Christian Subversion And Missionary Activities - 4

[G.Subramaniam]

From globalconnections.uk

Globalisation and the Hindu World
Global Connections Conference July 2002
Robin Thomson and Suneel Shivdasani, South Asian Concern
A way of life? Cultural fascism? Universal spirituality?
Which Hinduism will dominate the 21st century?
Aim
To help the participants to
§ Understand the impact of Hinduism today
§ Pray for Hindus
§ Begin to develop creative ways to communicate with Hindus
A. The Hindu world: South Asia and the Diaspora
B. Hinduism’s impact on the rest of the world in the 19th and 20th
centuries
· Vedanta for the Western world (Vivekananda. Aldous Huxley, Radhakrishnan)
· Packaging the faith for the market (the gurus)
· Beyond the New Age: Universal spirituality
C. The impact of globalisation on South Asia
· The colonial and missionary experience: ideas of freedom, self-determination
and struggle
· Market forces: economic exploitation, the consumer revolution, global
competitors
· The global village: windows on the world, MTV to Bollywood, the Internet
highway
· Technology: factories & dams to missiles, software solutions and transgenic
mice
· Environment: devastation and degradation
D. Hindu Nationalism
· 19th century renaissance
· 20th century polarisation: the RSS, defining Indianness as Hindu culture
· Hindutva, Ayodhya, Gujarat: the Sangh Parivar and the cycle of violence
· Conversion as an escape – to Christianity? Buddhism? Islam? Buddhism again?
· Nepal’s unenviable choice: Monarchy? Maoism? Hindu nationalism? Or...?
E. Christian responses
Can we turn barriers into bridges?
· Social/cultural structures: the dilemmas of caste and people groups
· Theological/cultural challenges: Christ is unique but is he Asian?
· Spiritual powers: demonstrating Christ’s love and power
Globalisation and the Hindu World
Global Connections Conference July 2002
Robin Thomson and Suneel Shivdasani, South Asian Concern
Hindus today
Hindus are inescapably linked with India, the Punya Bhoomi (sacred land).
Traditionally a Hindu could not leave its boundaries without losing caste. But all that
has changed and now Hindus are found all over the world.
This is something comparatively recent. Although South Asians had been migrating
all over the former British Empire, the last 50 years have seen large scale migrations
to Europe, North America and Australia. The pace has been accelerating over the past
5 years, especially to North America. The USA has been issuing around 100,000 visas
a year for computer professionals. The majority of these are Indian Hindus.
Converging cultures
Today we see a process of "convergence" of the culture of middle class, urban South
Asians around the world, whether they live in New Delhi or New York, London or
Lahore, Colombo or Paris. They watch the same films, listen to the same music, enjoy
the same food, read the same books.
Hindus in the Diaspora come from different parts of the Indian sub continent, but the
largest groups are Gujarati and Punjabi, of whom many migrated via East Africa.
They are mostly business people, professionals or skilled workers. Sindhis are another
key business community. Recently Sri Lankan Tamils, escaping from the civil war,
have settled in every European country, the USA and Canada.
Many of the recent migrants are highly educated professionals. Many also come from
higher castes, so that the spread of caste in the diaspora is different from that of India
as a whole.
Diaspora Hindus face a marked generation gap. The 1st generation, especially of
those who moved 20-30 years ago, are very different from the 2nd and now the 3rd
generations, born and brought up away from the sub continent. This younger
generation finds itself living in two (or more) worlds: the world of their parents and
the worlds of schools, friends, work and pleasure.
Pressures
Like everybody else, Hindus face the relentless pressures of secularism and
materialism. For some, their religion becomes irrelevant; for others it becomes more
important, as they try to retain their identity or rediscover their roots. In recent years
large numbers of temples have been built and many priests and gurus are invited to
visit. Strong efforts are being made to teach the younger generation what Hinduism is,
through books, camps, special lectures or CD ROMs. This was never needed "back
home" where the younger generation "absorbed" Hinduism as their way of life.
What will be the impact of this globalisation on Hindus in the diaspora? And what, in
turn, will be their impact on India and the rest of South Asia?
India continues, with China, to be the world's most diverse, populous and challenging
country. It is the world's largest democracy, with an expanding economy, self
sufficient in food, a nuclear and space power, resilient in the face of political divisions
and natural disasters. At the same time it is still predominantly rural, still with 40%
living below the poverty line, still with vast disparities of wealth and poverty,
sophistication and superstition, education and illiteracy, high and low social status.
Hinduism remains India's driving force, along with the many other forces which it has
absorbed and synthesised, especially over the la st 100 years. How will it change, if at
all, as the world becomes smaller?
Globalisation and the Hindu World
Global Connections Conference July 2002
Robin Thomson and Suneel Shivdasani, South Asian Concern
Positive
The contribution of NRIs (Non Resident Indians or people from any part of the subcontinent)
is increasingly significant. They generate as much wealth as the entire
South Asian economy. Their entrepreneurial, social and educational skills are
increasingly valued, as the links around the world strengthen, and as resources - and
ideas and values - flow back and forth. What happens in the Diaspora impacts South
Asia, and vice versa.
Negative
The last three years have seen a disturbing trend. Along with reports of much
response to the Good News, there has been a strong increase in extremist Hindu
nationalism. This has resulted in unexpected pressure on Christians in certain parts of
India and Nepal.
The challenge of prayer
Praying for Hindus is still our greatest challenge.