And now, you have someone to blame for your pernicious caste system as well! Is there anything left? Or are we done with everything now? <g>
Dipy; We have our caste system and we want to remain in our ignorance. We don't need enlightement. Why ae these fellows coming to us?
And now, you have someone to
blame for your pernicious caste system as well! Is there anything left? Or are we done with everything
now? <g>
washingtonpost.com
Southern Baptists, Expanding Effort,
Target Hindus for Conversion
By Hanna Rosin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 21, 1999; Page A19
The Southern Baptists expanded an aggressive new proselytizing campaign
this week, publishing a short prayer book aimed at converting Hindus to
Christianity.
The prayer book is the second published by the Southern Baptists'
International Mission Board this year, and has again provoked charges of
arrogance and religious insensitivity. Last month, leaders of the nation's
second-largest denomination offended Jewish leaders by distributing a
book urging its members to evangelize Jews during their 10 holy days.
Like the previous pamphlet, the latest one asks Southern Baptists to pray
for the conversion of Hindus during their holiest week, Divali, a festival of
lights commemorating the god Rama's return from exile. The board plans
to distribute the guide to its 40,000 churches beginning Friday, in time for
the celebrations in late October.
Compared with the Jewish guide, this one uses far less tactful tones to
describe Hindus, beginning with its very first sentence: "More than 900
million people are lost in the hopeless darkness of Hinduism."
"Pray that Hindus who celebrate the festival of lights would become aware
of the darkness in their hearts that no lamp can dispel," the guide continues.
Hindu leaders reacted angrily to these depictions, describing them as relics
of an ugly colonial age.
"Darkness! This is really offensive," said Suresh Gupta, president of the
Durga Temple in Fairfax. "Why should they try to change us? We have a
value system people crave in this country. We teach respect for others, for
marriage vows, for elders. It's what every religion should teach."
The book is a kind of cultural anthropology written from a missionary
perspective. Each page shows a snapshot of life in India described through
a Christian lens:
"Mumbai is a city of spiritual darkness. Eight out of every 10 people are
Hindu, slaves bound by fear and tradition to false gods," it reads. Or:
"Satan has retained his hold on Calcutta through Kali and other gods and
goddesses of Hinduism. It's time for Christ's salvation to come to
Calcutta."
Southern Baptists defended the proselytizing campaign. "If I had a Hindu
sitting right here at my desk I would apologize if I had been offensive," said
Randy Sprinkle, who oversaw the book's publication. "Certainly God's
love is not meant to be offensive."
"Some people accused us of being arrogant when we were praying for the
Jews of the world," he continues. "I would acknowledge that there is an
element of arrogance. But it's the arrogance of truth."
Gupta was unmoved. "If I had you sitting here, I would not want to convert
you to be a Hindu," he responded. "I would want you to live a good life."
¸ Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company |
