Inculturation- Fooling Hindu Masses, by Nithin Sridhar

Inculturation- Fooling Hindu Masses, by Nithin Sridhar

In early 1982, Father Joseph Parekatil of the Catholic Church of Parasahi, Madhya Pradesh, destroyed the sacred murthi of  Goddess Visweshwari Siddheswari, enshrined on the nearby Nawain Tekdi hill, and erected a small wooden cross. Later, on February 18th 1983, a 31-foot high concrete cross was illegally erected on the hill. A month later, enraged villagers destroyed the cross. On February 20th, 1985, with the intent of   regaining possession of the hill, Father Parekatil put on the orange robes of a Hindu sannyasin, built a hut on the hill, sat on a tiger skin and began performing worship in the Hindu style. As a result, thousands of simple Hindus came to the hill on Fridays, unaware of the deception they were witnessing. But, on May 18th, a complaint was registered, but to no avail. Again there was agitation in the area, and this time, on October 1st 1985, the villagers tore down the priest’s hut and tossed away the remaining pieces of the concrete cross. Father Parekatil only gave up when he was arrested a week later for breaking the peace. (1)

The tactic used by Father Parekatil of adopting Hindu symbols to further his missionary goal is called  “inculturation” or “indigenization.” Christianity has always followed a policy of ‘inculturation.’ It adopted Pagan elements in Christianized form in order to ease the transition from Paganism to Christianity. Pagan gods became Christian saints and Pagan festivals became Christian festivals. In this process of inculturation, the Christian Church adapted old forms to its new message, but made sure that through the Pagan veneer the Christian doctrine was impressed upon the converts. (2) “Indigenization is evangelization,” says Kaj Baag. It is the planting of the gospel inside another culture, another philosophy, another religion.” (3) In the case of India, ‘inculturation’ or ‘indigenization’ means ‘the incorporation of Jesus in Indian spiritual tradition.’ Fr. Bede says, “In India we need a Christian Vedanta and a Christian Yoga that is a system of theology which makes use not only of the terms and concepts, but also of the whole structure of thought of Vedanta.” (4)

Shantivanam Ashram on the banks of the sacred Kaveri River near Trichy in South India appears Hindu. It has a Hindu shrine, saffron-robed “swami” seated cross-legged on a straw mat, devotees practicing yogic meditations, even chanting Hindu scriptures. But these impressions gradually prove false. First, the eye detects that the courtyard shrine is for Saint Paul and that “puja” is actually, a daily Mass, complete with incense, lamps, flower offerings and prasadam. Finally, one meets the “swami,” Father Bede “Dayananda” Griffiths, a Christian “sannyasin.” This is a Christian ashram, one of more than fifty in India, which are  described as “experiments in cross-cultural communication,” or as “contemplative hermitages that revolve around both Christian and Hindu ideals.” Fr. J. Monchanin, one of the founding members of the ashram, defines his mission in these terms: “I have come to India for no other purpose than to awaken in a few souls the desire (the passion) to raise up a Christian India. It will take centuries, sacrificed lives and we shall perhaps die before seeing any realizations. A Christian India, completely Indian and completely Christian will be something so wonderful the sacrifice of our lives is not too much to ask.” (5) His words are a reflection of the motive behind these ashrams.

Sita Ram Goel, in his book “Catholic Ashrams,” lists 108 such Christian ashrams in India, 4 in Nepal and 8 in Sri Lanka. These ashrams include Asha Niketan, Bangalore, Karnataka, Bethany Ashram (1938), Channapatna, Karnataka, Christa Sevakee Ashram (1950), Karkala, Karnataka, Christian Institute for the study of Religion and Society, Bangalore, Karnataka, Yesu Karuna Prarthanalaya, Kote, Mysore District, Karnataka and others. (7)

Lausanne Movement (for world evangelization) published a paper titled “Christian witness to Hindus” (1980), listing some of the methods to be implemented to convert Hindus, such as:
(1) We should enunciate theology in Indian categories so that the Hindu can understand the gospel.
(2) We must develop a truly Christian world view consistent with the Indian context.
(3) While presenting the gospel, we must be aware of the fact that the Hindu understands the doctrine of God, man, sin, and salvation in a way entirely different from the biblical doctrine.
(4) Communicate the gospel through indigenous methods such as bhajans, drama, dialogue, discourse, Indian music, festival processions, etc. (6)

