RE: [world-vedic] INDIAN CHRISTIANS AD IN THE NY Times.

[Guest guest]

What is needed is someone to take the lead and draft, as many of these

references mentioned below have to be found and quoted exactly. Then someone

with lobbying mandate has to bring the drafted language to the public's

attention.

 

Rajiv

 

 

 

k.kidambi [k.kidambi]

Tuesday, September 12, 2000 11:16 AM

vediculture

Cc: N.S. Rajaram; Rajiv Malhotra; Kapoor5; deen chandora;

katarian; rkotike; RSidhaye; SIARAM;

singh; srikonda; srtiwari;

subashrazdan; sundarrajaram; VEDANAND;

virender_arya; yogesh_s; Raoul Martens; Vamadeva

Shastri; Rajeev Vaidyanathan; Koenraad Elst; Vishal Agarwal; Satinder

Trehan; Sita Ram Goel; Rajiv

Re: [world-vedic] Re: INDIAN CHRISTIANS AD IN THE NY Times.

 

Dear friends,

 

I would suggest two more items, in addition to

Rajaram-ji's points.

 

1. Politics of conversion

2. Bring out Pat Robertson's views on hinduism as well

as Southern baptists booklet. I am sure this will turn

off many of the right minded christians here in west.

 

Cheers

Kalyan

 

>

> Dear friends:

>

> A Hindu Anti-defamation league along the lines of the Jewish

> Anti-defamation league would be a worthwhile effort. I would suggest

however

> that one needs to go beyond that and educate the people about India and

> Hinduism. I would suggest that the following facts be brought into focus:

>

> 1. Under Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian constitution, Christian

> institutions enjoy privileges that are denied to Hindus. Also, Christian

> men, especially the the clergy, have far more legal and political rights

> than they have in the West. AS A RESULT, CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN INDIA HAVE

FEWER

> RIGHTS THAN HINDU WOMEN.

>

> 2. The Pope was an honored guest in India, while proclaiming that

he

> and his organization do not acknowledge the spiritual right of the Hindus

to

> salvation without Christ. This has not let to any retaliation by the

Hindus

> against Christians even though Indian Christian leaders have not

repudiated

> the Vatican's stand.

>

> 3. The recent Church bombings were minor in which no lives were

lost.

> The recent burning of Churches in the US were far more serious. Also, the

> culprits have been arrested. They have admitted that they were part of a

> Pakistani plan to create sectarian turmoil in India. This was directed by

> the ISI, but Church leaders continued to blame the Hindus while defending

> the ISI as innocent.

>

> 4. There have been few protests against Pakistan even though there

is

> virtual genocide against Christians in that country. This shows that

> Christians are protesting against India only because India tolerates them,

> even though Christianity has repeatedly denied the rights of the Hindus to

> salvation.

>

> The problem is that Indian Christianity is still a medieval

institution.

> While the West has become secular humanistic and pluralistic by denying

the

> exclusivist claims of the church, the Indian Goverment still indulges

them.

>

> I wonder if many Hindus know these facts-- especially that

Christianity

> does not acknowledge the spiritual right of others! First we need to

educate

> the Hindus'

>

> Sincerely,

> N.S. Rajaram

This is an information resource and discussion group for people interested

in

> the World's Ancient Vedic Culture, with a focus on its historical,

archeological

> and scientific aspects. Also topics about India, Hinduism, God, and other

> aspects of World Culture are welcome.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

I would suggest two more items, in addition to

Rajaram-ji's points.

 

1. Politics of conversion

2. Bring out Pat Robertson's views on hinduism as well

as Southern baptists booklet. I am sure this will turn

off many of the right minded christians here in west.

 

Cheers

Kalyan

 

>

> Dear friends:

>

> A Hindu Anti-defamation league along the lines of the Jewish

> Anti-defamation league would be a worthwhile effort. I would suggest however

> that one needs to go beyond that and educate the people about India and

> Hinduism. I would suggest that the following facts be brought into focus:

>

> 1. Under Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian constitution, Christian

> institutions enjoy privileges that are denied to Hindus. Also, Christian

> men, especially the the clergy, have far more legal and political rights

> than they have in the West. AS A RESULT, CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN INDIA HAVE FEWER

> RIGHTS THAN HINDU WOMEN.

