The War Against Hinduism by Stephen Knapp

[Guest guest]

Nagpur, Warangal,> Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Hyderbad,> >Bangalore, Trivadrum,

and Chennai. So I had the> chance to meet with many of> >the intellectuals and

some of the spiritual leaders> in these areas, and> >learned how conversion was

a very hot issue. ***> >> >*Now I don't have anything in particular against>

Christianity itself. I was> >born and raised a Christian, so I know what it

is,> but also how they work.> >My main contention is when the teachings that

are> said to come from Jesus> >are twisted and misinterpreted into something

that> does not spread the> >genuine love of God and humanity that we are all>

supposed to develop, but> >becomes the dog-like barking and criticism against>

every other religion > >that> >is not Christian. This does not only go on

toward> every

religion outside of> >Christianity, but also within it between Catholics> and

Protestants and > >other> >denominations. It seems that this faith has become>

not something that> >promotes our similarities for cooperation, but our>

differences in that> >everyone who is of a unrelated Christian> denomination

are all going to > >hell.> >***> >> >*In regard to India, there is a great

number of> missionaries of various> >denominations who are working there right

now, all> competing for the most> >number of converts. The Southern Baptists

alone are> a group that has nearly> >100,000 career missionaries in North

India, all> working to spread the "good> >word." We also find that in order to

make converts> from Hinduism some of > >the> >numerous Catholic priests in

Southern

India dress> like sannyasis, and call> >their organizations ashramas. This is to

make> Christianity more similar to> >the Vedic traditions. Bharat Natyam dance

is also> taught in the Christian> >schools, but with Christian symbols and

meanings> replacing the Vedic. This> >is all in the attempt to actively sway

Hindus over> to Christianity. ***> >> >*Some of the tactics that the Christian>

missionaries have used to help make> >converts is to offer cheap polyester pants

to the> tribals of the Northeast> >if they become Christian, or even offer

motor> bicycles if they help convert> >their brothers, which also means their

wives and> family. In Madhya Pradesh,> >as noted in the Neogy Report, the

missionaries give> small loans on interest> >to the tribals, who cannot pay

back such loans> easily.

However, if they> >become Christian, then such loans and the interest> are

dismissed. This is> >what goes on in the democracy of India, and under> the

tolerance of the> >Hindus, while if one such incidence would ever> occur in a

Muslim country,> >the result would be an immediate expulsion of the> missionary

from that> >nation. ***> >> >*Another trick that has been done is that>

missionaries, while treating the> >sick, will give medicine of no value and ask

the> tribal to take it while> >offering prayers to his local deity. Naturally,

no> cure of disease is > >likely> >to occur with the useless medicine. Then

the> missionary gives the tribal> >real medicine and asks the tribal to take it

while> offering prayers to> >Jesus. Then when there is a recovery, it is>

attributed to the

power of> >Christ and not to the medicine. Such conversion> activities take

place these> >days more often in the tribal areas under the guise> of social

service.> >However, true social service should be done without> expecting

anything in> >return, including conversion. ***> >> >*Another thing that takes

place is mass healings at> meetings similar to> >revivals. What they do is pay

people to attend the> healings portraying> >themselves as being sick, or

invalids on crutches,> etc., who then get > >called> >up and are miraculously

cured of their disease.> This is attributed to the> >power of Christ, which

then convinces many tribals> that they too can > >benefit> >in various ways if

they become Christian. This has> not had much of an > >effect> >amongst the

Brahmin

classes, but the lower classes> who attend are more> >vulnerable and are

impressed by such things, and> are then swayed toward> >Christianity. This is

why Christian conversion> tactics have been focused> >more toward the tribal

areas than other regions of> India. So these> >conversions are not taking place

due to pure> preaching of the Bible or the> >message of Jesus, but are

accomplished by trickery> and the emphasis on> >material facility. This is, of

course, what is> being objected to by the> >general Hindu population. However,

when or if> people convert for purely> >spiritual reasons, then there is no

objection. ***> >> >*Another way conversions are accomplished is with> the

promise to the Dalits> >or the lower caste Hindus that they will not have> any

more caste >

>recognition> >by becoming Christians. However, after conversion> many find out

that this > >is> >not true. Even amongst the converted Christians> there is

found to be a > >caste> >mentality, with the lower castes forced to use>

separate doorways, separate> >seating, or have marriages performed only among>

equal caste Christians. > >When> >this becomes obvious to those who are newly>

converted, some of them want to> >come back to being Hindus again, which has

been> facilitated by such> >organizations as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).>

