Hindu The growing intolerance of Hinduism

[mindlight]

Open doors have placed India 15th on its watch list for countries where Christians are most persecuted listing radical Hindu nationalism as the primary reason for this.

India - Open Doors Australia

The growing intolerance is well documented:

1) Despite national level freedom of religion 5 of Indias 29 states now have anticonversion laws.
2) In the first half of 2016 there were 134 violent incidents against Christians reported. Indias Hindu government has taken no action.
3) Christians are banned from forming political parties.
4) There are numerous examples of police brutality and partiality against Christians.
5) 80% of Indias Christians are Dalit(untouchables) and discriminated against for that.
6) Evangelical Christian communities are being targeted.

But when Hindus speak to me in the West they like to say that they are a tolerant religion and welcome all perspectives. This does not square with my experience of the growing numbers of Indians I meet who seem more assertive of their own national , religious and indeed racial identity and seem quite intolerant of Christians.

Is intolerance, bigotry and the persecution of Christians the true face of Hinduism?

 

[Strathos]

Hindus can be just as violent and dogmatic as the most extreme Muslims.

 

[Jane_Doe]

You do realize that CF actively discriminates against those it judges as "nonChristain"?

 

[Lazarus Short]

You do realize that CF actively discriminates against those it judges as "nonChristain"?

Yes - if you decline to subscribe to the Nicene Creed, you are barely recognized as a Christian, and discouraged from "Christians Only" sub-forums.

 

[Jane_Doe]

.

 

[Tolworth John]

Is intolerance, bigotry and the persecution of Christians the true face of Hinduism?

The intolerance of other believes is the true face of hinduism.
Muslims also suffer.

 

[mindlight]

You do realize that CF actively discriminates against those it judges as "nonChristain"?

Hinduism is a diverse and confused mass of responses to idols but so also an attempt to respond to the Divine. It is said that they have 333 million different gods. But most Western Hindus have insisted that all that diversity simply represents the many paths by which people come to God. Because all these paths are meant to lead to God the story goes we can be tolerant of all of them. In practice however in India Hindus cannot even agree if there is just one God or in fact many. They disagree on which texts should be primary and much else. However there is a new and ugly form of unity forming around a nationalistic interpretation of Hinduism that tolerates no rivals.

Christians in all the mainstream churches accept the authority of the Nicene creed and of the scriptures. What we tolerate in others is the free will that is given them by God and we are hardly ever called to kill people for their alternate views. But that does not mean we should accept lies peddled as truthes. We accept a degree of pluralism between different denominations and Christian view points but we do not accept the view that all paths lead to the One true God and that one persons opinion is as valid as anothers. That is moral relativism. Viewpoints can be tested by scripture and church tradition and against the consciences of those who have Gods Spirit and indeed scientifically to some extent and Hinduism fails on every count. When evil persecutes good and darkness tries to hide the light that is a problem. When the light can see nothing shining in the darkness then that is reality.

 

[Jane_Doe]

Christians in all the mainstream churches accept the authority of the Nicene creed and of the scriptures. What we tolerate in others is the free will that is given them by God and we are hardly ever called to kill people for their alternate views. But that does not mean we should accept lies peddled as truthes. We accept a degree of pluralism between different denominations and Christian view points but we do not accept the view that all paths lead to the One true God and that one persons opinion is as valid as anothers. That is moral relativism. Viewpoints can be tested by scripture and church tradition and against the consciences of those who have Gods Spirit and indeed scientifically to some extent and Hinduism fails on every count. When evil persecutes good and darkness tries to hide the light that is a problem. When the light can see nothing shining in the darkness then that is reality.

Agreed that the discrimation here on CF is not extreme as to killing people, but it is still very real discrimination against people.

1) Despite national level freedom of religion 5 of Indias 29 states now have anticonversion laws.

CF has anti-conversation rules in place as well.

3) Christians are banned from forming political parties.

“NonChristians” are not allowed to be leaders on CF.

5) 80% of Indias Christians are Dalit(untouchables) and discriminated against for that.

“NonChristians” are discriminated against of CF and forbidden from even posting on most subforums on CF.

6) Evangelical Christian communities are being targeted.

“NonChristians” are being targeted.

But when Hindus speak to me in the West they like to say that they are a tolerant religion and welcome all perspectives. This does not square with my experience of the growing numbers of Indians I meet who seem more assertive of their own national , religious and indeed racial identity and seem quite intolerant of Christians.

My reallife experience with mainstream Christians is also different than CF experience.

Is intolerance, bigotry and the persecution of Christians the true face of Hinduism?

Is intolerance, bigotry and the persecution of Hindus the true face of Christianity?



(Now speaking my personal opinion here: I don't think that persecution and discrimination is the true face of Hindu or mainstream Christians. We all need to work of being more loving to our neighbors, and combat our fallen-tendency to want to discriminate and alienate the "other" faith. We all have along way to go in immolating Christ, the ultimate lover of sinners.)

 

[Strathos]

You can't compare rules on a website to a government.

 

[mindlight]

Agreed that the discrimation here on CF is not extreme as to killing people, but it is still very real discrimination against people.

CF has anti-conversation rules in place as well.

“NonChristians” are not allowed to be leaders on CF.

“NonChristians” are discriminated against of CF and forbidden from even posting on most subforums on CF.

“NonChristians” are being targeted.

My reallife experience with mainstream Christians is also different than CF experience.

Is intolerance, bigotry and the persecution of Hindus the true face of Christianity?