>

> 2. The Pope was an honored guest in India, while proclaiming that he

> and his organization do not acknowledge the spiritual right of the Hindus to

> salvation without Christ. This has not let to any retaliation by the Hindus

> against Christians even though Indian Christian leaders have not repudiated

> the Vatican's stand.

>

> 3. The recent Church bombings were minor in which no lives were lost.

> The recent burning of Churches in the US were far more serious. Also, the

> culprits have been arrested. They have admitted that they were part of a

> Pakistani plan to create sectarian turmoil in India. This was directed by

> the ISI, but Church leaders continued to blame the Hindus while defending

> the ISI as innocent.

>

> 4. There have been few protests against Pakistan even though there is

> virtual genocide against Christians in that country. This shows that

> Christians are protesting against India only because India tolerates them,

> even though Christianity has repeatedly denied the rights of the Hindus to

> salvation.

>

> The problem is that Indian Christianity is still a medieval institution.

> While the West has become secular humanistic and pluralistic by denying the

> exclusivist claims of the church, the Indian Goverment still indulges them.

>

> I wonder if many Hindus know these facts-- especially that Christianity

> does not acknowledge the spiritual right of others! First we need to educate

> the Hindus'

>

> Sincerely,

> N.S. Rajaram

This is an information resource and discussion group for people interested in

> the World's Ancient Vedic Culture, with a focus on its historical,

archeological

> and scientific aspects. Also topics about India, Hinduism, God, and other

> aspects of World Culture are welcome.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Following is what Pat Robertson said in 1995.

 

-- Shyam Tiwari

 

 

Hinduism Today, July 1995

URL: http://www.hinduism-today.com/1995/7/#Pat Robertson

 

Title: Using TV, Christian Pat Robertson Denounces Hinduism as "Demonic"

Evangelist Opposes Freedom of Religion,

Says It's Time To Convert India and

Wants to Keep Hinduism Out of US

 

Author: Valli J. Rajan, Pennsylvania

 

It's not that unusual for Pat Robertson's daily Christian TV show, the "700

Club," to portray other religions in less than a complimentary light. Jews,

Muslims and occasionally Hindus are singled out for a scathing recounting of

their spiritual errors. Still, I was shocked to see Robertson on his March

23th show label Hinduism as "demonic" and advocate keeping Hindus out of

America. My concerns intensified when President Clinton later implicated

hateful talk in the fatal Oklahoma City bombing.

Robertson was already a well-known figure in the conservative Christian

community when his 1988 bid for the US presidency shot him into national

attention and effectively anointed him leader of the Christian right wing.

Talented and industrious, he is head or founder of numerous organizations,

including a 1,400 student university. His political action group, the

1.4-million-member Christian Coalition, has decided influence in a new

Republican-controlled Congress.

Christian evangelists regularly slander Hinduism with little impact beyond

their own flock [see Hinduism Today, February, 1989]. But when a national

figure like Robertson does it on a widely-watched TV program, that's

different.

The March 23rd episode details Robertson's conversion of some Hindu people

of Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, India, to the Christian religion. In the

course of the show, Robertson makes shameful, unChristian accusations

against the Hindu faith, the world's oldest religion. When contacted, Mr.

Robertson's office told us he was "unavailable for comment."

To begin, Robertson's experiences in Rajahmundry are described by a

narrator. The scene is of a poverty-stricken people, bathing in the river at

the head of which rests a statue of Lord Siva. Water is pouring out of

Siva's head and a snake is wrapped around his head as well. Robertson and

his son are found in the midst of the scene, observing and mocking the early

morning prayers of Hindus. As they witness the scene, they make incorrect

reference to the river as "Siva's sperm," and claim that the people "were

supposed to wash away their sins in the sperm of the God."

