02-13-2005, 03:38 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Feb 13 2005, 11:33 AM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Feb 13 2005, 11:33 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> <b>Hinduism and the Contest of Religions</b>
Subhash Kak <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These views are gaining acceptance and its not mine alone - India as a state is hostile to Hindus, it is an anti-Hindu state.
To properly understand who actually is standing in the way of reform and resurgence, of Hinduism as well as India as a modern state, we have to decouple Hinduism from India. Then it becomes readily clear thats its not the muslims, christians or the macaulay education system. It is the state, supported by the pseudo-seculars, athiests, leftists, media, castiests and dalits - people who are/were Hindus, but pushed out by us or left in disgust, due to our own obstinacy to reform and accomodate them. Anyone can guess <b>why these people walked out of the Hindu fold and are undermining it now!</b>
We are expecting the Indian state to solve problems, or hope for a Hindu friendly party to come to power, or expect India to solve its problems on its own. This will not happen as these 'seculars' will not allow it. To them becoming 'seculars' is the reform they have made in their own lives and Indian politics.
The only solution is to stop fighting these 'seculars' but win them over with our own reforms. Only this will heal the divisiveness and enlarge the Hindu community. For this same reason we will have to work with even hostile groups of Hindus and Indians.
Unless the reforms I suggested are introduced, there is no chance of winning over the seculars, athiests, leftists and the caste parties, and consequently no chance of a Hindu party coming to power. The maths dont work.
We are presented with a fait accompli as the writers below gently propositions; reform now, or die, or have it thrust upon us. In my view it will probably be the latter.
Pathma
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Another one, a leading academic in America and an orthodox Hindu, said:
<b>Hindu tradition and civilization are dysfunctional.</b> It would not be terrible to let it all go. It will not be the end of the world. For a time, there might be chaos, later, a new era will begin and what is best about the tradition will return automatically. With all this talk about Hindu tradition, my desire is to let go of all of it all at once. Destroy everything once, and let a new civilization flourish in India.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Excerpts from the Kak article:
The forces of modernity and colonization, as explained in my earlier essays, The Assault on Tradition and Colonizing Body and Mind, are major challenges facing tradition. The tainting of Hinduism in the media has led to a hollowing of the tradition, and [u]the Indian state's discriminatory policies are also weakening it.
M. Venkataraman suggests that <b>the Indian state is anti-Hindu</b> in his Times of India column 'Secularism or state oppression', published on January 27, 2005:
The government claims to be acting for the interests of the Hindus, but the truth is, it is actually acting out of self-interest and <b>against the interests of those it claims to be protecting.</b>
<b>Lacking vision,</b> Hindu parties in power did nothing, because they didn't know where to begin. There is much tamas; no attempts to do the careful analysis which will help define the new legal framework for the collective ownership of the temples.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Subhash Kak <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These views are gaining acceptance and its not mine alone - India as a state is hostile to Hindus, it is an anti-Hindu state.
To properly understand who actually is standing in the way of reform and resurgence, of Hinduism as well as India as a modern state, we have to decouple Hinduism from India. Then it becomes readily clear thats its not the muslims, christians or the macaulay education system. It is the state, supported by the pseudo-seculars, athiests, leftists, media, castiests and dalits - people who are/were Hindus, but pushed out by us or left in disgust, due to our own obstinacy to reform and accomodate them. Anyone can guess <b>why these people walked out of the Hindu fold and are undermining it now!</b>
We are expecting the Indian state to solve problems, or hope for a Hindu friendly party to come to power, or expect India to solve its problems on its own. This will not happen as these 'seculars' will not allow it. To them becoming 'seculars' is the reform they have made in their own lives and Indian politics.
The only solution is to stop fighting these 'seculars' but win them over with our own reforms. Only this will heal the divisiveness and enlarge the Hindu community. For this same reason we will have to work with even hostile groups of Hindus and Indians.
Unless the reforms I suggested are introduced, there is no chance of winning over the seculars, athiests, leftists and the caste parties, and consequently no chance of a Hindu party coming to power. The maths dont work.
We are presented with a fait accompli as the writers below gently propositions; reform now, or die, or have it thrust upon us. In my view it will probably be the latter.
Pathma
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Another one, a leading academic in America and an orthodox Hindu, said:
<b>Hindu tradition and civilization are dysfunctional.</b> It would not be terrible to let it all go. It will not be the end of the world. For a time, there might be chaos, later, a new era will begin and what is best about the tradition will return automatically. With all this talk about Hindu tradition, my desire is to let go of all of it all at once. Destroy everything once, and let a new civilization flourish in India.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Excerpts from the Kak article:
The forces of modernity and colonization, as explained in my earlier essays, The Assault on Tradition and Colonizing Body and Mind, are major challenges facing tradition. The tainting of Hinduism in the media has led to a hollowing of the tradition, and [u]the Indian state's discriminatory policies are also weakening it.
M. Venkataraman suggests that <b>the Indian state is anti-Hindu</b> in his Times of India column 'Secularism or state oppression', published on January 27, 2005:
The government claims to be acting for the interests of the Hindus, but the truth is, it is actually acting out of self-interest and <b>against the interests of those it claims to be protecting.</b>
<b>Lacking vision,</b> Hindu parties in power did nothing, because they didn't know where to begin. There is much tamas; no attempts to do the careful analysis which will help define the new legal framework for the collective ownership of the temples.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->