HVK Archives: The zealots who would inherit (and a response)
The zealots who would inherit (and a response) - Outlook
Saira Menezes and Venu Menon
()
February 22, 1999
Title: The zealots who would inherit (and a response)
Author: Saira Menezes and Venu Menon
Publication: Outlook
Date: February 22, 1999
Note: The response is given first followed by the article.
From: Ashok Chowgule
President,
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Maharashtra)
36, Piroja Mansion,
Opp Grant Road Stn (E)
Mumbai 400 007, India
Tel: +91 22 309 3743
+91 22 309 4306
Fax: +91 22 307 7551
To: The Editor,
Outlook,
February 16, 1999.
Pranam,
Reference "The zealots who would inherit" in your Feb 22 issue. It is
nice to read in your magazine, known for its Hindu-baiting, that there
is a cause for the Hindu samaj to be provoked due to the proselytising
activities of some of the Christian churches. We do realise that this
is not the main objective of your article, which is that there is
something called fringe churches who create problem and there is
something called mainline churches who are the epitomes of angels. But,
we are sure you will admit that there has been provocation from those
who sell Christianity to the people of this country.
During his frequent visits to South America, the Pope (the head of the
Roman Catholic Church, which you would consider to be a so-called
mainline church) has often complained about the these so-called fringe
churches poaching on his flock. During one such visit, he called them
'wolves'. The concern of what is called sheep-stealing (in Biblical
lexicon) is uppermost in his mind, since the number of Catholics is
going down significantly.
While this concern may be quite touching, the Hindus find this to be
quite incongruous. The ex-Catholic still believes in Christ as the only
son of god, but offers his prayers in a different church and under a
different priest. Christian theology would say that such a person has
an automatic entry into heaven. Perhaps it is the Catholic theology
that it is not only an exclusive belief in the divinity of Christ that
is a sufficient criteria, but also that this belief should be practised
in a Catholic church as a requirement for a passport to heaven. If so,
then it is obvious that the Pope is playing a numbers game, and not
really trying to save souls.
Within the context of India, we hope that the Pope will join the Hindus
in ensuring that the plans of these so-called fringe churches does not
succeed. After all, if they are 'wolves' in South America, surely one
would use an even stronger adjective when they are operating amongst the
Hindus.
Given the larger objective of the so-called mainline churches, this
would probably be too much to expect. This phenomenon of a so-called
fringe church is nothing new. So far we have not seen the so-called
mainline churches distancing themselves from the activities of the
so-called fringe churches. Whenever there has been a Hindu protest
against the latter, the former have ganged up with their
fellow-believers-in-Christ, and tried to stifle the protest. The
so-called secular media has gone along with the game plan of the
so-called mainline churches. Unless one sees a conscious programme of
the distancing away, the Hindus are not going to be fooled with the
bleating that one hears today.
The Hindus would also like to remind the so-called mainline churches
that the so-called fringe churches are following the methods that they
had used in the past. Since these methods are no longer politically
correct, they are sought to be discarded. The reason for this happening
has been stated by a Christian theologian, Raimundo Pannicker, who said,
"The first lesson history makes us aware of is that all our
disquisitions are dependent on a temporal factor - that is, on
historical circumstances. Were it not for the fact of the political
decolonisation of the world, we would not be speaking the way we are
today. Dialogue has not sprung out of pure speculation. Praxis
conditions theory. Yet it is also wisdom to make a virtue out of
necessity." The prime objective, that is saving the soul theology, has
remained the same, but the methods employed have now to be different.
After all, there is no scope of expecting that there will be state power
behind them to coerce. The techniques have to be subtle.
These techniques are not only the so-called social service activity, but
to damn Hindu philosophy, sometimes in subtle terms, sometimes a little
bit more brazenly. A Catholic priest in India said that Hindu
philosophy is basically one that encourages withdrawal from the world to
the detriment of social commitment and that as a result there is hardly
any communitarian or social consciousness. It is hard to understand how
someone, who apparently is of Indian origin and living in India, can
write such a comment on Hinduism. One used to find such descriptions in
missionary textbooks of yesteryears. The Roman Catholic community in
India has full knowledge about Hinduism and the Hindu notions of
salvation. But statements as above are a clear sign that the practice
of calumnising continues.
Others do not even pretend to be subtle. Cardinal Ratzinger has said
that Hinduism offers false hope because it appeared to guarantee 'the
path of purification' when in fact it focused on a 'morally cruel'
concept of reincarnation resembling 'a continuous circle of hell.' This
is not much different from what a member of a so-called fringe church,
Rev Pat Robertson said. "Wherever you find this type of idolatry, you
find a grinding poverty. (India) has been cursed." A bit more crude,
but it conveys the same message as that of Cardinal Ratzinger.
So, it is not merely a statement saying that they distance away from the
so-called fringe churches that is going to suffice, what the so-called
mainline churches have to do is to rework their theology to suit a
situation of pluralism that prevails not only in India but has begun to
pervade amongst the thinking people of the Christian countries. Prince
Charles in June 1994 said that if he ever becomes the King of England,
he would like to alter the oath to say that he is defender of all
faiths, and not merely that of the Church of England.