Robertson goes on to characterize Hinduism as having evil tendencies toward

random spiritual worship and polytheism. Mr. Robertson's son and fellow

evangelist, Gordon, stated disparagingly, "Whenever [Hindus] feel any sort

of inspiration, whether it's by a river or under a tree, on top of a hill,

they figure that some God or spirit is responsible for that. And so they'll

worship that tree, they'll worship that hill or they'll worship anything."

What was even more regrettable was Robertson's assertion of some connection

between idol worship and the poverty in India. Robertson does not deny his

son's claim that "Wherever you find this type of idolatry, you'll find a

grinding poverty. The land has been cursed."

But if the argument of poverty as the curse of India is not enough for the

American audience of "The 700 Club," they next hear Hinduism boldly labeled

"demonic." Robertson says, "Siva [is] the God of Destruction, and his

consort, the Goddess of death [Kali]-that black, ugly statue there with all

those fierce eyes." He then suggests that the evil tendencies of death and

destruction can be found in those who worship the deities: "I mean these

people are out to kill other human beings in the name of their God." They

mention in support of this conclusion the Aum Shinrikyo sect in Japan. This

eccentric Buddhist-based organization was likely responsible for subway gas

attacks in Tokyo earlier this year. Their icons, unfortunately, included

Siva-sure proof, goes the Robertson thinking, of demons at work.

"Although Hinduism admits that different beings and entities can perform

what we might consider evil acts," corrects Dr. Arvind Sharma, Birks

Professor of Comparative Religion at McGill University, Toronto, "there does

not seem to be a single entity such as the Christian devil in Hinduism." And

since there is no practice of evil or concept of the devil in Hinduism, "To

call Hinduism demonic," concludes Dr. Sharma, "is really demonic."

By accusing Hinduism of being demonic, Robertson is merely reinforcing the

age-old stereotype that has been placed on the Indian culture by the West.

"That's been standard operating procedure missionaries have used ever since

they invaded India in the 19th century," explains Dr. Gordon Melton, of the Institute for the Study of American Religions. "In

approaching Eastern religions and African religions, it has been the stance

of most conservative Christians that the deities of those religions are, in

fact, personified demons. And that perspective goes back to the Jewish

encounter with the Caananite culture a millennia ago as described in the

Bible."

Dr. Kusumita Pedersen, Director for the Project on Human Rights and

Religion, similarly observes that Robertson has employed "almost every

negative image and cliché that has been used about Hinduism since the 18th

century."

As the show unfolds, we finally we arrive at the real intention of

Robertson's missionary trip to India: to convert Hindus to the Christian

faith. A narrator describes the scene of the conversion in which thousands

of Hindus were "set free from a lifetime of fear and demonic oppression. The

scene was overwhelming." Actually, the scene is oddly over dramatic. Why

would thousands of people in a split second throw away their entire way of

life that has been passed down over the centuries, because of a brief speech

given by a stranger from another country? Although Robertson mentions the

naturally deep devotion of the Hindus, he apparently fails to appreciate

that any religious preacher in India gets the same reception, whether

Christian, Hindu, Jain, Sikh or Buddhist-though it does help to be white,

American, famous and rich.

It is also apparent he was frustrated with the Hindu ability to just absorb

one more God. "I preached to them the second commandment about idolatry. You

know, `They shall hold no other Gods before me,' and number two, `You shall

not fall down or make any idols of anything.' Many people accept Christ, but

they still go with those processions down to those riverbanks. We followed

along with the crowd and I said, `You've got to give that up.'"

Political Agenda

The program used common stereotypes of Hinduism (as well of as other

prominent non-Christian religions in America) to create fear among the

American people of non-Christian religions. What is the purpose behind those

tactics?

