I came across this article in TOI mentioning that a Hindu religious leader, Thillayvel Naidoo, in South Africa has said that poeple who have converted to Christianity lose their right to be an Indian. Well, my mind is pretty numb from sleep-deprivation so I wasn't outraged right away, but a reaction is slowly forming inside of me. I am beginning to get angry and sad at the same time. The one line that I still remember from the pledge that we took everyday in school (Central schools had their students recite the national pledge every morning) is - "India is a secular country". I was, and still am very proud of that one fact about my country. When we gained independance, we chose secularity as a nation even though we had deep roots in religion. That shows maturity. I went to a Catholic school till 6th grade and read stories from the Bible. Believed in them. I was raised as a Hindu but my parents never forced "hindutva" on me. As a result I am very tolerant towards other religions but am proud of my religion too. So, when I read the above-mentioned article today just one question formed in my mind - "WHY?" Why do people have to choose between nationality and religion? Pastor Deena Muthen was only doing an honourable thing when he urged his parishoners to maintain their language and culture even after converting to Christianity. In my opinion, nothing could be more patriotic than that - to remember your roots and culture no matter which religion you follow. To project this as a cheap tactic to get more people to convert to Christianity seems, in itself, to be a cheap political/religious stunt on Naidoo's part. This is one of the reasons I do not like practising an organized religion - there is too much fanaticism and politics.
I agree with you. Why does nationality and religion have to be talked about as single entity. I mean..why do they need to be interlinked?
ReplyDeleteSomehow I feel insecurity and less of faith leads to statements like these!
Gah! Fundamentalism. Hate that word. BTW, you've been tagged!
ReplyDeleteI still remember a debate I had with one of my 'friends' in college - and she insisted there is no such thing as a Gujju Muslim or a Tamil Muslim - you were either Muslim or you were Gujju. And therefore by defination Gujju = Hindu. O crap!
ReplyDelete~nm: 'jactly!! I think sometimes religious leaders think the number of people practising their faith, and not the strength of their faith, makes their religion stronger. And then mixing politcs with religion...
ReplyDeleteA whole DIFFERENT issue.
A Muser: Me too. Thanks for the tag. Will do it soon.
STS: Yup - this kind of thinking propogates through generations. THAT is the reason there is so much intolerance where religion is concerned.
Unmana: Yup. Just like Bal Thackery gets to decide what a Hindu should and should not do :P Just like scores of other religious leaders get to decide how the followers of their religion must behave even if it conflicts with, or twists into new meanings, the teachings of their religion.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. The best way to promote HINDU CULTURE is to educate masses all about our culture.
ReplyDeleteMaking statements such as if some one become a Christian, he or she is not an Indian any more is counter productive.
People should realize that You can catch more flies with a spoon of honey, than a bucket of vinegar.
People who heard me were very happy to learn the best aspect of Hinduism is ABSOLUTE FREEDOM OF THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS.
Voltaire in Essay on Tolerance wrote: I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it.
Hinduism is the symbolic representation of what Voltaire wrote.
The only thing a Hindu need to fear is fear itself.
http://www.amiahindu.com/
hey, i'm from a KV too and am glad to meet u.
ReplyDeletewhat we today call secularism is actually a blind support towards anything the so called religious minority does, and parallely bashing everything that is hindu. its easier , for after all, any criticism of the minority would have potentiall harmful results.
this is not to say that i side naidoo. only that secularism comes from debate and reasoning, not passive acceptance. thank you.
Couldn't agree with you more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mumbaigirl!! I am so dieenchanted with the whole religious thing that I can't even form a single coherent sentence in my rage when such things happen.
ReplyDelete