***> >> >*An interesting point is that in spite of these> duplicitous ways of>

>converting that the Christians have used, the> Christian churches have>

>threatened violence against the process of> reconversion back to

Hinduism> >that had been launched by the VHP. It was Rev. V.> K. Nuh, secretary

of the> >Nagaland Baptist Convention who said, "If someone> tries to impose

their> >faith, Christians in this region will not> surrender. There will be a

battle> >and we shall have no option. There will be a> physical and religious

war if> >attempts are made to propagate Hinduism by forceful> means in the >

>Northeast."> >In this same line of thinking, Rev. M.D. Oaugma,> head of the

Garo Baptist> >Convention of Mehgalaya said, "It could be a threat> to

Christianity if we> >remain silent to the VHP's game plan of mass> conversion.

We shall have to> >fight, we shall have to resist." ( **Maharashtra> Herald**,

July 11, > >1998)***> >> >*Of course, it is easy for Hindus to be nonchalant>

toward other

religions> >because they feel that each spiritual path takes> you toward God. So

in this> >light, it is alright to be tolerant of them or let> them thrive. But

the> >problem is that not all religions feel the same way> toward Hinduism.

Some> >feel that Hinduism is a culture that should be> removed or destroyed.

An> >example of this is that in Northeast India, in> countries like Assam,>

>Nagaland, and Manipur, they have witnessed a surge> of nearly 200% in their>

>Christian population in the past 25 years due to> the wily tactics of >

>foreign> >missionaries. Their grasp is so strong now that> practicing Hinduism

is> >forbidden in some areas. Hindus can no longer do> worship or **arati** in >

>the> >open because of the fanaticism in parts of the> land. Durga **puja** has>

>become almost obsolete as deities are destroyed or> stolen in broad >

>daylight.> >This confrontational climate has led to numerous> militant outfits

sponsored> >by the Church who are fighting for secession from> India. So now the

Eastern> >portion of India wants to secede from it, and> another part of India

will be> >lost if this should happen. ***> >> >*If the Catholic Church in

particular is supposed> to espouse the message> >that God is love, and that it

is by love of God and> neighbor that mankind > >is> >saved, it certainly hasn't

shown much of that kind> of love toward any other> >religion. With the Pope's

recent call for> conversions in Asia, it certainly> >shows that it is not a

friend of other religions,> but still holds the goal> >that other spiritual

paths should be

brought down> to be replaced by> >Christianity. This should be clearly

understood.> This is also the case with> >the Baptists and other denominations.

