Posted on 07/30/2006 12:56:25 AM PDT by vimto
JULIA and Richard do not look like fugitives but they could be jailed under new Indian laws to stop missionaries converting low-caste Hindus to Christianity without a magistrate’s approval. A well educated British couple with young children, they left London two years ago to teach missionary work in some of India’s poorest states, such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Orissa.
Last week Madhya Pradesh became the latest state to pass an anti-religious conversion bill that could leave Christian missionaries open to criminal charges. Leaders of India’s 26m Christians say the bill is an attempt to intimidate and persecute them, while increasing votes for the Hindu nationalist BJP party. Under its provisions missionaries and their converts face up to three years in jail if they do not notify a magistrate of their intentions.
Christian leaders also fear the initiative will encourage attacks against them. India’s National Commission for Minorities has voiced concern about incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in which orphanages and schools have been targeted.
Last month police in Madhya Pradesh raided a Bible study group and arrested worshippers after complaints that they were converting Hindus. Nuns have been raped and several priests have been murdered in the past seven years. Last year 11 members of a Hindu mob that burnt an Australian missionary and his two young sons to death as they slept had their convictions overturned.
Hindu fundamentalists claim missionaries, mostly American and South Korean, prey on the ignorance of lower castes and persuade them to turn against their culture. The missionaries say they provide education and healthcare and teach the Bible to untouchables whose own religion treats them as outcasts.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
I once spoke to a Christian from N. China that explained the S. Korean influence. Many of the upper class / royals from Korea and from the middle east were educated in the Ivy League colleges together. The N. Korean s coverted while they were here and kept up friendships with the classmates after college. This relationship has allowed many closed doors to be left slightly ajar. The N Koreans are very strong evangelist and have access where US missionaries do not.
Change all the N. Korean to SOUTH. I goofed.
Good.
So you think that it would be best for the government of India to legislate people's conscience? You obviously have no concept of freedom. Why do you even bother to take part in a forum named "Free Republic"? When it comes to the concept of freedom you are clueless.
Oh, for Heaven's sake. A real free speech advocate, aren't you?
You must be living in a fool's pardise if you think conversion (especially the Christian kind) is all about people's conscience and freedom of choice.
Missionary business in India is mostly a big time scam. Even the government knows that....... and so the laws.
"Can you name some of "the good, the bad and the ugly"?"
Been there, done that and on several threads on FR. Dont exactly relish the idea of posting the same stuff over and over again on every thread. Suffice to say we have Christian Talibans like the NLFT.
The dubious in my book are the terrorists generating ones you would find in North East.
I am not against Christianity or Indian Christians but I would like to see the foreign missionaries being banned from comming into India. Sell your wares elsewhere.
Your answer is to legislate against free speech because someone is saying something you don't like? Janet Reno must be your hero.
Mate, It has nothing to do with Indian's democracy. Isolated issues happen in every country. Do you have any clue that how many non-christian's(or ppl from minority) are getting attacked in Europe and U.S in every single day? so you still believe 'we' live in a 'democracy'?
Get your fact's straight mate.
Who gives a sh*t about free speech? I don't care if it was just a matter of Missionaries demanding their right to hate speeches.
The problem is foreign Missionaries are involved in terrorism and massacre of innocent Hindus in NE. Indian government sees the Missionaries as a national security threat. It isn't a matter of free speech anymore.
In Britain a character called Abu Hamza was the proponent of what your kind would call "free speech". He would blare out death threats for Jews and Hindus from mosques and would call on the faithfuls to carry out "Allah's wishes" against infidels. And all that crap passed off in the name off "free speach" untill 7/& happened and his "freedom" had to be curtailed. Maybe Abu Hamza is your hero but he isnt ours.
FYI
Most of the S Korean missionaries that I have met are not only protestant but Presbyterian.
The propaganda continues!! The Nuns were raped by Christians. Several hindus have been killed by Christian fundamentalists mostly in Tripura and Nagaland.
Last year 11 members of a Hindu mob that burnt an Australian missionary and his two young sons to death as they slept had their convictions overturned.
One incident in 11 years doesnt mean that Hindus need to repent by converting to Christianity en-masse. The culprits have been punished. Incidentally the australian was in clear violation of his visa regulations and should have been arrested in the first place.
That is soo close to jihadi propaganda. None of the above is true. The greatest hindu saints belonged to the dalits - Valmiki,Tulsidas to name a few. The Hindu god - Krishna was born into a so called lower caste.
Caste hierarchy is a myth that was propagated by the British. Castes probably translate into tribes. The most powerful castes today are the lower castes.
India has achieved more in affirmative action than the US. IF caste is a reason why some hindus need to convert, then race is a reason why all Africans and Latinos need to convert away from Christianity.
That is the surest way to merge Christianity and Islam. /sarcasm
Britian and London are home to the most vicious Jihadi groups. Britian itself is a hotbed of racist intolerance and Asian Hindus often face violence from neo nazi British gangs.
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