Are Hindus dangerous?

Another write up with amazing clarity and loaded with only facts, Maria ! I guess it’s not the numbers that matter, and I’m no…we in India are glad at least one person sees and understand Sanathana Dharma in the right perspective. I travelled to Gujarat about 4 times, from top to bottom, and certainly could see the development there. A Muslim gentleman once told me on my travels there ‘if you see any flaws at all, send a mail direct to Modi and it will be taken care’. I was under the impression the false propaganda is happening only in India and which is no surprise esp. during election times, but surprised to hear that it’s happening beyond the borders as well.

Of course, Sir. Nowadays there are no borders. You would be amazed to discover the many nexus there are from the West to undermine India´s unity.
The depiction of India in the West is so sad as only to justify the “necessity for an intervention” from the West who will be the saviour of the universe, be it through charity (???), western fashion, secularism imported (imposed on) by the West, a western view of the human rights, and monotheistic religions. For serving this purpose, here in the West, besides curry and Bollywood coming from India, what we hear in the news is only about poverty, rapes, and lack of human rights. What is truely a pitty is how many indians, convinced by the one sided media here and in India itself, focus only on the bad part of India and perpetuate like this this destructive agenda.

It is unfortunate that the tirade against Modi is purely on political grounds and led by Congress party. These people have been so shameless and selfish that they do not know what they are doing. India needs leadership which will treat Muslims as people and not vote banks as congress party has been treating them since nearly six decades, not allowing them to grow. We, Hindus are generally secular. We treat people with respect, while we practice our dharma.

The western thoughts are of the impression that the principles of physics, chemistry and of other sciences, had their origination from their European ancestors and that no other race were aware of these before.

The fixedness of the Sun, the motion of the earth, of fixed and moving stars (the milky way), the planetary systems, of the moons, of earthquakes and hurricanes and many countless branches of sciences can be incontrovertible be proven by the many branches of Vedic philosophy. Even the discovery of the law of gravitation of which many credited Sir Isaac Newton becomes contradicted when many Vedic verses deal with the law of gravitation, thousands of years earlier.

India – the cradle of all civilization
Some of these facts may be known to you. These facts were recently published in a German Magazine, which deals with WORLD HISTORY FACTS ABOUT INDIA.

1.India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.
2.India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
3.The World’s first university was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
3. Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages. Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software reported in Forbes magazine, July 1987.
4. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization.
5. Although modern images of India often show poverty and lack of development, India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th Century.
6. The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit >’Nou’.
7. Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days.
8.The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematicians.
9. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India; Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11th century; The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 10 6 (10 to the power of6) whereas Aryans used numbers as big as 1053(10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 BCE during the Vedic period. Even today, the largest used number is Tera 1012(10 to the power of 12).
10. According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world.
11. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion in the world scientific community that the pioneer of Wireless communication was Prof. Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi.
12. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra.
According to Saka King Rudradaman I of 150 CE a beautiful lake called Sudarshana’ was constructed on the hills of Raivataka during Chandragupta Maurya’s time.
13. Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.
14. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.
15. When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization).
16.The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC.

QUOTES ABOUT INDIA
Albert Einstein said: “We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.”

Mark Twain said: “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.”
French scholar Romain Rolland said: “If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.”

Hu Shih, former Ambassador of China to USA said: “India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border.”

What an article!! Very timely!! Our own people need to learn a few lessons from you. Sad to see when our media is adding fuel to fire. Responsible journalism is hard to see.Never saw such venom during the election. Sonia Gandhi has become the pioneer of hate speech and encouraging every tom, dick and Harry to do the same. Surprisingly, no one is fighting for development and other issues except Modi. Their only agenda is Modi and Modi;s sole agenda is development. He hardly talks about communalism, still all news channels blame him for being communal.

For Indians corruption has become the part of life, so we were having no complaints from sonia gandhi but only when corruption became looting, we started feeling a bit uncomfortable and on top of it her communal divide for her own political gain was just not bearable.She took people of India for a ride and thus need to be shown the exit door.Too much of negativity never works. and that si the fundamental of hinduism – peace, peace and peace!! Modi will give India its pride, its lost glory. Enough of Gandhi family, who have started treating themselves as the ROYAL FAMILY of India.

[…] April 18, 2014 · by mariawirthblog · in Uncategorized · 3 Comments  […]

This article requires maximum circulation… over reaching the biased Media in our country ..
This should also reach the corrupt politicians and top bureaucracy …
Education is a must to have clarity of thinking…

I deeply appreciate the well written article by respected Mariawirth and followed by lucid comments by many. It is an eye opener. If Hindu fundamentalism is/was like the one portrayed, huge population other than Hindus living in India for centuries with peace & prosperity would not have been possible. In fact, Hindus are aliens in their own land. Indian media has not portrayed such good points of aspiring prime minister. It is unfortunate the detached spiritual inclination of the majority of this country is constantly misused and exploited. It may be time to wake up and assert your rights , still maintaining the virtues. Strength is only respected, we must , understand.

hinduism is a pluralist religion, the amalgamation of what india is now is a standing testimony to the world. acceptance and reverence are the veins in which the dharma flows here. a model country to the world at large. but to attain this state, it has suffered a lot. come what may, we, indians will prove to the world again again love is the only religion, whatever name you call it. thanks for the post.

Poonam ji, why sorry? thanks for spreading it in your circle
Maria

It may be good idea that the author of this article interviews or have one to one one discussion with the aspiring prime minister of BJP before announcement of the result. Like wise media houses in India and other prominent leaders of the country.

First of all, thank you Maria Wirth, for writing such an article – correctly depicting the portrait of Hundu people. Hindus are *not at all dangerous*. Actually, they are most lenient and vulnerable to attacks by non-Hindus. History of nearly 500 years shows that they never give tit for 100 tats – leave aside ‘tit for tat’. This is the reason why anyone can easily label any Hindu as a Hindu fundamentalist.

Finally, I would like to draw the attention of Europeans, particularly, to three recent stories on the web of Gatestone Institute. I am doing this because – though I am a Hindu by birth – I was (and still I am) a teacher of physics / chemistry.

1) http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4229/austria-muslims-vienna-schools
2) http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4273/uk-islamic-takeover-plot
3) http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4264/uk-multiculturalism-islamism

I am a Hindu, living in India. For all I have studied of Hinduism, Maria’s statements stand on their own. However, if you tend to feel that we all are ignorant, why don’t you make a little effort and enlighten us?

