Southern Baptists

[Guest guest]

The Southern Baptists could definitely do with a rigorous basic course on

Hinduism. What they say is, of course, humorous for us entrenched Hindus.

They however pose a threat to those Hindus who lack exposure to true

religion and believe they are atheists. It is to this group that we must

address any messages if we are to fortify ourselves from proselytisation.

Conversion has paid off only when it has been aimed at the economically or

sociologically backward Hindu. What we must try to do is remove these very

conditions, which (like water is for malaria) can be the breeding ground for

pestilence. This is exactly what Swami Vivekananda ventured out to do.

The baptists obviously don't even understand the notion of religion; else

they wouldn't make such stupid assumptions and suggest inept solutions.

Perhaps our preachers have to strive even harder to expose the world to the

efficacies of Hinduism and Vedanta.

As a beginning, maybe we could send mail to Swami Ranganathanandaji, the

able head of the Ramakrishna Mission, at Belur Math, India?

 

-

JAIRAM SESHADRI <seshadri

<Ramakrishna >

Saturday, October 23, 1999 7:38 AM

Re: [ramakrishna] Digest Number 237

 

 

> " JAIRAM SESHADRI " <seshadri

>

>

> Namaskar...please read this article fromthe Washington Post...i, for

> one, could not believe i was reading what i was...

>

> i was wondering whether some/all of us should react with a response,

> if any indeed is befitting?

>

> pranaams

>

> ++++++++++++++++++++++++

>

>

> Southern Baptists, Expanding Effort, Target

> Hindus for Conversion

>

> By Hanna Rosin

> Washington Post Staff Writer

> Thursday, October 21, 1999; Page A19

>

> The Southern Baptists expanded an aggressive new

> proselytizing campaign this week, publishing a short prayer book

> aimed at converting Hindus to Christianity.

>

> The prayer book is the second published by the

> Southern Baptists' International Mission Board this year, and has

> again provoked charges of

> arrogance and religious insensitivity. Last month,

> leaders of the nation's

> second-largest denomination offended Jewish leaders

> by

> distributing a

> book urging its members to evangelize Jews during

> their 10 holy days.

>

> Like the previous pamphlet, the latest one asks

> Southern Baptists to pray

> for the conversion of Hindus during their holiest

> week, Divali, a festival of

> lights commemorating the god Rama's return from

> exile.

> The board plans

> to distribute the guide to its 40,000 churches

> beginning Friday, in time for

> the celebrations in late October.

>

> Compared with the Jewish guide, this one uses far

> less

> tactful tones to

> describe Hindus, beginning with its very first

> sentence: " More than 900

> million people are lost in the hopeless darkness of

> Hinduism. "

>

> " Pray that Hindus who celebrate the festival of

> lights

> would become aware

> of the darkness in their hearts that no lamp can

> dispel, " the guide continues.

>

> Hindu leaders reacted angrily to these depictions,

> describing them as relics

> of an ugly colonial age.

>

> " Darkness! This is really offensive, " said Suresh

> Gupta, president of the

> Durga Temple in Fairfax. " Why should they try to

> change us? We have a

> value system people crave in this country. We teach

> respect for others, for

> marriage vows, for elders. It's what every religion

> should teach. "

>

> The book is a kind of cultural anthropology written

> from a missionary

> perspective. Each page shows a snapshot of life in

> India described through

> a Christian lens:

>

> " Mumbai is a city of spiritual darkness. Eight out

> of

> every 10 people are

> Hindu, slaves bound by fear and tradition to false

> gods, " it reads. Or:

> " Satan has retained his hold on Calcutta through

> Kali

> and other gods and

> goddesses of Hinduism. It's time for Christ's

> salvation to come to

> Calcutta. "

>

> Southern Baptists defended the proselytizing

> campaign.

> " If I had a Hindu

> sitting right here at my desk I would apologize if I

> had been offensive, " said

> Randy Sprinkle, who oversaw the book's publication.

> " Certainly God's

> love is not meant to be offensive. "

>

> " Some people accused us of being arrogant when we

> were

> praying for the

> Jews of the world, " he continues. " I would

> acknowledge

> that there is an

> element of arrogance. But it's the arrogance of

> truth. "

>

> Gupta was unmoved. " If I had you sitting here, I

> would

> not want to convert

> you to be a Hindu, " he responded. " I would want you

> to

> live a good life. "

>

> > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

> Vivekananda Centre London

> http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/

>