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BJP
PROMISES INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE ON CONVERSIONS -
Philip P. Eapen |
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Author's webpage:
http://philip.eapen.googlepages.com
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In their election manifesto, the BJP has pledged to
bring in a mechanism to promote "sustained and sincere"
Hindu-Christian dialogue on conversions. This of course
is part of BJP's sustained attempt - by force or by
persuasion to prevent the spread of Christianity in
India.
Religious conversions have always been a headache to the
"majority" community in India. Plagued by an incurable
sense of insecurity and a low level of confidence in the
strength of their religion to keep back people from
crossing over to Christianity, Hindu leaders have always
demanded a moratorium on religious conversions in India.
However, they have consistently failed to understand
that their discomfort with the idea of religious
conversions is a mark of weakness and fear.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the BJP has
promised their supporters to set up a "permanent
inter-faith consultative mechanism to promote harmony
among and trust between communities." The trouble is,
what brings comfort to the insecure Hindus need not
bring comfort to either Christians or Muslims. The
Hindutva brigade will not be at peace unless religious
conversions are outlawed.
The spirit behind BJP's election promise is not
conducive to modern ways of free thinking. In a modern
society, every person is deemed to be endowed with
sufficient intelligence to decide which religion or
political thought he must subscribe to. The BJP does not
believe that Hindus in India are wise enough to weigh
various religions and philosophies and to make an
independent decision about their religion. Thus, it is
the BJP and the Sangh Parivar that are insulting the
common man in India by questioning his ability to
carefully weigh religious arguments he or she might
face. A few Hindus therefore want to "protect" the
majority community from the "ploys" of Christian
missionaries and evangelists. Why else do we have
anti-conversion laws in this country?
The Constitution of India gives every Indian the right
to practise and propagate his religion. Of what use is
the right to propagate a religion if the possibility of
religious conversion is ruled out. A person who
propagates a religion does it with the hope of
persuading his hearers to join his or her religion.
What's wrong in that? If liquor barons in this country
can advertise, albeit in a surrogate way, to "convert"
teetotallers to drinkers, why can't a religious preacher
not hope to convert his hearers? If homosexuals in this
country can hold "gay pride" rallies and exhibitions to
lure more young people into their perverted unnatural
ways, why can't peace-loving Christians hope to convert
more Indians to the fold of the One whose teachings
influenced Gandhi to take up non-violent means of
protests?
“Who is opposing religious conversions? We are only
against forced conversions and conversions by fraud,"
our Hindu friends will say. Who can convert anyone by
fraud or force? Those who convert to Christianity to get
material benefits are doing it on their own accord! Why
shouldn't anyone make such a decision? There are
thousands of Hindus who take great pride in "Indian
culture" but have migrated to the "Firangi" West to make
wealth. Why then can't poor Dalits or Tribal people make
a move towards prosperity? If such an exodus to
Christianity should be prevented, why don't the Hindus
take care of the poor among them? Let's have a
competition in charitable works! Let us try to outdo
each other in good works! Any competition that leads to
the betterment of the poor is great.
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This page
is updated on April 20, 2009 |
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PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY
10 YEARS CELEBRATION
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