12-27-2006, 08:54 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->http://www.ibnlive.com/news/christians-reconvert-to-hinduism-in-up/29490-3.html
Agra (Uttar Pradesh): A large number of Christians, who were Hindus earlier,
have been reconverting their religion to brace Hinduism in Uttar Pradesh.
The reconverts said they had left the Hindu fold because of the false
promises made by Christian missionaries.
<b>"I was a Christian four to five years ago, but not now. They had given me
many allurements that my children will receive free education, will have
higher education and equal status. Those, who had converted to Christianity
earlier, were treated differently from those who joined later," said Sobhran
Singh, one of the reconverted persons.</b>
At a function organised by the Dharam Jagaran Samiti, Christian converts
attended a ritual where Vedic chants were read, and sacred threads tied on
their wrists to symbolise the homecoming bracing Hinduism.
"Those Hindus who had converted to Christianity or those who were lured into
joining it by Christian missionaries were called here to return back to the
Hindu fold with respect and on equal terms. Since they were earlier a part
of Hindu society and they have returned back, so it has been termed as a
homecoming," said Gajeshwar Singh, the regional chief of the Dharam Jagaran
Samiti (DJS).
The event comes in wake of Bharatiya Janata Party?s repeated calls for a ban
on conversions. The party argues that such a ban will foster communal
harmony, however Muslim and Christian minority groups accuse the party of
whipping up Hindu voters' fear to boost its political support.
In a country where out of the 1.1 billion population, 80 percent are Hindus,
14 percent Muslims and only three percent Christians, the religion divide
remains a cause of concern for the political parties.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Agra (Uttar Pradesh): A large number of Christians, who were Hindus earlier,
have been reconverting their religion to brace Hinduism in Uttar Pradesh.
The reconverts said they had left the Hindu fold because of the false
promises made by Christian missionaries.
<b>"I was a Christian four to five years ago, but not now. They had given me
many allurements that my children will receive free education, will have
higher education and equal status. Those, who had converted to Christianity
earlier, were treated differently from those who joined later," said Sobhran
Singh, one of the reconverted persons.</b>
At a function organised by the Dharam Jagaran Samiti, Christian converts
attended a ritual where Vedic chants were read, and sacred threads tied on
their wrists to symbolise the homecoming bracing Hinduism.
"Those Hindus who had converted to Christianity or those who were lured into
joining it by Christian missionaries were called here to return back to the
Hindu fold with respect and on equal terms. Since they were earlier a part
of Hindu society and they have returned back, so it has been termed as a
homecoming," said Gajeshwar Singh, the regional chief of the Dharam Jagaran
Samiti (DJS).
The event comes in wake of Bharatiya Janata Party?s repeated calls for a ban
on conversions. The party argues that such a ban will foster communal
harmony, however Muslim and Christian minority groups accuse the party of
whipping up Hindu voters' fear to boost its political support.
In a country where out of the 1.1 billion population, 80 percent are Hindus,
14 percent Muslims and only three percent Christians, the religion divide
remains a cause of concern for the political parties.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->