Guest guest Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 June 25, 2005: One of the saddest things noticed in recent times is that religious intolerance, nay hostility, in most societies in the world seems to be increasing instead of showing signs of abating. The recent acts of sacrilege against symbols of Muslim religion committed by a handful of American soldiers led to protests — accompanied by violence in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan — in all the 57 or so Muslim countries. It also reinforced anti-US feelings in the Muslim world and authorities in the US just don't seem to know how to win back the affections of the Muslims at home and abroad. While the focus is generally on 'desecration' of Muslim symbols, other major religions are also at the receiving end of vandalism. The demolition of Babri mosque incensed Muslims all over the world but fanatics in India have also ransacked churches and harassed nuns in smaller towns. The most horrible act of theirs was the burning alive of a Christian missionary and his two young sons in Orissa. On the other hand, Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras have also come under attack from anonymous vandals, both in India and abroad. Of all the communities, the Hindus have generally been comparatively restrained in their reaction. The protests by and large saw less of violence when they were not peaceful. But this might well change if the trend of increasing incidents of sacrilege of Hindu symbols of worship in the West is not arrested now because, of late, a large measure of intolerance has seeped through the self-appointed custodians of religion. Designers in the West find it very fashionable to depict Hindu symbols. Where the depiction was offensive to religious sensitivities, it had a backlash. For instance, the Hindu community in France and elsewhere in Europe, particularly the UK, has taken great umbrage at the depiction of Lord Ram as an 'exotic eastern sign' on shoes manufactured by a French firm called Minnelli. The abuse of Hindu religious images and symbols in the West has taken many shapes, though the shoe seems to have been a favourite. The figure of the goddess of learning, Saraswati has been painted on toilet seats. Lord Krishna has appeared on pocket tissues. Panties have been adorned with the figure of Hanuman. In Italy bikinis have come with the figure of various Hindu gods and goddesses. Women's swimwear and underpants have been particularly favoured garments for painting Hindu religious symbols. France is often hailed as the seat of European culture and the country is said to be very proud of the freedom enjoyed by its people. But it is the same France where the Sikh pupils are not allowed to attend school unless they remove their turbans. The ban on the turban is said to be a sort of collateral damage of a new French law that bans wearing of any religious symbol to schools. Objections were dismissed casually. In fact, one French minister was reported to have said that if the Sikhs really thought their children could not attend school without the turban then they should give them 'invisible turbans'! Most people say that the law was primarily aimed at the headscarf, or 'hijab', worn by Muslim women, but it had to include the Jewish skullcap ('kippa'), the Christian cross and the Sikh turban to make it appear that the French do not discriminate against any particular religion. How thoughtful!! For many in this part of the world it will be difficult to understand what harm the wearing of these 'religious symbols' do. Yes, those wearing a religious symbol will stand out from the rest. But should that be seen as a sign of defiance or the will to resist assimilation with the local populace, as the French seem to think? If 'standing out' in a crowd is such a bad thing then it will be difficult for the coloured people of Asia, Africa and Latin America to breath easily in the white Caucasian West and, likewise, the Whites will become target objects in the coloured world. Certain myths need to be shattered. On the rare occasion when the Western media pays some attention to the Hindu religion, the writings are mostly offensive, written with a clear bias against the Hindu religion. Hindu religious practices are seen as something like hippie rituals. The French refuse to see that their self-invented exotic appeal of the Hindu religion can offend the Hindus. The obduracy of the French firm Minnelli is in contrast to the reaction of the Italian firm of Roberto Cavalli. When a clothesline of the Italian firm was found to be carrying Hindu figures in offensive manner, the daughter of the owner flew down to the UK to talk to representatives of Hindu organisations and the offensive garment was removed from the shelves. But perhaps a more dangerous situation seems to be developing in some of the former far-flung British colonies where, ironically, people of Indian origin constitute a large section of the population. In the Pacific island nation of Fiji, the ethnic Indians are now down to 44 percent from nearly 50 percent because the native Fijians have aggressively and successfully run a campaign of hate against the Hindus to deny them (Indians) their rightful place in the society. At the other end of the