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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->HINDUISM AND CONVERSION



<b>Q 1: Is Hinduism a religion or is it a Way of Life?</b>

Neither. Hinduism is a term coined by Western people
applied to a group of people who believe in Santana Dharma (eternal code of
righteousness). It is a spiritual philosophy with clearly enunciated
tenets (comparable to the Ten Commandments for the Christians). I have heard
some Hindus claim that Hindu dharma is far too complex, and ambiguous on
many issues. In saying that, these commentators are simply stating ignorance
of their scriptures. Sanatana dharma came into being in Bhaaratvarsha, now
referred to as India. However, over the years, some followers of dharma
have evolved and established different practices while retaining the basic
tenets of dharma. These are the many religions that took birth in India.
Examples
are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Arya Samaj, Jainism, Buddhism,
Sikhism, and many other smaller subgroups. A spiritual philosophy that has given
birth to many religions is thus more than a religion. This philosophy
is unique in that there is no dogma, nor the practice of prescription or
proscription by any organised hierarchy. Although belief in the Supreme
Brahman, The Unknowable, is one of the fundamental tenets, agnostics
and atheists have always been accepted so long as they practice dharma. So,
belief in, and practice of, dharma is fundamental to being a Hindu.



<b>Q 2: Does Hinduism allow (Religious) Conversion?</b>
       <b> Does it allow conversion to other faiths?

        Does it accept non-Hindus who want to become devotees of dharma
as
Hindus?</b>

            For a long time now, academicians and some spiritual
'leaders' have been claiming that a Hindu has to be born Hindu and that no
non-Hindu can become a Hindu. On the other hand, historically, at least in the
foreseeable past, most Hindus have not reacted, or even shown concern,
about the organised activities carried out by non-Hindu proselytisers seeking
and carrying out mass conversions of Hindus to other faiths.



The second fallacy is that all religions are equal and that all
(religious) paths lead to the same goal (God). This is simply not true. While all
religions may have some good points, they differ in belief and in
practice. Many practices enjoined by some religions, had these not been accorded
a 'divine' status, would be unacceptable in the modern world. History is
witness to atrocities committed, massacres and genocides included, in
the name of 'God' by the followers of exclusivist intolerant religions. How
can one, who believes in dharma, regard these as equivalent to dharma?



<b>What should our attitude be to the followers of other religions?</b>

'I accept the right of others to believe in their own spiritual
philosophy.'
Each to his own!

[This right has been enshrined as one of the Universal Human Rights.]



<b>What if followers of other religions want to seek your / your
children's conversion to their faith?</b>
This can not be acceptable. These activities will be considered as an
assault on my right to my own spiritual belief - my Human Right.


<b>Should Hindus engage in seeking conversion of non-Hindus to Hindu
dharma?</b>
Hindus should never undertake acts of coercion or use nefarious or
deceitful means to achieve religious conversion. But it is right and proper for
Hindus to tell the world of non-Hindus of the spiritual grandeur of dharma. If
anyone non-Hindu wishes to follow dharma of his/her own accord, they
should be actively welcomed - as individuals as well as collectively by the
Hindu community, something that rarely happens.



<b>What do the scriptures say on 'conversion'?</b>


kr'nvanto viswam aryam             [(let you/I) ennoble the entire
(people of the) world.]



[In Vedic times, those who were following dharma - Aryans - were
enjoined to undertake education and instruction of the ignorant people - the
malecchas - to make them righteous.]



aa no bhadraah kr'tvo yantu vishwatah
(R V 1, 84, i)

[Let noble thoughts come to us from all sides.]



sarva dharmaan parityajya

maam aikam sharanam vraja
(Srimad Bhagavad Geetaa - 18, 66)

[Renounce all faiths and duties, and take refuge in Me alone.]



<b>The question then arises - Why did Hindus - the followers of dharma -
stray from these clear instructions?</b>

There are many factors, including historical factors - of
tyrannical subjugation and colonisation during which time Hindus became
victims of despots and proselytisers and had to remain constantly on
their back foot, meek and submissive, tolerating unending vilification of
dharma and the culture that evolved from it. This onslaught made Hindus
insular to a self-destructive extent. The virtual extinction of Hindu dharma from
Kashmir, once a source-centre of Shaivism is just one example of many
in the larger Indian subcontinent. Consider the history prior to that period.
Hindu dharma was practiced in most of the Asian countries, evidence of that
quite clearly seen even now in South East Asian subcontinent.



Another factor is the damage done by our own ancestors and current
'leaders' who claim that no 'non-Hindu can become a Hindu'.  Could it be that
they had not done a thorough study of the primary scriptures? Could it be that
they misinterpreted the scriptures? Consider this sloka from Sri Bhagavad
Geetaa
(18-67):               idham tai naatapaskaaya

                                                           
naabhaktaaya
kadhaachana

                                                                       
na
chaashu-shrooshavai vaachyam

                                                                       
na
cha maam yo-abhya sooyati

[This (the Geetaa upadesha) is never to be spoken by you to one who is
devoid of austerities, nor to one who is not devoted, nor to one who
does not do service, nor to one who speaks ill of Me.]



Sri Krishna was not referring to one who is ignorant or who has strayed
from the path of righteousness but one, who despite knowledge of dharma,
chooses not to follow it, one who insists on being evil and adharmic. Is it
that some of our predecessors misunderstood their scriptures?



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