I posted the blog below, The Proselytization Conundrum, about two years ago. Nothing has changed. Recent coverage in the media on Christian evangelism and also, separately, the chaupati practice highlight some of the issues.
It has been proven that the lowest "castes" convert most easily to Christanity, the untouchables if you will. In rural areas, they are still prevented from using the same water taps as others. They are even prevented from entering temples. Having no stake in the prevailing religion, it is no surprise they convert, especially when motivated by evangelical bounties of money, education and health. The fault then lies not so much in the crusading fervour of the evangelists, though they are not fully innocent, but in the way we practice our own religion, Sanatan Dharma, often "abbreviated" to the term Hinduism.
Chaupati is the practice, prevalent mostly in western Nepal, where women have to live in a shed during menses and after childbirth. This practice has just been criminalised by the Supreme Court. But apparently it continues in many parts, without adequate enforcement of the law.
Taking just these two phenomena - casteism and chaupati - which have both been illegalized but are prevalent socially, we can see the need for reforms. The other issues have already been mentioned in the blog below. Equality, women's rights, spiritualism as opposed to ritualism, the monopoly of Brahmins on religious events...one can go on and on. I believe in Nepal being a Hindu State; but it is not enough to have more or less ineffective rallies shouting for it without concrete steps to reform the religion. Education is of course essential. But we do not have our own religion in the school curriculum. Neither do we have the equivalent of "Sunday schools". We follow out-of-date rituals without real knowledge of our religion. We listen to Sanskrit prayers at every religious ceremony without understanding a word. A force for reform has to come forward. The secular government will not.
The Proselytization Conundrum
https://www.facebook.com/francoisgautierofficial/posts/830044567094429
Francois Gautier is a French political writer and journalist based in India since 1971. The above link is a post by Gautier in FaceBook today.
He pinpoints the Jesuits, which is not necessarily true for Nepal where proselytizing is mainly the domain of Protestant groups. Churches are mushrooming in the country; the last census put the Christians as 1.5% of the population, that proportion has increased rapidly over the past 4 years. A significant portion of the blame is due to the non-reformist nature of Hinduism. A Dalit or an untouchable treated as a pariah by their fellow Hindus has no stake in Hinduism. Given the right motivation, not just spiritual but also education, health and finanancial, he/she will readily convert to Christanity. And who is to blame them for that? On the other hand, the missionary zealots who see Jesus Christ as the exclusive saviour of souls are no less to blame. They are tearing apart the intrinsic culture and traditions of society for their own purposes.
The caste system has been illegalized, but exists socially especially in rural areas. Without awareness raising and education, this social disease cannot just be litigated away. Further, if the judiciary system cannot, and it does not, enforce the fact that casteism is illegal, reforms become well-nigh impossible. There are needed reforms which must be addressed by the pro-Hindu state advocates. Not enough to just shout for a Hindu Rashtra while turning a blind eye to areas in Hinduism which need imminent reform. The status of women, the barring of non-Hindus to convert to Hinduism, the monopoly of Brahmins in rituals and ceremonies, the eclipsing of spiritualism by pedantic ritualism, and the list could go on. A concrete example: Pashupatinath Temple is arguably the most sacred Hindu site in the country; there is a sign at the entrance "Only Hindus Allowed". As a Hindu, I have visited churches, mosques, and Jewish temples all over the world. Why do we feel threatened by non-Hindus entering our holiest shrine? And, actually, the sign basically keeps out only Caucasians and Africans because anybody who 'looks' like a Hindu can enter. Or as a friend told me, there is a church in Cracow, Poland, with a sign outside "Enter to pray only". Pretty practical, I daresay.
Francois Gautier is a French political writer and journalist based in India since 1971. The above link is a post by Gautier in FaceBook today.
He pinpoints the Jesuits, which is not necessarily true for Nepal where proselytizing is mainly the domain of Protestant groups. Churches are mushrooming in the country; the last census put the Christians as 1.5% of the population, that proportion has increased rapidly over the past 4 years. A significant portion of the blame is due to the non-reformist nature of Hinduism. A Dalit or an untouchable treated as a pariah by their fellow Hindus has no stake in Hinduism. Given the right motivation, not just spiritual but also education, health and finanancial, he/she will readily convert to Christanity. And who is to blame them for that? On the other hand, the missionary zealots who see Jesus Christ as the exclusive saviour of souls are no less to blame. They are tearing apart the intrinsic culture and traditions of society for their own purposes.
The caste system has been illegalized, but exists socially especially in rural areas. Without awareness raising and education, this social disease cannot just be litigated away. Further, if the judiciary system cannot, and it does not, enforce the fact that casteism is illegal, reforms become well-nigh impossible. There are needed reforms which must be addressed by the pro-Hindu state advocates. Not enough to just shout for a Hindu Rashtra while turning a blind eye to areas in Hinduism which need imminent reform. The status of women, the barring of non-Hindus to convert to Hinduism, the monopoly of Brahmins in rituals and ceremonies, the eclipsing of spiritualism by pedantic ritualism, and the list could go on. A concrete example: Pashupatinath Temple is arguably the most sacred Hindu site in the country; there is a sign at the entrance "Only Hindus Allowed". As a Hindu, I have visited churches, mosques, and Jewish temples all over the world. Why do we feel threatened by non-Hindus entering our holiest shrine? And, actually, the sign basically keeps out only Caucasians and Africans because anybody who 'looks' like a Hindu can enter. Or as a friend told me, there is a church in Cracow, Poland, with a sign outside "Enter to pray only". Pretty practical, I daresay.
4 comments:
Jesus Christ was a Bodhisatva and gained his wisdom in ancient India so perhaps the religion that was formed a hundred and fifty years after his passing and attributed to him has come back to India its original home! I am writing this in half jest only. We have heard of the saying that nobody is an atheist in a trench during warfare. Likewise all the converted Nepalese probably will say "He Ram" in the face of calamity.
Yes, there is the incident of a church service going on during the 2015 earthquake. Once the tremors began, everyone rushed out crying, "Hey Ram!".
We need reforms in the Hindu religion but who will bell the cat? Gandhi couldn't. The only way it seems is education and socio-economic development. And that takes time.
I agree if I were a poor untouchable and had no stake in the Hindu religion, it would feel easy to be converted. Indeed as you point out the people converting are not entirely to blame. Although the individual spiritual development potential in our Vedic religion is tremendous, I wish we had a much stronger emphasis on philanthropy, tithing, carrying out random acts of kindness (ROKs) and just plain helping the underprivileged.
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