may 16th
what do you mean, you have the right to protest? you guys are dhimmis
and have no rights. we 'minorities' run this country, and you better do
whatever we tell you to do.
see, arjun singh agrees too. that is, in between saying "i am the king,
so you cant question what i do or say, regardless of whether you are the
supreme court or the speaker of parliament or a mere citizen. l'etat,
c'est moi!"
in some circles, arjun singh would be diagnosed with megalomania. i am
told that his horoscope says he's become prime minister one day. yes,
he's pining for that one day.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1697830,001302220000.htm
Minorities Front warns medicos to call off agitation>
Press Trust of India, New Delhi, May 14, 2006
> The All India Minorities Front on Sunday threatened to take on the
> striking medicos on the streets unless they called off their agitation
> against the quota-hike.
>
27 comments:
This is like one of those irreversible chemical reactions.Congress cannot go back on it as it will lose both OBC and FC votes. BJP will support it too for fear of losing its existing OBC votes.
I wonder tho' why are these parties with such mass base and "volunteer network" not doing some surveys on the ground to figure out how much exactly such issues and appeasement serve their purpose ? especially with more than one player in the field
musings ....
"DaVinci Code" release halted in India, because we are a secular country, said Priya Ranjandas Munshi.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12815760/?GT1=8199
Read an interesting article in The Hindu today. Made in China — Indian doctors
Couldn't help but relate this article to what's happening in India now.
The medical students are the hardest hit by this reservations. Much much more than Engineering and Management students. So it is little surprise that they are at the fore-front of the protesting crowd.
Now after reading this article you would realise, who will benefit the most from these reservations after Sonia Gandhi and Lalu.
It is China.
Less number of seats means more people migrating or atleast trying to migrate to countries outside India.
Not sure if it is a coincidence that China has opened up it's universities for foreigners at this juncture.
Middle class India fattening the Chinese pockets - a dream for Comrades.
It's easy to weave a conspiracy theory for everything. But this coincidence and the timing of this article in "The Hindu" is really interesting.
The Hindu, as most know, is China's propoganda weapon in India. The timing of the article is fishy. In a way the Hindu has provided free publicity for Chinese universities at a time when students in India are feeling extremely desperate.
The Hindu has struck when iron is hot ...
The middle class Indian is likely to take notice of this article and before we know China will be the destination-next for all the wanabe docs.
Rajeev, not sure what you make of this. I certainly see a link here.
And the buffoon Arjun Toxic Singh isnt even sorry about it.
Darkstorm,
I feel Arjun Singh is just a small fly. The real force behind this is Sonia. See how cleverly she has maintained silence on this. Though she may not depend on middle class hindus for votes, she certainly needs sanctity and certificate from them.She does not want to have a loss of image either. For all the show of not caring for her image, i am very sure that the entire Gandhi family is very conscious of their image amongst the middle class. They are trying to portray a picture of ignorance on this. And they have been successful in making Arjun Singh the scapegoat. I am surprised why Sonia Gandhi's effigy was not burnt by medicos?
Once again she has been successul in keeping "herself above politics". This is a very clever ploy used by her time and again.
During controversies she keeps safe distance from media , whether Quotrochchi, Volcker or now this. Media too is afraid of asking her questions. She is not an Ogre , as Swapan Das Gupta said once.
Natwar Singh was not the only beneficiary in Iraq. But "only" he lost his seat.
Sonia's image has been very meticulously gaurded so far.
If demonstraters are targetting Singh alone, they are missing the point.A very good opportunity to expose Sonia will be missed.
Talking of Chinese connection to all this, i also saw an article recently where the Indian government is contemplating withdrawing from Siachen. For all those who are even remotely aware of Siachen, it is common knowledge that Indian trrops withdrawal is actually going to help China and not Pakistan so much.
For all we know, India is virtually under the chinese siege. There's no other explaination for BJP's decline and Left's better than average showing in last two years.
If we track all the dots one by one we can see the red hand in a lot of places.
Hate to say this all the time. But the "conspiracy" is becoming more and more apparent.
It is not very surprising to see any politician talking against reservations. I hate to say this but BJP has lost its ground. They have become a senile party with irrelevant musings. ABV, LKA or MMJ ..none spoke a word against reservations.
Btw IIM students are conspicuous by their silence on this issue. When MMJ wanted IIMs to increase the no of seats, all IIM alumni protested but none is uttering a word now. If at all Arjun Singh goes ahead with his reservation policies...an IIM seat will become a pie in the sky for most of the middle class from upper castes.
The media is slowly showing "the succes stories " of reservations.
I think this issue needs a serious people movement.Students fom all disciplines and all the IT workers etc should join the protests.
I am surprised by some of the comments here and I am surprised people are targetting Arjun Singh. The constitutional ammendment was passed long ago, and all of us intellectuals did not raise the issue much. Neither did medicos or iitians.
