09-07-2008, 03:13 AM
A foolish attempt to convert US NRI Gujus
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1993...993-07-07.shtml
July 1993
Christians Ponder Hinduism in USA
Gujaratis Are Targeted in Strategic, but Scattered, Conversion Programs.
Earlier this year the leading US Christian magazine produced an article, "Hinduism Gains a Foothold in America," detailing of their readers the status of Hindus in America. Hindus are, they said, "a significant minority whose influence extends far beyond their actual numbers." This Hindu influence was of concern. "Whether Hindus will continue to change the increasingly pluralistic American society, or be changed by the evangelical Christians in it, is unclear."
The article's intent was to inform the Christian community about Hindus. But it is equally useful for the Hindus, especially with regard to organized Christian effort to convert US Hindus. For example, Tim and Melanie Schultz of International Missions in New York City have targeted the Gujaratis. Tim has learned the Gujaratis' language, but complains, "They're very open to hearing about the gospel, but to come to the Lord - they're just not interested in that whatsoever." His plans call for starting two Gujarati "house churches" in northern New Jersey.
Another evangelist, Archie for North of the Mission Agencies Network for North American Project, is targeting the 1,00,000 Hindus in his Detroit, Michigan, area. He, too, is frustrated. "I had a 60-year-old multimillionaire who came to me three times to receive Christ as Savior. I told him each time that unless he was willing to empty his 'God shelf' of all other Gods and Goddesses, and to put Jesus alone there, he was not ready to be saved."
A third evangelist, Mahendra Singhal, a 30-year Christian convert from Hinduism heads Hinduism International Ministries of Zion, Illinois. "Singhal says he saw 17 Hindus become Christians through his ministry in home meetings during 1991, which he called a 'tremendous number."
The difficulty of converting Hindus is of concern to Peter Pereira, a native of India ordained in the United Methodist Church. The article reports, "Pereira says witnessing to Hindus is not impossible. 'Friendship evangelism is the best thing." Pereira also notes that many Hindus are looking for opportunities to talk about their beliefs. "They think America is Christianity" he said. 'So they're beginning to [think], 'These guys don't have moral values. Maybe we [Hindus] should offer them [the Americans] something.'"
Among the article's interesting insights into Hinduism were the comments of Harvard University professor Diana Eck on how Hinduism arrived in America, "I think in many [ American Christian] churches, there was a certain amount of concern about whether their sons or daughters were becoming Hare Krishnas. And in the meantime, no one noticed that their surgeon was now a Hindu."
The free-lance author of the article, Stan Guthrie, told Hinduism TODAY this his research "made me think a little bit more than I had that Hindus are really not our antagonists or our enemies, but that they are also searching for the truth and care about society."
The strongest impression left by the article is the frustratingly slow progress of Hindu conversion achieved by the Christian evangelical community. One Hindu religious leader explained that is was impossible to convert a Hindu who understands his religion. In the humorous words of India-born poet Rudyard Kipling:
It is not good for the Christian white to hassle the Aryan brown,
For the Christian riles and the Aryan smiles and he weareth the Christian down.
The end of the fight is tombstone white in the name of the dead deceased,
And the epitaph clear: "A fool lies here who tried to hussle the East."
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1993...993-07-07.shtml
July 1993
Christians Ponder Hinduism in USA
Gujaratis Are Targeted in Strategic, but Scattered, Conversion Programs.
Earlier this year the leading US Christian magazine produced an article, "Hinduism Gains a Foothold in America," detailing of their readers the status of Hindus in America. Hindus are, they said, "a significant minority whose influence extends far beyond their actual numbers." This Hindu influence was of concern. "Whether Hindus will continue to change the increasingly pluralistic American society, or be changed by the evangelical Christians in it, is unclear."
The article's intent was to inform the Christian community about Hindus. But it is equally useful for the Hindus, especially with regard to organized Christian effort to convert US Hindus. For example, Tim and Melanie Schultz of International Missions in New York City have targeted the Gujaratis. Tim has learned the Gujaratis' language, but complains, "They're very open to hearing about the gospel, but to come to the Lord - they're just not interested in that whatsoever." His plans call for starting two Gujarati "house churches" in northern New Jersey.
Another evangelist, Archie for North of the Mission Agencies Network for North American Project, is targeting the 1,00,000 Hindus in his Detroit, Michigan, area. He, too, is frustrated. "I had a 60-year-old multimillionaire who came to me three times to receive Christ as Savior. I told him each time that unless he was willing to empty his 'God shelf' of all other Gods and Goddesses, and to put Jesus alone there, he was not ready to be saved."
A third evangelist, Mahendra Singhal, a 30-year Christian convert from Hinduism heads Hinduism International Ministries of Zion, Illinois. "Singhal says he saw 17 Hindus become Christians through his ministry in home meetings during 1991, which he called a 'tremendous number."
The difficulty of converting Hindus is of concern to Peter Pereira, a native of India ordained in the United Methodist Church. The article reports, "Pereira says witnessing to Hindus is not impossible. 'Friendship evangelism is the best thing." Pereira also notes that many Hindus are looking for opportunities to talk about their beliefs. "They think America is Christianity" he said. 'So they're beginning to [think], 'These guys don't have moral values. Maybe we [Hindus] should offer them [the Americans] something.'"
Among the article's interesting insights into Hinduism were the comments of Harvard University professor Diana Eck on how Hinduism arrived in America, "I think in many [ American Christian] churches, there was a certain amount of concern about whether their sons or daughters were becoming Hare Krishnas. And in the meantime, no one noticed that their surgeon was now a Hindu."
The free-lance author of the article, Stan Guthrie, told Hinduism TODAY this his research "made me think a little bit more than I had that Hindus are really not our antagonists or our enemies, but that they are also searching for the truth and care about society."
The strongest impression left by the article is the frustratingly slow progress of Hindu conversion achieved by the Christian evangelical community. One Hindu religious leader explained that is was impossible to convert a Hindu who understands his religion. In the humorous words of India-born poet Rudyard Kipling:
It is not good for the Christian white to hassle the Aryan brown,
For the Christian riles and the Aryan smiles and he weareth the Christian down.
The end of the fight is tombstone white in the name of the dead deceased,
And the epitaph clear: "A fool lies here who tried to hussle the East."