Author: Kalavai Venkat
Publication:
Date: December 6, 2005
Can Hindus in the USA ask for parity with
other religionists? Can they demand that Hinduism in textbooks be taught using
the same yardstick applied to Islam and Christianity? Hindus in California
thought so. In the eyes of most unbiased observers, these would be the most
reasonable demands.
Portrayal of Christianity and Islam
Textbooks in California portray Christianity
and Islam according to the beliefs of insiders. Christianity and Islam are
historicized according to believers' traditions. Mainstream scholarship subscribes
to two views regarding Jesus Christ. One school concludes that he never existed
and that all tenets, beliefs and legends found in the Christian Bible are
derived from pre-existing Pagan, Persian, Buddhist, Jewish and Egyptian traditions.
Professor G A Wells [The Jesus Myth] is an excellent example of this school
of thought. The other school concludes that a shadowy figure called Jesus
existed, who was later fictionalized in the Christian Bible. But, there are
numerous hypotheses as to what his identity was. Professor Alvar Ellegard
[Jesus, Hundred Years Before Christ] is an example of this school of thought.
But, all mainstream scholars tend to agree
on several points:
1. There is no historical evidence that Jesus
Christ, as narrated in the Christian Bible, ever existed.
2. There is absolutely no evidence that the
Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In fact, Professor
Robert Price [Deconstructing Jesus] even calls it cruci-fiction.
3. Many terrible social practices such as
slavery and anti- Semitism are enshrined in the Christian Bible. From the
Catholic Pope Pius XI to the Lutheran theologian Norman Beck, many scholars
have admitted that the Nazi anti-Semitism witnessed in the 20th century was
a mere culmination of a long tradition of Christian anti- Semitism. Beck even
summarizes the approximately 450 anti-Semitic remarks found in just five of
the books that constitute the Christian Bible.
4. The versions of various stories told in
the synoptic gospels are often contradicted by other gospels which the Church
suppressed. Professor Morton Smith [The Secret Gospel], for example, discusses
a variant version of the life of Jesus discussed in a gospel. Of course, many
scholars, including theologians such as Raymond Brown [The Virginal Conception
and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus], have also concluded that even the synoptic
gospels present conflicting versions.
Yet, textbooks do not hint at any of these
academic findings when they discuss Christianity. Textbooks discuss the Sermon
on the Mount as if a historical Jesus delivered it. They state that the twelve
disciples of Jesus disseminated Christian teachings as if this claim is historically
valid.
It is the same with Islam. Textbooks report
the revelation of The Quran to Prophet Mohammad as a historical fact. Revelations
are not subject to scientific skepticism. No mention is made of how jihad
and jizyah were used as effective tools in the spread of Islam. Textbooks
are silent about the fact that the Christian Bible has pronounced women inferior.
A textbook reports that Prophet Mohammad was employed by an Arab widow and
businesswoman, Khadija, whom Mohammad latter married. In the very next paragraph,
it adds that Islam improved the status of women who were oppressed in the
pre-Islamic society. If so, how did a woman run businesses in pre-Islamic
Arabia? In a desire to present Islam favorably, textbooks even let go logic.
In the treatment of both Christianity and
Islam, the following salient features are noted:
1. They are historicized according to the
beliefs of their practitioners and not according to the conclusions of mainstream
academics.
2. No terrible practice authorized in those
religions such as anti-Semitism or slavery is even mentioned.
3. Tenets of these religions are summarized,
in an instructional manner, as understood by practitioners.
4. Islam is not presented as an improvement
on Christianity, nor Christianity presented as a replacement of Judaism.
It is reasonable to conclude that textbooks
are doing the right thing in accordance with the guidelines of the California
Department of Education [CDE] which stipulate that religions must be dealt
with in such a manner as to instill pride in its followers.
Portrayal of Hinduism
On the other hand, Hinduism has all along
been discriminated against. The following have been the significant features
of the treatment of Hinduism:
1. It is historicized not according to its
traditional beliefs but according to the speculative, racist and unproven
19th century colonial theories propagated by those highly hostile to Hinduism.
For example, Aryan Invasion Theory [AIT], which was invented to divide India
on racial grounds, justify British occupation and facilitate conversion to
Christianity, is used to historicize the origins of Hinduism. This is being
done even though many empirical evidences actually refute AIT.
2. The tenets of Hinduism, a very pluralistic
tradition, are hastily summarized in a manner that is hardly instructional
or not even mentioned.
3. The caste system is portrayed in a selective
and biased manner, from the perspective of a hostile outsider. Social practices
such as untouchability [also found in non-Hindu societies like Japan, Korea
and Tibet] are depicted in graphic detail, and associated with Hinduism, which
could only make Hindu students feel ashamed of their religion. Textbooks fail
to mention that the most sacred books of the Hindus such as the Vedas, Bhagavad
Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Tirukkural were all authored by Harijan saints.
Textbooks do not also mention that many revered saints in Hinduism have been
Harijans.
4. Textbooks make fun of Hindu gods and beliefs.
5. Buddhism is depicted as a cure all for
the assumed evils found in Hinduism. This is done contrary to facts.
The California Hindu Initiative
As their children attend California schools,
parents come to know of what is written in textbooks. Many have been astonished
and pained. Many Hindu groups, all of them non-political, have consistently
worked with teachers and schools, at a local level, to correct such misrepresentations.
