Author: S Kamat
Publication: Herald, Goa
Dated: November 3, 2008
The conversion issue needs to be looked at
from a different perspective. This has been the hot topic of the day after
the Kandhamal incidents and the attacks on churches in neighbouring Karnataka.
Let me say at the outset that I in no way support the targeting of the Christian
community in both these places and call upon the authorities to first stop
this unnecessary violence; second, to provide justice to those affected; and,
third, to have relief and succour provided to those that have suffered in
these atrocities. But a certain amount of balance has to be brought in on
the matter, which is sadly lacking in the media coverage to date.
Having said that we need to look at this issue
very rationally and without any unnecessary breast-beating, which only confuses
and complicates the matter. Conversion has to be analysed in the context that
almost the entire Christian or for that miitter the Muslim community in India
have been converted from their original faith, whatever it may have been.
In the present-day context, it is a known fact that Christian missionaries
have been active in various parts of India, particularly among India's poor
in the urban areas and in t)le tribal-dominated areas, to increase their flock.
This conversion is by means of offering material (food and clothing) and economic
inducements and asking those targeted to change their faith and become Christians.
Such methods are thinly disguised as charity.
This kind of persuasion to convert is being
given in spite of the present Pope stating publicly as recently as the current
Bishop's Synod in progress atthe Vatican that conversion should not be done
by using physical force or byway of any kind of inducements. Whether this
is being followed is the question that those Christians who have been recording
their laments in the papers should ask themselves. If not, then the question
of reconversion cannot be objected to. In Kandhamal the means adopted for
reconversion is clearly incorrect and anything that infringes upon the Indian
Penal Code should be dealt with summarily, but the principle of the thing
is not wrong, given earlier precedents.
Again, the attacks on the churches and Christian
religious places in Karnataka were clearly beyond the pale of the law and
those that indulged in this should be brought to book. In all this we have
to remember what the Bible says: "As you sow, so shall you reap."
Consistent with this saying, all religions should preferably draw a line that
henceforth there should be no conversions, and each state should pass an anti-conversion
law which will protect all faiths. Though the sentiment may be very eminent,
charity should be restricted to people within the same community and, if found
lacking, the State and/or independent NGOs should involve themselves. However,
in the event of major natural or man-made disasters which affects the society
as a whole, an exception can be made and relief operations across the board
can be implemented.
In the current context of things, all religions
should recognise that in India they have been able to follow their religion
with the least inconvenience and/or restriction. This is something that they
should respect. It is rare that the Hindu religion goes out of the way to
persuade or convert those of other religious persuasions. This is not so with
the Christian or Muslim faiths, with the latter in particular seen to be the
fastest-growing faith in the world. As far as the Christian faith is concerned,
apart from the low-key conversion programs followed in every parish, over
the last decade or so strong evangelist movements, particularly out of the
US, have been active not only in India but also around the world. These in
their aggressive posturing, have gone into war zones like Afghanistan and
Iraq and have at times been kidnapped or captured by the enemy, resulting
in difficulties for the regular military forces whose attention and effort
has to be diverted in rescue missions involving these people, who mistakenly
believe that they are propagaring the true Christian faith.
In all faiths there are a set of people who
are at variance with their religion or interpret it differently. For this,
at the first level there are the elders within the community of a specific
religious persuasion to counsel and advise corrective or remedial action,
and beyond that the laws of the land should prevail. In India, where religious
tolerance has been of a high order and the secular character of our country
is admired the world over, we should take the utmost care and caution that
we in our zeal do not disturb this fabric of our democracy.
The minorities, both Christians and Muslims,
have in the recent past have been over-zealous in protecting their turf. If
they think that they are successful in their endeavour, then they are sadly
mistaken. Let them not carry things too far and to a point of no return which
is neither good for their communities nor for India. The Muslims have already
started painting themselves in such colours on account of the terror issue,
and the Christians should be wary that they also do not push themselves into
a corner. The Christian community in India has contributed tremendously in
the fields of education, health care and others and is widely respected for
its sober and non-violent nature. Let this not change on some minor provocation.
At the same time, those within the community who are overstepping their boundaries
on issues like conversion should be told where to draw the line. This is not
only important for the Christian community but also for India.
The Christian community in India and particularly
in Goa needs to think about the fact that worldwide there have been expressions
of remorse by the Church for the manner that they have dealt with their constituents
in terms of sex abuse. Governments in Australia, USA, Canada, Italy, UK have
apologized for the way they have treated their subjects, which resulted in
a complete disruption in their lives, like the 'Lost Generation' among Australian
aborigines or the treatment of the Red Indians in the US. For these sins of
commission or omission, massive amounts of compensation have been announced.
The Jews too are expecting compensation of billions of dollars from Germany
for the Nazi atrocities against them. In fact recently the Italian Prime Minister
paid ubya's Muammar Gadhafi a sum of US $ 5 billion for the Italian occupation
of that country in the past. The Church, both Catholic and Anglican, and the
Portuguese and British governments may like to consider similar amounts of
compensation to India for the many lives lost at the hands of the conquerors,
or those whose lives were completely changed but who still yearn and hark
back to those old manners and practices of their earlier religion and retain
the vestiges of the same.
India really does not need this, but then
if remorse is to be expressed, it should be done across the board and there
should be no discrimination. Therefore let us all recognise that we have a
great country. Let us keep it that way and not destroy our social fabric by
parochial considerations and religious intolerance. Even our media can do
good by balancing out the coverage on these kind of issues rather than going
overboard on it.
