Castes and Conversions: Is Christianity a solid monolith?

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In India every debate on conversion to Christianity ends with Hindu society's caste-based "poison of divisions". Missionaries and their supporters present conversion as the only "antidote" available. And missionaries are "doctors," hell bent on administering that antidote! And our "secularists" have been repeating it.

"Caste" was an old weapon of missionaries who established the conversion business in India. Anti-Brahminism, "Dravidianism," conversion as "the solution" to caste and the Aryan-Dravidian divide were effectively introduced as stratagems for conversion by Bishop Robert Caldwell. In his book "Christianity explained to Hindus: Christianity and Hinduism compared" (1893), he wrote that caste first arose from difference of race; people with black skin were "original inhabitants of India" (p. 20).

"On the other hand", he wrote, "Christianity teaches that God gave us life and continually preserves us. He is therefore our Father in heaven… The Brotherhood of man follows Fatherhood of God… But Hinduism makes life a curse instead of a blessing" (p. 20-21). Caldwell’s arguments are well known. His "Dravidian Grammar" was a trend-setter. But why did he painstakingly write so many books? If we read his lecture, "Progress of Christianity in India" we get the answer.

He says, "an encouraging amount of interest in the progress of Christianity has now at last been awakened, and a demand for information has been excited: it is now felt that a great door and effectual has been opened to us in India, and that the conversion of India to Christ is one of the greatest works, if not the great work, to which the Church and nation of England are called" (Lectures on the Tinnevelly Missions, 1857, p. 4).

For sheer audacity and bigotry, Caldwell could today be called a "cultural terrorist". Yet his views are endorsed by a section of India's "secular" intelligentsia! They were reiterated in Karnataka's recent public debate on conversion.

The debate on conversion was launched by the oldest Kannada daily, Samyukta Karnataka, with some well-researched articles by selected writers and scholars (my own essay has appeared in Karmaveera, a weekly of the same group). Taking the cue, the largest circulated Kannada daily, Vijay Karnataka, provided a platform for a bare-all debate. Noted Kannada novelist Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa started with a big bang with his one-and-a half-page article. Every small and big, famous and notorious person in Karnataka has presented his or her opinion on the subject.

Professional missionaries kept silent; our secularists did all the batting on their behalf! Once again, leftists are proving that they are "more Christian" than the original faith-sellers.

First of all, is it good to debate conversion as suggested by some political leaders time and again? Should anybody debate conversion with anybody else out on the street? Would one debate it with professional missionaries, who have taken a vow, or money, to compulsively meet a number of people everyday just to persuade them to embrace Christianity? Should we organize an open debate at an open forum where anybody, from a scholar to a street vendor, from a professional gangster to a professional pimp, could come and vent his "thoughts"?

I do not suggest we should shy away from such debates. While they do not solve any religious problem, they bring pertinent questions into the open. Let people be aware of everything vis-à-vis conversion and Christianity, and about castes.

Hindus should not hesitate to debate caste as they have nothing to hide. But they should understand what Christianity is all about. They should study and debate its history and methods of expansion, its "spiritualism" and "brotherhood." They should ask missionaries why casteless societies were converted to Christianity throughout the ages and throughout the world.

Missionaries' typical answers are well known. In India, "conversion is the best solution for caste-based differences within Hindu society;" in America, "barbaric tribes had to be civilized and spiritualized." They always proffer local issues to justify conversions. In India's case, most proponents of Christianity's "monolithic unity" and Hinduism’s "caste- based divisions" invoke B.R. Ambedkar to remain politically correct while attacking the faith! But all fail to explain why Ambedkar did not convert to Caldwell's "great brotherhood" called Christianity.

In fact, Ambedkar wanted to send a strong message through his religious conversion. After examining Christianity, he wrote in 1938: "caste governs the life of Christians as much as it does the life of the Hindus. There are Brahmin Christians and non-Brahmin Christians. Among non-Brahmin Christians there are Maratha Christians, Mahar Christians, Mang Christians and Bhangi Christians. Similarly in the south there are Pariah Christians, Malla Christians and Madiga Christians. They would not inter-marry. They would not inter-dine" (Selected Speeches and Writings, Vol. 5, Government of Maharashtra, 1989, p. 445-78).