The present Catholic ashrams have inherited a history of intrigue and subterfuge. Here is a description from the “Madhya Pradesh Report(1956)”: “Robert De Nobili (A Catholic Jesuit priest) appeared in Madura in 1607, clad in the saffron robes of a Sadhu with sandal paste on his forehead and the sacred thread on his body. He gave out that he was a Brahmin from Rome. He showed documentary evidence to prove that he belonged to a clan that had migrated from ancient India. He declared that he was bringing a message which had been taught in India by Indian ascetics of yore and that he was only restoring to Hindus one of their lost sacred books, namely the 5th Veda, called Yeshurveda (Jesus Veda). It passed for a genuine work until the Protestant Missionaries exposed the fraud about the year 1840. This Brahmin Sannyasi of the ‘Roman Gotra,’ Father De Nobili, worked for 40 years and died at the age of 89 in 1656. It is said that he had converted about a lakh of people, but they all melted away after his death.” (8)

This is the situation the Hindu finds himself in. Christian missionaries have adopted Hindu ways of life, Hindu religious symbols, architecture, worship forms and declared themselves as Swamis. A Catholic priest who calls himself “swami” instantly attains the status and authority of a holy man in Hindu society, which he can use to convert individuals. By using Sanskrit terminology in his sermons, he implies a close relationship of Hindu theology to Catholic theology, a relationship which does not really exist. Such missionaries speak authoritatively on Hindu scriptures and argue that their [Christian] teachings are consonant with everything Hindu, but add a finishing touch, a “fullness” to the traditional faith. 

 
1 Hinduism Today, Indian Ocean Edition, December, 1988.
2 Salvation: Hindu influence on Christianity by Dr. Koenraad Elst.
3 Kaj Baago, Pioneers of Indigenous Christianity, Madras, 1969, p. 85
4 Bede Griffiths, op. cit., p. 24.
5 “Liberal” Christianity, Ram Swarup
6 “Christian Witness to Hindus”, 1980, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
7 Catholic Ashrams- Sanyassins or Swindlers, By Sita Ram Goel
8 Niyogi Comission Report on Christian Missionary activities. 

 
The author of this article, Nithin Sridhar, is studying civil engineering in Mysore, India. You can contact him at nkgrock@yahoo.co.in.

http://www.hinduyuva.org/tattva-blog/2008/11/inculturation/

Conversion: need to look within, Delhi Archbishop gives a call

Conversion: need to look within, Delhi Archbishop gives a call

New Delhi, October 31 : At a time when religious conversions are being cited for the attacks on Christians in Orissa and other parts of the country, a significant move has been initiated within the Catholic Church for some “soul-searching”, with a call being made for a panel to look into the issue of induced or forced conversions.

The National United Christian Forum has written letters to prominent community bodies like the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), asking for such a panel. While the NCCI is the apex forum of Protestant and Orthodox churches in India, the EFI consists of the Pentecostal church.

The National United Christian Forum has asked the them to nominate five members each to form a panel to look into the question of conversion and other issues faced by the community, at a time when Hindutva forces are attacking the Church on the same.

The Forum has suggested that the panel should examine whether there is anything “unchristian” in the activities of various churches. The Forum is itself of the view that forced conversions and offering incentives for the same are certainly unchristian.

“Conversion is a life-long process. If somebody voluntarily comes forward to embrace Christ, there is nothing wrong. Nobody can come between an individual and God. But forced conversion is certainly wrong. Even offering incentives for this purpose is not right,” Archbishop of Delhi Vincent M Concessao, a Catholic priest who is also the president of the Forum, told The Indian Express.

Expressing regret that some of the independent denominations and churches working in India were not accountable, Rev Concessao said they needed to get back to scriptures.

At the same time, Concessao said the Hindutva forces had succeeded in giving a wrong meaning to conversion and making that an excuse for violence. He said the National United Christian Forum planned to expose their “gameplan”.

“The Hindutvawadis are not Hindus, they may claim they are Hindus. Their ideology is imported and is against the spirit of the Constitution. They have no roots here,” he said.

In the context of the violence in Orissa, he said “this is an opportunity to wake up. We need to have a dialogue among ourselves, we need to make Christianity known on the one hand and expose Hindutva ideology and their strategy on the other”.

The forum’s move is line with the stand taken by the...