Further, BJP seems to be in total agreement as far as reservation policy goes. The BJP philosophers (if there are any there) have not been able to convince their OBC MP's to raise a voice against this. They would have been able to do so if they put the issue in right perspective, equating the move as an attack on Hindus, aggressors being Catholics and Sunnis. (Note the use of sects .. not religions...I hope BJP learns some tricks of trade soon).
My suspicion is that none of us posters, or BJP, or Hindu organisations really appreciate democracy or believe in it. We seem to be resigned to accepting it.
Whether you like it or not, 50% reservations will soon be implemented. It is important to accept that, and then find ways to defeat the aggressors. I don't think most any of the posters here has appreciated this fact.
To all who have commented about me, please note: I have already said that I will refrain from commenting on the merits/perils of reservation because it is a divisive debate.
Please also note that democracy isn't fair. That is unfortunate, but true. My comments just refer to strategy and tactics about the issue, not about the merits of the issue. Prithviraj Chouhan was brave and he was on the fair side, but he lost, and Jaychand Rathod eventually prevailed. It is up to you to help catholics/sunnis by fuelling the reservation fire. On the other hand, you can also act a little more intelligently and thwart the divisive plans of catholics.
The middle class has been the target of assault ever since UPA has come into being. If you notice most of the actions taken by UPA in past 2 years, they have either been against the middle classes or totally by-passed their interests.
Honestly Sonia or Arjun don't csre much of this particular section. And honestly they don't have to, since the middle class seldom votes.
What Sonia is doing makes perfect business sense to the Congress party.
All this reservation, nuclear deal, etc should be seen in the context of Congress/Commies long term goals. A few hundred doctors here and there and a few suicides would not matter to the Gandhis in a country of 1 billion.
Infact the growth of middle class population is bad news for them.
Today Chidambaram hinted at removing tax sops for housing loans - another example of indirect attack.
They say most of the middle class support the BJP. I am not sure how far that is true. Even if it is, that has no meaning. Since on Election day, most of the middle class watch "Sas-Bahu" serials or plan vacations.
I think Sushan Sareen is spot on when he says that Middle class deserves what it is getting
It is clear that unless middle class asserts itself politically and somehow unites as a single force , the Sonia Gandhis and Mohammed Shahabuddins will have a field day.
Off course it is easier said then done. Soon this reservation issue will be forgotten and the middle class will arm itself to find other avenues. But won't fight.
I often wonder why only medical and engineering is targetted. why not let's say reservations in media or film industry. Rajnikant [who i believe is an OBC] earns more in one film than all the doctors of the country put together. So if the idea of reservation is to distribute prosperity, why not in all areas. Lets say for every Rajni movie we have 70% reservation for OBCs.
Or for that matter why not in Cricket team.
Are medical and engineering the only two viable careers? What if a Dalit/OBC is not interested in medicine and wants to become an actor instead? Why not give him an "equal opportunity" in movies? Why should a "high cast" Aishwarya Rai be given 5 crores for movie? Why not a Kamala bai be given "equal opportunity" to earn?
A note about Chidambaram. The media would like us to believe that the PM and Chidambaram are very clever people, but the truth is, Chidambaram is a rather dumb person who doesn't really understand much. It was so clear after his 2004 budget where he introduced the Security Transaction Tax. Had the tax been implemented at the rate Chidambaram proposed, the markets in India would have been dead in two months flat! (In Europe, some exchanges had tried it earlier and given it up, so Chidambaram is not only dumb, he probably isn't as well-read as media would like us to believe).
Dear bloggers, the first solid statement against Congress has just been made!! And that statement is made in a way that will hurt the troublemakers.
Do you note that Mr. Chidambaram, the know-all, is now dumbfound? Do you see he has no words to say?
Congress and CPM will now realise that the make-believe reality will help you get votes for a few months or a few years. In the long term, you cannot fool all the people.
The BJP will do well to hit hard now. And it should do so by taking on the PM, and proposing that he is no good.
>>There should be 50% reservations in the parliament. ...
Virat, at least 'Parliament' should be spared this brouhaha... why? Its nothing but a rogues gallery per-se and so those morons in there are right where they deserve to be. :-)
I mentioned this in one of my previous posts, and it won't harm repeating here in this Parliament context:
Parliament means an assembly of owls -- and an owl in considered to be a wise bird... but look what we have in India -- a pack of jokers and a bunch of rascals, making merry at the tax-payers hard-earned money.
>>Do you note that Mr. Chidambaram, the know-all, is now dumbfound?...
The likes of Chidambram and that dumb Sardar @ the helm -- these morons suffer from some kinda 'superiority' complex vis-a-vis the rest of the masses... kinda like the stiff-upper lip attitude of the Britishers... they won't be bothered by all this ruckus going around ... they are too insulated to give it a second-thought!
Also, as someone mentioned earlier, did you guys notice the defeaning silence from Italian Barmaid and her cronies... she remains unaffected and let the natives of the land take care of it amongst themselves... although all this charade is being enacted on her behalf by her boot-lickers...