P.S. Before acting like some authority on Hinduism, make sure you have read the 4 Veda, studied all the chapters of Upanishad, and practiced the 4 Yog, because otherwise, I will be right here to tear you apart – piece by piece.

Thanks for this Excellent article Maria. This continuous hounding of Modi is also a result of congress led government . They used all the available agencies to malign him in india and abroad for past 12 years. May common sense prevail and world realise the truth about both mode and hinduism.

The problem with the Muslims & Christians dreading a Hindu India & a Hindu led govt. is not that they fear that Hindus will do to them what they have been doing to the Hindus for 1000 years. Their claims & tirades that they are not given opportunities is the biggest bunch of bullshit. The real issue is that both of them, they don’t want to live in India as Bharateeya citizens with rights & responsibilities…they want to go back to owning India &Hindus as slaves…it is a control issue, & that is what is being covered under the facade of religious & human rights violation. How else does the modern civilized society justify the atrocities on the owners of a place by the attackers? Only when you are white, christian or Muslims…they have a over millennium long history of committing both these crimes…& the very existence of the oh so great USA & AUSTRALIA provides more than plenty solid evidence…denied only by those guilty of a the crimes, & by those who are mooching off them…

[…] Source : Maria Wirth Blog […]

It is well explained article on or about Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma.
Well Done
& Salutations

Mridula meri behan
iss baat se kya farak paddtaa hai kee usska naam Maria Wirth hai.
Kya aapko patta bhi hai ki ab tau issayee logg bhagve kapde pehankar bhi loggon ko convert kar rehe hain Bharat mein
doosra aap ab unnko unnke naam se bhi nahin pehchaan sakte.
woh bharatiye naam se hee convert ho rehe hai bas sirf family name badlete hain.
jo ki bilkul galat hai.
point yeh hai kee unnko convert karna hai bas

Sharp and precise commentary. Thank you.

One thing that baffles me is the continued usage of this “epithet” of “Hindu Fundamentalist” (used to be “Hindu Nationalist” a while back) on Modi and BJP by the World Media, EVEN AFTER the mainstream Indian English language media itself has stopped using it for a long time. This disproves the often stated notion that world media only follows and echoes the Indian English media in its negative portrayal of BJP and Modi.

This proves that the so called World Media has its own agenda and motives and presses ahead with it, irrespective of whatever is the Indian Public opinion about its own leaders and politicians. This is in spite of India being a democratic country, renowned for free speech and expression. So much for the the “open” “liberal” and “objective” outlook of the West and its Media Moghuls.

I dont care who calls me a bigot. It does not matter to me because I have seen the destruction by Christians and this type of support and promotion by foreigners is the reason for Hinduism’s destruction. Who cares what you think about me? Now I know how ignorant all of you are for calling this article wonderful and excellent etc. Do you have any idea what kind of damage Christians have inflicted on Hinduism and even today kidnap our children, our poor and our illiterate….you carry on in this way and Hinduism will become islam…the religion of destruction….already china has invaded so far whilst you sit and smoke and drink and have kitty parties….he he he….you are a funny lot. China invades and islam invades and Maria’s kind invades and kidnaps children and you sit on this forum and say wah wah….hypocrites all of you because this is heading towards one race one religion for all which is the religion of islam and Christianity. Conversion or bhagwa or whites converting to Hinduism or you converting muslims to Hinduism is all criminal. You will all get 72 virgins in heaven because you just chose the path of Allah and islam to destroy everything Ishwar created…..and then this bullshit of hindutva and Christians writing on Hinduism……you amuse me immensely. go ahead…it is your world. I have decided never to come back on earth once I am gone and if this continues in India…I will leave india too….you may be accustomed to destruction but I am not. I care but I am the only one who does and I get called names….you ar…..es…..

Awesome article and Awesome rhyming comment from Prasad!

Can’t help feeling that Mridula (alias Madhug) is not genuine. She wants to sow discord, tries to enrage Hindus against Muslims and Christians, instead of encouraging Hindus to take on and expose the doctrines of those religions. In all likelihood, she belongs to one of the two dogmatic relgions, which thrive on dividing their ‘prey’.
Maria Wirth

Maria is a real Hindu living in India. She is here on her own will as a Hindu practitioner. She has her own rights to practice her religion. She writes her beliefs here as a writer. Why that should be a problem? If you disagree with her narrative, give a reply point by point. Please do not go and attack a person personally. Maria has no agenda to convert or do harm to Hinduism.

//What most people however don’t know: there is no claim of superiority in Hinduism// Why are Brahmins still the priests in Hindu Temples? Hindu temples are the only religious places where money power allows you to see god faster. If you want to praise Narendra Modi using a western name, please do it. Why use a fake name with fake facts?

The Hitler-Germans(fundamentalists) destroyed whole of Europe in the name of race superiority. They have no right to talk of Hindu fundamentalism. Let yhem read Max Muller’s translation of Indian sumom bonus THE VEDAS & thr UPANISHADS. That is Sanatsna Dharma. The Britishers called the followers of it as HINDUS. There is no Hindus ad such. The fundamentalists Muslims came with sword in one hand and Koran inthe other and butcheref Hindus and converted millions
Killed millions more and abducted lakhs and lakhs of women. Then came the chritian Britisher and converted millions into Christianity. Both built mosques and churches in every city and town. Sanatans Dharma welcomed them and even today they are tolerated. That is the gratness of Sanatama Dharma. We are Sanatanists. We follow truth the Vedas and Upanishads. Let that ignoramus German mother and daughter read it. There is no point in making an issue out of such lgnoromus asses. DOGS BARK. SANATANA DHARMA MARCHES ON.
On the day of armagadan all these man made book religions will be wiped out and only Sanatana Dharma will remain which is TRUTH.

The regeneration of hinduism’s core ideology of peace and mutual respect for all things living is in tearing need – Hindu organizations need political legitimacy to fix the so many things that are wrong with the current practice – the contradictions that lie within. Unfortunately in India despite having the largest population of Hindu communities anywhere on the globe Hinduism still needs political legitimization to start the process – Most political parties just don’t care, some dont even want the regeneration of Hindusim as it then allows them to discredit it and gain converts. In India hindu’s needs to dispel minority fears and insecurities by bringing about a liberal dispensation – because a majority liberal society will give the minorities an even larger sense of security. Political parties that feed insecurity and minority fear are the bottlenecks to this.. your thoughts

Your energy is horrible. No matter which name you use, there is an stinky odor of disturbed hatred in you, that has nothing to do with Sanatan Dharma, no matter even if your body was born in a hindu family in India. Or was it muslim? Or Christian?

