Conversion is not an easy topic for discussion I realize. But I still am going to make a second attempt. I am critical of a lot of things the church does. Trust me, I am not a religius fanatic but with recent circumstances I am open to talking about something I see no fault with.
The people of a religion or community might take offense of the fact that some people choose to convert or move to an another religion. It probably is because then the rest of the world sees the original religion or community in poor light or the reasons for conversion are put up like on neon boards. That is a individual's choice and what he considers would benefit him. The parent or original community does not approve of it. They do not encourage it. Very Understandable. The issue is Conversion. Accepting a religion or group or caste is a individual's choice. As far as nobody is forced at gun point to convert, I don't think there should be a problem. Whether I make a good choice or a stupid one, is only for time to tell.
We have a christian organization in Pune that belongs to my parental church. They have around 50-60 female children in the age group of 5-18years, of parents who suffer from leprosy. Its an organization totally driven by charity. The church also runs a school where these kids study along with other children. The routine of these kids involve praying morning & evening and going to church on Sunday. None of them are converted today but since the nuns look after them, they teach them what they know. The girls who have completed school do not want to go back to where they came from. They stay back voluntarily for further studies and to help look after the younger ones. I think with this education they would be better equipped to make it on their own. I wouldn't be surprised if they did convert when they come of age. And ofcourse it is not because Christanity is the greatest religion but this is the environment that gave them a better standard of living.
Missionary schools, charitable institutions & hospitals have been around for decades. I do not think anybody thinks twice before sending their kids to a missionary school or admiting anybody to a missionary hospital. I was in a convent for 10 years. I do not remember a single instance of a child getting converted. The rich and well-dos do not need any kind of missionary support. The poor need help and so they are there. The primary reason for going to these places are not conversion but to help & extend a loving hand. Preaching is nothing but teaching them a better way of life.
Since religion is purely a matter of the heart & soul, getting a conversion in figures, is of no help to anybody. Conversion based on bribes is the missionaries loss. Conversion for a bribe is the convert's monetary benefit. While any kind of bribed conversion is giving Christianity a bad name, but there is still no cause for violence here. There is no reason why it should be seen as in-tolerance of an another religion. It is not. And about the number of Christians swinging the vote bank, I am not sure which way but still 3-4% of the population does not stand a chance even if they wanted to. And at this rate the number will not be significant for an another 200 years atleast.
Preaching & Conversion is in no way harmful to anybody. In its purest form, it is only to enrich lives. Preaching in its worst form can be compared to advertising. Its your choice finally if you are buying the product for the core product solely or for the freebies. It surely does not justify any kind of violence and vandalism.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Christianity and Conversions
The recent attacks in Orissa is not the first time, missionaries and converted Christians are being attacked in Orissa. The image of the Australian missioner Graham Staines and his 2 sons set on fire is still very fresh in my mind. The whole objection around this gruesome acts is conversions. I have a few points to make, over and above what MM had to say.
As history goes, Saint Thomas converted 4 brahmin families in kerala as Christians and so I am just an another convert. My religion in my mind does not stand secondary to any other religion or caste, my beliefs rooted in Christianity is just as strong as any of you in your religion with no converted great grandfathers. I hold my religion deep within me. It has played a huge part in moulding my thoughts and actions.
Christian missioners from within India and abroad mostly work in the interiors of India or any other country where the existence of people is almost denied. That is why it is always mostly the SC/ST, the tribals, the adivasis that are involved in these conversions. If they preach the Bible and bring help for these people, why is it suddenly such a huge issue. Why is the number of hindus or number of christians a matter of any relevance at all. The percentage of christians in India is about 3% inspite of decades of the british rule and missionaries being around since India's freedom. What kind of threat is foreseen to invite such rampage.
Tell me, if you adopt a child today from an orphanage and you are told the child belongs to a different religion, would you help him practise his religion or will you love him, instill your values and teach him your faith? If it were me, it would be me that I will instill in that child, the values and the faith(as far as the child is willing). How is it anybody else's business? Most missionaries devote their lives to enriching the lives of people who live in the dark, in all aspects, morally, socially and spiritually. They are people who feed hungry children who no one bothered to feed, no one bothered to clothe and no one cared for. The poor are fed, they are educated, they are treated with love and care and then they preach the bible, the only way christian missionaries know to comfort people and to give people hope. If in the end, they did convert why should anybody have a problem with that unless you just cannot stand a fellow human being's better quality of life?
About conversion offered as a bribe, many christian institutions might offer an advantage to a christian when screening for a job or so. To avail that benefit, somebody converts to be a christian. If I want to marry a Hindu, and the law says I have to be a Hindu to marry one, I will go through the procedure. To me the conversion procedure or process means nothing, because I do not believe in it and it is just a ritual but if the ritual helps me marry the guy I love, I will do it. So the bribe here is the marriage and you convert. There are so many mixed marriages in our church. The girls are converted into christians, with their consent ofcourse. None of them come back to church after their wedding or the baptism. How is this any different from the conversions that people might do for a job or to avail any benefits from the church? There are stories of people marrying SC/ST guys to obtain the SC status for a seat in the medical school. People have their own reasons and justifications.
I have read people who wrote something to the effect that why don't the missionaries just help and get lost. I am lost for words with this attitude. No one cares if the poor died bleeding on the roads sucked and bit by stray dogs. No one gives a second thought for people who left the comfort of their homes and countries and dedicated their lives to help the poor in our neighbourhood. But if a holy book is read that does not belong to the religion of the guy being loved and cared for there is this whole set of people who suddenly come out of their dens and debate the rights & wrongs.