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Conversion--need-to-look-within---Delhi-Archbishop--gives-a-call/380050

From Tainthood to Sainthood

From Tainthood to Sainthood
oct 26th, 2008

---------- Forwarded messag
From: Seema


To the Media,

Two weeks back, I had questioned in my email as its title suggest, "Is there an Indian media mindset?" (read here). I think we have all gotten our answer in past two weeks. Look at how the Bharatiya media suppressed the truth by not bringing out the disgusting and contemptuous books which are full of demeaning and derogatory language that these communal Christian Missionaries are distributing to abuse and defame Hindu Gods and religion in order to convert. You can read one such book "Satyadarshini" online here and some of it here. Not that we didn't have an answer in past 4 1/2 years but the way the present communal Government has managed to hide facts, twist facts and divert people's attention with the help of their Hand-In-Glove section of media from the incontrovertible reality of home grown Islamic Terrorism to far-fetched newly coined term Hindu Fundamentalist Terror is remarkable. I wonder what Hindu scripture did they read which talks about 72 virgins and murdering infidels. Completely trumped-up idea. And they are actively propagandizing this fabricated term both nationally and internationally.

And why not when the present corrupt communal government does not see any difference between an unprecedented nationalist non-cooperation movement after Independence by citizens of Jammu (for their freedom to worship, rights to equality, and civil liberties. Watch 1, 2, 3, 4) and anti-national Pakistan-flag-waving radical Jihadi Separatists in Kashyap Mar. The shameless Prime Minister didn't even utter a single word to denounce the violent anti-national protests by these radical Islamist Kashmiris against his visit, the head of a state (at least on books). Height of appeasement by this sellout autocratic government of despot Antonia Maino and this pinnacle of Lack of Leadership even after such opprobrium by these separatists.

No, they wouldn't do anything to control these or other Muslim or Christian terrorists, Secessionists, and Maoists. They can only conspire to harass Hindus in and out of the country. But to their dismay their attempt to suppress freedom of speech of Hindus of Bharatiya origin in US failed miserably unlike their successful gag of freedom of speech and media in Jammu during the nationalist movement there. Congress lost one of the two undemocratic non-locus-standi $100 million cases and withdrew the other case it had filed to suppress the freedom speech exposing the truth about Antonia Maino aka Sonia Gandhi. As per the press release by Mr. Narain Kataria, President of Indian American Intellectuals Forum,

"The Notice of Discontinuane tantamounts to an unconditional surrender by the Congress Party and could be construed as a victory of Dharmic forces. It is a matter of great happiness for all NRIs, particularly Hindus, that the famous adage from Vedic literature Satya Mev Jayate (Truth shall always prevail, once again, prevailed in New York and New Jersey Courts, on the Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi! A similar case filed by INOC in New Jersey Court was summarily dismissed by the Judge who found that the Plaintiff had no locus standi in filing such a frivolous case. These two cases had generated an inquisitive interest in media, a sense of unity and brotherhood among Indian Diaspora, particularly Hindus and Sikhs."

Please note, the first case was dismissed on August 15, 2008, the Bharatiya Independence day. And still not even a single Bharatiya Newspaper or News channel has balls to run a single story to inform Bharatiya citizens of the TRUTH.

I wonder, what is Kashyap Mar valley going to do with the rail line anyways when it will not remain part of Bharat? But no point asking this when the seriousness of this wretched government is clear from the fact that they don't consider terrorism important enough to be part of National Integration Council meeting (Read article 1 and 2). In fact, who does? Bharat has suffered a meager 21 known major terrorist attacks since 2004 (Source: Chronology of Terrorist Attacks in Bharat), so what's the big deal. Only a fool would say that these few terrorist attacks could be a threat to a nation's integrity, right? [sic] May be threat to security to some extent but we (government) can deal with it through unlawful activities act, because these attacks are nothing but scanty law and order problems. But beware, as mentioned in the agenda of the NIC meeting chaired by the "selected" Prime Minister, government's first priority is to

"discuss promotion of security among the minorities"

. Who cares about these "idol worshiping" "in God Shri Ram Chandra believing" Majority? They are 78% in numbers, who cares if a few hundred die in a few bomb blasts.