Come on, so bold you are in insulting and disrespecting others, but not for using the same name always in your comments. Tell us, how is your ideal India, Madhu/Madhug/Mradula/Ramchander? You do unfold yourself once and for all!

Thank you!

Ms Wirth,
You have sung praise of Hinduism, much of which is valid. However, you have failed to mention the Caste System which singly surpasses the inequities and irrationality found in all other religions. The Caste System may be a later addition to the structure of the Sanatan Dharma, but today, it continues to be a major feature. This single feature is, in my opinion, enough to invalidate any claim to greater logic, fairness, inclusiveness, moderation or any form of superiority that apologists for Hinduism may make.
As regards Hindu ‘Fundamentalists’, they cannot possibly exist as there are really no authoritatively laid down fundamentals of Hinduism as there are in Islam and Christianity. However, Hindu Extremists exist and both Hinduism and India need to be on guard against them and their activities. Shri Narendra Modi has been accused of giving a spell of free rein to Hindu Extremists during riots in Gujrat in 2002. The truth or otherwise of this allegation has so far not been conclusively established. The Courts have, however, examined this issue and not found him blameworthy. This should be enough for the average person.
Regards. – JDS Rawat

Mridula Ji- Your anger and disgust about Maria Wirth being a Foreigner and thus has no authority to write about Hinduism is baseless. It looks like your anger is coming from you wanting to preserve the purity of Hindu tradition. However the channel you are choosing is totally misplaced.One of the core tents of Hinduism is viveka- proper discrimination as to what or who is real and who is not. Your anger and energy seems way over the top to me. If you could channelize your emotions and also equip yourself with proper Jnana of Hindu world view, it would do great justice to what you are trying to represent. Please do not forget that Dharma needs Dharmis to thrive, people who practice its core principles and model it in public discourses. Your only argument or need to debunk Maria’s article is coming from your intolerance of her as a foreigner. I would say that you are a foreigner to Hinduism, belonging to a breed of bigots who are still around contributing to the degeneration of the Golden Vedic era. It’s because of people like you, we got colonized by both Muslims and later by the British. Awaken from your slumber and look at the world around. Self-righteousness is a liability when it comes to defending a vast and open system like our Sanatana Dharma.

Well spoken Ms. Akhila, I welcome your thought.

Maria Worth, Reading the responses to your blog, I am now convinced that it is these morons who are the most dangerous of all Hindus, for they represent what can be likened to the rogue cells or, in medical terminology, the process of autoimmune disease…such diseaseses are always the result of the mutation caused by interference from outside…

Thank you for this article… it takes a lot of courage to write something like this, especially in a world where it is deemed ‘politically incorrect’ and dangerous to acknowledge one is a Hindu!!!! I don’t not know any other country where ‘minorities’ can command such a lot of privileges and actually live without fear. Kudos for this article.

Namaste Mariaji, Pailagu &Shastang Namaskar to a divine soul like U. As it is said Sanatan Dharma is the only true religion for entire human race, we all interpret it in a different way. follow diff. paths for salvation, but the goal is same, so wy fight & kill eachother. Love is the greatest gift to all, lets luv all,live & let live in peace.Amen.!

Well Akhila, you also has fallen for the old trick used by the evangelist ( Mradula) to sow confusion among the readers. Mradula is actually cleverly acting like an exclusivist Hindu to abuse Maria. Here she has very ulterior motives. One is to discourage Maria from praising Hinduism and enlightening Hindus ,other is to sow doubt among the Hindu readers towards Maria. We should always be on guard against these kind of disruptive elements(Mradula) who try to derail the positive discourse about Hinduism . These elements always try to portray Hinduism as a backward religion and want to destroy it. When someone like Maria is trying out to bring the true essence of Hinduism, these people are not able to digest and they begin to vomit venom in disguise. It is for us to identify their duplicity.

JDS raw at needs to go & investigate the real roots of the caste system in its modern form…Breaking India explains this. But there is plenty of literature out there, plenty of writings that are there. He is only parroting what the white Christians said when they wanted to fabricate justification for enslaving Hindus & robbing them. Also, in connection with something related, the dowry, people must read the research published by Veena Talwar Oldenberg in her book Dowry Murders. These Dumbo’s come up to us pretending superiority & patronize us just like the whites are doing even today…

Well written. Sorry to say that most of the Indians don’t know what is being a Hindu.

Well explained Vinay ji.
Saabhaar.

Hindus are in Danger
they can never be DANGEROUS for the Whole WORLD.
Because with ONLY Sanatan Fundaments the WHOLE WORLD will get peace, but not by SELFISH (Western)
or
CRUEL (Muslims)
will give PEACE.

They just want to CONTROL others, thats why they are not FUNDAMENTALISTS but FANATICS.

but BEING FUNDAMENTALISTS iss always good.
ISSLIYE SANATAN (Ancient) Dharm ko vishav ke sabhi logg bacchayein

I enjoyed reading Maria’s article and fully agree with her sense that “Hindu Fundamentalism” is unlike others mostly because of the nature of Hinduism. Hindus don’t believe in evangelism which I believe is the main reason for the for problems between Islam/Christianity and the rest.

Be that as it may, I do believe the Hindus need to follow Gandhi’s principles and not look down of the lower castes and not to hold down others who are less fortunate.

Apart from that I am looking forward to getting a leader like Modi who has proved to be strong, honest and capable and who stands for what he believes in.

Please read Rajiv Malhotra’s three books:
1. Breaking India
2. Being Different
3. Indira’s net

I seriously doubt, people like Dr. Tilak Shrestha read any of the three books I listed above or have even have a rudimentary understanding of the historical facts, political situation or the designs of the church, NGOs and the Western powers. Tilak has a PhD, but so naive about the dangers Hinduism and in extension the country faces. I may add that people like Tilak are the problem for Hindus and India, not the solution. People like him facilitated India being invaded and broken into pieces with his goody-goody approach. I am sorry that I am being harsh on your statements. I could have written very mild and nuanced reply, but that won’t cut ice.

I am so sick and tired of listening to similar reasoning and arguments. These people live a ‘bubble’ and also in the comforts of their own environment and they preach ‘goody-goody’ argument for the rest of the Hindu community. The real life is not what people like Tilak portrays. It is very bad situation out there. No wonder India was ruled by British by just 2000 officers and 20,000 soldiers. We are so individualistic and divided. That’s the problem to start with. No sense of reading the complexity and no sense of reading the dangers we are in. No other community is this lazy, careless and totally idiotic. The philosophical non-sense Dr. Shrestha will only get us in deep trouble.

