Posted on 05/19/2006 6:12:50 PM PDT by nickcarraway
India has responded with diplomatic equanimity to Pope Benedict XVI's seemingly provocative remarks condemning attempts to ban religious conversion in certain states.
The pope had told India’s new ambassador to the Vatican, Amitava Tripathi, on Thursday that the country should "firmly reject" attempts "to legislate clearly discriminatory restrictions on the fundamental right to religious freedom". He had also taken note of the "disturbing signs of religious intolerance which had troubled some regions of the nation".
New Delhi responded on Friday with a statement, reiterating the constitutional "freedom of conscience" and the right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion. "It is acknowledged universally that India is a secular and democratic country where adherents of all faiths enjoy equal rights," said a foreign ministry spokesperson.
It was the pope's second declaration this week in defence of religious freedom in countries where Christians are a minority. In India, the statement comes in the backdrop of Rajasthan planning to become the sixth state to enact the anti-conversion law the pope was referring to. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa already have laws that bar conversions but allow re-conversions to Hinduism. Jharkhand has declared its intention to enact a similar law.
The BJP-ruled Rajasthan, however, has not been able to convince Governor Pratibha Patil to give her assent to the Religious Conversion Bill. She returned the bill making a point similar to the one made by the pope -- that its provisions would affect the right to freedom of religion.
The BJP has often attributed attacks on Christian missionaries, including the murder of Graham Staines in Orissa, as reactions to their proselytising. During his recent Bharat Suraksha Yatra, BJP president Rajnath Singh had described proselytising "dangerous" and asked all BJP-ruled states to enact a similar law.
Do you seriously believe that!! Have you seen these people in action? These people dont go to literate, informed people and have a civilised discussion using persuasion and logic. They go to the illiterates, the vulnerable and tempt them through money and financial benefits. They have "faith healing" ceremonies where paid actors are brought in to declare miracles. Medical facilities, food and other material benefits are held out as bait to get converts. Pleaseeee these people are the least tolerant and respecting of other cultures and faiths.
Indians are some of the most argumentative people. They would have no problems with intellectual discussions. And yeah this includes the people that you term radical hindus. This isnt a matter of faith or expression. India has plenty of it and more. An Average Indian is more tolerant, more accepting and more spiritual than the average american. India should boot out these intolerant invaders.
And the bible belt is tolerating?? lol.
<< You can get away with that in the US, where "crazy Bible thumpers" gang up against lonely individual Indian students ... >>
1: You are a pathetic poor liar and;
2. Such poor lonely individual Indian students as your fundamentally-dishonestly-figmented straw man would find many more sympathetic fellow pagan-heathen/pantheists, athiests, agnostics and/or culturally-communistic empathisers, sympathisers and fellow travellers among the student body at any American university than he would find Christians and;
3. At least, while cheating his way to a qualification from one of the world's very best schools, your straw man wouldn't be set upon by berserk hordes of cowardly cow-shit covered pagans and burned to death with his children and;
4. Welcome to Free Republic, ranger13008 - Since May 21, 2006.
Blessings - Brian
No,I am not saying that,I think the goal of our missionaries are the upliftment of the poor,the state is just aiding the church in that goal, what i mean to say is that the government is doing all it can to help the missionaries in their real goal ie is the betterment of the poor. The mid day meals are not meant for the christians alone,the church was given the job because it has got the experience in handling similiar situations and has got connections to the poor that no other relegious organisations save a few hindu charitable trusts have got. AFAIK the govt does not sponser any such schemes in orgs of any other relgion.
In this country we are free to practice and propagate our relgion provided that we dont forcibly convert anyone and disrespect the sentiments of others. every morning i find a pentacost at my gate shouting loudly verses from the bible he knows that i am a catholic but he wont let me go, once he offered me a good sum for joining his faith,a couple of my neighbours seized the opprtunity and joined the pentacostal church.As i said earlier there is a conversion looby here spearheaded by the pentacostal church and some foreign missionaries .Not to say about others hundreds of catholics themselves have been lured into the pentacostal church .Reccently a hindu friend of mine complaining that some people dressed in white started preaching him on his way to office,on learning that he was a hindu they started demonizing ram and krishna.I think such activities are simply unacceptable.Christ had asked us to spread the word but not to demonize other gods and hurt other's sentiments.