In introspect if anything is a forced conversion,in the current context, it is threatening people to refrain from converting at gun point, roasting human beings alive who accepted an another religion. I as a christian, for a fact know, the bible does talk about preaching the word of God, does talk about redemption and about bringing peace into the lives of people but forceful conversion is not an agenda of the Bible.
Edited to add: Since I am unable to access my url, I will address the comments right here.
Smitha: Yes religion is a personal choice. People make their choices based on their circumstances and lives, be it poor or rich. It might be a foolish decision or choice but it still is an individuals choice. So lets respect their choice and not say ".. they are ignorant and more gullible" and so they made that decision. What gives anybody else a right to prosecute or judge an individual for the choices they made? About teaching my faith to my child being considered as abuse, I teach my child all that is me and I think is good. I believe faith is food for the soul and just like how I wouldn't wait for my child to choose whether she wants to be a vegetarian or a eggitarian or a non-vegetarian but will just feed her what I have, I would feed her my faith as well. She is free to choose to be a vegetarian when she wants to and choose jainism over christanity when she understands it but untill then I am not going to be on hold, not teaching her, feeding her anything.
Missionaries from all religions are free to go and give a helping hand regardless of caste and creed. How is anybody teaching or preaching to people against secularism? The objection here is not from the missionary or the convert but a third person who doesn't know the poor guy, doesn't care for the guy, doesn't want to extend a warm hand but doesn't want the poor man to make a choice because he thinks the man does not have that right because he is stupid and does not know what is right for you. Isn't that against secularism?
As history goes, Saint Thomas converted 4 brahmin families in kerala as Christians and so I am just an another convert. My religion in my mind does not stand secondary to any other religion or caste, my beliefs rooted in Christianity is just as strong as any of you in your religion with no converted great grandfathers. I hold my religion deep within me. It has played a huge part in moulding my thoughts and actions.
Christian missioners from within India and abroad mostly work in the interiors of India or any other country where the existence of people is almost denied. That is why it is always mostly the SC/ST, the tribals, the adivasis that are involved in these conversions. If they preach the Bible and bring help for these people, why is it suddenly such a huge issue. Why is the number of hindus or number of christians a matter of any relevance at all. The percentage of christians in India is about 3% inspite of decades of the british rule and missionaries being around since India's freedom. What kind of threat is foreseen to invite such rampage.
Tell me, if you adopt a child today from an orphanage and you are told the child belongs to a different religion, would you help him practise his religion or will you love him, instill your values and teach him your faith? If it were me, it would be me that I will instill in that child, the values and the faith(as far as the child is willing). How is it anybody else's business? Most missionaries devote their lives to enriching the lives of people who live in the dark, in all aspects, morally, socially and spiritually. They are people who feed hungry children who no one bothered to feed, no one bothered to clothe and no one cared for. The poor are fed, they are educated, they are treated with love and care and then they preach the bible, the only way christian missionaries know to comfort people and to give people hope. If in the end, they did convert why should anybody have a problem with that unless you just cannot stand a fellow human being's better quality of life?
About conversion offered as a bribe, many christian institutions might offer an advantage to a christian when screening for a job or so. To avail that benefit, somebody converts to be a christian. If I want to marry a Hindu, and the law says I have to be a Hindu to marry one, I will go through the procedure. To me the conversion procedure or process means nothing, because I do not believe in it and it is just a ritual but if the ritual helps me marry the guy I love, I will do it. So the bribe here is the marriage and you convert. There are so many mixed marriages in our church. The girls are converted into christians, with their consent ofcourse. None of them come back to church after their wedding or the baptism. How is this any different from the conversions that people might do for a job or to avail any benefits from the church? There are stories of people marrying SC/ST guys to obtain the SC status for a seat in the medical school. People have their own reasons and justifications.
I have read people who wrote something to the effect that why don't the missionaries just help and get lost. I am lost for words with this attitude. No one cares if the poor died bleeding on the roads sucked and bit by stray dogs. No one gives a second thought for people who left the comfort of their homes and countries and dedicated their lives to help the poor in our neighbourhood. But if a holy book is read that does not belong to the religion of the guy being loved and cared for there is this whole set of people who suddenly come out of their dens and debate the rights & wrongs.
In introspect if anything is a forced conversion,in the current context, it is threatening people to refrain from converting at gun point, roasting human beings alive who accepted an another religion. I as a christian, for a fact know, the bible does talk about preaching the word of God, does talk about redemption and about bringing peace into the lives of people but forceful conversion is not an agenda of the Bible.
Edited to add: Since I am unable to access my url, I will address the comments right here.
Smitha: Yes religion is a personal choice. People make their choices based on their circumstances and lives, be it poor or rich. It might be a foolish decision or choice but it still is an individuals choice. So lets respect their choice and not say ".. they are ignorant and more gullible" and so they made that decision. What gives anybody else a right to prosecute or judge an individual for the choices they made? About teaching my faith to my child being considered as abuse, I teach my child all that is me and I think is good. I believe faith is food for the soul and just like how I wouldn't wait for my child to choose whether she wants to be a vegetarian or a eggitarian or a non-vegetarian but will just feed her what I have, I would feed her my faith as well. She is free to choose to be a vegetarian when she wants to and choose jainism over christanity when she understands it but untill then I am not going to be on hold, not teaching her, feeding her anything.
Missionaries from all religions are free to go and give a helping hand regardless of caste and creed. How is anybody teaching or preaching to people against secularism? The objection here is not from the missionary or the convert but a third person who doesn't know the poor guy, doesn't care for the guy, doesn't want to extend a warm hand but doesn't want the poor man to make a choice because he thinks the man does not have that right because he is stupid and does not know what is right for you. Isn't that against secularism?
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