Over the last several months, two organizations
The Vedic Foundation and The Hindu Education Foundation have been working
with the CDE. The former is a religious organization while the latter is a
social organization that includes Hindus from all walks of life. Both understood
that to ensure a fair representation, the mandate itself has to be revised.
But, in the meanwhile, within the scope of the mandate, they worked with the
CDE, publishers, schools, scholars and parents.
They reviewed many textbooks and suggested
changes that would help remedy the erroneous and hostile depictions, until
the mandate itself can be corrected. The CDE constituted a review process
to review and accept changes.
Some Academics Oppose the Hindu Initiative
Some 47 academics, including those known for
their virulently anti- Hindu stances and Communist affiliations, petitioned
the CDE urging them to dismiss the Hindu demands. They alleged that the changes
were unscholarly and politically motivated. Michael Witzel of Harvard University
led the charge.
Ironically, those who initiated this petition
admitted that they had absolutely no clue about the nature of changes proposed.
Their petition to the CDE too did not reveal any knowledge of proposed changes.
These changes had been on the CDE website for weeks, and anyone could have
reviewed those. Petitioners did not bother to go through that trouble. Instead,
they made wild allegations. Their petition lacked substance.
They also volunteered to help the CDE with
the revision process. Surprisingly, the CDE accepted their proposal. It nominated
Michael Witzel, Stanley Wolpert and James Heitzman to review changes. The
first two had signed the petition while the third is a strong believer in
Christian miracles.
Over 30 distinguished archeologists and historians
had written the CDE supporting the Hindu initiative and explaining why falsified
theories like the AIT or AMT should not be included. The signatories included
such distinguished scholars as archeologist B B Lal, the most eminent authority
on ancient Indian archeology who had also definitely established the direction
of the Indus Valley script.
The CDE does not seem to have acted on this
substantive communication. On the other hand, it yielded to Witzel and others,
whose petition lacked substance. One does not know the logic behind this decision
or why the CDE allowed Witzel etc to circumvent the proceedings late in the
process.
Commissioners Uphold Hindu Suggestions
On December 1-2, 2005, the CDE held a hearing
and the commissioners reviewed and decided on the suggestions. Most of the
suggestions originally proposed by the Hindus and accepted during the initial
review process, were approved by the commission. During the hearing, Heitzman
urged the commission to at least retain Aryan Migration Theory [AMT] in the
place of AIT. Fortunately, Professor Metzenberg, a distinguished biologist
and a commissioner on the panel, pointedly told that there is no genetic evidence
for Aryan migration and added that he would go by scientific evidence than
accept the unproven beliefs of some historians. The commission decided to
add that some historians believe in AMT.
What Motivates These Anti-Hindu Academics?
Even though Hindus succeeded, and got most
of what they had asked for, there are many disturbing questions worth asking.
1. What motivates Witzel and other signatories
to maliciously oppose a Hindu initiative even without bothering to know the
nature of changes proposed?
2. Why did some academics agree to the Hindu
suggestions in private but opposed that in public? What are they afraid of?
3. Will Witzel and other petitioners ever
campaign that Islam or Christianity be presented according to mainstream scholarship
and their crimes not whitewashed? Why are they silent when it comes to these
religions and only hostile to Hinduism and Hindus?
4. Witzel has made many derogatory remarks
about Hindus. He has made fun of Hindu immigrants to America. He has ridiculed
their practice of cremating their dead. He has called them "lost"
or "abandoned" people. He has ridiculously claimed that American
Hindus do not invest in their children's higher education. What motivates
him to make such disparaging remarks? What motivates other academics to follow
him and sign on the petition?
5. Why did the CDE nominate three academics
with known hostile stances against Hindus or Hinduism? Will they ever nominate
someone who makes such vilifying remarks about Christianity or Islam to review
suggestions from those communities? What compelled the CDE to circumvent its
own procedural guidelines and give a free run to such anti-Hindu academics,
more so when their petition made wild allegations and lacked substance?
Conclusion
One can speculate on what motivates Witzel
or others to attack Hindus, even when their initiative is most reasonable.
Many of those speculations might be factual. But, Hindus can get justice only
be being proactive. Here are a few things they must do:
1. Create forums that can serve as focal for
textbook review and adoption process.
2. Review your child's textbook and compare
the treatment of Hinduism vis-à-vis Christianity and Islam in those.
See if Hinduism is discriminated against.
3. Validate if the portrayal of Hinduism is
according to guidelines.
4. Ask the education department who is reviewing
and authoring textbooks. Do some background research on those academics. If
they are known for their anti-Hindu credentials, Hindus must demand that the
department replace such academics with neutral and sympathetic scholars. This
is a very reasonable demand. After all, religion and culture, unlike science,
are subjective. There is always a divide between an interpretation by a sympathetic
and neutral scholar and one by a hostile person.
5. Form teams to work with publishers and
insist that they do not hire anti-Hindu academics to author textbooks. After
all, there are two million Hindus in the USA. There are numerous others sympathetic
to the Hindu rights. Publishers cannot ignore a group like this.
6. Form a task force to identify neutral scholars
to author textbooks. Work with publishers and education department to ensure
that such scholars are considered for writing and reviewing textbooks.
Hindus must remember that the Jews fought
many such battles in the courtroom and the media before getting justice. We
cannot ignore the importance of either.
The author is an India-born, Silicon Valley-based
orthodox, practising, agnostic Hindu.