But don't you dare chafe the Muslims, they have the first right on Bharat's resources. Hence, they have the first right on security also. Of course, only after college drop-out Roul Vinci, his live-in girlfriend/wife Veronique, Bianca, her husband, and their dogs. (Source: Freedom of Speech, Robert Vadra is not frisked but top Generals are, The difference between a General and Robert Vadra, Link 1). Look at this (Youths caught 'following' car carrying Priyanka, Robert Vadra, Hang those, who endanger the Indian empress!), how dare these damn citizens even come close to "the large security cavalcade" of the sovereign Princess and her husband. Their security is of supreme national importance that THREE security vehicles with Z-level Personal Security Officers FOLLOW their car. They can stop, harass and grill anyone. Who needs the Patriot act?

And this reckless misuse of tax payers money after the spineless PM phony request to his ministers to be frugal. Oops, I forgot Nehru-Maino-Ghandi family is above the law.

Where are the self-decorated Human Rights activists, Civil Libertarians, Media Judiciary and Politicians, who are questioning the sacrifice by Inspector MC Sharma by shamefully claiming that Jamia terrorist Encounter was fake, now when two Hindus Arun and Jayant were harassed and very well they could have been encountered also "for breaching security" of the daughter of the Empress? When 10000 Sikhs were brutally murdered in a Rajiv Gandhi led Congress sponsored genocide in 1984? (Source: When a big tree falls, the ground shakes) But these impenitent people like Vir Sanghvi, Karan Thapar, Sagarika Ghosh, et al, are busy writing their prejudiced anti-Hindu venomous articles in their "Missionary Position" questioning "Who's the real Hindu?". You don't have to show your fake worries by ranting "chaos theory in the Hindu cosmos". We, Hindus don't need you to tell us what to do or define what our Holy Shastr say.

Violence against anyone irrespective of any religion, caste, or race is a disgrace and should be condemned. But partisan and prejudice approach to the problem, like I mentioned in my previous email (read here), is unacceptable and perilous. Section of media carrying an attitude that if you can't uplift or hide the shortcomings of conservative and radical people from one community (Muslims & Christians in this case), then you belittle, cold-cut, and bash the other community (Hindus in this case) to make equals out of non-equals is totally irrational, nonsecular, and Machiavellian.

I can just go on and on about how hypocrite it is for this radically pseudo-secular (anti-Hindu) section of Bharatiya media and Autocratic Monarchic Government to ask for a ban on nationalist organization like Bajrang Dal without any proofs(Source: Ban Congress, DMK and RJD too, Bajrang Dal does its bit), their support for terrorists like SIMI despite presence of proofs, ignorance of murder of Vedanta Kesari Swami Laxmananda Saraswati by Christian terrorists (Other source: Murder of Mahatma by the Church by Ashok Sahu, IPS, Director General of Police). What can we expect from this Prime Minister full of predilection for anything but Hindus? Hindus have been denied land in Arizona to build a temple, imagine if someone denied something to Muslims or Christians in Bharat. Look at how they ran a spurious vendetta campaign that Muslims don't get apartments in Bharat while as I showed in my previous email that it happens everywhere in the world. PM of Bharat demanded for rights of Sikhs in France but would he care to take up this issue of denial of land to Hindus for temple with US authorities. No!

Like Citizens particularly Hindus paying Jizya for sponsoring the Haj vacation for Muslims and paying for legal aid through HRD to Muslim terrorist for waging war against the nation was not enough. Now Bharatvaasi have to pay to sponsor trips for Christians to go on a vacation to Rome to meet Pope who has pledged to convert Asia particularly all the Hindus in Bharat in this Millennium. CNN/Time said the pope's conversion call was "appalling manners.". Read "Pope: 'Convert all Hindus'" and "Pope's speech upsets some Hindus". He has set a target of 10 Million Hindus to be converted by 2010. Why should the Citizens particularly Hindus of Bharat pay for these Christian Missionaries who want to visit the "Saint Factory" that the Pope is running? So that they may learn more tactics to convert Hindus and change the demography by spreading Christian Mythology. For more read "Pope running 'SAINT FACTORY'? John Paul beatifies Monk accused of Mental Illness, Fraud, Philandering" and "The saint business" by Rajeev Srinivasan. He came to US and openly declared that all the problems that US is facing is because it keeps state and church separate. And condemned the path of secularism that US is following. But its all fine, may be because in Bharat under the current Autocratic rule, Church is the State.