At the time, the members of the Church hierarchy, who would club
themselves as part of the so-called mainline churches in India, were up
in arms against the Prince. One of them said, "If (the Prince is)
saying Christianity is equal with other religions, we should differ
profoundly with him. As men we're all equal before God, but are you
talking about religions and saying one is as good as another? I hope he
is not saying that." The same Church agitates that India should be a
secular country, and Hindus here should place the Church on the same
pedestal as Hinduism, if not higher.
It is recognised that if Christians go about saying that all religions
are equal, they will have to answer why do they involve themselves in
conversions. After all the whole objective of conversions is supposed
to save souls, and if souls are saved in Hinduism, then obviously it is
a futile exercise to convert a Hindu. To avoid this major problem, the
Catholic Church says that it "rejects nothing of what is true and holy"
in other religions. Since rejecting nothing is qualitatively different
from accepting everything, the Church goes on to say that is "duty
bound to proclaim" that it is only in Christ that "men find the fullness
of their religious life." Thus, the other religions become a prepatory
ground, and for true salvation it is best to be a Christian.
It is not inappropriate to inform that the members of the so-called
main line churches have no hesitation of taking the help of Islamists in
their fight against Hinduism. Thus, we have an incongruous picture
where a smiling Catholic Archbishop of Delhi walks arms-in-arms with a
smiling Naib Imam of the Delhi Jamma Masjid. Birds of a feather,
convert together!
Hindus have no real problem if someone says that Christ is his personal
saviour. Where they have a problem is when he goes on to say that if a
Hindu does not believe in Christ, then the Hindu is bound to go that
place where he/she will be eternally barbecued.
Yours sincerely,
The Editor,
Outlook,
AB-10, S.J.Enclave,
New Delhi 110 029.
=======================Title: The zealots who would inherit
Author: Saira Menezes and Venu Menon
Publication: Outlook
Date: February 22, 1999
In 1972, missionary Rita saw a vision of the whole of India as a vast
over-ripe harvest field. There was an urgent call to reap this harvest
before it is too late."
This is the telling opening line of booklets put out by the East West
Mission Bridge-run 'Adopt Your Own Village In India' project. The
organisation has a list of villages "that are eagerly waiting for the
Gospel". "As soon as. you commit yourself to adopting one such village,
we will inform our (Indian) partner who will engage and train a new
worker in your adopted village-and eventually plant a church there".
This 'vision', though singular, is not unique. It's the staple of
Christian splinter groups who have broken from mainstream Churches and
have established an insistent presence in India. While Christianity and
its preachers have been in the country for almost 2,000 years, these
fast-multiplying Christian sects or cults-most of whom have their
financial and ideological roots in the US-are now attempting to become
the prime proselytisers. In the process, the intolerant attitude
betrayed in the language used by these groups is grist to the Hindu
fundamentalist mill.
Sample Ralph Winter, editor of the US-based Mission Frontiers magazine,
which keeps track of splinter Christian sects worldwide. He writes:
"The Hindu World is the most perverted, most monstrous, most implacable,
demonic-invaded part of this planet.... The perversion of Satan in this
part of the world is just absolutely legendary....."
Much of the 'documentary evidence' cited to justify the attacks on
Christians by Hindu zealots emanate from these groups. And with players
like Winter in the game, it is no surprise that passions are easily
inflamed among believers of other faiths.
A fact which has been worrying the mainstream Church for a while now.
The Bishop's Conference of India, for example, has been saying that "we
have always distanced ourselves from these groups; their attitude to
other religions, the language they use, their aims and methods".
Unlike the VHP or Bajrang Dal, however, the fanatic Christian fringe
does not have the support of a mainstream political, religious or
socio-cultural grouping. Nor do they indulge in violence. Yet, they
seem to be growing-though these groups are prone to wild exaggerations
to come up with magic figures that help bring in the funds. The East
West Mission Bridge says that in predominantly tribal Bastar, Madhya
Pradesh, they went up from a measly 10 workers in 1988 to 150 by 1995;
that they've established 40 churches and baptised 3,000 people. Mission
functionaries say the figures are similar among the Mangs of
Maharashtra.
The American umbrella organisation 'AD 2000 and Beyond', which is all
over the Internet, claims the Evangelical Church of India has almost
achieved its plan of establishing 1,000 local churches. Operation
Mobilization (Om) India has launched an initiative called 'Project
Light' to present the gospel through literature to 100 million people in
India by AD 2000. The Association of Pentecostals is working towards a
church for each of the 75,000 pin codes in the country by the 21st
century.
The Friends Missionary Prayer Band has developed 'Hindi Heartland
Penetration Strategies' to mobilise 1,000 new missionaries and to
research and evangelise 300 "unreached" groups within the next few
years. India Reach has taken on the goal of reaching 500 million people
with the gospel through direct mail, followed by personal visits within
six weeks to the individuals who respond. Such fantastic aims and
claims seem to be part of the game to bring in the lucre and spread the
Word simultaneously.