Judging from Michael Little's, President of the Christian Broadcasting

Network comments on the show-"There are so many opportunities for us to take

programs which will reach the people of India," and "Help us carry the light

to a nation in darkness"-it is obvious that one strategy of "The 700 Club"

is to gain support and money. "Give us a hand on this [india]," pleads

Robertson at one point, "because it's a big one." But that is just part of

the plan.

Robertson's true thinking is revealed in his 1991 book The New World Order.

That novel discloses a secret plan being followed by the present political

leaders of the world. Robertson labels that plan the "New World Order,"

which he sees as the formation of a one world government, one police force,

one judicial system, and one economic market. Robertson claims that in this

"new world government no one could speak out against the beliefs of a

Muslim, a Hindu, or an animist. What we know as the freedom of religion

would be taken away, and Christians would be muzzled."

But Robertson has a vision of another future, one is which "God sweeps away

the pretense of the satanic and man-made counterfeits and announces His New

World Order, and His anointed leader, Jesus the Messiah."

Robertson stated in The New World Order: "The media challenged me. `You're

not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that

those who believe the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern

America than Hindus and Muslims?' My simple answer is, `Yes, they are.'"

Mr. David Cantor, Senior Research Analyst of the Anti-Defamation League,

points out that such "religious tests for office are unconstitutional. It's

not just a purely a religious statement. It's a political statement."

The Human Rights Issue

"In the discussion of human rights, there are different positions on the

right to free speech or freedom of expression. The extreme position, that is

sometimes called the `American position,' is total freedom of speech,"

explains Dr. Pedersen. "As Americans, we believe that even the most

offensive and the most incendiary statements should be allowed in the name

of freedom of expression, because once you start to legally restrict the

freedom of speech, you are on a slippery slope of restricting all kinds of

speech on different political or ideological ground."

Dr. Pedersen feels that such anti-Hindu statements may refer back to the

1920s, at a time when the Ku Klux Klan (a Christian white-supremacist group

advocating violence against Black Americans) was on the rise, and the

national belief was that all Americans must be Christians. During the 1920s,

immigration laws prevented European immigrants from entering the United

States. Eventually Europeans were allowed to immigrate and by 1965 Hindus

were included in immigrant quotas.

However, in the 1990s, some feel that the multicultural immigration has

caused a backlash in American society in the form of racial discrimination

between various cultural groups. In the wake of such discontent, Peter

Brimelow has recently written a book called Alien Nation which attacks

multiculturalism and its negative effects on American society. Something

must be done, Brimelow advocates, to prevent white people from becoming a

minority in America.

"What Robertson is really saying is that Hindus shouldn't be allowed to come

to the United States," evaluates Dr. Pedersen. "All of the Hindu engineers,

doctors and computer experts who are living here should go home. This is a

very big statement that he has made."

Even Christians are concerned with Robertson's manner of preaching

Christianity. Sister Mary Elizabeth Moore, a Professor at Claremount's

School of Theology, feels that Robertson may be overstepping his boundaries

as a Christian. "I have been very distressed that Pat Robertson and others

like him have used the gospel to preach condemnation of others, to judge

harshly, to demonize people in other faiths and to demonize some Christians

with whom they don't just happen to agree," expresses Sister Moore. "I think

that's absolutely counter to the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Hinduism is not the only religion under Robertson's extremist attack; The

New World Order is filled with anti-Semitism. However, Ms. Nancy Israel of

the American Jewish Committee, notes that Robertson is slowly transforming.

"He's being very careful now," observes Ms. Israel, who is from the

Pittsburgh chapter of the American Jewish Committee. "Up until now he's been

able to say what he wanted to say, and I think that those people who don't

watch `The 700 Club' and don't read his materials have no idea what he's

saying. He's been forced to back off because of this public spotlight and

because he's decided to make the Christian Coalition a more mainstream

organization."