It is sick to see the section of Bharatiya media after celebrating the tainted cash-for-vote win of this corrupt government, then the signing off of Bharat's sovereignty in form of the farce nuclear deal, now they are celebrating the anglicized news of another so-called saint coming out of the "Saint Factory" as Bharat's pride. Why this celebration? Like Bharat never had a saint before especially a woman saint. I can quote countless names from our Holy Shastr. But you don't care or respect the ones we already have. The zenith of sainthood, our incomparable Revered His Holiness Shri Shankaracharya ji was arrested, humiliated, and tortured on mere false charges on a holy Deepavali day by the communal government. And this same media didn't show a zilch of remorse. How is this inveterate enlistment by "Saint Factory" through beatification exercise a news of national importance? Is it going to solve the problem of Terrorism and Inflation?

Like Ms. Tavleen Singh said in her article "The case against banning outfits" that "Islamism is the antithesis of the idea of India and must be fought" and so are the illegal unethical conversions by Christian and Evangelic Missionaries. But can we really when the disparity between Tainthood and Sainthood is almost Shunya. They can mass produce as many callow saints as they want or this government out of its incredulity can try to change Bharat's motto of ॥सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं॥ (Truth Alone Triumphs, not falsehood) - Mundak Upanishad 3.1.6 but they can never distort the irrefutable truth,
सीता राम चरित अति पावन।
मधुर सरस अरु अति मनभावन।।
Regards,
Seema

Dallas, TX

http://rajeev2004.blogspot.com/2008/10/from-tainthood-to-sainthood.html

Murder of Mahatma by the Church

Murder of Mahatma by the Church
By Ashok Sahu, IPS (Retd.), Former Addl. Director General of Police


On the 23rd August, while doing pooja on Janmasthami, the most sacred day for Hindus, militant Christians entered into the Ashram premises at about 8.00 p.m. and pumped bullets from an AK-47 assault rifle on the frail body of an 84 years old Swamijee (Vedanta Keshari Swami Laxanananda Saraswati) at Jalespata Vanabashi Kanyashram in Kondhmal District of Orissa. After killing him brutally the Christian assailants have cut various parts of Swamijee's body by chisel and axe, it appears. Along with him others who tried to rescue Swamijee got killed are Sadhwi Bhakti Mata who was in over all charge of the Kalyan Ashram, Kishore Baba, Amritanand Baba and a visitor guardian of an inmate of the school. The dead body of Matajee was also defiled by cut injuries which was most brutish and nasty.

Swamijee had received a threatening letter which he could read only the previous evening on his return from routine tour for religious preaching. He had sought security from the local police against imminent danger to his life by a written prayer to the authorities including the District Magistrate on 23rd August. The media had broadcast on apprehensions to his life during morning news bulletins on the very fateful 23rd August.

Hardly one month back, at Tumudibandh, two kilometers from his Jalespata Ashram, there was armed attack by a group of Christians when he was protesting against Cow-slaughter in the area. In the violence one of his disciples Madhu Baba had sustained fatal cut injuries. Following the incident the State Government had deployed one platoon of armed CRPF personnel to guard his Ashram round the clock. Swamijee, in addition to these arrangements, had an armed security person to protect him during his tours who was mysteriously absent at the time of attack.

It may be mentioned that the personal security man Bhubaneswar Jani who was replaced by an emaciated, cowardice constable by the local S.P. only five days prior to the attack, was serving Swamijee for more than 10 months most sincerely jeopadising his own life. During armed attack by militant Christians on the 24th December 2007 at Daringbadi for which he was hospitalized along with Swamijee with fatal injuries. In that connection, though the Police has registered a case vide 83/07 u/s 147/148/353/ 323/324/307/ 426/149 IPC the culprits are still at large with impunity. Prior to this there were nine more attacks on Swamijee's life and consistently the assailants were all recently converted Christians in the area. It is evident that the Catholic Church and the Baptist Church by conversion was gradually criminalizing the local youth. Few of them were also encouraged to join the Maoist group of terrorists which was proved by the way Bamunigaon Police Station was attacked and the subsequent raids in non-descript Sikarama village during December violence there, that led to recovery of more than 20 guns in a single tiny village.