Why does all this fill me with a sense of deja-vu? Like when the Brits landed in India and went over to colonise us... the present scenario reeks of all that... just the king-maker has changed nationalities from British to Italian... and as they say:
The female of the species is always deadlier than the male..
So guys, this is just the beginning...
aage-aage dekhiye, hota hai kya (just wait-and-watch, the best (or worst) is yet to come)!
All hindus....please wake up and take note...
The political parties of Nepal have decided to make the Hindu Kingdom to a Secular Republic. Thus the last hindu frotier is going to be a thing of the past. If the new constitution is passed then that will give legal cover for all missionaries and jihadis to do as they please.
Sharhyar, what does FAO mean, BTW.
And really, voluntary admissions to manage a student profile is a different thing. Forcing institutions, incl private ones, to change their profile by force of a dumb law is a differnt thing altogether.
Now, Muslims and Christians are to be given 10 pc quota each. That leaves just about 30 pc for the merit students (regardless of their community) and screw up everyone (regardless of community/religion). Now if the govt backtracks on these, Muslims will start a communal riot blaming Hindus and idolworship for their ills.
Reservations might be ok, but if kept in check. Any politician who wants votebanks can now come in and increase the quotas. One fine day, quota might exceed 100 percent.
In the same vein, as Kapidhwaja's link about Pope, heres another article I came across on Sulekha about how proselytizers & evangelicals target Hindu students in American Colleges & Universities... although the article is bit lengthy, but its worth the read as it lays bare the tactics of deception & chicanery practiced by these fundamentalists.
If this has been posted earlier, then I apologize in advance, if not then do read it.
Heres the link:
How Christian Evangelists Target Hindu American Students
http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=051706093445
and heres the full-text:
How Christian Evangelists Target Hindu American Students
In a fictional account of a freshman year at an American State University, author Chris Sherman tells us of an Indian-American student from the Midwest, who is "born again" after a year of intensive prayer and prodding by his evangelical Christian roommates.
Born in India and raised in the United States, the protagonist Hari Singh is caught between the Hindu-Indian culture of his immigrant parents and his desire to "be rid of his Indian roots."
An avowed agnostic when he arrives at the State University, by the end of his freshman year Harry "Bob" Singh's newfound Christian faith presents him with a final challenge: facing his parents. "What to say? He knew he had to somehow begin to see them as his parents, to "honor" them, to show this in a way they with their Hindu heritage would recognize. How was he to do this? He didn't know."
One recalls a parallel in the real-life situation of Indian-American congressman Bobby Jindal who converted to Christianity during his second year at Brown University. At the time, Jindal wrote: “It was hard for me to struggle with the competing commandments ‘Honor thy parents,’ which includes showing respect through honesty, and ‘Love God with your whole mind and heart’.”
Anyway, it should come as no surprise that the earlier fictional account includes an Indian American character in the plot, because, since the 1990s, Asian American students have become central players in American evangelical Christianity - one of the fastest growing religous/social movements in the United States.
Whereas the characterization of Hari - hard working, philosophically tenacious, and troubled by his Indianness - hints at larger issues about South Asian American identity in the context of evangelical Christianity, there is increasing evidence that Christian evangelical groups are aggressively targeting Hindu students in American college campuses for conversion.
In fact, a sampling of Asian American-identified evangelical fellowship websites reveals mission statements targeting Asian and Asian American students for outreach and membership, while simultaneously affirming a non-race-specific evangelical identity.
There is evidence that large numbers of Asian American college students are turning to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the encouragement and support of national and local prayer and Bible study organizations. Alongside the large national organizations, there are numerous local bible studies and fellowships that are often sponsored by local churches and are ethnic specific.
In response to an increasingly diverse college population, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), for example, developed a series of "ABC" (Asian, Black, and Chicanos) conferences beginning in 1976 and experienced a membership boom in the 1980s and 1990s producing a significant number of Asian American IVCF student leaders.
One reason for the present renewed aggressive effort is that, unlike other Asian Americans, Hindu-Americans have staunchly resisted efforts at conversion. Also, unlike other Asian Americans who are becoming increasingly associated with evangelical Christianity on college campuses, Hindu-Americans have their own campus groups such as Hindu Students Federation.
Nevertheless, evangelical "parachurch" organizations like Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), The Navigators, and IVCF are soliciting large numbers of students to their weekly bible studies, prayer meetings, and social events. There is no doubt that Asian Americans – especially Korean and Chinese - are becoming increasingly associated with evangelical Christianity on the college campus. The hope is that Indian-Americans will follow suit.
ORGANIZATIONS TARGETING DESIS
The main concern of the recently established Fellowship of South Asian Christians (organised at the Overseas Indians Congress on Evangelism) is the evangelization of South Asians living abroad. The organization acknowledges that it is gearing to become a dynamic force for evangelism among Hindus, scattered in countries other than their homeland.