Sri Anutama Das, Director of Communications at ISKCON feels that Robertson's

actions should send a message to devotees of Hinduism. "It's unfortunate

that such an influential religious and Christian leader as Pat Robertson

demonstrates disdain for the world's oldest religious culture. As a

Vaishnava, I see his emphasis in trying to spread Christianity in India,

specifically among Hindus, as a reminder of the need for all of us to delve

deeply into our own faith's traditions," notes Anutama, who is from ISKCON's

branch in Rockland, Maryland. "As Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, `Raja Vija,

Raja Guyam.' This knowledge of the soul, of Sanatana Dharma, is the highest

spiritual knowledge. However, if we do not educate ourselves and our

children and abide by the teachings, materialists will find us easy targets

for conversion."

What Should We Do?

It is true that if our Hindu faith is challenged, perhaps we will become

more aware of its teachings, as suggested by Anutama. If that is so, we can

view the "700 Club" attack on Hinduism as a blessing in disguise. "I would

say that anytime we see the extreme of a religious community, we see warning

signals that need to be taken seriously," agrees Sister Moore. "Those

signals usually reveal something of the larger religion, something of the

possibility of distortions that people need to worry about. These

distortions can stir other people who have more whole views of the religion

to express and live their faith more fully."

We should use this opportunity to profess and understand our Hindu faith

more fully. We as Hindus need to respond to and erase Western stereotypes

and hate speeches against our religion. There are many ways to accomplish

that.

We can articulate our complaints through letters, phone calls and petitions

to the government offices, such as the Justice Department Hate Crimes

Division. The Indian government could express its concern, as it did for

Hindus in South Africa for years. And we can bring such statements into the

light of public discussion by filing complaints with the Anti-Defamation

League.

The Anti-Defamation League was established in 1913 by B'nai B'rith, a Jewish

service organization. The League and its parent organization defend human

rights, promote intercultural relations, provide for the religious and

cultural needs of Jewish college students, sponsor Jewish education among

adults and youth groups and carry on a broad program of community service

and welfare. They confer with governments and the UN on civil rights,

immigration, abuses of freedom by totalitarian states, the position of

Israel and problems affecting Jews throughout the world.

Dr. Pedersen feels that perhaps we can form our own protection league: "I

recommend the formation of a Hindu anti-defamation program which will

monitor these kinds of statements in the press and the media, and will

gather accurate information and will speak out when something should be

protested." In that way, perhaps the entire Hindu public will be constantly

made aware of any false allegations made against our religion, and efforts

to respond can be coordinated.

Dr. Jayaraman, executive director of Bharat Vidya Bhavan in New York, feels

that the way to dispel Hindu stereotypes is to teach the common American man

about our religion. "Indian philosophy should be taught methodically, either

in the school system or by speakers prepared to go around the country to

talk just like these missionaries," suggests Dr. Jayaraman. "In every city,

in every state they should have such speakers, powerful speakers who can say

with authority, `This is Hinduism. What you are saying is wrong.'" Dr.

Jayaraman also suggests that small books discussing true Hindu philosophy be

freely distributed to the public.

But the main way to break down anti-Hindu sentiments is by educating our

children and ourselves more about Hinduism. Such understanding will place us

in a better position to combat ignorant statements.

"Because Hindus take a generous view of other religions, they think that

others will take a generous view of theirs," observes Dr. Sharma. "And even

when others attack them, because of their basic nature, they don't take it

to heart."

According to Dr. Pedersen, comments such as Robertson's, should be taken

seriously. During the annual dinner given by Human Rights Watch, an

international panel monitored by Peter Jennings discussed whether hate

speech should be restricted or banned. "The next step after this truly

disgusting defamation [of Robertson's] is what these human right activists

on the panel call `the speech of instigation,'" recounted Dr. Pedersen. The

`speech of instigation' is a build-up for murder and genocide. It happened

in Rwanda. The press and media started to build up a rhetoric that so and so

should be killed. After that went on for some months, so and so started

getting killed. There is a line to be drawn somewhere on free speech, but we

as Americans just don't know quite where yet."