Ambedkar converted to Buddhism as it was a "part and parcel of Bharatiya culture." He said: "I have taken care that my conversion will not harm the tradition of the culture and the history of this land" (Quoted in 'Ambedkar', by Dhananjay Keer, p. 498).

The hard truth is that even Buddhism is not a monolithic unity! It has different schools of thought and different traditional streams. For that matter where do we find the most unified, rock-solid group on earth? Is Islam one single entity? Is Christianity a superb monolith? If so, since when? Since its inception or through "spiritualism"? Since the First Council of Nicaea, when Emperor Constantine decided, at sword-point, what should and should not be the tenets of 'official' Christianity? Or since the Second Vatican Council, when it was decided to establish the supremacy of Catholicism once again?

Let us examine the facts; consult their own sources.

Christians are not one; they are divided into separate churches and traditions. Over the centuries, Christianity has divided into numerous denominations. Each denomination has its own distinctive beliefs or practices, yet we hold them to be branches of the same religion. But when it comes to Hindu society, every Tom, Dick or Harry talks about caste and asks us "where is the common unity?" as if there is no common thread of beliefs among Hindus!

Although missionaries never talk about their internal divisions openly, conversion always happens to a particular denomination, to a particular church. One can never get converted to "Christianity". He or she can only become a member of a particular church. When former British Prime Minister Tony Blair converted to the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican community and its church vehemently protested.

Why do street missionaries never talk about their internal divisions? This is an age-old strategy. The famous Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis, who wrote Mere Christianity, in 1940s, reminded believers about this strategy: "our divisions should never be discussed except in the presence of those who have already come to believe that there is one God and that Jesus Christ is his only Son"!

Let us move on to the denominations. In 1985, it was estimated that there were 22,000 Christian denominations with 5 new ones being formed each week! There are nearly 34,000 (probably more) Christian and Messianic denominations and churches in the world now. These may be broken down to six different main blocks:

1] Independents 22000
2] Protestants 9000
3] 'Marginals' 1600
4] Orthodox 781
5] Roman Catholics 242
6] Anglicans 168
Total 33791
(Source: World Christian Encyclopedia, by Barrett, Kurian, Johnson; Oxford Univ. Press, 2nd edition, 2001, Vol. 1, p.16-18).

What are denominations? The encyclopedia explains: "a denomination is defined in this Encyclopedia as an organized aggregate of worship centers or congregations of similar ecclesiastical tradition within a specific country; i.e. as an organized Christian church or tradition or religious group or community of believers, within a specific country, whose component congregations and members are called by the same denominational name in different areas, regarding themselves as one autonomous Christian church distinct from other denominations, churches and traditions. As defined here, world Christianity consists of 6 major ecclesiastico-cultural blocs, divided into 300 major ecclesiastical traditions, composed of over 33,000 distinct denominations in 238 countries, these denominations themselves being composed of over 3,400,000 worship centers, churches or congregations" (Barrett et al, Vol. 1, page 16, Table 1-5).

Pope John Paul II once called Protestant missionaries "rapacious wolves" for converting Catholics! So much for "monolithic unity"! In the second week of August 2007, Roman Catholics, Protestants, Methodists, Pentecostals, Orthodox, Evangelicals (sounds like caste names!) gathered to map a "common religious conversion code" in France. The code, which has to be finalized in a year or two, was named "Ethical Conversion Code".

"Conversion is a controversial issue not only in inter-religious relations, but in intra-Christian relations as well," admitted Dr. Hans Ucko, World Council of Churches programme executive and one of the organizers of the meeting.

So much for "monolithic unity" and "great brotherhood"!

(C) G. ANIL KUMAR 2008.