The Institute of Hindu Studies, based in the Midwest, says its mission is to be “a resource base, strategy center and a facilitator of knowledge” by providing “reliable information on India, Hinduism and the Indian Diaspora.” The IHS says its vision is “To stimulate and encourage the growth of a culturally relevant movement for frontier missions among the 2,700 unreached, predominantly caste Hindu people groups existing mostly in India, but found throughout the world.”
Bhanu Christudas, a student at William Carey International University on the campus of the U.S. Center for World Mission, writes: “I believe it is high time for us to concentrate our efforts on reaching the dear Hindu men and women around the world before this form of Satan's deception begins to devour millions more into its philosophy.” He asks fellow Christians: What is your part in reaching the Hindus for Christ?
In ‘Reaching The Hindu World’, Christudas observes, “since Hinduism "converted" into a missionary religion during the last century, it is growing more than ever before around the world.”
A recent report received by Henrietta Watson, head of the Institute of Hindu Studies at the U.S. Center for World Mission, states: "The Indo- American Society in Chicago overtly stated their goal is to have a Hindu temple and a training center in every American city with a population over 500,000 ...They are on target with imported idols and priests from India." Should we wait to hear more such reports before we begin to act, asks Christudas.
Another research report contains specific tips based on the field experiences of a senior evangelist, including detailed “do's and don'ts” :
“Do not criticize or condemn Hinduism. …. Criticizing Hinduism can make us feel we have won an argument; it will not win Hindus to Jesus Christ…Never allow a suggestion that separation from family and/or culture is necessary in becoming a disciple of Christ. …Avoid all that even hints at triumphalism and pride. …Do not speak quickly on hell, or on the fact that Jesus is the only way for salvation. …Never hurry. Any pushing for a decision or conversion will do great harm. …. Even after a profession of Christ is made, do not force quick changes regarding pictures of gods, charms, etc. …Do not force Christian ideas into passages of Hindu scripture. … Empathize with Hindus. …. Learn to think as the Hindu thinks, and feel as he feels…. Those who move seriously into Christian work among Hindus need to become more knowledgeable in Hinduism than Hindus themselves are…A new believer should be warned against making an abrupt announcement to his or her family, since that inflicts great pain and inevitably produces deep misunderstanding….”
Indian Christian evangelist Rajendra Pillai of Clarksburg, Md., gives the following advice in the Baptist Press of August 15, 2003: ‘Learn to think as the Hindu thinks, and feel as he feels’. Based in Clarksburg, Md., he is the author of a new book, "Reaching the World in Our Own Backyard."
Pillai explains: “We are slowly realizing that our neighborhoods, communities and workplaces are changing. We're waking up to the fact that we now have new kinds of neighbors -- they look different, they speak a different language, they eat different kinds of food and speak with a foreign accent. We know they aren't Christians, because they worship other gods.
“North America has always been a land of immigrants, but now we have a new wave of people coming from countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East adding to the growing religious diversity in North America. We don't have to go overseas to meet someone from another culture. Each one of us can now be a missionary in our own communities.
“Between 1990 and 2000, Hinduism has emerged as one of the fastest-growing religions in America. The number of Asian-Indians, most of whom are Hindu, has doubled every 10 years since 1980 to reach a record 1.7 million in 2000. USA Today reported that there are currently 1.3 million Hindus in the United States. The Pluralism Project of Harvard University (www.pluralism.org) lists more than 700 Hindu temples in the United States, many built in the last 10 years. Many more are in the construction stage.”
Pillai observes, “We can effectively reach Asian-Indians by knowing a little about their culture, beliefs and practices. First and foremost, we need to learn as much as possible about Hinduism.”
And he offers the following pointers:
“The Indian culture is highly collectivist. This means that most Indians will consider their acceptance of the Gospel in light of how it will impact their families and friends. There is also a strong possibility of being rejected by family members if a person changes his or her religion. Chances are you will not get an immediate response. Be prepared to walk with and support your Indian friend if he or she wrestles spiritually.
“As Indians come from a collectivist society and yearn for community, many will be open to coming to church if it means being a part of a community where people are genuinely concerned about each other. You might start by inviting them to less-threatening events outside of a Sunday church service.
“Most Asian-Indians yearn for community. Coming from a collectivist society, they have a tough time adjusting to the American individualistic culture. This is where Christians can step in, and the church can become the community they are seeking.”
Pillai warns: “One thing that turns off many Asian-Indians is when Christians in this country just share the Gospel but are not interested in them in any other way. So if they say "no" to the Gospel, the same Christian friends and acquaintances disappear from their lives. Christian Asian-Indians who used to be Hindus say the most convincing argument for following Christ came through the love Christians showed toward them.”
Finally, asks Pillai: “If His heart beats for people from every nation and if Jesus died for all nations, then how can we keep the great news of the Gospel to ourselves, especially now that they live next door?”