In case you haven’t so far, please take a trip to any of the 22 Arab countries, or Pakistan, Malaysia, Tibet, and China and see the world for yourself. You have no religious rights or personal rights that you can claim in India. Please seek permission to build a 10 x 10 feet size temple in Vatican or any of the Arab nations. Or for that matter ask for permission to put up a small cloth banner praising Hindu Gods. No permission would be granted to you. But, they would demand secularism and other rights only in India. There is no such thing as “equal respect” or reciprocity. So, please stop your non-sense of being apologetic or appeasing to people who ill treat you.

We need to learn and build good institutions. Political establishments, think-tank institutions on foreign policy, clear policy on NGOs and other law enforcement approach is what will take you to the next stage. It is only by intellectual approach you will progress. If not, there will be no intact India and there will be no religion called Hinduism in the next 100 years. That’s my viewpoint.

So, here we have another Congress, Left-liberal or AAP member talking about 2002 riots in Gujarat in this discussion. Mr. Rawat may be advised to read the SC judgment. Also, please google Vir Sanghvi’s blog in HT on Godhra train accident where 58 Hindu pilgrims were burned by a design. It was no accident.

Second, the Caste system is evil or not is a complex subject. it is suffice to say that it is more of a cultural issue and then ‘greed’ took over. British rule made it worse. Since Hinduism is not a ‘rigid’ religion, things will get fixed up itself as time goes on. Hindu second marriages are very common. Also common is that you see inter-caste, inter-state and inter-religious marriages in India. Thus, it is a dynamic society and will find solutions for its social problems.

Please stop spreading poison here. Go to AAP or a Congress website to do that.

Also read his various blogs, watch his numerous videos & read his first book, Invading the Sacred.

I’m not Hindu. I’m not a fan of politics; or Modi for that matter. I’m just a foreigner currently residing in India..And this article is great; because it portrays things as they are. not like many medias likes to showcase them.

Thank you for this informative article, Maria.

oh god. what a one sided story. nothing to take away from Hinduism but to portray that all is well is living in a hypocrite world. all humans treated equally! what about schedule tribes and schedule caste. is only an act of commission a crime. what about an act of omission. what modi did was wrong. but whats gone is gone. but he should have the courage to say sorry that was wrong. won’t happen again! please maria u need to go out more in India.

Hemant Vyas, please go & educate yourself about India & Hindus before the Bharat/Aryavarta & Sanatan/Vedic people were converted to India & Hindus by the western invasion & brutes…the caste system as you see today is their construct…you are no different from the rest of the Indian “dudes” who are so dumb as to believe all lies told by the white skinned people in English language. These days you are fortunate that you don’t have to do any research…all of it is already done, & published…but you are so lazy that you will go for the latest iPod/iPad, but not spend a penny of a second in investigating the truth about yourself…read the books by Rajiv Malhotra, to begin with…Invading the Sacred, Breaking India, Being Different, Indra’s Net, & watch his videos on YouTube or on his own site…you sure know how to do that…why don’t you do that before making the same lies that have been told by the British, the Muslims, & now by the Americans for the past 500 years, & all because booked like you are so praying to the gori chamdi talking angrezi?

Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma has thrived because of its open system of pluralistic philosophies and practices. The fact that there is no one single institutional authority to this vast system goes to prove that this system of enquiring reality has flowed perenially through many many sages, saints, bhakthas, Jnanis, jeevan mukhtas,siddhis, varakaris, paramahamsas, avataras etc.

No civilization has produced so many spiritual giants as Indian has been able to, in the past centuries. Why? It’s because of the inherent world view that divinity is within everyone and is not something to sought through an intermediary ,that allowed many siddhas to explore their inner and externally reality with a temperament that beats any so called scientists today. Our culture had spiritually evolved people engaged in all different human endeavours. This is how we were able to produce stalwarts in all areas of life , be it pragmatic or aesthetic ! The tragedy is Hindus have lost their backbone today. We are engaged in all kinds of pursuits, and are successful too , but our achievements are all contributing to the western paradigms. Our ancestors developed their brain potential through our technology, we still have that momemtum within us,( please read epigenetic studies ) and hence are able to thrive all over the world today. Our Varna system was a well thought through system to nurture genetic make up , which contributed to the development of arts, philosophies, trade, science and all kinds of diverse human enterprise. Where are we today ?

What stops Hindus to explore these inner sciences today? Western education, superficial aspirations, illusions of development and progress, are all suppressing the vast potential of inner development possible through our own technologies like vedas, yoga, tantra etc.

Instead of delving into these rich treasure troves , we have started to depend on a government , a person, a thought leader to stand for Dharma, to lift us all up. This is abject slavery, A deep structural problem we need to recognize, a legacy left behind the colonialists, that we need someone else to uphold dharma for us. We are living a disconnected and diluted life , and are expecting outside agencies to stand for our lost cause. I am sorry to say, an open system will not survive too long this way, We would be witnessing day light robbery right under our noses , if we do not take it on ourselves to be the architects in this open system! If we all take on the inner research and development through our wonderful technology of yoga, bhakthi,karma, and jnana , we can be anti virus agents, preventing all kinds of spies and viruses spamming or hacking our system !

Imagine a scenario, where, each and everyone of us took it upon ourselves to uphold Dharma in our own sphere of life. Each of us developing as yogis, poet sages,philosophers of sanatan dharma, artists, dancers, farmers who can apply and further evolve our Shastras in their own fields. I see this possibility, I hope for this reality, I dream of an India which can fearlessly declare as Swami Dayananda Saraswati logically puts it ” To be Hindu is to be Human” !

Dear Mr. Yahoo, although few points you mentioned may be correct, you just cannot push all Muslims out of this country just like that. However, if they wish to leave on their own, let’s welcome that.

We, in India, yet to understand the word ‘Secularism’. Does it mean pluralism? Does it mean multi religions in the same country? Nor does it mean bearing other religions. Being ‘secular’ means to respect other religion with the same way we do ours. It does not mean to bear all menace made by one religion to others. As far as our India is concerned, I don’t understand. why people were made confused status? The reality in India is, ‘bear all menace and nonsense by other religion by the major religion’ (the so called Hinduism), the people of this country think. This is because our destroyers (I mean past and present politicians, I don’t want to name some most worst past politicians, because of whom we are like today) who sent wrong notion and misinterpreted the word secularism. (Hope Ms. Maria Wirth may accept this).