Keeping that in mind, perhaps we should turn our thoughts to the bombing of

the Oklahoma City federal building. After the bombing, President Clinton

spoke out against hate speeches, making a clear connection between hate

speeches, propaganda and the bombing. The seeds of hate may blossom into the

weeds of violence. Therefore, it is important that we take early and strong

action against ignorant and hateful comments such as those made by

Robertson. If we don't, we will one day face more than Mr. Robertson's

hateful words.

Complaints may be made directly to the U.S. Department of Justice, Hate

Crimes Division, Tenth and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 20530.

Fax: 202-514-4371.

Letters can also be directed to Mr. Pat Robertson, CBN, 977 Centerville

Turnpike, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23463-0001.

Of Indian ancestry, correspondent Valli Guruswamy Julie Rajan is a prolific

freelance writer living in Pennsylvania with her husband. She is writing a

non-fiction book on gender-based double standards in Hindu society and is

interested in the betterment of women and minorities.

Sidebar: What He Said About Hindus

 

Excerpts from the March 23rd broadcast of the 700 Club:

Robertson: "India is not what you normally think of anymore. In the last

five years, it's burst into the 20th century with modern technology,

capitalism and, especially, television. They're breaking free from the old,

and they're moving into the Western culture. But what that leaves is a

spiritual vacuum. And yet there seems, finally in India, an opening to the

Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout this whole land. There is a huge

population of teen-agers. These people are not locked into the old ways.

They're looking for something new and better."

Cohost: "You know, Pat, we've seen in other countries where there's a

certain period of vulnerability, or spiritual vulnerability. Now's the time

to use the media to talk to them about what their future could really be

like."

Robertson: "They have thousands and thousands of earth stations picking up

satellites. It's a window of opportunity [for Christian TV programs]. Of all

of India's problems, one stands out from the rest. That problem is idol

worship. It is said there are hundreds of millions of Hindu deities. All

this has put a nation in bondage to spiritual forces that have deceived many

for thousands of years."

Gordon Robertson (his son): "Wherever you find this type of idolatry, you'll

find a grinding poverty. The land has been cursed. The Bible talks in terms

of the land being cursed on behalf of what the inhabitants have done to it.

You erect all these idols under every green tree, on top of every hill,

you're going to curse your land. And the oppression, we see it in evidence."

CBN Reporter: "[At the religious services Robertson conducted in India] they

came, by the hundreds, even thousands, to a makeshift altar to confess their

faith in Christ and receive a touch from heaven, and be set free from a

lifetime of fear and demonic oppression.

Robertson: "I [told] them to renounce idolatry, but many people accept

Christ and still go with those processions [of Hindu deities]."

Cohost: "You said there's a connection between the New Age, as it is in

America, and Hinduism."

Robertson: "It's the same thing. You see, the whole concept of Hindus is

based on karma; that people have a karma attached to them when they are

born, and they go through a cycle of life and they come back in the next

world as something else. So the whole thought of reincarnation is karma-you

come back as a cow, a pig, a goat, a dog, a snake or an untouchable. We're

importing Hinduism into America. The whole thought of your karma, of

meditation, of the fact that there's no end of life and there's this endless

wheel of life, this is all Hinduism. Chanting too. Many of those chants are

to Hindu Gods-Vishnu, Hare Krishna. The origin of it is all demonic. We

can't let that stuff come into America. We've got the best defense, if you

will-a good offense."

Sidebar: The Robertson Empire

 

The promotional literature provided Hinduism Today by the Robertson

ministries details the extensive empire Pat Robertson has developed over 25

years of ministry. It is really an admirable accomplishment, tarnished only

by the kind of religious bigotry demonstrated in the March 23rd program [see

sidebar left]. Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network is the world's

largest television ministry, with programs airing across the United States

and in 70 countries. He also has interests in non-religious family-oriented

television, specifically the cable Family Channel. In 1978 he founded the

Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation which

since 1978 has distributed aid worth US$440 million to 114 million people in

72 countries. He's written nine books, one of which was a best seller and

number one religious book in America in 1984. In 1992 Robertson was selected

by Newsweek magazine as one of America's "100 Cultural Elite." Robertson

also founded the American Center for Law and Justice to pursue a Christian

agenda in the courts by providing free legal advice and representation in

important precedent-setting cases. His Regent University [photo above] is an

accredited graduate school offering degrees in communication, education,

counseling, business, divinity, public policy and law.

