Touching the Untouchable: India Targets Christian Converts [Breakpoint]

Breakpoint.org ^ | May 3, 2004 | Chuck Colson

[Paul_B]

For nearly her entire life, Muniyamal Krishnan has worked around human waste. In her job as a "human scavenger," she has cleaned latrines and carried buckets of waste on her head. Obviously, she didn't choose this line of work; it was all she could get -- and for religious, not economic reasons. Krishnan is an "untouchable," the lowest caste in Hindu society.

For millennia, the "untouchables" have suffered unimaginable discrimination at the hands of their fellow Hindus. As a result, millions have converted to other faiths, including Christianity. But now, Hindu nationalists, with the Indian government's blessing, want to deny them that opportunity.

In Hinduism, the "untouchables," who call themselves "dalits," are said to be the descendants of the illegitimate children of the union of prehistoric lower- and upper-caste people. Their place in life is believed to be deserved. As Stephanie Giry, an editor at FOREIGN AFFAIRS magazine, recently wrote, the belief in the dalits' "tainted origin" forced them into "the most squalid jobs."

The resulting social structure is every bit as oppressive and dehumanizing as apartheid. Dalits are forced to worship in different temples and aren't allowed to eat or drink in their employers' homes.

For many dalits, the best way to escape the misery to which Hinduism consigns them is conversion to another faith, especially Christianity. I have preached in Indian prisons and seen "untouchables" flock to Christ. Conversion, however, doesn't mean an end to discrimination, since their Hindu neighbors still view them as "untouchables," and because they become Christians, they forfeit Indian government programs put into place to benefit them.

Still, as a non-Christian dalit leader told Giry, conversion to Christianity is worth it to his people. He said that his people "gain dignity and access to the Christian community's vast network of social services." He then added, "whatever the government can do for dalits, Christian missionaries can do better."

But if the Indian ruling party, the BJP, has its way, dalits will no longer have that option. The BJP, which espouses Hindu supremacy, has introduced the Orwellian -- named "Freedom of Religion Bill" in India's Gujarat state. It punishes anyone who converts another person through "allurement" with three years in prison and a $2,200 fine, an enormous sum by Indian standards. The law prohibits conversions performed by "religious priests," meaning Christianity and Islam, since Hindu and Buddhist conversion rites aren't officiated.

Giry points out, as well, that the law instructs local magistrates, mostly upper-caste Hindus, to look for any evidence of "allurement," which is conveniently, by the way, undefined. Thus, the people who have oppressed the dalits for generations have the authority to block their conversions. And this statute is considered a model for similar legislation across India.

This year, India will be a subject of debate in the presidential campaign because of the "outsourcing" of American jobs to Indian firms. We need to insist that the talk in the campaign go beyond "call centers" and computer programmers. If we're putting business in India, our policy- makers ought to be demanding that India respect the most basic of human freedoms, freedom of religion.

For printer-friendly version, visit http://www.breakpoint.org and simply click on Today's Commentary at the top of the homepage. The printer- friendly link is on the left-hand column.

FURTHER READING & INFORMATION Stephanie Giry, "Chennai Dispatch: SOL," NEW REPUBLIC, 26 April 2004. (Available to subscribers only.) https://ssl.tnr.com/p/docsub.mhtml?i=20040426&s=giry042604

Daniel Lak, "Dalits' political awakening," BBC NEWS, 28 September 1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/459591.stm

Nirmala Ganapathy, "In Venkaiah's town, Dalits can't share the well," INDIAN EXPRESS, 26 April 2004. http://www.expressindia.com/election/ fullestory.php?type=ei&content_id=30800

Girish Kuber, "Are the Dalits becoming just an election statistic?" ECONOMIC TIMES, 12 April 2004. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/611033.cms

Gary Haugen, THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT INJUSTICE (InterVarsity, 1999). http://www.pfm.org/BPtemplate.cfm?Section=PF_Store&template=/ Ecommerce/ProductDisplay.cfm&ProductID=132

[Paul_B]

What an outrage this is against human rights, and against our brothers. Is there anything we can do about this?

[billorites]

"Touching the Untouchable"

That's what got Michael Jackson in trouble.