My fellow Indians, lets change this scenario. We have weapon to use it now. You guessed right, yes it is your Vote. Please use it properly without selling it. Punish all those dirty destroyers (politicians) by voting against.

As far as my personal opinion is concerned, it is not education alone we need in Election Contestants but also character. Select such one irrespective of cast and creed or religion. I know the future of this country is lying in the hands of young generation (does not mean to vote RaGa like worthless people). It is time now to build this country vibrant to the rest of World,

WILL YOU GUYS?

Dear Maria,

I really enjoy reading yr blog! You are of the very few non-Indian Hindu that raises these contemporary issues, while others even Indians choose not to address.

I too always had the thoughts about why these very obvious issues are being neglected time & time again. I found no avenue except on commenting on several platforms which anyone hardly noticed or respond until I found yr blog. This is such a relief that at-least someone cares.

A new thought has arisen in my mind regarding cultural misappropriation, what is yr view??

P . S. I have no issues if anyone follows the Hindu faith, all are welcome and I embrace them whole heartedly!! But it would be preferred if one acknowledges it roots with respect.

Once again love yr site and may u have blessed life. Keep up the good work!!

Pls do keep in contact :-)))

Mradula – well, you seem to hell/heaven bent to call people names rather than substantiating your points with well thought through logical argument. My Hindu mind , with its penchant for logic, reasoning and intuition , tells me you are not worth debating as I doubt the legitimacy of who you really are!

Why is it that the Hindus “cannot just push the Muslims out of India?” No one in the whole wide human & secular & whatever other things they call themselves is doing any thing about Hindus being chased out of Pakistan, Bangladesh, & even from India itself…look at Kashmir, & parts of Kerala, & other small pockets of India where they have successfully outbred the Hindus? Don’t go around forcing only the Hindus to follow the secularism s*** you need to quit pushing the annihilate Hindus agenda & stop preaching self destruction to Hindus.

Mr. Yahoo, I can understand your feeling regarding the Hindus are pushed-out of the country or converted in Pakistan and Bangladesh forcibly. But did you think who is responsible for this?
Are we as general public for that? No, the past politicians, particularly Gandhis and Nehrus family. Where were general public in those time? Why we were (or our elders) kept mum when the Greater India was made into pieces as Pakistan and Bangladesh? The same is being done in proximate way in Kashmir and Malapuram Dist. in Kerala, why the Govt. of India or any political party is not taking any stringent action against these? There are many parts of North Eastern States being converted as Christian dominated slowly. Where you were (we all) all the time? Why we neglected the North Eastern States in the last 60 years? (However, now some minor improvements are taking place)

Do you think sending out all Muslims from this country will solve our problems?

What about Christians? Converting poor Hindus into their fold in a planned way?

How about Mulayam Singh Yadav like people who is always support the minorities with no reason but just for vote bank?

How about dominating these Western Culture in this country?

(Recently I have seen an advt. of Big Bazaar, where an elderly women who is wearing decent sari and purchasing an inner-wear like cloth to her grand daughter. The hight of this nonsense is the tag line says, ‘Badal raha hai India, Beautiful ho ra hai India’)

Do we need to learn the dress culture from Western People? Are we in such a poor stage? Why do we support these kind of Malls by purchasing materials from them? Why we do not oppose such TV channels which are not following some basic disciplines but aim only money on commercials?

Venting your anger on correcting these pitfalls will make this country bright. You can start your action right from your surrounding areas and extend further. If every Hindu takes care of his surrounding poor Hindus are being converted into other religion, that will do enough. Not merely stopping from conversion of those poor Hindus, but also help them financially / making some job opportunities etc., can be done.

Think something in positive way brother (may be sister).

I have yet to figure out the reason for these Indian Hindus to have so much hatred for their culture of origin that it blinds them even to the massive criminal & communal activities of those communities who are propagating the lies. Why is it that a western/modern/american style education makes a person so strongly resistant to seeing the truth? When will they see the light of the day & realize that they are actually suffering from a really serious case of Stockholm syndrome? And the problems that they are pointing in Hindus is not a problem in the Hindu Charm but in the people? And no instructions in a religion can make people follow them…just like the Christians…they do not follow even a single instruction given by Jesus, whose name they give to the religion & claim that he was the founder of christianity. These modern day Hindus pointing such accusations are really retarded & perverted. They have no problems with the Muslims & Christians robbing & raping the Hindu lands, people & culture but the moment Hindu stands up in self defense they come down on him abusing him of fundamentalism. Why is it that Hindus wanting to own their own country is “fundamentalism” &”extremism” but criminals killing us in our own land & we showing gratitude to them is the only “humane” & civilized act they acknowledge? We are people, & will fight to defend ourselves…regardless of these losers making a noise. It was such traitors who have always supported the invaders in India, & they & not RSS or Togadias who should be held accountable & in fact, accused of sedition & crime against humanity.

Absolutely correct and thanks a lot to let people try to know fundamentals of Hinduism. Hindu religion preaches ‘Sarva Dharma Sambhav’ which means all religions are the same, and believe in ‘Vasdhaiv Kutumbakam’ meaning the entire world should be a family. There is no hatred in Hinduism for other religions which is proved by the fact that Islam, Christianity, Zorasthrian etc all were permitted to be practised here.

Dear Maria,
I notice you haven’t replied to any of the comments before this – I hope you choose to respond to this. It is refreshing to see an optimistic take on all that is happening today. However, I couldn’t help but feel that your take on Hinduism was incomplete. As someone born in a Hindu family, I feel wary today on how Hinduism is being perceived and practised – let’s not forget that Hinduism, after all, is not a religion in itself.
I would love to talk to you at length on the subject. Looking forward to hearing from you.

‘@ps
don’t make false accusations
Maria Wirth

‘@ Yahoo!

Yaar, I got your point you mentioned in Malayalam saying!

What is the solution you are looking for? or want to establish? Have you anything to say about?

Do you want us behave like Nazrani and Kaakkanmar?

I am from India and I know that Hinduism does not preach violence. But how many Hindus or for that matter anybody of any religion know what they are supposed to believe and how many actually believe. Some statistics say that it could be 13 to 14%. So the rest are not bound by anything. Their behavior is not directed by any “ism”. This group is driven by mob mentality or animal instinct and could be dangerous. A visitor was told by the host that his unleashed dog will not bite. The visitor, still at the gate asked, you know that your dog will not bite and I agree, but does the dog know?

