04-19-2007, 09:45 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-sengotuvel+Apr 18 2007, 09:22 PM-->QUOTE(sengotuvel @ Apr 18 2007, 09:22 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->One thing the Venn diagram did in my mind was to start me thinking about what consitutes a "true Christian", a "true Muslim" and a "true Hindu"
Who occupies the space between all thse "true" people? Who occupies the grey areas (white in the diagram)?
I find on this forum (and BRF) that many Hindus tend to reject people who fall in these grey areas, while as far as I can tell, Christianity and Islam work overtime to get these "grey area" people within their fold.
Ultimately, that may be Hinduism's fatal weakness.
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This is a major problem.
The exclusives tendencies among certain sections and elite readily ensures that a major portion of Hindu narrative is lost. Historically it has ensured that such narratives never became a part of our heritage.
How do you or I define "grey area" after all? Why in fact should someone accept your or mine definition as "pure"?
Is not trying for an exclusive definition very much like EJ/Islamist led fundamentalism 's search for a mythical religious purity?
As noted, many people in this forum (to an extent, though less, in BRF) express such notions of religious purity.
It is funny in a sense that people after having decided to adopt to a non-Western framework, go back and try to measure and define their own belief system in terms of Western framework (i.e. "Pure form of XYZ religion").
My belief is that in order to create a truly Hindu (read indigenous) narrative, we need to listen and record many peripheral traditions like Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism - various sects of Sanatana Dhrama, tribal folklore, animist and atheist traditions.
All these people and their belief systems are part and parcel of this ancient land. The existence of these diversities are due to the flexibility and freedom inherent in Sanatana Dharma. Leaving out any of them will make them susceptible to EJ/Islamist propaganda and most importantly, such an all encompassing narrative will truly reflect India and it will also provide due recognition to many marginal groups that have contributed to making of Indic civilization.
Who occupies the space between all thse "true" people? Who occupies the grey areas (white in the diagram)?
I find on this forum (and BRF) that many Hindus tend to reject people who fall in these grey areas, while as far as I can tell, Christianity and Islam work overtime to get these "grey area" people within their fold.
Ultimately, that may be Hinduism's fatal weakness.
[right][snapback]67344[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is a major problem.
The exclusives tendencies among certain sections and elite readily ensures that a major portion of Hindu narrative is lost. Historically it has ensured that such narratives never became a part of our heritage.
How do you or I define "grey area" after all? Why in fact should someone accept your or mine definition as "pure"?
Is not trying for an exclusive definition very much like EJ/Islamist led fundamentalism 's search for a mythical religious purity?
As noted, many people in this forum (to an extent, though less, in BRF) express such notions of religious purity.
It is funny in a sense that people after having decided to adopt to a non-Western framework, go back and try to measure and define their own belief system in terms of Western framework (i.e. "Pure form of XYZ religion").
My belief is that in order to create a truly Hindu (read indigenous) narrative, we need to listen and record many peripheral traditions like Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism - various sects of Sanatana Dhrama, tribal folklore, animist and atheist traditions.
All these people and their belief systems are part and parcel of this ancient land. The existence of these diversities are due to the flexibility and freedom inherent in Sanatana Dharma. Leaving out any of them will make them susceptible to EJ/Islamist propaganda and most importantly, such an all encompassing narrative will truly reflect India and it will also provide due recognition to many marginal groups that have contributed to making of Indic civilization.