***> >> >*While I was in New Delhi, I also met with Mrs.> Shanti Reddy, a member

of a> >government agency called the National Committee for> Women. She revealed

> >that> >another thing that missionaries have done was to> kidnap young

Indian> >children. What one Christian missionary couple in> Chennai was doing

before> >they were arrested was to bride tribals into giving> their young baby

girls> >to them. They would pay the tribals as little as> 2000 to 5000 rupees

for> >baby girls, and then turn around and sell the girls> to foreigners for

as> >much as $30,000 to $40,000. According to the> records that had been>

>confiscated

from the missionaries' home, this had> been a thriving business,> >and nearly 25

of such transactions had already> taken place. The Indian> >authorities said

they probably saved 300 baby girls> from such a fate from> >the indications on

the records they found. So this> has been another one of> >the forms of

activities that such missionaries do> for their own benefit and> >profit

against the real interest of India. However,> whenever Hindus react> >with

force against such people, they are labeled as> fundamentalists,> >antagonists,

or worse. ***> >> >*Another way that India is slowly losing its Vedic> culture

is through the> >process of secular or English and Christian> education. Of

course, in public> >schools all Vedic books have been removed from the>

curriculum. So there are> >no

possibilities to study the ancient Indian> literature or art. So Vedic> >values

are no longer part of what the children are> taught. Furthermore, the>

>Christian schools, often staffed by Christian> missionaries, can teach>

>Christian values in their classes, and include a> short study of the Bible>

>everyday, or the Koran if it's an Islamic school.> The so-called secular>

>government has even helped them with free land and> facilities. Since these>

>schools offer English in their education, along> with good discipline, many>

>of the middle classes of Indians are favoring> sending their children to>

>these schools. Today, in the Indian cities, many of> the parents of children>

>are the graduates of Christian schools, who also> send their own children to>

>such schools. As this trend continues, there

will> be a decreasing number of> >Hindus in the educated sector. Thus, children

in> India, with the help of > >the> >secular government, are learning Christian

values> and perceiving their own> >history and culture as something less than>

honorable. They are taught that> >such important books as the

**Bhagavad-gita**,> **Ramayana**, **Bhagavat> >Purana** and other Vedic texts

are nothing more> than mythology, and not a> >result of one of the most

profound civilizations in> the world. They are > >also> >taught that their own

God is but a demon and the> only real way to God is> >through Jesus. ***> >>

>*An example of this is that a few devotees from the> New Delhi Iskcon (Hare>

>Krishna) temple go out and give presentations to> the children's classes in>

>schools. Some

of the questions that are asked by> the children are, "Who is> >your God?" and

"What can your God do for me?" and> so on. Obviously, these> >questions are

nothing but a direct result of the> Christian and English> >oriented education

that these children are> receiving. Now I ask anyone,> >isn't this practically

a covert form of conversion?> This form of education> >indoctrinates the

children to doubt their own> culture, and disrespect their> >own history and

traditions. As a result of this> form of education, the > >Hindu> >population

is slowly forgetting the unique history> and lofty culture of> >their homeland.

***> >> >*As I traveled around, it was not unusual to see> elementary schools

around> >India with the name something like "Saint Xavier's> School." People

should>

>know that this Francis Xavier, who is now one of> the greatest so-called>

>"saints," feverishly declared, "When I have> finished baptizing the people, >

>I> >order them to destroy the huts in which they keep> their idols; and I

have> >them break the statues of their idols into tiny> pieces, since they are

now> >Christians. I could never come to an end describing> to you the great>

>consolation which fills my soul when I see idols> being destroyed by the>

>hands of those who had been idolaters." (From "> **The Letters and>

>Instructions of Francis Xavier**," 1993, pp 117-8)> This was his goal, to>

>destroy Indian culture and make India a Christian> nation. So it is ironic>

>that now India embraces the schools that honor him> in this way. How could>

>they not know his true intention?

***> >> >*What is often not recognized is that, up until> recently, for the last

50> >years the politicians who have been directing the> destiny of India are

the> >ones who have an anti-Hindu attitude. They have set> the economic

direction> >and the educational policies that the country has> been forced to

follow.> >They have also promised the protection of the> religious minorities

with the> >hopes of acquiring votes. This has been one of the> reasons why the>

>secularists in the Congress party have treated> everything that is Hindu >

>with> >disdain. ***> >> >*Another aspect of the loss of Vedic culture in>

India is that the younger> >Indian people, especially ages from 15 to 25, are>

readily giving up Vedic> >customs to follow the more decadent so-called>

freedoms

of the West. They > >see> >the western movies, they read what the celebrities>

say in the papers, and> >they admire them and want to adopt their forms of>

dress and lifestyles.> >Thus, in the big cities like Mumbai you have Indian>

couples living together> >without marriage, which is something you never> would

have seen before a few> >years back. Now the Vedic principles are looked> upon

as something obsolete,> >something that restricts the style that those who>

look to the West want to> >adopt. Thus, they are leaving Indian traditions>

behind and losing respect> >for anything Vedic. In this way, they adopt

foreign> standards, or lose so> >much respect for Indian and Vedic values that

they> become embarrassed to> >admit their Hindu background and heritage.>

Furthermore, Sanskrit scholars >

>at> >the temples are also slowly dying out, and the> modern Indians view the

**> >Ramayana** and **Mahabharata** as merely myths or> gaudy television >

>shows.***> >> >*Although India has been invaded by outsiders so> many times

and has always> >survived, what we are talking about is more than> mere

property or > >geography.> >What is actually being threatened is the basis of>

Indian culture itself. As> >younger generations give up their Vedic heritage,>

even if they return to it> >later when they are older and looking for more>

philosophical support, with> >whatever percentage of loss occurs with each>

generation, time has shown > >that> >it is never fully recovered. A portion of

it is> lost forever. ***> >> >*How many more generations will go by before we

see> a big drop in this> >percentage due to the process of secular (meaning>

Christian or English, or> >even Islamic) education, or with the present rate>

of conversions by > >tactless> >Christians? This percentage could easily drop

well> below 50% in only > >several> >more generations at the present rate of

change. ***> >> >*How many more generations will it take before the> Hindu

majority is no> >longer a majority, but a minority in its own> country? As

Hinduism declines,> >you will see that the demands on the government and> those

voted into> >politics will also change, and the laws will also> alter more in

favor of > >the> >increasing minority religions at the expense of> declining

Hinduism. Then as> >the years go by there will appear only small> clusters of

Hindu or Vedic> >communities, most likely centered around prominent> holy

places, until the> >more aggressive religions act in ways to diminish> these as

well, in the > >same> >way that they are presently doing in other> countries.