Regarding dogmatic religions, the less people believe what they are told to believe, the better. Voltaire made a valid observation: “Those who can make you believe in absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
As a Hindu, you may not know the dogmas of other religions. One important dogma is ‘we alone have the true religion and everyone has to join us”. This by itself is sufficient to sow discord if not worse.

Honored by your response. No religion can preach violence against another human being and still survive as it would clash with the conscience of man. ( Correct me if I am wrong.) It is those who are ignorant become vulnerable to bad influences (of those who are traditionally violent due historical reasons) resort to violence.

in reply to the comments, i support the reaction that hindus had against godhra train fire. anyone would do the same. its human reaction! what i am against is the chief minister not acting to stop the riots. he is suppose to be the state head. he should have risen above his personal beliefs and did his duty to protect both Hindus and Muslims. but he protected on one. that’s wrong. its like the president of India supporting if congress party because he was from congress. thats wrong.
@varntvar-nothing to take anything from hinduism. its a wonderful region but any person who does not see any defect in caste system and goes to length to support is not worth talking to. mate u need to get your head checked! really!

May I correct you, Sir? As Maria said, perhaps the hearts of most of the people would be good if their minds would not have been brainwashed with ideologies, let´s say abrahamic religions, who blind them to think that as theirs is the only right lens, and all the rest are mistaken, their moral duty is to convince the “wrong ones” by hook or by crook. Is it not violent then the conversions they do? christians and muslims? Those conversions come directly from the core of the dogma of these religions. And it does not clash with their conscience, because their conscience is blinded and obscured by the dogmas they have been inculcated. They think they are doing the right thing! And what those dogmas make them do, is for them acting according to their conscience. So they mistake imposed blind ideas by conscience. It is pure avidya, Sir.

‘@ Maria Lozano. Thank you so much. I did not consider conversion as we were on the topic of violence. In my opinion no Hindu or for that any matter anybody from any other religion will change his religion due to threat or money. Poor may do that for money but that would purely a temporary one. I am only talking about hurting and killing others. Even today just as I blog there is a news that there is a bomb blast in Chennai killing 6 ( may be more ). I don’t think any religion teaches this. These are done by ignorant, brainwashed people as you mentioned.

Who ever “thinks/believes” that no religion teaches/requires its followers the convert other people or kill the “nonbelievers” are either ignorant & live on another planet, or think that they are talking to idiots…

‘@ Maria Lozano thank you for the pains you have taken to explain!

Just an example (from the many that exist) that I just came to know: violence through disrespect; the Tagore’s Jana Gana Mana becomes Pope Benedict anthem. In google it will be found.
Poor girls…poor families….poor India!

If not a fundamentalist, can he be called a mass murderer? Intolerance to ither religion is the trait of a fundamentalist ,modi and his crony followers show every bit ofjt.gujarats dev record is nothing great, he is revered by the educated eople as he had openly proclaimedwar on muslims. Our ignorant masses think
Muslims = pakistan.

You seem to be the most ignorant. Looks like you are from RSS, uneducated people like you and modi make the majority community a laughing stock for the world. You completely fit the description of hindu fundamentalist.

For the last 10 yrs of rule by non hindu on top positions like Sonia congress pres and prime
minister a Sick and vice pres. a muslim and a foreign minister a muslim have destroyed the name
hindus and named them hindutva and anti govt. to keep away from them and getting closer to
muslims vote and other low cast separated by the congress and created the castism and quota
etc. for the votes and i hope they are lost the election wait to see the result. Hindus have been
downgraded by congress for ten yrs and they have to go and sonia has to go to italy with her son
and live there and open a pizza store and have a good life working hard and with all the looted
money from india. I hope her soninlaw is arrested and put in jair with his wife mol and bil.
I donot want hear the name of gandhi in politics or nehru again in politics. they did not do anything
for the country and they got punished for that by god. That is all.

How do you justify burning Hindus, children and women, in the train…that too without provocation? As a responsible citizen, think of how to prevent such things in the future.

You seem to have a sick mind, your comments is spiced with racial remarks? How in this world do you even consider yourself normal? This is definitely fundamentalism , have you ever heard about humanity? We are humans first, religion is your personal choice, get rid of this caste system. You stink.

You are right. Its not a well publicized fact that by and large Hindus are vegetarians. Even the non-vegetarian Hindus avoid meat on 2 days of the week ( tuesdays and thursdays ). Infact KFC has gone vegetarian in Hindu india. This itself is a big win for vegetarianism

Well Mr. Nail Truth, if you think what had happened in you life is the only truth, sorry you have to come out of your house and see the rest of the world. The world is spread of untruthfulness and cheating.

I have seen numerous occasions in my life where Christian Missionaries came to poor and helped them with clothes, food and even money that too in a regular manner. I was also in the impression that they are the true followers of God. Later I came to know that all these poors to go Church to collect supplies and money, after some time they were asked to attend the mass during Sundays and later support of these items were given. Then, they were slowly seasoned that their names were added with a suffix or prefix names of Christians (e.g. David Sundar, Amala Rosi, etc.) One who wants really help the poor will never ask to do so. What if, the needy is Christian or Muslim or Hindu?

Having taken this subject, let me also say one more thing. I am just saying this because to understand what is true nature of help. I have been donating my blood for last 16 years (at least 3-4 times in year). Most of my donation was given to Muslim patients and of course few Christians and Hindus too. I never stepped aback when a Muslim patient’s relatives’ phone call came for blood requirement, not I ever asked them their religion or caste. I never expected any phone call, from whom I have donated my blood, to thank me. My nature was to help and point ends there, but that is not the case in many Christian’s Missionaries in India (even in Africa and other some Asian countries) whether you accept or not, this is the truth. Now you decide yourself how far you are true to God and the this human race. By the way, I did not find truth was nailed in your comments.

As far as threatening someone to convert is considered, you must read the correct history of Muslims rule in India from the beginning (dont read in the text books made by pseudo and hypocrite educationists/politicians in India).

