because some site alleged that a organization is a terrorist organization and therefore he is guilty by association?. There are many propaganda sites on the net. We should take them with pinch of salt than making political issues of it, specially considering that setting up a site doesn't take much resources and even school going kid can afford to do it, if he has intention.

Devi and Verma accused the Bharatiya Janata Party, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and RSS of spreading communalism in the state for 'political gains'.

First, i think they should decide whether these organizations are terrorist or communal or both?

Sayesha's blog

Yesterday midnight i started searching for blogs on various subjects and after going through heap of interesting blogs, around 4am in the morning i found Sayesha's blog. I had read her blog entry on categorizing of commentators in blogsphere and it was kinda okay sort of a blog not much interest to me, then i went through her travel blog, which contained many pictures of her various visits and these pictures were interesting, hence i added her blog to my temporary feeds list, in hope to explore her blog later. Today night i had some free time, so i started browsing through her blog and i found her writing style to be captivating. Her skills to write about a incident or narrate a story is excellent, otherwise i wouldn't take time to blog on a blogger :-).

She blogged about crappy jobs she held in the past and the way she found a good job for her, well this isn't much and people can say, that every person has bad times and most of them find ways to get out of it. Yes it is true but how many can write about these events in a way that it fascinates their readers and which they can relate it to themselves? or should i say in a manner, in which readers can experience her emotions at different stages of their slump? Well, i think Sayesha has got a quite a character and very persistent. Or may be i just need some sleep and this insomnia making me over react!.

Her blog reminds me of Journeywomen's blog, Sayesha's writing are not as fascinating as Journey women's, but well worth to read regularly!

Update: Now i had read almost all of her blogs and she has good sense of humor and she utilizes her humor to make her blogs interesting. She takes Blogging 101 advices too seriously and that's good! :)

Unfriendly Bangladesh

Bangladeshi troops raided a camp run by Arakan Army at Alikong, 400km southeast of Dhaka. Arakan guerrillas are fighting for an independent state to be carved out of Myanmar. This operation shows growing cooperation between two nations with the influence of China, Myanmar is geographically important to Bangladesh, specially considering that Bangladesh is surrounded by India. When it comes to Indian North-Eastern terrorist groups operating from Bangladeshi territory, Bangladesh government is quite reluctant to accept their existence and let alone discuss about the nature of assistance these groups are receiving from them. They insist that there are no such camps in their territory, and recent border incidents shows current government's animosity towards India.

Peace process with Pakistan: Can peace and terrorism coexist?

I feel that we lost the purpose of continuing peace process with the Pakistan. I'm saying this because before this peace process commenced, we had unequivocal stand that we will not engage Pakistan until they stop cross border terrorism but due to American influence and Pakistan's assurance that they wouldn't allow any of their territory to be used for terrorist activities and won't provide any clandestine support to them, we engaged Pakistan in a dialog to resolve difference over Jammu & Kashmir issue and to improve relations between two countries. Initially it appeared that pakistan was some what honest with this peace process because number of infiltration attempts came down, perhaps this could be attributed to the winter season which made routes inaccessible to these infiltrators, nevertheless number of infiltration attempts were less when compared to the previous year but as time progressed slowly they returned to their old ways. They made their stand inflexible and demanded more concessions from India and offering very little from themselves. It should be noted that number of terrorist attacks against civilians gradually increased and recently in the Herald magazine, it was reported that they have set up new camps and opened old ones, there are 13,000 terrorist to cross over to India, This has been denied by Pakistani government, even after Indians told that they can provide photographs of these camps.

My displeasure is mainly due to in a manner which Indian government had exonerated Pakistani government from the responsibility of these terrorist attacks and irrespective of these daily murders, they desire to carry forward peace process without having any accountability on Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. Even Musharraf in his Australian visit had stated on one such terrorist attack, that even after reaching any agreement with India, we can't expect these incidents to come down. First of all, Pakistan started this low intensity terrorism to achieve its objective: J&K and what is the use of having a settlement on J&K but still continuing this terrorism?

Sometimes, I wonder whether we are getting used to this low intensity cross border terrorism because we seem to care less about the people who die on regular basis as it won't affect us directly and our condemnation only depends on cruelty & magnitude of the incidents. Perhaps, victims of not so significant terrorist incidents remain mere statistics for us!.