Dont be silly... when these annoyances spill over into violence, it lies very much within the province of government intervention.
At any rate, the law is being passed, whether his holiness likes it or not. So the point is fairly moot.
I suspect this law would probably be against the Indian constitution which guarantees freedom of religion.
But Indian court system is archaic and slow and full of politics, it would take some effort to get these laws repealed which are passed by the State not the Federal Govt.
The upper caste hindus who sit at the top of the Hindu caste sytem that is oppressive and demeaning and in some cases even worse than slavery, dont like religious conversions to Christianity etc which are mostly happening at the lower end of the caste sytem. These upper caste hindus sneer at conversions and are worried at their loss of power base.
They try to whip up nationalist religious fervour but they fail because majority of Hindus are by and large tolerant, peaceful and respectful of other religions especially Christianity as they see the good it has done in their society when it comes to schools, social development etc. Since India is a democracy these bigots cannot get their views across to get elected in a big way since their views are in a minority, outside a minority of states where their nationalist party is in office they dont command much respect.
'But question is , are christians respectful of hinduism '
Considering the higher number of temples etc in the USA and the freedom of Hindus to practise their religion, yes Christians are generally respectful of Hindus to practise their religion. Upper caste Hindus who click to the hierarchial caste sytem and notion of their Aryan origins ( like the Nazis did) are bigots and should be called as such.
'They dont do this to escape some 'caste system' , but because of simple matereal inducements provided by soul harvesting missionaries. They will happily convert back to hinduism if hindus give them the same - as has been increasingly happening.'
Says who? Christianity is flourishing in many parts of India, cases of people converting back to Hinduism are extremely minor. Of course it is not just to escape the caste sytem as I understand there are many incentives for people in lower caste in terms of reservations, then why do people still convert? Many do because they accept as I do accept that Jesus Christ as Saviour.
'Christianity has done minimal good to India'
The education system in India relies heavily on the convents, english medium ,higher secondary schools ,colleges etc backed by the Churches. It is obvious to any one who has been there, the fact you are oblivious to it is ridiculous.
'That is why the Indian-American community in the US - which has the highest average household income and the best educational standards there (along with jewish-americans) , is overwhelmingly and staunchly hindu. If a rich , enlightened and educated hindu is asked to choose between hinduism and christianity , he/she will always choose hindusim.'
Oh please.. there are many Hindus who have converted to Christianity in America and else where. Majority of expat community is upper-caste, its up to them what they convert or not. Anyway Christians makes no distinction between some immigrant residing in America or a peasant in a rural indian village.
Indian elections show clearly these narrow minded Hindu nationalist parties that pass such stupid laws are a small minority and only in a few states. They dont capture the imagination of a large number of Hindus who are open-minded and respectful of other religions, Indian society is favourable for Christians and it is a free society.
The Pope should concentrate his efforts in Muslim nations. Hindus are peaceful pagans who are not bent on world conquest. Leave them alone. Go convert the idolators of Muhammad and moon gawd allah
And do you think that's a good thing? Do you want to do it to others?
So upper caste Hindus(not all of them) believe in concepts like Aryan origins etc are not racist? They dont believe in marriage with outside their community and in fact disown membrs of their community who do so in the name of blood line getting corrupted and so on.
And this is not racist or bigotted? Aren't they some of the main backers behind RSS etc?
If Christianity is not that flourishing, why would these organisations be threatend by conversions and pass such blatant laws in few states that goes commonsense ? Who is a prick? it is you. Btw As I said before majority of Hindus are tolerant and open minded, Christians experience a open society there. These 45% stats you quote does not seem to be accurate, they are a not such a big portion of the population in Indian society.
"Why not give it a try in some Islamic country like Saudi Arabia or Pakistan ? I will tell you why "
Caz they dont have the b@lls. Its far easier to insult paciftst Hindus and get away with that.
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