Author: Mac Kher
Publication: Rediff
on Net
Date: September 16,
2000
On September 5, the Congregation
for the Doctrine of the Faith - the Vatican body formerly known as the
Holy Office of the Inquisition - issued a document reaffirming that the
Catholic Church was the only true Christian faith. It said as Christ
was the son of God, non-Christians were at a disadvantage regarding salvation.
In one stroke, the Vatican
has exposed its chauvinist, intolerant and unreasonable ideology.
The Church has always
been unambiguous about its intention of converting non-Christians to its
fold. While in India on a recent visit, the Pope talked about reaping
a vast 'harvest of faith' in Asia in the third Christian millennium.
Various Christian groups resort to medical service and educational businesses
as tools to attain the ultimate goal of converting non-Christians.
Hinduism and other Indian
religions like Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism have been traditionally tolerant
towards Christianity. Hindus believe in the live and let live principle,
trusting that all religions lead to the same god. The open and liberal
society fostered by Hinduism has actively tried to co-exist peacefully
and happily with proselytising religions like Christianity.
But proselytising Christian
leaders like the Pope, while talking about freedom of religion and respect
for all, aim to destroy Hinduism.
The United States is
a democratic, free society where various points of view flourish.
But even this pinnacle of freedom and liberty had to wage a deadly fight
against the totalitarian ideology of Communism. Had America let Communism
grow within it shores thinking that it was just another political philosophy,
it would have faced mortal danger from the predatory Communism. Why?
Because while using the freedoms of the US, Communism would have worked
tirelessly to eliminate other political options, thus changing the very
nature of American society!
Clearly, one-sided accommodation
does not work.
The really strange thing
is that this Christian claim of monopoly on god comes from the West, a
society which otherwise celebrates choice and freedom. They enjoy
hundreds of brands of soap and drinks, they even revel in various schools
of political thought. But when it comes to god, only theirs is the
true god! How hypocritical!
Hindus have willingly
let Christianity develop and prosper in India. But the proselytising
Catholic Church and others want to keep growing at the expense of Hindus.
They ask: what do the Hindus have to fear from a minuscule 2.3 per cent
community? This argument is a smoke-screen. Today Nagaland (87.5
per cent), Mizoram (85.7 per cent) and Meghalaya (64.6 per cent) are Christian-majority
states. Nagaland and Mizoram have witnessed bloody secessionist movements
backed by various Churches. Hindu laymen and priests are being murdered
and evicted. The state police uncovered links between armed terrorists
and various churches. There is a direct link between conversion and
secession.
Naturally, the Hindus
wonder what the target of Christianity is: 5 per cent? 20 per cent? 65
per cent? Where does the cannibalisation of Hinduism stop?
The worst aspect of the
proselytisation debate is the Christian stance that it is the only true
religion. It comes as an offensive blow to Hinduism that is willing
to accept other religions as also valid paths to God. Why should
one accept the Pope's claim of being the sole representative of God? Why
should everyone be forced to believe that the Bible is divine? Why can't
other religions' books be equally or more divine? Why talk of religious
freedom and respect for others when you don't accept the validity of other
religions in principle? After all, why would someone want to go from an
inclusive ideology to a restrictive one?
Proselytising Churches
act in an organised way against Hindu groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parsihad,
trying to paint them as intolerant and reactionary. Hinduism accepts
that there can be other paths to god besides itself. Christianity
claims to be the sole path to god, condemns other religions' followers
to Hell for not accepting Christ, and actively seeks to destroy other religions.
Who is the real intolerant here?
This proselytising Christians'
attitude of self-righteousness is the fountainhead of intolerance.
While throwing platitudes about love and peace, the Christian proselytisers
base their ideology on institutionalised hatred and intolerance.
Such retrograde thinking is but one step behind the madness of Talibanism,
which also seeks to destroy other religions based on divine sanction.
Obviously, even in this
modern age, the Vatican does not want to let go of its superstitions.
The Christian proselytisers ridicule deeply held Hindu beliefs as superstitions
and depict Hinduism as the work of the Devil. But their insistence
on the Bible's divinity and holiness of Jesus can also be regarded with
the same cynicism. Instead of thinking about religion in a reasonable,
logical and harmonious manner, the Church insists on maintaining its supremacy
while denigrating other religions that have equal if not more basis for
divine claims. The Vatican's insecurity runs so deep that it dislikes
even the mention of other churches as 'sister churches', insisting on being
treated as the 'mother' of all churches!
Yet the Pope manages
to hold an exalted position in the media. Here is a religious leader
who propounds that even other non-Catholic Christian churches have 'defects'
because they do not accept him as the sole leader. Here is a leader
who openly claims that non-Christians are in a 'gravely deficient situation'
regarding salvation. Here is a leader who beatifies an anti-semitic
Pope disregarding outraged world opinion. But still he gets positive,
glowing coverage without fail, and is treated as the paragon of tolerance
and understanding. I shudder to think how the media will tear apart
a Hindu leader making such ridiculous claims!
Herein lies a grave lesson
for non-proselytising peoples, especially Hindus. The Vatican's attitude
makes it clear that one-sided tolerance and accommodation is invariably
treated as a lack of conviction and confidence, is mistaken for weakness
and is not reciprocated. While Hinduism encourages religious tolerance,
the Vatican strives to limit the principle of religious pluralism, unabashedly
claiming that the idea of 'one religion is as good as another' endangers
the Church's missionary message.
Hindus should treat this
as a wakeup call for action. Reform of Hinduism should be accelerated
to remove caste-based inequalities and foster brotherhood and respect for
all. The proselytising Church must be made to realise that its schizophrenic
attitude of talking tolerance while behaving like a predator does not wash
anymore.
