<!--QuoteBegin-k.ram+Mar 6 2007, 05:20 PM-->QUOTE(k.ram @ Mar 6 2007, 05:20 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Pankaj mishra's/DIE's mentor perhaps. But, undermining Identity......
<!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Idea of Hinduism an imperial-missionary imagination: book</b>
Book: 'Imagined Hinduism - British Protestant Missionary Constructions of Hinduism, 1793-1900'; Author: Geoffrey A. Oddie; Publisher: Sage Publications; Price: Rs.450.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->[right][snapback]65286[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Thank the non-existent gawd that there are still colonial-minded dudes left. I mean, here I was thinking they'd become an extinct species and no one now took the effort to realise the 'White Man's Burden' anymore.
But what spurred it on? Did Geoffrey Oddie get offended by various theologians disproving the existence of jeebus of the gospels, and in his frustration that he couldn't make a blow in favour of jeebus' existence, he chose to take it out on some distant religion.
He considered Buddhism at first, but that's obviously been seen as a historically well-formed movement <i>and</i> it is observed in so many countries. Protests from many Asian Buddhist quarters would silence christo-Oddie (no need to make fun of his name: it's perfect as it is).
Then he passed over African religion which isn't even recognised by his colonial establishment anyway; he dismissed Native American traditions - since his christo buds have nearly killed the practisers off anyway, then he came to Shintoism and decided that that has too small a following. No, he needs something significant. Saying something of Islam could get him killed - and jeebus wouldn't want that, now would he. (Silence. Oddie took it as acquiescence, of course, as do all the faithful)
Moving on. Aha, Hinduism seems to be a large enough religion. 'What's that' - said Oddie? From reading lying colonial writers' books, he absorbed their 'idea' of what 'Hinduism' supposedly was. From there he decided that such a religion as the one which the biased colonials described (which had colourful horror tales of dark men burning dark women - supposedly 'Sati' - left and right and doing all kinds of evil magic) didn't really exist in contemporary India - besides, there was no jeebus in Hinduism and that's obviously wrong! So he decided that this religion never existed. Even the name 'Hinduism' was not historically known among the followers, and that's obviously proof of his argument.
'Do you see lawd jeebus, how I've struck a blow for you?' asks jeebus' faithful believer. (Do not underestimate the level of his faithfulness, it takes a lot to believe in something that has been shown not to exist: it's the Power of christianity. Be awed.)
And here's Oddball's conclusion in summary:
The colonials' willfully biased ideas of Hinduism in their time and their express (mis)understanding of pre-colonial Hinduism doesn't match up with present-day Hinduism. Therefore, there was never any Hinduism! Q.E.D.
Give Oddie his honorary degree. Go on, give it to him. He did write an entire book after all. At least he can write. I know it's not much by Ancients' standards, but writing's not been common among christos until recent times, so we must show some support and encouragement. It's not for what he wrote (obviously drivel) but for being able to form words and even sentences with the Roman Alphabet, that we should all commend him. Bravo Oddie.
<!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Idea of Hinduism an imperial-missionary imagination: book</b>
Book: 'Imagined Hinduism - British Protestant Missionary Constructions of Hinduism, 1793-1900'; Author: Geoffrey A. Oddie; Publisher: Sage Publications; Price: Rs.450.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->[right][snapback]65286[/snapback][/right]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Thank the non-existent gawd that there are still colonial-minded dudes left. I mean, here I was thinking they'd become an extinct species and no one now took the effort to realise the 'White Man's Burden' anymore.
But what spurred it on? Did Geoffrey Oddie get offended by various theologians disproving the existence of jeebus of the gospels, and in his frustration that he couldn't make a blow in favour of jeebus' existence, he chose to take it out on some distant religion.
He considered Buddhism at first, but that's obviously been seen as a historically well-formed movement <i>and</i> it is observed in so many countries. Protests from many Asian Buddhist quarters would silence christo-Oddie (no need to make fun of his name: it's perfect as it is).
Then he passed over African religion which isn't even recognised by his colonial establishment anyway; he dismissed Native American traditions - since his christo buds have nearly killed the practisers off anyway, then he came to Shintoism and decided that that has too small a following. No, he needs something significant. Saying something of Islam could get him killed - and jeebus wouldn't want that, now would he. (Silence. Oddie took it as acquiescence, of course, as do all the faithful)
Moving on. Aha, Hinduism seems to be a large enough religion. 'What's that' - said Oddie? From reading lying colonial writers' books, he absorbed their 'idea' of what 'Hinduism' supposedly was. From there he decided that such a religion as the one which the biased colonials described (which had colourful horror tales of dark men burning dark women - supposedly 'Sati' - left and right and doing all kinds of evil magic) didn't really exist in contemporary India - besides, there was no jeebus in Hinduism and that's obviously wrong! So he decided that this religion never existed. Even the name 'Hinduism' was not historically known among the followers, and that's obviously proof of his argument.
'Do you see lawd jeebus, how I've struck a blow for you?' asks jeebus' faithful believer. (Do not underestimate the level of his faithfulness, it takes a lot to believe in something that has been shown not to exist: it's the Power of christianity. Be awed.)
And here's Oddball's conclusion in summary:
The colonials' willfully biased ideas of Hinduism in their time and their express (mis)understanding of pre-colonial Hinduism doesn't match up with present-day Hinduism. Therefore, there was never any Hinduism! Q.E.D.
Give Oddie his honorary degree. Go on, give it to him. He did write an entire book after all. At least he can write. I know it's not much by Ancients' standards, but writing's not been common among christos until recent times, so we must show some support and encouragement. It's not for what he wrote (obviously drivel) but for being able to form words and even sentences with the Roman Alphabet, that we should all commend him. Bravo Oddie.