Catholic-Secular Forum (CSF) In Panic Mode

“How would we react, if fundamentalists attacked Christians again (during) this Christmas?”

Thus begins a pamphlet, published and circulated recently by The Catholic-Secular Forum (CSF).

What does CSF mean by “fundamentalists”?

“The terrorists exposed how vulnerable we were & how easy it was to kill hundreds” it says. Does it bothered by Pakistan based Jihadi terrorism? That could be one of its fears. But the CSF has different hints.

“AP, TN, UP, JK, Goa, Kerala, Mumbai, Gujarat, Karnataka, New Delhi, Rajastan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab-Haryana, ..these are the places where Christians have been attacked. Dozens of Churches, Chapels, & Crosses were torched & vandalized. Alters, Relics, Bibles, Statues, Blessed Sacrament, etc. were desecrated. Nuns were raped & molested, while priests/pastors/leaders were murdered. Christian land/resources were captured. Women and children were not spared...” the pamphlet goes on and on.

Although a Orissa nun, who has complained that some Hindu activists have raped her, is not co-operating with investigative agencies, and also has failed to prove any sexual activity though medical tests, the CSF has put forth her charge as a fact. See how rapes and murders are generalized.

Its conclusion: Christians are being persecuted in India by Hindu organizations.

Next focus is on media. “The media of course will give publicity. Christians should be able to manage that well….” It goes on. "But that is not enough. We have to go back to our own places. And everything will be repeated again”.

Then, what is the solution?

“Maoists have warned the RSS/VHP against Christmas bandhs” the pamphlet informs. 'But that development may lead to another mayhem", it suspects. See how Maoists were invoked! What CSF has to do with Maoists?

Recent media reports indicate Maoist-Missionary nexus in Orissa. Is CSF also a party in this arrangement?

"According to Vatican sources, Muslims outnumbered Catholics in the world and churches are converted into mosques", it says. In India, Hindus are persecuting Catholics and all over the world Muslims are overwhelming them, it informs.

So, what needs to be done to counter all this?

The CSF has devised a plan. “There has been a great interaction between India’s Christian Who’s Who and some community leaders met in Mumbai recently to brain-storm….We concluded that the desperate need of the hour is a national, activist, all inclusive (all denominations) and representative mechanism or structure was a must to meet the Goliaths ahead…This is to empower Christians economically and politically….We decided no turning back…Our initiative includes data bank, a think tank, corpus fund, political lobbying, networking for self-sufficiency” etc.

That means more Christian activism in the coming days; more aggressive conversion plans to compete with the growing number of Muslims; more clever media management; more political lobbying. More reliance on Maoists and other terrorists to meet its ends.

“We aim to have by next year, a grand federation of every Christian hue & shade. Thousands of Christian churches, organizations, institutions, activists, NGOs, etc. with no discrimination on the basis of Denomination - Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic, Region, Clergy, Laity, Rite – truly the body of Christ in the country.

See how CSF is in panic mode. See how fear-psychosis is being created. See how there is no introspection about religious conversion, which is the root cause of any inter-religious tension.

Indirectly, more conversions are guaranteed. “It’s the Lord’s work. And by His Spirit, success is guaranteed” the CSF screams!

(C) G. ANIL KUMAR 2008.

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Assembly results: who has the last laugh?

What do the results of the five state assembly polls indicate? Here's my quick take:

I think BJP hasn't lost much. However, it has lost one state, Rajastan. Congress hasn't lost anything. It gained one state. In Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, people have restored their old governments. They voted for their seemingly "strong" leaders.

Situation in Rajastan was different. Anti-incumbancy mood was slightly visible among the electorate in this state. Moreover, Vasundhara Raje had many dissidents inside the party. In-fighting, caste politics and her own "egoistic" image, all contributed to the defeat of BJP there. But the party has managed to secure "respectable" number of seats.

Since 2004, the Congress party was on a losing spree. With the gain of Rajastan, it has now got a little push. But it is too early to celebrate. But the party has already started projecting Rahul Gandhi as an "architect" of its victory!