In Mission Frontier’s article ‘personal evangelism among educated Hindus’, H.L. Richards writes: ‘Friendship evangelism is usually easy to initiate with Hindus. Most Hindus esteem religion in general and are free and open to speak about it. A sincere, nonjudgemental interest in all aspects of Indian Life will provide a good basis for friendship. Personal interaction with Hindus will lead to a more certain grasp of the essence of Hinduism than reading many books. A consistently Christ-like life is the most important factor in sharing the gospel with Hindus. The suggestions that follow should help to break down misunderstandings, of which there are far too many, and help to build a positive witness for Christ. Yet learning and applying these points can never substitute for a transparent life of peace and joy in discipleship to Jesus Christ.’
He advises: 1. Do not criticize or condemn Hinduism. There is much that is good and much that is bad in the practice of both Christianity and Hinduism. Pointing out the worst aspects of Hinduism is hardly the way to win friends or show love. It is to the credit of Hindus that they rarely retaliate against Christians by pointing out all our shameful practices and failures. Criticizing Hinduism can make us feel we have won an argument; it will not win Hindus to Jesus Christ.
5. Do not speak quickly on hell, or on the fact that Jesus is the only way for salvation. Hindus hear these things as triumphalism and are offended unnecessarily. Speak of hell only with tears of compassion. Point to Jesus so that it is obvious he is the only way, but leave the Hindu to see and conclude this for himself, rather than trying to force it on him. Richards says that a Hindu who professes faith in Christ must be helped as far as possible to work out the meaning of that commitment in his own cultural context.
He also warns: A new believer should be warned against making an abrupt announcement to his or her family, since that inflicts great pain and inevitable produces deep misunderstanding. Ideally, a Hindu will share each step of the pilgrimage to Christ with his or her family, so that there is no surprise at the end. An early stage of the communication, to be reaffirmed continually, would be the honest esteem for Indian/Hindu traditions in general that the disciple of Christ can and does maintain.
HINDU STUDENT MINISTRY
Steve Edwards, an IVCF staff member serving on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University, recently outlined his view of Hindu ‘student ministry’ in no uncertain terms.
He observes that students from India have recently surpassed the Chinese as the largest international group on the campus where he serves, but that ‘in spite of their large numbers there are very few believers.’
Edwards acknowledges that while working with Indian students, the evangelists often “get a foot in the door” by meeting practical needs. This may include assisting with English or hospitality needs. “The best way to start is through friendship, taking the time to listen and to learn about their individual backgrounds and beliefs” he advises.
According to Edwards, “even if believing in Jesus were acceptable to the family, it would likely become a point of conflict when it came to issues of marriage and children. Hindus may and often do find Jesus personally appealing. But an individual decision to become a follower of Christ is quite difficult because it implies a rejection of one’s own dharma and the acceptance of the “Christian” dharma.”
He explains: “God has given us a wonderful opportunity to welcome them and share the good news of Christ with them. But significant obstacles exist. Therefore, it is vital for us to understand the challenges that we must face in sharing Christ with them and also the challenges they face in coming to Christ.
“Most Hindus readily acknowledge the reality of God’s work in life and are not afraid to discuss spiritual matters. As a result, offers to pray for and with them are rarely refused and often welcomed. This is a tangible way we can show our concern and ask God to bless them and provide specifically for their needs. Simply put, Hindus are open to spiritual things. Edwards reveals: “Recently, I met a new student from India who seemed quite interested in visiting church and perhaps a Bible study. But first he wanted to make sure that he didn’t need to be baptized or believe that Jesus was the only way to God before attending. As believers our response is to invite them to “Come and see,” with no strings attached and allow the person of Christ as seen in the Bible and the work of the Holy Spirit to lead them to faith.”
Noting that the majority of Indian students come from Hindu families, Edwards discusses conversion efforts directed at Hindu students on American campuses and, specifically, his experiences of prayer, partnerships and perseverance, which he claims has been essential in the formation of an ‘Indian Christian Fellowship’.
“It is my prayer that this would encourage others in sharing Christ with Indian students in their campuses and communities. May God pour out his grace on India and bring many into his kingdom in the coming years.”
OBSTACLES ENUMERATED
As Edwards sees it, Indian culture and religion present significant obstacles to communicating Christianity to Indian students. He is convinced that, “given the ancient spiritual strongholds that exist in the Hindu world it is essential that this ministry be founded upon and sustained by faithful prayer.”
One of the method he advocates, besides prayer, is “partnerships with like-minded Indian believers among students and in the community.” He notes that “while some Indian students want to interact with other cultures it seems that most prefer to remain in a culturally familiar environment.”In addition, explains Edwards, the partnership helps to dispel the widespread preconception that Christianity is just a Western religion.
Finally, he notes that a common suspicion among Hindus is that Christians want to make converts for selfish reasons like pride, financial gain or political power. In contrast, the Bible reminds us that love must be sincere. “We have seen God at work, but it is often a very slow process…We must be patient and wait for God to bring fruit as we are faithful in planting and watering the seeds of the Indian Christian Fellowship.”