What is surprising is that similar raids were not conducted in other villages where there is pillage of fire-arms. More suspicious is the withdrawal of the CRPF from the Ashram and replacing the PSO to the Swamijee only five days prior to the murderous attack on 23rd August. Danger to the life of Swamijee was mounting every day since the abortive attempt on his life in last December.According to reliable sources, there was a secret meeting on 9th August 2008 in the Community Centre at Raikia attended by activists representing Church based NGOs like the World Vision, Jana Kalyan Samiti, NISWAS, ASHA, Sahara, Palli Shree, Jana Vikash etc. who regularly receive huge funds from abroad. It was also attended by Nakul Nayak, former M.P. from the ruling BJD, Krushna Para Seth the former Block Chairman from Tumdibandh, Alfansoe Baliyar Singh a notorious militant Christian from Raikia, advocate Manas Singh who was to bring activists from Bamunigaon and Daringbadi in a vehicle specifically provided by Archbishop C.Raphel. It was resolved in the meeting to eliminate Swamijee who was 'an insurmountable obstacle against conversion and cow-slaughter in the area'.Simultaneousl y, they felt that by philanthropic activities among the Kondh tribes in the District he was dissuading the vulnerable poor and illiterate tribe and Panas in the area from falling prey to the allurements and fraud by the Church authorities.

Sources reveal that on the 13th August a letter purportedly written by 'Pahadia' group of people was circulated addressed to the Swamijee that his life would not be spared, that too, within a week. Copies were supposed to be sent to the State Chief Minister, DGP, District Magistrate, District S.P. etc. besides the Swamijee and some other targets. A similar closed door meeting was reportedly held on 20th August in the Jana Kalyan Samiti at Jatani (Khurda) attended among others by Father Bijoy Nayak from Baliguda Church and Ajay Singh of Khurda, where it was decided to eliminate Swamijee, come what may. On the 23rd August night they succeeded in killing him as per their planned conspiracy.

The government had clear knowledge and the authorities had detailed information, but instead of reinforcing the security arrangements, it appears that they colluded with the killers. What has failed to convince is the glaring gap in alacrity with which the Orissa Police had rounded up 63 suspects in Graham Staines murder case within 24 hours of the alleged murder and their utter failure to arrest even a single culprit even after four days of the murder of Swamijee.People of Orissa expressed their ire against the government during the dawn to dusk bundh in the most unprecedented manner for the government attributed this murder to the Naxal Maoists within minutes of the incidents. They were reminded of the callousness of the Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik who had made a similar statement accusing the Maoists when DIG Jasvir Singh was killed but later it was revealed by subsequent investigation that the DIG was killed by his own PSO from Orissa Police. When there was prior information on danger to life of Swamijee, so much so that, the local TV channels trumpeted the whole day urging the government to save the Swamijee from imminent attack, the government apparently colluded with the killers and in order to prove his self-claimed 'secular credentials' the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is over active to safeguard the Christian minorities from the onslaught by the enraged Hindus whole over the State. Now the question is, why should the government first create a situation by a series of 'omissions and commissions' later in order to prove his 'secular credentials' try to protect the endangered minorities. There can not be a greater embarrassment for the ruling alliance BJP who can not escape the moral responsibility of being a party to these omissions and commissions on the part of the coalition government.

It is a ghastly incident and a challenge to the advocates of pseudo-secularism that the majorities are discriminated against, to keep the minorities appeased. The pseudo secularists have proved more Christian than Pope in upholding Christianity in India. The unprecedented response to the bundh called by Hindu organizations in Orissa indicated the shape of things to come. No government how powerful it may be can function with out the co-operation from the people. Peoples elected representatives in Orissa have legislated for the first time in independent India, the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967 to prevent conversion by fraud, allurements, cheating, bribery and misrepresentation. It was challenged by all the Churches in the country in the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Bench of the apex court upheld its validity and said that right to propagate does not include right to convert.

Swamijee was only insisting that the Act should be strictly followed in the State. He came to Kondhmal District because there was utter poverty and illiteracy in the district with more than 70% of its population as tribals who are below the poverty line. He came there in 1967 and continued till his murder by Christians on 24th in August 2008.

Similarly, Orissa was the first to enact against cow-slaughter in 1964 as per Directive Principles in the Part-IV of the Constitution. Swamijee had made the motto of his life mission to make Orissa free of conversion as well as cow-slaughter. These two Acts legislated by Orissa Assembly reflect the sentiments of Orissa people for implementation by subsequent governments.

So long as these Acts are in the statute book, it is the constitutional responsibility of the government of the day to execute strictly. But the government has miserably failed. The government did not co-operate, rather criminally neglected in saving the life one man who preferred to lay down his life for the common cause.