***> >> >*The point of all this information is that it is> time for all Hindus

and> >followers of the Vedic culture, Sanatana-dharma, to> realize what is >

>actually> >happening and give up your timidness or nonchalance> and speak out

while > >such> >freedom still exists. We must become more> pro-active for

defending this> >culture. The point is that if you do not take it> seriously, I

can assure > >you> >that there are others who take this inaction and> tolerance

extremely> >seriously to promote their own goals and religions> in

India. It is because> >of this that India may not always remain the> homeland of

an active and> >thriving Vedic culture as it is now. We need to> protect

whatever is left of> >it and maintain the present liberties that Hindus> still

have in India. Then> >we all can continue to engage in Vedic traditions>

without hindrance, and> >with full freedom. For this, we need to unite>

ourselves in a concerted> >effort to make this happen. And it most certainly>

is possible. ***> >> >*Recently, as told to me by Professor Subash Kak,> it was

noted in a> >reputable publication that now 1% of the Russian> population claims

that > >they> >are Hindu. The article stated that this was> primarily due to the

preaching> >efforts of Iskcon. This shows a major social> impact. This shows

what is>

>possible if we can work together in a concerted> effort. This is why I am>

>convinced that if we all work in a pro-active way> under the banner of a>

>united family of Vedic followers, we can keep and> even expand the present>

>freedoms that we now have to practice Vedic> traditions, and keep India as>

>the homeland of Vedic culture, the most ancient> roots of humanity. ***> >>

>*India must be protected and kept as the homeland> of the Vedic heritage,>

>Sanatana-dharma, Hinduism. Without it, what is its> value, in spite of>

>whatever else it accomplishes? The value of> Hinduism and India are clearly>

>expressed in the words of the famous English> theosophist Dr. Annie Besant.>

>She put great emphasis on the value of India, its> history, the Vedic>

>culture, and its importance to the world.

As> written in the cover notes > >from> >the book, **Hindus, Life-Line of

India**, by G. M.> Jagtiani, she says:> >"After a study of some forty years and

more of the> great religions of the> >world, I find none so perfect, none so

scientific,> none so philosophic, and> >none so spiritual as the great religion

known by> the name of Hinduism. The> >more you know it, the more you will love

it; the> more you try to understand> >it, the more deeply you will value it.

Make no> mistake; without Hinduism,> >India has no future. Hinduism is the soil

into> which India's roots are> >struck, and torn of that she will inevitably>

wither, as a tree torn out > >from> >its place. Many are the religions and many

are the> races flourishing in> >India, but none of them stretches back into the

far>

dawn of her past, nor> >are they necessary for her endurance as a nation.>

Everyone might pass away> >as they came and India would still remain. But let>

Hinduism vanish and what> >is she? A geographical expression of the past, a>

dim memory of a perished> >glory, her literature, her art, her monuments, all>

have Hindudom written> >across them. And if Hindus do not maintain> Hinduism,

who shall save it? If> >India's own children do not cling to her faith, who>

shall guard it? India> >alone can save India, and India and Hinduism are> one."

***> >> >*In this light, it is absolutely necessary that as> followers of>

>Sanatana-dharma, Vedic culture, we realize that we> need to repair whatever>

>differences we have between us regarding whatever> issues there may be. This>

>is necessary in

order to work with some cooperation> with whomever we can if> >we expect to be a

substantial force in defending> the Vedic cause. > >Otherwise,> >all the issues

that invariably come up, although> these should not be> >ignored, should not

take so much of our attention> that our preaching stops.> >Otherwise, we will

only serve as contributors to> the continuing> >deterioration of all spiritual

standards as the age> of Kali progresses. > >This> >preaching, of course, means

that we must all stay> in touch with and > >practice> >the Vedic standards. ***>

>> >*We cannot allow ourselves to be led into the> danger of endless debate

that> >leads to inaction. We all must be pro-active in> some way to help defend

and> >spread Vedic culture. Then we can work together to> keep

the freedom we> >presently have to practice the Vedic traditions and> keep India

as the> >homeland of a thriving, dynamic, and still living> tradition. Such

freedom> >does not come without its challenges, and we must> be prepared as a

society> >to meet those challenges. To take such freedoms for> granted means

that it's> >only a matter of time before they are lost. And> that is exactly

what some> >people want to happen. So we must be willing to> work all the

harder to> >prevent such a decline of our Vedic heritage. ***

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