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Strategies & Market Trends : India Coffee House -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Mohan Marette who wrote (3567)	1/26/1999 9:26:00 AM
From: Nandu	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 12475

<<As you I am a bit concerned about all this religious animosity that seems to be emerging at certain quarters of the society.I hope it is just an anomaly and not the norm.>> Mohan, IMHO this latest incidents are not just something that is emerging. Rather it is the result of a concerted effort by the Sangh Parivar to demonize Christians and Christian missionaries as a counter to the emergence of Sonia Gandhi as their main opposition. I am not saying that Christians are all goody-goody or missionaries are on the level all the time. Just that these incidents are not a spontaneous reaction to anything.

To: Mohan Marette who wrote (3567)	1/26/1999 2:05:00 PM
From: ratan lal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12475

Mohan I think it is the general lawlessness in the country due to the unstable govts. and no stability in the foreseeable future. I went to Catholic School in Bombay. Had to use influence and money to get admitted. The padres there were very nasty. I quit and went to a vernacular school against the very strong objections of all my family and friends. There were 3 problems that I hated. 1. Sending your class teachers to your house to collect donations during final exams. Of course all parents felt threatened and donated. 2. Promoting Catholicism actively. And forcing ALL students to do the cross. I avoided it for many years and guess the teachers noticed it. So they came up with the idea of ONE student doing the cross each morning. When my turn came I refused and had to KNEEL down in front of the class throughout the day. That was the starw that broke the camels back. 3. Forcing conversions. Any teachers that were in infraction of even a very minor nature were threatened with 'rustication' (so they could not get a job anywhere) unless they converted. Of course regular beatings with ruler for any infraction, even stupid rules, didnt help matters. So I changed schools and did very well in the new shool. BTW I am not at all relegious although my parents were extremely relegious and my father used to sing in the temple. My father and I along with all my brothers used to discuss God and relegion freely although neither side was able to persaude the other. I always loved going to the temple since they had this huge hall totally marble floor and we got to play and enjoy ourselves while our parents joined other devotees. And I love 'Bhajans'. They just seem to have the right combination of words and tune to put you in a meditative state. Sorry, I guess I got carried away.......

To: Mohan Marette who wrote (3567)	1/26/1999 4:08:00 PM
From: Sam Citron	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12475

RE: Forced Conversions I tend to doubt that any forced conversions to Christianity in India have taken place since the days of Vasco de Gama. As for incentives, that may be another matter. I imagine there are some, both material and psychic (whether these are real or just perceived). I'd like to know more about such practices. What is being offered? Food? A social safety net? Improved status? Are such rewards material or spiritual (e.g. food or the promise of going to heaven)? Is there any element of fraud or overreaching, e.g. an offer of food to a man who is starving would in my view qualify as overreaching. What perceived competing rewards are offered to tribals for traditional Sanskritization process, i.e. becoming a "pukkah Hindu" by giving up hunting for a "traditional" vegetarian diet? What are the actual human and social costs of the attendant loss of identity, continuity, community? Naturally more questions than answers at the outset. I guess it would be appropriate for scholars of comparative religion and others to hold a council to discuss the ethics of religious conversion practices. What better place than India, except perhaps Indian Coffee House here in SIberspace! Sam