Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brumar89 who wrote (115708)	9/26/2003 12:37:33 AM
From: k.ramesh	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Your focus on 'growth' of a religion is exactly my point. Christianity and Islam focus excessively on market share, and advertisement.(organized religion as opposed to the teachings).India's indigenous religions, and there are many, and yes they seem to be all the same to an outsider - Jain, Buddhism,Hindu,Sikh do not focus on increasing the flock, and are more private affairs with a man and his ethics in some cases, a man and his God/many Gods in the case of Hinduism. It is in this context that religious conversions have to be seen in, and how easy it is for the locals to view it as either unfair, an assault, or worse depending on whether you are a bystander, or a religious nut/politician wishing to exploit it to your advantage. Parts of India(about 2/3), do not need any one to protect their rights - they are politically aware, economically unexploited and so on. If these folks freely choose a religion, it is clearly their business. In fact Hindu to Muslim conversion happened in TamilNadu which has a pretty politically aware population, and it was probably done with a view to attract national attention to their economic plight than anything else. Conversions from Hinduism to Buddhism are also more of a staged political statement - akin to the a Democrat joining the Green party because of disillusionment with the big tent. Indian religions also do not ask you to sign an exclusive contract like the Middle Eastern religions -Christianity and Islam(no God but Allah), which is why Buddhism is not seen as a threat. I feel strongly about religious conversions among tribal and indigenous populations - who have already been exploited by others(locals) economically, being taken advantage of by missionaries who do not appreciate the complicated web of their beliefs and social connections. And when there are monetary inducements they seem as bad as drug pushers. Yes some of the foot soldiers are local christians, but funded by rich westerners who think they are doing 'good'. Again - no one denies the useful role of some missionaries in the field of education which is taken advantage of by the middle class mostly. It is only the targeting and 'harvesting of souls' that is unpopular. As for the book - I have not read it. Aroun Shourie is a well respected journalist more into taking unpopular stances than a religious party type - that was years ago, I do not know his postion now.