Edwards, who began his involvement with Indian students while he was a graduate student in an engineering school, recalls: “I was surrounded by Indian students in my classes and actively involved in an international student fellowship. Like so many, I was amazed by the openness of the Chinese students who sought out knowledge of the Bible, often from the moment they arrived. Indian students on the other hand would scarcely ever come to any Christian sponsored event even though their numbers were comparable to those of the Chinese students.”
Edwards explains: “So, I began praying for India and for the students that I knew and learning about their culture and beliefs. During that time, God brought me into a close friendship with a Hindu background believer. Through our friendship I saw how difficult it was for him to reconcile his faith with family expectations and pressures. (I also developed a love for Indian food which is a fringe benefit).
“I also had a growing friendship with a Hindu classmate. We had numerous occasions to openly discuss spiritual matters and even though he freely admitted that his life was incomplete I was saddened to see so little change. Periodically, he would remind me that he was a Brahmin, the highest caste in Hinduism, which I learned only added to the barriers.
“One evening early on in our friendship he told me he would be very disappointed and hurt if I was only trying to be his friend in order to “convert” him. His directness shocked me, but it was something I needed to hear. It showed me the suspicions that Hindu students often have of the motives of Christians and their repulsion at the very idea of conversion. It also underscored how essential it is for our love to be sincere and the value of partnering with Indian believers so that Christianity is not equated with Western culture.”
Thus, on completion of graduate studies, Edwards joined as staff member with IVCF’s international student ministries. “From the start, one of my personal desires was to reach out to the large Indian community. While ministry opportunities with other student groups grew, it remained difficult to make more than isolated contacts with the Indian community.”
Edwards says he ‘began praying for the Indian community and for God to bring some Indian believers to join us. There were several years of prayer before we saw any answers, and many disappointments along the way. He once even contacted an Indian Christian student ‘to see if he had a desire to reach out to the Indian community but he frankly said “No.”’
During the following summer Edwards visited India and got a firsthand taste of Indian culture. “Those experiences were priceless and opened doors of trust and understanding that I doubt I could have gained any other way” he says.
According to Edwards, the next fall brought 3 Christian students from Kerala with whom he formed the Indian Christian Fellowship (ICF) “with the faculty advisor being one of our prayer partners who shared our heart for the South Asian students.”
“Later that semester, two Hindu friends we had been praying for went on an international evangelistic retreat with us because of the invitation of an Indian Christian friend. The speaker at the retreat was also from India and their experiences at that event challenged them to seek God further. Immediately afterwards they began attending the fellowship regularly. Even though they faced some challenges from other Indian friends, they soon became a part of our “family.”
“After attending the fellowship for one year, one of these students began following Jesus. Initially, it was a private decision. But it was soon apparent that it was a genuine step of faith with strong evidence of God’s work in his life. Within a short period of time his friends began to ask him what had happened to him and why he had changed. In the months that have followed, he has grown dramatically in his knowledge of the Word and in witness: bringing several friends to the fellowship and even leading a college friend to Christ.
“Although these students face difficult issues ahead (family and marriage especially) we are excited about how God’s work will overflow as we grow and serve together. As a result of these developments and as an answer to prayer, in just the past few months we have seen a significant increase in the number of students visiting the fellowship or curious about Christ.”
AGGRESSIVE EVANGELISM
The perception that Asian American students are currently disproportionately involved in InterVarsity and Campus Crusade for Christ appears to be well founded, according to available information.
The aggressive evangelism that took place in Asia after World War II was responsible for Christianizing an emigrant Korean and Chinese population. Evangelists note the dramatic growth in Korean Christianity from three million believers in 1974 to seven million in 1978 as a striking example. They say that a good percentage of Korean American evangelical students in the 1990s would appear to be the harvest of Campus Crusade's farsighted sowing as Korean immigration to the United States rapidly increased in the decades following. A similar trajectory is seen for the emerging South Asian American community numbering about 3 million.
Asian American evangelicals report that being a Christian does not mean rejecting Asian American identity or Asian culture. One IVCF Chinese American staff worker involved with InterVarsity since the early 1970s explained that she came to a deeper understanding of herself as Asian American through the Pacific Alliance of Chinese Evangelicals and an IVCF Discipleship Training program that took her to Singapore. Other students find that evangelical Christianity reinforces "Asian " values of family, work, and education: "Many Confucian ideas are similar to Christian ideals - like honoring your parents, living a moral, virtuous life, and working hard...there are definitely teachings from Buddhism that are very Christian...not harming anyone, trying to live a good life. ..Asian culture has it embedded that you are supposed to give respect to older people...My parents used to say bow to your grandmother when she comes. I might have done it but I tended to be rebellious. But now I know from the Bible that that's a very Biblical thing. Now it's not just for cultural reasons, but for Bible reasons I want to follow that part of Korean culture."
And, as Bobby Jindal explained in a letter to a Sikh friend: “Only after years of open feuding did my parents realize my new faith had not caused me to reject them or my heritage.”