world, in the West Indies, ethnic Indians constitute a major part of the population in the territories of Guyana and the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Some time ago, there was a report that authorities in Guyana (where, in fact, the Indians constitute the majority) had banned cremation at a site where the Hindus were performing the last rituals of their dead for decades. Regretfully, the move had come following objections by an Indian community member belonging to another religion. Despite their large numbers, the Hindus in Guyana have to put up with frequent vituperative outpourings—both verbal and print, from leaders and the media. In Trinidad, the Hindus had to form a Protection Group after a series of incidents of damage and destruction of their religious institutions. There have been instances of pulling down of temples to build another religion's structures. TV talk hosts have heaped scorn on the Hindu religion. Desecration of Hindu institutions has been a common sight. In Tobago, the authorities reportedly turned down the demand for building a temple and a cremation site. The message of religious tolerance has to percolate down to every society in the world, small or big, weak or strong. Source: Asian Tribune URL: http://www.asiantribune.com/show_article.php?id=2502 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 Namaste, this religious intolerance is hardly a new fad, or a product of modernity. Have we forgotten the Crusades? The Spanish Inquisition? The Third Reich? What about the goings on in Tibet for the last 50 years? As for temples build on temples, that's a tradition with a pedigree. There's Masjid's built on the sites of older Hindu temples and Hindu Temples now standing where older Masjid's once stood. The Muslims now claim as sacred sites that the Christians claimed from the Jews, who record in their holy books the slaughter of the Pagans who once occupied the land that the Tribes of Israel claimed was deeded to them by God. Increasing? I don't think so. But I don't think it's abating either. namaste, prainbow , "devi_bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > June 25, 2005: One of the saddest things noticed in recent times is > that religious intolerance, nay hostility, in most societies in the > world seems to be increasing instead of showing signs of abating. > > The recent acts of sacrilege against symbols of Muslim religion > committed by a handful of American soldiers led to protests — > accompanied by violence in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan — > in all the 57 or so Muslim countries. It also reinforced anti-US > feelings in the Muslim world and authorities in the US just don't > seem to know how to win back the affections of the Muslims at home > and abroad. > > While the focus is generally on 'desecration' of Muslim symbols, > other major religions are also at the receiving end of vandalism. > The demolition of Babri mosque incensed Muslims all over the world > but fanatics in India have also ransacked churches and harassed nuns > in smaller towns. The most horrible act of theirs was the burning > alive of a Christian missionary and his two young sons in Orissa. On > the other hand, Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras have also come > under attack from anonymous vandals, both in India and abroad. > > Of all the communities, the Hindus have generally been comparatively > restrained in their reaction. The protests by and large saw less of > violence when they were not peaceful. But this might well change if > the trend of increasing incidents of sacrilege of Hindu symbols of > worship in the West is not arrested now because, of late, a large > measure of intolerance has seeped through the self-appointed > custodians of religion. > > Designers in the West find it very fashionable to depict Hindu > symbols. Where the depiction was offensive to religious > sensitivities, it had a backlash. For instance, the Hindu community > in France and elsewhere in Europe, particularly the UK, has taken > great umbrage at the depiction of Lord Ram as an 'exotic eastern > sign' on shoes manufactured by a French firm called Minnelli. > > The abuse of Hindu religious images and symbols in the West has > taken many shapes, though the shoe seems to have been a favourite. > The figure of the goddess of learning, Saraswati has been painted on > toilet seats. Lord Krishna has appeared on pocket tissues. Panties > have been adorned with the figure of Hanuman. In Italy bikinis have > come with the figure of various Hindu gods and goddesses. Women's > swimwear and underpants have been particularly favoured garments for > painting Hindu religious symbols. > > France is often hailed as the seat of European culture and the > country is said to be very proud of the freedom enjoyed by its > people. But it is the same France where the Sikh pupils are not > allowed to attend school unless they remove their turbans. The ban > on the turban is said to be a sort of collateral damage of a new > French law that bans wearing of any religious symbol to schools. > Objections were dismissed casually. > > In fact, one French minister was reported to have said that if the > Sikhs really thought their children could not attend school