04-20-2005, 05:43 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->So i ask that we do not use the argument that a Hindu lives elsewhwere and has therefore no right to comment on Indian conditions. It is one of my aims in IF to underline all that is unifying in the weltanschuung (Darshana) of the Hindus. It is unfortunate that lately Pathma has chosen to emphasize issues that divide rather than Unify.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Kaushal,
It is not about whether or not a person living outside India has the right to comment about conditions in India. Of course anyone has the right to express their opinion about India. Heck, if anything at all, India and her social, economic, political, and religious issues are a free reign for just about anybody and everybody - even the Abominable snowman.
The problem it seems to be is that too many anti-India, anti-Hindu elements wander about India, claiming to do social reforms in the country, but in reality end up creating more friction and division in the society. Who as better illustration than the foreign evengelists and missionaries wandering about every nook and corner of India claiming to uplift the poor masses. Their work appears, no doubt, at first glance to be highly commendable, but the bottom line is their mission has been to christianize India, and whats worse, turn the new converts against Hindus and ultimately destroy HInduism.
I was delibrately harsh on Pathmaraja, primarily because after reading all his posts- not only in this section but also in the Seers section - I am convinced (of course, there is always that small, minuscule room for error in my judgement) that his motives for social work are similar to those of the western christian evangelist wandering about India- to destroy the foundation of HInduism and Hindu society. He passions, for his social work, seem to be driven more from contempt and hatred toward a particular Hindu community, which makes his actions all the more dangerous and detrimental to Hinduism and Hindu society.
To me, it would seem, that a person, irrespective of his residence or citizenship, who is genuinely interested in, and concerned, about India's welfare and progress is apt to recommend or suggest reforms for the upliftment of underprivileged communities that doesn't attempt to exclude or destroy other communities in the process. The proper path of development of any society requires that equal opportunity must be awarded to all, without a doubt, but also that no one community is uplifted at the expense of the success and opportunity of another. Otherwise, there will be nothing but ongoing friction within society and social disruption.
Dalits MUST be given opportunities, but NOT at the cost of attacking, humiliating, suppressing, and subjugating other Hindu communities.
There are enough anti-hindu, anti-India elements within India who are trying to disrupt Indian society and bring about chaos, wihtout their enlisting the help of foreigners with devious intentions. I always welcome, and will continue to welcome, suggestions for India's social and economic, and particularly ways to broaden the reach of Hinduism within and outside the country, and to undo the damage that centuries of foreign conquership has done to the Hindu religion and society. But what I will not entertain are radical solutions that call for the blood of any particular Hindu community, or pitches one Hindu community against another, or calls for the obliteration of any particular community.
What makes Hinduism great is the fact that different Hindu schools of thought from throughout the country and different Hindu communities, each with their own worship practices, conduct, rituals, and interpretation of the scriptures, have coexisted for centuries, and enriched the religion and given it a broader and deeper meaning.
Thus, my recommendation to Pathmarajah to butt out!
I apologize though to other members of the forum if I have erroneously conveyed the impression that non-Indians or Hindus living elsewhere should not contribute their views on India and Hinduism.
Kaushal,
It is not about whether or not a person living outside India has the right to comment about conditions in India. Of course anyone has the right to express their opinion about India. Heck, if anything at all, India and her social, economic, political, and religious issues are a free reign for just about anybody and everybody - even the Abominable snowman.
The problem it seems to be is that too many anti-India, anti-Hindu elements wander about India, claiming to do social reforms in the country, but in reality end up creating more friction and division in the society. Who as better illustration than the foreign evengelists and missionaries wandering about every nook and corner of India claiming to uplift the poor masses. Their work appears, no doubt, at first glance to be highly commendable, but the bottom line is their mission has been to christianize India, and whats worse, turn the new converts against Hindus and ultimately destroy HInduism.
I was delibrately harsh on Pathmaraja, primarily because after reading all his posts- not only in this section but also in the Seers section - I am convinced (of course, there is always that small, minuscule room for error in my judgement) that his motives for social work are similar to those of the western christian evangelist wandering about India- to destroy the foundation of HInduism and Hindu society. He passions, for his social work, seem to be driven more from contempt and hatred toward a particular Hindu community, which makes his actions all the more dangerous and detrimental to Hinduism and Hindu society.
To me, it would seem, that a person, irrespective of his residence or citizenship, who is genuinely interested in, and concerned, about India's welfare and progress is apt to recommend or suggest reforms for the upliftment of underprivileged communities that doesn't attempt to exclude or destroy other communities in the process. The proper path of development of any society requires that equal opportunity must be awarded to all, without a doubt, but also that no one community is uplifted at the expense of the success and opportunity of another. Otherwise, there will be nothing but ongoing friction within society and social disruption.
Dalits MUST be given opportunities, but NOT at the cost of attacking, humiliating, suppressing, and subjugating other Hindu communities.
There are enough anti-hindu, anti-India elements within India who are trying to disrupt Indian society and bring about chaos, wihtout their enlisting the help of foreigners with devious intentions. I always welcome, and will continue to welcome, suggestions for India's social and economic, and particularly ways to broaden the reach of Hinduism within and outside the country, and to undo the damage that centuries of foreign conquership has done to the Hindu religion and society. But what I will not entertain are radical solutions that call for the blood of any particular Hindu community, or pitches one Hindu community against another, or calls for the obliteration of any particular community.
What makes Hinduism great is the fact that different Hindu schools of thought from throughout the country and different Hindu communities, each with their own worship practices, conduct, rituals, and interpretation of the scriptures, have coexisted for centuries, and enriched the religion and given it a broader and deeper meaning.
Thus, my recommendation to Pathmarajah to butt out!
I apologize though to other members of the forum if I have erroneously conveyed the impression that non-Indians or Hindus living elsewhere should not contribute their views on India and Hinduism.