Syed, you say what Modi was wrong. But till date, did any Muslim say that what happened in Godhra Station was, well preplanned mass murder? Why no Indian Muslim says, if Godhra incident had not happened, there would not have been any such incident as 2002 and there would have been no reason to criticise Modi. When Muslims kill, it is “as per Islam, Jihad” and if Muslims are killed, even as a spontaneous outburst after provocation by Muslims’ acts, its called mass murder. Can all you Muslims put together answer/justify all the killings/forcible conversions of Hindus into Islam, in India & Pakistan? None less than MJ Akbar’s Grand Father was forcibly converted to Islam. Several Mosques have been demolished in Saudi Arabia, to make way for roads/development where Islam is followed to the last word. But if Muslim Graveyard is to be shifted, to make wider road, for whole Country, Muslims create great furor and shout their minorities rights are suppressed. Do Muslims in India want to say, land for the Dead is more important than road for the living? Why this is not followed in Saudi but only in India?

You should know lot more about HInduism to talk about SC or ST. They are following particular profession (just like Saudi King’s son becomes Saudi King & Saudi Mullah’s son becomes Mullahs) There is law that SC,ST’s will take rebirth as SC,ST or other Caste people take rebirth in the same caste. It all depends on what he does/Karma in this life. Thats why Hinduism teaches to do good things and Islam does not teach such principles. Islam teaches only hatred towards other religions and Fatwa. And worst of all, Fatwa is not followed uniformly. It is totally biased.

One lady who worked as English Interpreter for one of Saudi Princess commented that when these Royal family females visit England, France, US, they offer themselves to enjoy sex, to any one they like. And this is highly guarded open secret. The Royal Kings dont take it seriously, as long as it does not come out, because they also do the same thing when they go out of Saudi
and other Islamic Countries.

These are all the great Islamic Principles.

Mr. Balaji
1. I was not a Christian when I received help.( to make my point that Christians also help every one). Even now there are so many Christian hospitals and educational institutions open to all and you know that.
2. There was no compulsion on me to become a Christian. As I told you I made a conscious decision much later. Some of my relatives remained as Hindus too. Again how can another individual exercise force on someone to change religion? You are talking Muslims rule in India which both of us have not seen and not relevant now. By the way have you really come across any Christian who was converted forcibly?

We accepted the help that came without any sting attached and got educated and started living a decent life. The other option was to remain as tribal even now. There was no other help coming forth from any other quarter. What would you have done in our situation?

I have no hesitation in appreciating your helping others irrespective of their background.

Hi thanks for your questions. From what I understand , every religion has it’s fundamentalist followers. Those who have issued fatwa are a minority few, those who kill people in the name of jihad are fools, no religion preaches harm against innocents. The broader majority who are humans need to understand and neglect such fools, media coverage, money and power is what such people want.Salmam, Katrina and others are free to follow any belief, it’s their choice not to follow Islam . Please stop separating humanity in the name of religion like Modi , jihadist , Jews and rss

Mr. Balaji
You have made many assumptions. The only thing that happened that was different than before is that I was prompted to read the Bible. Here too, you know that nobody can force anybody to read something except parents and teachers. After reading and after seeing another fellow Indian’s ( higher caste) life changing from arrogance and pride to love and kindness, I took a conscious decision.
Are you telling me that I was wrong in accepting this help to improve myself and I should have remained a tribal?
Also please search your heart and see why such kindness is not coming from anybody else even if it is with a motive as you assume? Even now in tribal areas it is only Christians who go and help and none else.
And I must tell you that till date who ever helped me have not received a single benefit from me except the fact that I have become a Christian after a period of time and I am helping people like me.
If you think that this addition going to help anybody, tell me, has the fact that Hindus are 80% of the population helped you in any way or the fact Christians being the majority in the world has helped me? It does not matter a bit.
If you really want to know why Christians show this love, it is this. If you found something worthwhile, would you not tell someone you care? If it is really worthwhile and if you really care for your friend I bet you would do. If you dare to read the Bible, you will know why.

You have mentioned that all Hindus consider everyone as brothers. Then can you explain the caste system in India. And what about Honour Killing in Nothern India. If a guy from lower caste marries a girl from higher caste they are killed for the honour of their family and vice versa. And what about the nuns raped in Bihar a few years ago. And St. THOMAS who came to Southern India was murdered. That time there was only Hinduism. It is very easy to manipulate illiterate and ignorant masses. But this generation hopefully will not fall prey to your dubious schemes.

Thank you so much Maria for such a compassionate, understanding and veritable accounting of Hindu religion. It is true that Hindus have been at receiving end of forced and induced conversion to other religions for centuries – particularly in to Islam and Christianity. Sikh religion born out of Hindu religion in retaliation to forced conversion of Hindus to Muslims and of course against the Moghul (Islamic) occupation of India.

I, and many other Hindus are eternally grateful to you for writing what we should have written everyday of the past centuries.

Ashok Manglick

Herzlichen Dank. Es freut mich, dass jemand Hinduismus so anschaut und über Indien so positiv schreibt. Es tut meiner Seele wirklich gut solche Artikel zu lesen. Seit 17 Jahren (ich lebe hier seit 17 Jahren) höre ich fast jeden Tag nur schlechte Meinungen, schlechte Nachrichten über das Land meiner Geburt und ich kann so was nicht mehr ertragen.

Mir fehlen die Worte. Es tut meiner Seele so gut.

Vielen herzlichen Dank und dazu entschuldige ich mich als gebrürtiger Inder für die Wortwahl oben von einem Landsmann von mir!

Herzliche Grüße
Suren

Excellent write up, Maria! You have given expression to the thoughts of countless peace loving hindus like me who are sick and tired of being labeled fundamentalists when we speak anything about our faith.

About western media – one Osama gave them the right to paint Islam as fundamentalist. Modi’s so called acts during Gujrat riots helped them paint Hinduism as fundamentalist. Surprisingly, no one links Christianity with Hitler, Stalin or Churchill who were responsible for deaths of millions.

Well informed & well explained info.

Agar duniya ko kahin aur kabhi shaanti milleggi tau woh Na tau
Christianity (selfish & hidden agenda religions to loot) aur na hee
cruel Muslim (religion of chief of cruelity)
se millegi.
MILLEGGI AUR MILLEGI SIRF
SANATAN Dharm se (religion of looking about whole humanity & environment, thats why badic is yo be Vegetarians).

Aap logg charcha ko chalne do bas appne aap
AMRIT(Nectar) aa jayegga aur dustt rakas dharmon ka antt ho jayegga.
kyonki sachai tau sirf nisswarthee hokar hee ho sakti hai.