(Now speaking my personal opinion here: I don't think that persecution and discrimination is the true face of Hindu or mainstream Christians. We all need to work of being more loving to our neighbors, and combat our fallen-tendency to want to discriminate and alienate the "other" faith. We all have along way to go in immolating Christ, the ultimate lover of sinners.)

Sorry but this is a Christian forum that submits to global historical mainstream understandings of what Christianity is. It is comparable to a Christian church where non-Christians and heretics are welcome but have to respect that it will be Christian worship and teaching that goes on here. It provides opportunities to respectfully discuss ideas and doctrines but not the opportunity to heckle sermons or disrupt the proper functions of the site. Similarly one would expect that Hindu viewpoints would be taught in a Hindu temple. What we are talking about in the case of India is that Hindus are increasingly not allowed to move from the Hindu temple to the Christian temple, that they risk their lives, livelihoods and freedom when they do so. So someone is perfectly free to leave this site and go another one while in India you cannot leave the temple to go worship in a church in at least 5 states.

 

[Jane_Doe]

Sorry but this is a Christian forum that submits to global historical mainstream understandings of what Christianity is. It is comparable to a Christian church where non-Christians and heretics are welcome but have to respect that it will be Christian worship and teaching that goes on here.

It sounds like you're assuming that the only reason "nonChristian" would want to talk about Christ is to hackle and no "nonChrisitain" is capable or disable of being respectful, and hence it is best if they are discriminately barred from talking at all. Am I understanding your correctly in that regard?

(This is actually a very honest question-- I'm sorry if that tone doesn't convey properly)

 

[mindlight]

It sounds like you're assuming that the only reason "nonChristian" would want to talk about Christ is to hackle and no "nonChrisitain" is capable or disable of being respectful, and hence it is best if they are discriminately barred from talking at all. Am I understanding your correctly in that regard?

(This is actually a very honest question-- I'm sorry if that tone doesn't convey properly)

No you are not reading what I said correctly. I also said Non- Christians can come to become Christians, or simply learn more, and also they can engage in respectful discussion where they have questions. I do not doubt that some nonChristians are capable of honest as opposed to partisan discussion about the Deity of Christ, the Incarnation and the Trinity for example.

 

[Jane_Doe]

No you are not reading what I said correctly. I also said Non- Christians can come to become Christians, or simply learn more, and also they can engage in respectful discussion where they have questions.

Execept "nonChristians" can't participate in theological discussions here at all. Like literally can't post on any theology sub-forum.

 

[mindlight]

Execept "nonChristians" can't participate in theological discussions here at all. Like literally can't post on any theology sub-forum.

Since you are posting on this forum and able to say what you think this is a rather a moot point. You have the opportunity to present your ideas and argue them. But this thread is about Hinduism not Mormonism. Of course a mainstream Christian will be wary of allowing you onto subforums that assume an acceptance of the Nicene Creed lest you mislead Christians on those forums.

 

[Jane_Doe]

Since you are posting on this forum and able to say what you think this is a rather a moot point. You have the opportunity to present your ideas and argue them. But this thread is about Hinduism not Mormonism. Of course a mainstream Christian will be wary of allowing you onto subforums that assume an acceptance of the Nicene Creed lest you mislead Christians on those forums.

I'm not talking about Mormonism or me.

The OP here was citing Hindus discriminating against Christians. I am pointing out that ChristianForums likewise discriminates against Hindus.

 

[mindlight]

I'm not talking about Mormonism or me.

The OP here was citing Hindus discriminating against Christians. I am pointing out that ChristianForums likewise discriminates against Hindus.

Except it does not discriminate as explained and you are not comparing like for like.

 

[Jane_Doe]

Except it does not discriminate as explained and you are not comparing like for like.

With all due respect, I disagree.

 

[fatboys]

Except it does not discriminate as explained and you are not comparing like for like.

We can't start a thread asking a honest question. We cannot go into another thread of a non Christain belief and participate. The rules here discriminate and are wrong. Me saying as such can be warned and be in violation of the rules. This is intolerance.

 

[FireDragon76]

The tolerant "export Hinduism" many in the west are familiar with is derived from alot of the esoteric and mystical teachings of certain sects of Hinduism, but it doesn't necessarily reflect the day-to-day experiences of the average Hindu, which are not that different from many other religions that have their origins in the bronze age. Tribal identity can be part of that.

 

[mindlight]

The tolerant "export Hinduism" many in the west are familiar with is derived from alot of the esoteric and mystical teachings of certain sects of Hinduism, but it doesn't necessarily reflect the day-to-day experiences of the average Hindu, which are not that different from many other religions that have their origins in the bronze age. Tribal identity can be part of that.

Yes thanks for bringing us back on topic. There is a mismatch between the version of Hinduism that people get to hear about in the West (and which maybe spawned the New Age movement) and the versions that are practiced by Hindus in India and indeed by devout Hindu families in the West. But sometimes I wonder if Hinduism can be regarded as a thing at all. Maybe it is just a loose affiliation of an immense diversity of irreconcilable ceremonies, gods and theologies. Some Hindus quote the Vedic scriptures others do not. Some believe all paths lead to the same God others are happy with multiple gods. What has Shiva to do with Vishnu or with Shakti? Maybe they are just different ideologies altogether? Thus attempts by some Hindus to suggest that all paths lead to the same supreme being Brahman may in fact be misleading. But the Hindutva style Hindu nationalism that is a growing force in India (and so influential on Modis BJP) is something different, now certain groups like Muslims and Christians are targeted and excluded. The diversity that is so obvious within Hinduism itself is tolerated but not the differences with other religions also. But the fact is some Hindus have more in common with Christians than they do with other Hindus.