without > the turban then they should give them 'invisible turbans'! Most > people say that the law was primarily aimed at the headscarf, > or 'hijab', worn by Muslim women, but it had to include the Jewish > skullcap ('kippa'), the Christian cross and the Sikh turban to make > it appear that the French do not discriminate against any particular > religion. How thoughtful!! > > For many in this part of the world it will be difficult to > understand what harm the wearing of these 'religious symbols' do. > Yes, those wearing a religious symbol will stand out from the rest. > But should that be seen as a sign of defiance or the will to resist > assimilation with the local populace, as the French seem to think? > > If 'standing out' in a crowd is such a bad thing then it will be > difficult for the coloured people of Asia, Africa and Latin America > to breath easily in the white Caucasian West and, likewise, the > Whites will become target objects in the coloured world. > > Certain myths need to be shattered. On the rare occasion when the > Western media pays some attention to the Hindu religion, the > writings are mostly offensive, written with a clear bias against the > Hindu religion. Hindu religious practices are seen as something like > hippie rituals. The French refuse to see that their self-invented > exotic appeal of the Hindu religion can offend the Hindus. The > obduracy of the French firm Minnelli is in contrast to the reaction > of the Italian firm of Roberto Cavalli. > > When a clothesline of the Italian firm was found to be carrying > Hindu figures in offensive manner, the daughter of the owner flew > down to the UK to talk to representatives of Hindu organisations and > the offensive garment was removed from the shelves. > > But perhaps a more dangerous situation seems to be developing in > some of the former far-flung British colonies where, ironically, > people of Indian origin constitute a large section of the > population. In the Pacific island nation of Fiji, the ethnic Indians > are now down to 44 percent from nearly 50 percent because the native > Fijians have aggressively and successfully run a campaign of hate > against the Hindus to deny them (Indians) their rightful place in > the society. > > At the other end of the world, in the West Indies, ethnic Indians > constitute a major part of the population in the territories of > Guyana and the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Some time ago, there > was a report that authorities in Guyana (where, in fact, the Indians > constitute the majority) had banned cremation at a site where the > Hindus were performing the last rituals of their dead for decades. > Regretfully, the move had come following objections by an Indian > community member belonging to another religion. Despite their large > numbers, the Hindus in Guyana have to put up with frequent > vituperative outpourings—both verbal and print, from leaders and the > media. > > In Trinidad, the Hindus had to form a Protection Group after a > series of incidents of damage and destruction of their religious > institutions. There have been instances of pulling down of temples > to build another religion's structures. TV talk hosts have heaped > scorn on the Hindu religion. Desecration of Hindu institutions has > been a common sight. In Tobago, the authorities reportedly turned > down the demand for building a temple and a cremation site. > > The message of religious tolerance has to percolate down to every > society in the world, small or big, weak or strong. > > Source: Asian Tribune > URL: http://www.asiantribune.com/show_article.php?id=2502 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2005 Report Share Posted June 29, 2005 I notice you have mentioned Fiji as being one of the places of religious abuse faced by Hindus. I live in Fiji,am born here. My ancestors came here 126 years ago under British rule from India to trade. Until recently, we watch on TV news (as i just watched today) a Hindu temple ransacked, vandalized, burnt or completely destroyed and all idols stolen. Most of the Hindu community here are farmers who do not earn enough but have throughout their lives saved and collectively built temples which are destroyed in no time. I must say the Police is doing "their best"but nothing is happeneing. In my life, I have not heard of any Masjid or Church gone under the same as what the Hindu temples are facing. I feel if we do not do anything oneday we will have no place to worship and the historic temples will be just pile of dust. EVERY WEEK A TEMPLE IS DESTROYED, ROBBED, VANDALIZED, RANSACKED IN FIJI. Jay Dayal FIJI. devi_bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: But perhaps a more dangerous situation seems to be developing in some of the former far-flung British colonies where, ironically, people of Indian origin constitute a large section of the population. In the Pacific island nation of Fiji, the ethnic Indians are now down to 44 percent from nearly 50 percent because the native Fijians have aggressively and successfully run a campaign of hate against the Hindus to deny them (Indians) their rightful place in the society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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