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In
India, the damage to the existing social fabric was done ever since the British
encouraged conversion as a matter of state policy. Christian
missionaries virtually held a licence during British Raj to trade in human souls
and to proselytise by force, fraud, inducement and deceit. Even Mahatma Gandhi
had commented as far back as in 1935 : “ If Jesus came to earth again, he
would disown many things that are being done in his name.”
It
was not unoften, philanthropic acts of missionaries have simply been a mask for
carrying on conversion, sometimes by intimidating and at times by tempting
simple folk. Niyogi Committee had long back concluded that at the root of Church
activities is their ambition to carve out a separate Christian state on the
strength of numbers. The Niyogi Committee also found that “as conversion
muddles the converts’ sense of unity and solidarity with his society, there is
danger of his loyalty to his country and the state being undermined”. The
menace has increased manifold since these findings.
Instead
of making India target of their religio-political activities church would do
well to ensure a renewal of values in the west, which is victim of violence,
drug addiction and fear of war. Foreign missionaries should, in their own
interest, quit the country and devote their energies in UK and elsewhere to
teach their co-religionists to become true follower of the Christ.
We
cannot forget that way back in fifties and sixties the Naga and Mizo insurgents
received inspiration from missionaries. It was church leaders who were behind
the insurgent activities of tribals in the north-east. The same patronage was
received by the Jharkhand movement initially.
We
should not overlook that in America church is an industry; it is a dollar dance
before a God who resides in palatial mansions. The numerous sects compete with
each other in building churches. There are many religious divisions like
Baptists, Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodists, Presbyterians and innumerable
‘Assemblies of God’ and ‘Churches of Christ’. God is well advertised in
America and in their zeal they ensure a certain and steady tide of conversion in
our country. The lava of faith, in the form of conversion of Hindus backed up by
massive funds is discolouring the surface of our country.
Those
who denigrate our religion or the country’s past would do well to look
sideways. There are people who are prone to picking up one facet or an idea or
an incident, out of a continuity of 5000 year old traditions, one quotation torn
out of one text or the other, would condemn or spite on our religion.
In
Middle Ages, well before renaissance in Europe, where was respect for learning
and new ideas? It was all because learning was the exclusive preserve of church.
Let them recall that the Inquisition compelled Galileo to recant and burned
Giordano Bruno at the stake. What was the state of Christianity before 16th
century or till Reformation began? What was the complexion of Catholic church?
The clergy led a life which was questionable. There was unbridled sale of
indulgences. Indulgences were statements releasing people from punishment for
their sins. In 1971 the sale of indulgences by dishonest clergy became so
widespread that when Martin Luther, a German scholar of the order of St.
Augustine protested he was ex-communicated and condemned as a heretic.
The
idea of the missionaries' pretentious holier-than-thou attitude is laughable. Do
we feel the need to go door to door preaching the logic of evolution or the Big
Bang theory? Christian missionaries should not have to hunt for
"customers" or advertise. Let the product sell itself if it is good
enough. Take a cue from Hindus. They do not proselytise in the same way
Christians do, but they are gaining sympathy all over the world.
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