It is clear that evangelical Christianity will continue to attract large numbers of Asian American college students because it provides well-structured and nurturing communities tailored for surviving the anxieties, alienation and liminality of the college experience. Until well-documented evidence is available, we can only speculate as to why some Asian Americans, and specifically Korean and Chinese American students, are more involved in evangelicalism in comparison with Filipinos and South Asians.
An example of what evangelical faith entails is found in an Ivy League based Indian Christian Fellowship statement of purpose: "The purpose of ICF is to establish, assist, and encourage students who attest the Lord Jesus Christ as God Incarnate and have these major objectives: To lead others in to a personal faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. To help Christians grow toward maturity as disciples of Christ through the study of the Bible, through prayer, and through Christian fellowship. To present the call of God to the world mission of the Church, and to help students and faculty discover God's role for them."
THE CASE OF BOBBY JINDAL
As it turns out, the story of Piyush Bobby Jindal’s transformation from a devout young Hindu to a zealous Catholic offers an intriguing glimpse into the struggle, often traumatic, of a young Indian American caught between his heritage and his parents on the one hand and his intellectual and emotional turmoil in America.
“My journey from Hinduism to Christianity was a gradual and painful one,” Bobby Jindal acknowledged in a 1993 article that he wrote while he was a graduate student at Oxford. As Jindal readily confessed in that article, “it never occurred to me that I should consider any other religion; to be a Hindu was an aspect of my Indian identity.” So his parents were especially surprised that he had investigated Hinduism and found it lacking. “It was important that I had given our shared faith fair consideration.”
Jindal recalls, “my parents were infuriated by my conversion and have yet to fully forgive me.”
As Jindal explains, “My parents went through different phases of anger and disappointment. They blamed themselves for being bad parents, blamed me for being a bad son and blamed evangelists for spreading dissension. There were heated discussions, many of them invoking family loyalty and national identity.
He elaborates: “My parents have never truly accepted my conversion and still see my faith as a negative that overshadows my accomplishments. They were hurt and felt I was rejecting them by accepting Christianity. According to Jindal, his parents resorted to “ethnic loyalty” to counter his new faith.
What was the motivation for Jindal’s rejection of Hinduism and his acceptance of Christianity? The answer can be pieced together in his own words.
Essentially Jindal claims that having studied the Bible, he accepted Jesus Christ’s radical claim to divinity, along with Christ’s redemptive sacrifice on the cross. That is, Christ had died to redeem mankind from sin.
“I was comfortable in my Hindu faith and enjoyed an active prayer life; I only gradually felt a void and stubbornly resisted God’s call…it was truth and love that finally forced me to accept Christ as Lord” Jindal recalled in an article.
In comparing Hinduism with his new faith, Jindal noted that whereas “Hinduism taught me to earn my way to God’s grace” he found Christ’s sacrifice on the cross meant something personal for him. “God loved me and was lifting me up to Him” declared Jindal, two years after his conversion. The young Hindu American had examined Hinduism and found it wanting. Looked at from another perspective, the Hindus whom he approached were not competent enough to satisfy his intellectual curiosity.
While he explains that he is aware of “gross injustices in the name of truth and God” committed by missionaries in India and elsewhere, Jindal is appreciative of their enormous contributions to health and education. That’s why he exhorts: “Let us all become missionaries and live so that the world will know us by our love.”
In his 1993 article, Jindal wrote wistfully, “I long for the day when my parents understand, respect and possibly accept my faith. For now I am satisfied that they accept me.”
How far will an individual or a loose group of justic-seekers be able to stop persistent hostile attempts from an organised group? Isn't organisation essential to counter organisation?
Do you really think that the love of Gurus will melt the resolve of catholics and other aggressive sects?
We already have Two Hindu groups looking to an Anthony Fernandes for the solution of the reservation issue. Surely, he will want to add fuel to the fire...
Re:
"Do you really think that the love of Gurus will melt the resolve of catholics and other aggressive sects?"
-- I dont think so. But the love of
gurus draws more people to the
Guru. Why would I need a christ,
if I have a guru in front of
me, who can tell me about god,
faith, love, grace and all that.
when a guru can be a window to
the divine, why would one want
to go near x-ianity.
so a lot of hindu gurus is a
very good thing.
it's people who have no gurus
OR are not somehow already
firmly grounded in faith, god,
god's grace, who end up as easy
prey for the conversionists.
_
Nice as the article is, it is one more mudpot thrown at the wrongdoers. Are there any articles that point out where exactly the nationalists failed and how?
Thousands of BJP and RSS supporters are literate and web-savvy, yet BJP and RSS web presence is minimal...why?
Hindu is still an undefined term. Why?
Please note that there are hundreds of thousands of people in this world who dislike religious domination. There are a huge number of people who declare they have no religion. What is a threat to Hindus today is a threat to all these free and independent people. Still, there has been no attempt to educate them and enlist their help.