Robertson ventured out of the strictly religious field in 1987 when he

resigned his ordination as a Southern Baptist minister to run for president

of the United States. As part of this effort, the Christian Coalition was

formed, a "national grassroots citizen action organization" to work for

"pro-family legislation and family-friendly public policy on national, state

and local levels." Both are represented on the World Wide Web: Robertson at

http://the700 club.org//cbn/cbn.html and The Coalition at http://cc.org.

Robertson and the Coalition are probably the single most effective Christian

voice in American politics today, as demonstrated by their recent demands to

Congress for a "Contract with the American Family," including "voluntary

[ie, Christian] prayer in public schools"-something presently forbidden by

law. One reaction to this contract came from the Americans United for

Separation of Church and State. "It's a sad day in American politics when a

TV preacher's political front group dictates the agenda for the United

States Congress," said Barry Lynn, the organization's executive director

 

 

 

>Re: [world-vedic] Re: INDIAN CHRISTIANS AD IN THE NY Times.

>Tue, 12 Sep 2000 15:15:43 +0000

>

>Dear friends,

>

>I would suggest two more items, in addition to

>Rajaram-ji's points.

>

>1. Politics of conversion

>2. Bring out Pat Robertson's views on hinduism as well

>as Southern baptists booklet. I am sure this will turn

>off many of the right minded christians here in west.

>

>Cheers

>Kalyan

>

> >

> > Dear friends:

> >

> > A Hindu Anti-defamation league along the lines of the Jewish

> > Anti-defamation league would be a worthwhile effort. I would suggest

>however

> > that one needs to go beyond that and educate the people about India and

> > Hinduism. I would suggest that the following facts be brought into

>focus:

> >

> > 1. Under Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian constitution, Christian

> > institutions enjoy privileges that are denied to Hindus. Also, Christian

> > men, especially the the clergy, have far more legal and political rights

> > than they have in the West. AS A RESULT, CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN INDIA HAVE

>FEWER

> > RIGHTS THAN HINDU WOMEN.

> >

> > 2. The Pope was an honored guest in India, while proclaiming that

>he

> > and his organization do not acknowledge the spiritual right of the

>Hindus to

> > salvation without Christ. This has not let to any retaliation by the

>Hindus

> > against Christians even though Indian Christian leaders have not

>repudiated

> > the Vatican's stand.

> >

> > 3. The recent Church bombings were minor in which no lives were

>lost.

> > The recent burning of Churches in the US were far more serious. Also,

>the

> > culprits have been arrested. They have admitted that they were part of a

> > Pakistani plan to create sectarian turmoil in India. This was directed

>by

> > the ISI, but Church leaders continued to blame the Hindus while

>defending

> > the ISI as innocent.

> >

> > 4. There have been few protests against Pakistan even though

>there is

> > virtual genocide against Christians in that country. This shows that

> > Christians are protesting against India only because India tolerates

>them,

> > even though Christianity has repeatedly denied the rights of the Hindus

>to

> > salvation.

> >

> > The problem is that Indian Christianity is still a medieval

>institution.

> > While the West has become secular humanistic and pluralistic by denying

>the

> > exclusivist claims of the church, the Indian Goverment still indulges

>them.

> >

> > I wonder if many Hindus know these facts-- especially that

>Christianity

> > does not acknowledge the spiritual right of others! First we need to

>educate

> > the Hindus'

> >

> > Sincerely,

> > N.S. Rajaram

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > This is an information resource and discussion group for people

>interested in

> > the World's Ancient Vedic Culture, with a focus on its historical,

>archeological

> > and scientific aspects. Also topics about India, Hinduism, God, and

>other

> > aspects of World Culture are welcome.

> >

> >

 

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