[stanley windrush]

I thought racism and religious intolerance was a white, Christian and capitalist phenomena. Seriously though, it should be noted that the Christian Indians I am familiar with here in the states became Christians for the reasons stated above and then left. Can you blame them? The Japanese also have a group of second class citizens..those who work in the leather tanning trade..I remember seeing that on a television expose several years ago. Nice to know treating fellow countrymen like crap is a worldwide tradition and not likmited to just the racist, bigoted American warmongers!

[17th Miss Regt]

You can pray for the conversions to continue at an increasing rate. Jesus told his followers that they would be persecuted in his name.

[Arpege92]

LOL....you're bad!!!!

[keats5]

Our church is adopting one small Indian village at a time. We regularly send Medial Mission Teams, which are warmly received by the India Bible League, which enables our members to preach to the villagers.

After our people set up medical missions, orphanages, schools, "Lite houses", village wells, the villagers want more of what we have. Despite "non-conversions" laws, the villagers welcome us with open arms. They simply refuse to "tell on us." One local government official even told his people to come to the "Lite houses", not only for the services, but also for the spiritual teaching.

At one of these schools, the Brahman class was stunned to learn the schools refused to separate the children according to caste. Today, the Brahman and untouchable children wear identical uniforms and mix freely. The Brahman parents agreed because it's the best school around, and they're welcome despite their religion.

[jimtorr]

Unfortunately, the services that you describe are what the BFP radicals are targeting with this "allurement" law.

I think you can expect BJP attacks on Christian missions in general in the near future.

[Paul_B]

I'm aware that each one of us can pray for the spread of the Kingdom. I was asking if there were any avenues by which we could materially improve the situation. We're also supposed to show concern for our brothers' material well-being.

[Paul_B]

Keats, that's an excellent work. One gets the sense of how subversive, and thus dangerous, that is in such a coercive culture. Prayers for safety and success for all concerned.

[Paul_B]

I can't blame anyone for leaving such a culture, but not all can. I must admit that as I read this I wondered how many were joining the Faith for the material bennies, but the article went on to show that convertees often undergo extra hardship for their conversion. So some things get better but others get worse. All in all, the most important thing is that the Gospel is moving forward.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

"untouchables" flock to Christ. Conversion, however, [it] doesn't mean an end to discrimination, since their Hindu neighbors still view them as "untouchables," and because they become Christians, they forfeit Indian government programs put into place to benefit them.

The good news! It won't affect our cheap labor. In fact, with all them folks being sent to prison under the new law it might make labor even cheaper! "Free" traders win again! Uhmm (drool) cheap labor.

[2banana]

This is a great organization:

Gospels for Asia (GFA) - www.gfa.org

They have done more to spread the word of Christ in Asia (especially India) than anyone I know. The true stories are truly inspirational and will humble you on what many have sacfriced to save others.

[Blood of Tyrants]

One thing this article doesn't explore is the Hindu belief in reincarnation. Hindu's are among the very lowest charitable givers. Their attitude is that if you have a child born with a facial deformity, too bad, they deserve it. The continual process of life in misery then death and then possibly life again in misery offers nothing. Christianity promises an end in heaven where all are equal in the sight of God.

[Alouette]

Is there anything we can do about this?

We are doing something. We are giving them IT jobs. The Mexicans already have all the waste disposal jobs.

[olde north church]

Technically, Indians are of the "Caucasian" race. Those with lighter skin are descendants of Bactrian Greeks. Another term for caste is "varna", color.

[FITZ]

You would think we could --- we're outsourcing our best job to India --- we could certainly apply some pressure on them that way --- but our corporations would probably instead look to the untouchables as a source of very cheap labor instead and want them kept that way.

[FITZ]

LOL!

[ZULU]

"Technically, Indians are of the "Caucasian" race. Those with lighter skin are descendants of Bactrian Greeks."

I thought that the darker skinned Indians were descendents of the Draviadian people like the modern Sri Lanakans. The lighter skinned higher castes are descedent from the Indo-Iranian Sanskrit invaders who took over India millenia ago.

Also, there was a western Islamic element under the Moguls much later. MOdern India is pretty much a hodge-podge of ethnic groups intermixed with the lower castes generally darker than the upper ones.

[Zack Nguyen]

The Hindus think they can stop the spread of the Church Of Jesus Christ by passing a law. They'll find that trhey are woefully mistaken.

[Gritty]

BTTT