Indeed, so many imerialist countries and groups would not like India to prosper, and indeed, they have been at it all through, using means fair and foul. I suggest there is nothing unusual about it. What is unusual is that our own people and groups have failed us. Partly because of our tolerance, which is quite nice and desirable, but also because of a lack of political understanding (which essentially means you support a group and shape their policies).
And before any of you start jumping at me, consider whether you could influence your friends in BJP, RSS, and other Hindu organisations to be a little more dynamic? Remember, the ground beneath you is slipping fast!!
re:
An example of what evangelical faith entails is found in an Ivy League based Indian Christian Fellowship statement of purpose: "The purpose of ICF is to establish, assist, and encourage students who attest the Lord Jesus Christ as God Incarnate and have these major objectives: To lead others in to a personal faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.
--- cute lies.
till yesterday Christ was Son of God.
now he has been promoted to God Incarnate. why ? because X-its have learned that Hinuduism holds Rama and Krishna as God Incarnate, not as Son of God.
so X-ists have changed their religion to strategise hindu conversion.
People tell me that a group of Baba Ramdev's supporters has vowed not to watch NDTV (because communists are out to kill him - as some of his supporters think). I don't know the details. Post them if you know. I agree with the idea.
what good is this "not watching"
a particular channel - you pay the
whole cable bill anyway, dont you ?
it is better to watch the channel
and be more aware.
i think iamford is trying to be
"active" rather than "passive"
in suggesting that we influence
friends in BJP if any. in fact,
it's being action-oriented. he
didnt bash BJP this time. so
let's not keep throwing cold water
on his comments. it isnt fair :-)
but no friend will do anybody's
bidding, just like none of us will
do anybody's bidding. so we can
also suggest that iamford join
BJP and active politics...why not ?
_
this is for iamfordemocracy:
iamfordemocracy,
sri sri ravishankar has spoken to
the press on reservations. i saw
this in today's paper. he is
against any kind of caste-based
discrimination, as well as reverse
discrimination. he is not in favour
of quotas (i assume he means only
these new quotas).
this is just fyi, since you brought
it up earlier.
p.s.
i have been sternly ordered in the
past not to mention anything about
my guru, since he is not the blog-
owner's guru or everyone's guru
here.
i am not trying to promote sri sri
or do any conversion here, nor
excited about sending news about
my guru, so dont get me wrong.
i am not a conversionist!
i am also fully aware that this
blog is 99% secular when it comes
to talking anything good about
gurus.
only anti-guru statements are
banned...
a little better than govt.of india
which doesnt care if hindu
sentiments are hurt. much better.
_
sunnywarrior,
i posted a comment for someone else
to see on the blog (amfordemocracy)
will you have the courtesy to
give him a fair amount of time to
access the blog and read it and
not push it away with your comment.
you are simply wasting another
blogger's time and efforts in your
eagerness to post your unwelcome
comments here.
realise that you are considered a
troll. unless you have something
urgent to convey, do not disturb.
have the courtesy to wait. you are
a cultured X-ian, arent you ?
what kind of culture, that you
cant even wait in line ?
IamforDemocracy, I left a post for
you above sunnywarrior's. I took the trouble to write to you, so
dont miss my post.
_
"Wonder what Visa they use to get the priests to the US. Hmmmm."
-- I also wonder what visa was used
by st.Thomas, by Portuguese, by
M.Theresa, and all the bunches
of missionaries that came to
India and stil keep coming here.
I suspect they apply for SYSED
Visa and they get it easily.
And it is delivered to them
from heaven by Santa Claus and
sometimes by tooth fairies. They
dont even have to ask our Govt
for permission. God gives it to
them because he loves them so
much for accepting Christ as
their lord and saviour.
Note:
SYSED = "Saving Your Souls From
Eternal Damnation".
_
Sonia was almost illeterate, she took an english course. They have been propped by well organized mafia controlling it from outside.
First learn to spell,then learn to speak English and then attempt to criticise others.
Thank you
There are so many Hindu-haters in India and only one party that says it is pro-Hindu so most supporters of BJP tend to be emotional about BJP. I only wish they were more objective.
Consider this single point. All the money collected by all other religious entities directly goes to support them. Only the money of Hindu worshippers is usurped by the government. Crores from Siddhibinayak temple have ended in the hands of Congress politicians, and same must be the case about other temples. If BJP had handed over the temples to Hindus, they would have created thousands of temple trustees with active interest in Hinduism. Nobody would have been able to stop BJP. Nobody could have objected this as it would have been impossible for anyone to do so (just like it is impossible for any party to oppose reservations). Did BJP do this simple thing?
If not, why not? Did they want to have monopoly over Hindu sentiments? Please think about this calmly. Until you find an acceptable answer to this and similar questions, it is premature to conclude that BJP is pro-Hindu.
Blind BJP supporters like Kapidhwaja fly into a rage instead of answering posts. Peace be unto them. Lord Jesus will soon be their saviour. There are little hopes from Vajpayee and Advani anyway.
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