Interestingly, an organisation called the Divine Word, operating in MP
and involved in printing and distribution of pamphlets and Bibles,
receives an average of Rs 22 lakh every year in funds, as compared to
the roughly Rs 32,000 which is the lot of some government schools in the
same state. Team India of Emmanuel Ministries International lays out
the 'incentives' for budding foreign missionaries: it pays $3,100 for a
two-week mission to Delhi and Kota-like the ones proposed between
February 22 and March 5 or November 8-18, 1999. "Debriefing time"
includes a trip to the Taj. Year-long packages to Kota, like the one
from August 1999 to April 2000, are pegged at an all-inclusive $8,900.
The Kerala-based Indian Pentecostal Church (IPC) which recently emerged
as the target of the Sangh parivar in the state, has married the concept
of capitalism with carrying on for Christ. In its 75th convention held
earlier this month, this is what was said: "In America, there are big
supermarkets where you can buy anything you want. Our church is now a
small wayside stall. We must make it grow into a big American
supermarket."
The IPC, like the Friends Missionary Prayer Band, however, claims it
does not take foreign funds. The Hindustan Bible Institute Global
Partners is more explicit: It exists "to glorify God by enabling the
North American Church to develop partnerships to reach the unreached of
India and beyond". With America just an "altar call" away, the
mainstream Church in India has much to agonise over.
In the Northeast, meanwhile, the break,]way factions from established
Churches are raking it in. "In 95 per cent cases those who are
ambitious float new groups, gather some illiterate people, photograph
and videotape them and send them abroad seeking funds," says a Khasi
Journalist on condition of anonymity.
Refuting allegations of spiritual seduction by way of finance, Rev.
T.S. Abraham, general secretary, IPC, says: "We preach, we do not
induce. We do help people financially. Some join us, many don't. We
don't target any particular group. Both Brahmins and tribals join us.
Muslims come to us. But most of our converts are Christians from other
churches."
"It is a big problem for us," says Father Leslie Ratus, a theologian at
the Mumbai-based St Pius College, about the
conversion-by-coercion-or-allurement phenomenon. "In the eyes of both
militant and non-militant Hindus, all Christians are the same. They see
no difference between Catholics, Protestants and the new sects. Amidst
such confusion, what one church does and how it behaves with regard to
conversion is applied to all churches." Significantly, the Catholic
Church has promoted dialogue with other religions, respecting that there
are "seeds of truth" in all. And this line has been embraced by
mainline Protestant groups as well. But the new sects remain beyond the
pale and reject all calls to hammer out a common policy on missionary
work.
Tainted by the same brush, the Catholic and mainline Protestant
Churches, which have a tangible presence all over the country through
their institutions, are in a quandary. More so as they have become a
target of the saffron brigade. "Their theology, outlook and
understanding of salvation is different, their missionary methods are
different and hence their acts provide a lever to those vested interests
seeking to frustrate true missionary work," says Fr Ratus.
But most of the Christian fundamentalist sects have, Pilate-like, washed
their hands of the mainline churches on the grounds that they are
"apostate", or have "defected from the true faith". In fact, most sects
launched city-centric crusades by first feeding off the flock of the
mainline Church before making inroads to the rural hinterland.
Says Father Paul Parathazham, a Pune-based theologian who conducted a
survey on these sects' appeal: "Their belief in exclusive God experience
makes them feel that only they will be saved. Hence the call to
conversion. Their proselytisation is born out of a conviction that the
end is near. In fact, some shun jewellery and even medicine." This is
combined with a potent diatribe against karate, rock'n'roll, yoga, idol
and animal worship.
Says a British missionary, now in London after working for 30 years, in
Nainital: "In all my years I had no difficulty in India; I've never
known a missionary who did," he told Outlook. "We didn't go about
making a nuisance of ourselves, but if new groups are getting
aggressive, I won't be surprised if there's resistance."
India falls in what's called the 'Resistance Belt', an area extending
from West Africa to East Asia which is home to a majority of the world's
Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. While an article in Global Prayer Digest
('93) asks for "praying down the spirit of Ganesha in Bombay", a mission
mouthpiece Lightsource displays its peculiar brand of Christianity:
"Never before have we seen such blatant hardcore worship of worthless
idols ......"
The idol-worshipping mind is the pet pamphlet preoccupation of most
sects. "In a nation of 33 million gods and goddesses-often portrayed as
a cobra, elephant, monkey, cow or human-to follow only one God radically
departs from the surrounding culture. Seeking to appease the idols with
offerings-including the sprinkled blood from animal sacrifices-is a
repeated ritual. So when a former Hindu talks of the blood of Jesus
shed for her, this is no mere slogan learned in Sunday school," reads
the press release of the Jesus Film Project. In 1997, the film was
shown in 47,111 locales and this supposedly helped plant 700 churches.
The 'harvest' being so great, the neo-missions are bent on multiplying
their fold. Documenting the land and preparing profiles of language
groups, communities, tribes and castes are under way. Attacks on
co-religionists notwithstanding, the "harvest force" does not believe in
crop failure.
"We believe in changing hearts, not religions. When people experience a
change of heart, a fellowship forms between them. That's what is
happening," claims Rev Abraham. The evidence doesn't bear him out.
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