Author: Rajendra Chadha
Publication: The Organiser
Date: July 30, 2000
Look to yourself before you accuse
others. Christian missionaries of late are accusing Hindu social organisations
of spreading hatred against religious' minorities. A shrill propaganda
by secularists against these Hindu organisations is also on to further
confuse the public. They say that VHP and its associates are distributing
literature that promotes hatred against the minorities in general and Christians
in particular.
But the truth is 'exactly the opposite.
VHP has come out with certain booklets and pamphlets, which increasingly
prove how the activities of the Christian fundamentalists are aimed at
destabilising the Hindu society and also the state. Christian fundamentalists'
literature is making rounds in the whole country, heaping abuse on Hindu
deities and mocking at the religious symbols and practices of the Hindus.
Apart from "aggressive harvesting" efforts this literary insinuation against
Hindu religion is one of the major causes of communal disturbance in the
country.
Take for instance, a book in Malayalam
with a title Haindava Suvishesheekaranam. It interprets the meaning of
the sacred Pancakshara mantra Om Namah Shivaya as "Let Evil Befall" (p.
113).
The magazine Indian Messenger (September
1998) calls the great Kumbha Mela, which attracts millions of Hindu devotees,
a superstitious deception. "The belief that the mud of sins in human souls
can be purified for ultimate liberation through Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati
is superstitious. The Kumbha Mela represents this superstitious deception,"
it says. But strangely in a superstitious tone and words it claims: "Liberation
from sins can be attained only by the unpolluted blood of Christ the virtuous."
Note not only the superstitions but also the audacity of the suggestion.
Shri Sai Baba, to these Christian
fundamentalists, is a satanic spirit and Mata Amritanandamayi a mentally
retarded woman. To quote: "The miracles said to have been performed by
Sai Baba is mere magic. Satanic spirit dwells in him. Mata Amritanandamayi
is a mentally retarded woman. She is half mad and what she does is stupidity".
Again, the Haindava Suvishesheekaranam
says: "No Hindu gods and goddesses exists who have not surrendered to Christ.
If Krishna, Rama and Indra surrendered before Christ, what other evidence
is necessary to prove that he is the only true God" (p. 181-182).
This Christian fundamentalist propaganda
literature often describes Bharat as a "State of Devil". Dr K.P. Yohannan
in his book Anant Prakash mein Jeevan Vyatheeth Karain writes: "Every time
a Hindu is baptized and converted to Christianity, there is a great disturbance
in the State of Devil" (p. 114). Hindu religious and community leaders
have been termed as "devils" and "satanic" powers by the same author.
Dr. Yohannan's is not the solitary
instance. In fact, he is one of the many who project such views. Another
statement in a book named Samvaad: Kyon and Kaisai (Masibi Drishtikon Se)
by Dr Benzami Khan are equally inciting: "Moral values play a negligible
role in Hindu religion" (p. 98).
If these literatures are to be believed,
then all the good things and positive aspects of Hinduism have come from
Christianity because it is deeply influenced by the preaching of Christ-be
it the Bhakti movement or the stories of Krishna or even that of Shiva!
They claim abrasively that the stories of Krishna have been taken from
the story of Christ with minor changes! "In fact Christ became Krishna
in India," says the book of Dr Benzamin (p. 71)
Common Hindu traditions are always
ridiculed. For example application of bindi, tilak sindoor are jeered at
as devil eye and related to satanic spirits. "Even though tilak is considered
a symbol of Shiva by the Hindus, the use of these symbols is dangerous
and gives them an opportunity to come under the influence of satanic spirit.
Thus girls beware," says the book published by Masihi Sahitya Sanstha (see
Hindi translation of. Sex, Love and Marriage by Zac. Poonen, p. 102).
For obvious reasons, the missionaries
have always been trying to mislead people on the census data. But certain
reports, which they do for their internal consumption, are highly revealing
and equally disturbing. For example the Church Growth Centre reports that
by the end of the 20th century the Christian population will increase 13
times as compared to that at the beginning of the century. It further clarifies
that the increase of the non-Christian population would be only 4.6 times
during the same period. "In 1900 there were 60 non-Christians for one Christian
and by the end of the century there will be only 20 non-Christian to every
Christian. Christians' estimated population in the year 2000 will be 50
million," the report says.
According to the report entitled
Trends and Issues in Evangelisation in India by Augustine Kanjamala SVD,
a CBCI Secretary: "In the North-East, conversions among the tribals continue.
During the last 30 years the Catholic population has increased nine fold
to nine lakhs. In Arunachal Pradesh about 10,000 people join the Church
per year, half of them into Catholic Church. In West India more than 45,000
Bhils have joined the Church (The Church In' India: Its Missions Tomorrow,
p. 40).
The same report reveals: "Amri,
Kerbi tribal people in Assam have totally declared to become Christians
for the prosperity of the tribe." According to it every day 4,000 new Christians
are added to the Church, and 35 new congregations are formed every week.
One can very well imagine the aggressive nature of the "harvesting plan".
In their "hate and insinuation"
literature, even Sikhs are not spared. A section of the Sikh community
is often compared to thieves and dacoits. (Page 180 of Uttar Bharat tatha
Pakistan main Masihi Dharma by Bishop Deendayal and published by Hindi
Theological Literature Committee, Jabalpur). To substantiate its point
the author refers to "historical instance" when Sikh soldiers allegedly
attacked the enemy from behind and indulged in looting.
The missionary propaganda literature
has throughout indulged in spreading canards against the Hindu society.
It also twists and misrepresents the facts. For instance: "The old Hindu
political, economic and philosophical writings like Kautilya's Artha Sastra
and Manu Samiti did not count the dalits and the tribes as human being.
The vedas treated them as Chandals, Gita and Mahabharata showed them as
wild animals like monkeys and Rawanas." This is what you read in Bishop
Nirmal Minz's book Rise Up, My People, And Claim the Promise. He goes on
to write: "In the past they (tribes) have been treated as something less
than human, according to Hindu attitudes and understanding."
Finally, if these propagandists
are to be believed, the majority of the Hindus are slaves, untouchables,
Poor, looters, thieves and nonbelievers. A book Confusion called Conversion
by Sunder Raj is entirely devoted to malign the Hindu people. Now tell
us who are the haters of the other religionists?
