Monday, January 8, 2007

How does the question of racism apply to religious faith?

The colour of the skin or even appearance is not considered a reason for barring entry and to consider Hinduism `racist' on that account is absurd. And to what nationality and country did Sister Nivedita, disciple of Swami Vivekananda or did the Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram belong? David Frawley is a living example who has even adopted the name of Vamadeva Shastri. They were very much practising Hindus. Similarly there are many Hindus in countries such as Thailand and Bali who are not Indians. Where then does the question of racism or ethnicity come while considering their faith? Ethnicity or race has nothing to do with Hinduism as a religion. A significant percentage of the non-Hindus of this country are converts to other religions from among the Hindus. The Muslims, the Christians, Buddists, Jains and the Sikhs have a common ancestry, namely, the Hindus and they are very much Indian. So, again, how does the question of racism apply to religious faith? ...
As for conversions, a simple question is, what is the need for anyone to formally embrace another religion, say Christianity or Islam? Is it not enough if a person, whatever faith he is born into, believes in the tenets of any other faith which he considers appealing to his spiritual yearnings? There is no antagonism to conversion per se as far as Hindus are concerned. Conversions using unfair means only are opposed. Are the conversions being effected to fulfil "aspiration, of questioning and a spiritual search that transcends all barriers and resists all limitations to the human mind?" How come hundreds of illiterate, economically backward people exhibit these yearnings that they assemble and get converted? Are these people urged by "individual human creativity and freedom" to change their religion? The law itself makes a clear distinction between voluntary conversions and those by adopting unfair means. Where then is the question of the Hindus insisting "that this choice has to be bound by ancestry, by blood, by family and habit?" T.R. ANANDAN

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