The Church supposed to preach The Gospels, ironically criminalizes the youth and with foreign funding indulges in conversion by-passing the law. Hindus in Orissa are not against any particular community or religion. They do not want any other religion to disturb their faith and social harmony by taking advantage of poverty and illiteracy in their society. Irate Hindus when, as a last resort react, at times, with violence; the advocates of 'secularism' cry for protection. Is it not time enough to stop conversion and cow-slaughter as a respect for the majority living in the country as a lasting measure to ensure peace and harmony in the society?

As this brutal murder is directly linked with the series of incidents right from December 2007, until and unless the State Police detects the right culprits and bring them to book with out further loss of time, peoples already shaken trust on the government can not be restored and peace in the civil society can not come back. Should the government at the centre and the state want a permanent solution to these types of communal repercussions in future, they must concentrate in stopping illegal conversion, put a check on the church based NGOs, stop cow-slaughter strictly in Orissa and manage the forest land and tribal land problems with tribal welfare as the sole yardstick.This would also serve as a fitting tribute to the departed soul of Swamijee who has immortalized himself by laying down his life on the altar of the motherland.
Ashok Sahu, IPS (Retd.)
Former Addl. Director General of Police.
E-mail: ashok.sahu53@ gmail.com .

Also see this website: http://burningcross.net

மாலை அணிந்த மாணவர்களுக்கு கிறிஸ்தவப் பள்ளியில் தடை- பரபரப்பு

நெல்லை: விரதம் இருந்து, மாலை அணிந்த மாணவர்களை பள்ளியில் இருந்து தலைமை ஆசிரியர் வெளியேற்றினார். பெற்றோர்களும், பாஜக மற்றும் இந்து முன்னணி அமைப்பினர் பள்ளியை முற்றுகையிட்டனர். இதனால் அங்கு பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.

பாளையங்கோட்டை முருகன்குறிச்சியில் கதீட்ரல் மேல்நிலைப் பள்ளி உள்ளது. இங்கு வண்ணார்பேட்டை சாலை தெருவை சேர்ந்த முத்துராமலிங்கம் மகன் இசக்கி என்ற மாணவர் 8ம் வகுப்பு படித்து வருகிறார். அவர் குலசை முத்தாரம்மன் கோயில் தசரா விழாவுக்கு செல்வதற்காக மாலையணிந்து விரதம் இருந்து வருகிறார்.

இந்நிலையில் காலாண்டு தேர்வு விடுமுறைக்கு பிறகு பள்ளி நேற்று திறக்கப்பட்டது. இசக்கி மாலை அணிந்து பள்ளிக்கு வருவதை பார்த்த வாட்ச்மேன் ஸ்டீபன் வேதமாலை, இசக்கியை தடுத்து நிறுத்தி தலைமை ஆசிரியரிடம் அனுமதி பெற்று விட்டு வகுப்புச் செல்லுமாறு கூறினார்.

இதேபோல் மாலை அணிந்த மற்ற மாணவர்களையும் பள்ளிக்குள் அனுமதிக்கவில்லை. பிளஸ் 1 மாணவர் செல்வகுமார், 7ம் வகுப்பு சூர்யா உள்பட 15க்கும் மேற்பட்ட மாணவர்களிடம் தலைமை ஆசிரியர் மாணவர்களின் விளக்கம் கேட்டார்.

பின்னர், மாணவர்கள் பள்ளியை விட்டு வெளியேற்றப்பட்டனர். வீடு திரும்பிய இசக்கி பெற்றோரிடம் சம்பவம் குறித்து கூறி அழுதார்.

இதுகுறித்து தகவலறிந்த இந்து முண்ணனி மாவட்ட தலைவர் காந்திமதிநாதன், செயலாளர் உடையார், துணை தலைவர் வெட்டும்பெருமாள், பாஜக நிர்வாகி குற்றாலநாதன் உள்ளிட்ட நிர்வாகிகள், இசக்கியின் தந்தை முத்துராமலிங்கம் பள்ளியை முற்றுகையிட்டனர். இதனால் அங்கு பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.

சம்பவம் குறித்து கல்வி அதிகாரிகள் உடனடியாக நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். இல்லையெனில் இந்து அமைப்புகள் சார்பில் பெற்றோர்களை திரட்டி போராட்டம் நடத்தப்படும் என்றும் இந்து முன்னணி மாவட்ட தலைவர் காந்திமதிநாதன் கூறியுள்ளார். இந்த சம்பவம் அப்பகுதியில் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

http://thatstamil.oneindia.in/news/2008/10/04/tn-hindu-students-ousted-from-school-for-wearing-sacred.html

இந்திய ஊடகங்களில் கிறிஸ்தவர்களின் கிடுக்கிப் பிடி by எழில்

எவ்வாறு அடிப்படைவாத கிறிஸ்துவம் பெரும் தாக்கத்தையும் பாதிப்பையும் இந்திய ஊடகங்களில் ஏற்படுத்திவருகிறது எனப்தை ஆராயும் புத்தகத்தை எழுதியவர் பிரதிப் நைனான் தாமஸ் என்னும் கிறிஸ்தவர்.