That is far from the truth.

If Congress wins anywhere, he takes the credit for himself. If it is defeated anywhere, then it is the "collective responsibility of all leaders"!

Rahul hasn't proved anything. Right from Uttar Pradesh, he had failed in every state he campainned except Rajastan. But the sycophants of the Sonia Gandhi dynasty are in upbeat mood.

Sonia and Rahul still need to explain why they could not grab Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh from BJP. In these states the Congress has fared very badly.

After these results, it is curious to observe how 81 years old L.K. Advani of BJP appeals to young voters in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. His personal charisma and integrity haven't suffered a bit over the years. But on the capability front he is yet to prove himself as "a new iron man". His policies about terrorism, economy, foreign relations are yet to be announced. Many see relatively young Narendra Modi as a good replacement to Advani. He is emerging as a popular mass-leader. But, Narendra Modi has many enemies inside the party than outside of it. And also, he is the protege of Advani. When Advani is still active, his elevation to the top job is unthinkable.

(C) G. ANIL KUMAR 2008.

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When Mumbai was burning....

When Mumbai was burning on 26/11, the then chief minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh was not in town. So, the then Home minister of India, Shivraj Patil, who was very "famous" for his comical, non-serious statements, "rushed" to some places where some of the attacks had taken place.

Later, he gave a hero's statement to media thus: "Before I could reach there, the terrorists who had attacked one of the hospitals, had left and those who attacked the railway station had also left"!!

On 28th, Union minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal said: "We have gathered a lot of information and all the terrorists were foreigners. Some of them were from Pakistan and some from other countries. They had come through the sea route”.

But he added: "There were serial blasts in Bengaluru just before the Assembly elections were held in Karnataka. Similarly, Assembly elections are soon to happen in four other states. We also have to take note that three senior Maharashtra ATS officers have died in ambush with terrorists. Certain political parties have been targeting the ATS for the last one month. All these factors will be part of the further investigations”.

That was a clear reference to BJP, his political opposition party!

Vilasrao Deshmukh went a step further.

On November 30, a day after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked for the ISI chief to be called to India as investigations had revealed a Pak-hand in the Terror attacks, he spoke to the press after a special cabinet meeting.

Deshmukh told the media persons that there was no information available from initial investigations to nail Pakistan! He even denied that people were taken as hostages!

He said: "If people would have been taken as hostages, then terrorists would have put some demands. But there were no demands”!!

These are our "leaders".

Shame on them.


(C) G. ANIL KUMAR 2008.

Let us welcome the elite to mainstream!

At last, India gets the support of the elite. But, unfortunately, after it got hit directly.

Till the attack on Mumbai’s five star hotels on 26/11/2008, India’s elite, with some exceptions, had kept itself away from the issue or problem of “jihadi terrorism”.

“Terrorism” was not present in our business persons’ drawing room menu. If anybody had uttered the very word “terrorism” with seriousness in any business or kitty parties, he or she would be looked upon as a “crude, unsophisticated, middle-class” person, who was not fit to attend parties of “high society”.

This is not to vilify our own people. But the glaring truth was that Indian elite always thought terrorism as not “its” problem.

When Mumbai’s local trains were bombed in July 2006 nobody of any financial worth has come out of his/her bungalow. No business leader has condemned the violence. No Bollywood actor mourned the death of innocents with candles in his/her hand. As Shobha De pointed out in Tehelka, corporate India had taped its mouth and refused to comment on that dastardly attack on the commercial heart of our country. No single captain of industry spoke out against the government's failure to ensure safety.

What has happened has happened. Now when directly hit by the terrorists our elite has woken up. Now every big and small person of any significance, is speaking against terror. Everyone is demanding action from the government. This is a good development. Let us hope this unity of all Indian citizens lasts long. Let us hope our sense of oneness lasts forever.

First, let us welcome the elite to the national mainstream.


(C) G. ANIL KUMAR 2008.

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