Looking at Christianity's handshake with media in India

(Book Review) By Papri Sri Raman, Book: Strong Religion, Zealous Media; Author: Pradip Ninan Thomas; Publisher: Sage Publications; Pages: 207

The book is a result of a two-year study done in Chennai by Pradip Ninan Thomas, an associate professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Queensland, and naturally an academic point of view.

"(It was) inspired by a comment about conversions and riots in Gujarat by the historian William Dalrymple in an article several years ago," Thomas told IANS.

"It suddenly opened my eyes to the fundamentalism that is getting entrenched in Christianity across the world, in Brazil, (South) Korea, Africa and also in India.

"One of the reasons why Thomas took up the study of modern-day Christian fundamentalism in Tamil Nadu is because as many as 62 million people in the southern state follow the religion.

"Chennai is today considered the fastest-growing hub of Christianity in South Asia," he says.

His study is preceded by Lionel Caplan's 1987 work "Fundamentalism as a Counter-Culture: Protestants in Urban South India" and Susan Bayly's 1994 study in southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala, "Christians and Competing Fundamentalism in South Indian Society".

Thomas has left himself open to criticism that he is playing directly into the hands of rising Hindu and Islamic fundamentalism by choosing to investigate how neo-Christian camps in India use the media and its audio-visual power to hypnotise their constituencies with "good news", miracles and blessings.

Thomas writes that "Christian fundamentalists", like Islamic fundamentalists, "belong to a global umma and harbour real and perhaps imagined...longings directed towards making all of god's people Christian".

Thomas says he himself is a practicing Christian, but that it is time "mainstream churches" begin looking at "Christianity in India and begin going to the media more" to halt what he calls "Karaoke" Christianity.

His concern is delivered in his critique of the media-supported Joshua project, the Christian Broadcasting Network and the evangelism of GOD TV, the 700 Club, Num TV of the Chennai-based organisation Jesus Calls, the Rede Record TV Network belonging to Brazil's Pentecostal movement and such other mass followed sects.

He fears that more and more the "worship experience on a Sunday" is being overtaken by rallies like those organised by Benny Hinn Inc (in the US).

"Politics of mis-recognition certainly applies to Christian broadcasting in India," Thomas notes.

The book takes a close look at India's Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal movements, their use of radio, television, merging church space with multi-media.

Thomas says his is a "wake-up call" to the traditional church in India to recognise the danger of fundamentalist incursions into a faith that is largely seen as beneficial and peaceful, surviving for several thousand years in a multicultural, multi-religious space, which this subcontinent has provided.

Warning against "evangelic spectacles" and various "brands of exclusive Christianity", Thomas gives the example of "militantly pro-conversion events" like the "Every Tribe, Every Tongue" convention in 2006, attended by political bigwigs like P. Chidambaram and from the self-proclaimed atheist Dravidian party the DMK and 20,000 others who had gathered in Chennai from all across tribal India.

The event was supported by the International Living Mission; the stated objective of this group is: "In India itself there are more than 500,000 villages who have never heard about Jesus. There is neither a church nor has any missionary been in these parts. Our responsibility as the chosen one of god is to make an opportunity for these people so that they too can hear the word of god.

"Such events generate "new meaning for religion and politics, simultaneously mixing the religious with business and finance, creating spectacular events and media personalities", Thomas points out.

"Liberal Christians...along with many others in India certainly have serious misgivings about" this kind of aggressive proselytisation, Thomas says.

"The traditional church is, however, reluctant to admit it and take action against this, especially in the face of rising Hindu and Islamic fundamentalism.

"The traditional church "keeps quiet" because it "feels the need to maintain unity" among Christians of all denomination, Thomas says, advocating that traditional religion, including traditional Christianity, should search for a media model like Canada's "Vision TV" to reach out to India's pluralist multitude. --- IANS

எழுதியது எழில் நேரம் Friday, August 15, 2008