Kerp it up

hey Bro. max Muller was a person due to whom the world can know the cultural history of India n ancient knowledge of Vedas….. yeah there r so many mistakes in translation of Vedas by max Muller but its due to our orthodox pandit’s who never preached true meaning of Vedas to common man……
just read a book ‘ what India can teach us’ n u will change ur opinion….

syed bhai,, how can you say with conviction modi did not try stop the riots?! he asked for army help immediately and also police help from neighbouring congress ruled states. i do not blame you my friend.. you have been reading distorted biased paid media reports by congress all these years. If he was so guilty, he would have been in jail given the sustained legal campaign against him. But do not worry, the real sons of soil and people among commoners are taking charge of the nation soon and acche din aane wale hain sabke liye.

well said Prashant ji
Aabhaar

Very well fitted reply by Srinivasa.
THANKS for that.
Innhe appni girebaan mein jhankna chahiye, ki innki society kaisi garrat mein ja chukki hai.
Beta tak tau baap ki baat choddo, koi bhi kissi ki baat nahin maanta.

Par innhonne appni poori community ko bade acchey se dhakk rakha hai bas.
Want to be in touch if you think so, my email is poodave@gmail.com

May be they were not the mistakes of the Hindu Pandits of that time. May be it was done deliberately by tmax meuller with the evil intent. The evil genius of the Christians is very proven fact, looking at their history of committing atrocities across the world & then labeling them as “activities to save humanity”

Mr Nail Truth, The problem with the missionaries is 1. Their intention in extending help/charity. If as you say, its a transaction like a shopkeeper , then it hardly qualifies as charitable event. 2. The severe sense of obligation heaped on the beneficiary. You also seem to be a victim of that sense of obligation. 3. The covert denunciation of Hindu religion and superiority of Christian beliefs.
These are my observations from studying in a missionary school and although I am grateful to the school for the quality education, I cannot forgive how they tried to influence, mould and humiliate me when I was just a child. You can say why my parents send me to that school and I would agree. No one from my generation wants to .

Bhai Syedtausifahmed,

Did any Muslim in any other country say that they have committed anything wrong when anything like riots or unlawful act took place in their territory?

Did Pakistan or Afghanistan leaders feel sorry when Osama was hiding in these two countries after killing thousands of innocents? Did they apologise for any attack on any country even when the links pointed out towards their countries?

Therefore it means Muslims are the worst religion where they expect others to apologise but they can never bend down when its their fault. Whether it is their fault or not, Hindu’s should apologise. What a radical thought you have.

Im truly inspired by your writing.. So logical and clearly explained.
I sometimes want to say so much, but can hardly put it in words like you do.
Im a fan now! 🙂

Christians help everyone….anything else you want to tell that is unswallowable?

I request you to give lectures on Ancient Indian Wisdom to Indians.

Nail truth ,
Your writings proves to everyone here that you are viewing India through a secular lens ! “Indian secularism is not secular “! All the realities you have mentioned are real in a limited way . You are missing the bigger reality, the true history of India . How many temples were ruthlessly demolished in the course of 600 years of Muslim invasion ? Innumerable. How many people have been forcefully converted to Christianity in India . Infinite numbers! Try to visualize the same missionaries operating today in north America or Europe . It’s not possible there , why ? Building roads around temples is poor town /city planning. That says to me a deep lack of respect by people at the helm of affairs , towards Hindu culture. Intolerance to the core . Books /films being banned is a reality yes . But , what messages are these books and films trying to say – “your culture and religion is primitive , you need us ( western interventions) to become civilized ” . Corruption , look at the history of corruption in different countries ! May be some doors would open ! And you are saying that you do not have the freedom to criticize Hinduism , while doing it right here ! Another illusion ! So many illusions seem like absolute realities when one wears a myopic lens that does not even belong to you . ( if you happen to be an Indian ) , if you are a westerner , you might be clueless that you even have a lens !

First thing Hindus never say about anything
UNSWALLOWABLE
coz they swallowed & believe in
VASSUDEV KATUMBAKAM
&
Not to kill just for selfishness.
but Western wirld gone firstly to loot everyone then want to change their believings (as that is their New INDUSTRY to loot indirectly).
Hare Krsna movement which spreads every where in the world & the western religions started thinking them as a BIGGEST THREAT so that why indirectly started putting their spies into it to DEFAME them.

FURTHER the original question is
ARE HINDUS DANGEROUS
pl just reply on that point only

(as Everyone in the world knows that yhey are not at all DANGEROUS)
not just drift the topic.

Akhila
I never said Indians are worse than others in tolerance. I just said there is no need to pat their back and say they are better as Indians are just like anybody else in the world. Intolerance surfaces in India more ( see the facts I have mentioned which you too have concurred ) because of poor governance in India.
Tolerance is accommodating others. Those who are intolerant don’t accommodate others and other’s views and justify the wrong even bring old history for that. You have just done that.

I went to a Christian School where nobody else started a school because it is backward area. 90% of Indians live in those areas. The type of schools where you said your children will go to, will offer any help in backward areas. Can you tell me the reason ? Only service minded people can do that. You are talking of a privileged category and I am talking of majority Indians who can either take help from the ones who offer help or remain backward.
Our family chose the to take help from the Christians who offered help and we all got educated and are on equal footing with people of the privileged class.
You said ” I cannot forgive how they tried to influence, mould and humiliate me”. Are you talking of conversion by force or luring ?
Conversion by force or luring is an illusion. Many have mentioned that apart from you. Nobody can be made to believe in their heart something by force. It is humanly not possible. I challenge anyone to try changing someone’s beliefs by force or luring?
In my case I read the Bible on my own and I chose what to believe.

Good Article.

Where did the missionaries get the money to build hospitals and schools? They get funds from rich western countries, my friend, and that too in sacs that is obscene to imagine. The Vatican is granted a full statehood. Why, may I ask you? Can you imagine our Shankaracharya or any other religious leaders being granted the status of a head of nation? Do you know what happens to the donation that comes to Hindu temples? The government hogs it all, unlike the minority institutions whose funds are never audited. The plan is so well hatched that the gullible poor don’t get a sniff of what the actual game is about. The evangelists feel that it is their life’s work well done if even one family joins their fold. So the conversion itself is a reward for them. They are spreading a slow poison and hook the likes of your family. Its a long term goal. And poor families like yours are not to be blamed. The powers that be in India are not bothered about these aspects of the social fabric. For more than 60 years the party ruling India has had a dubious record as far as Hinduism is concerned. Nehru, for various reasons, fancied himself above petty matters like religion. whether to believe his questionable lineage ( some stories suggest that his ancestor was Ghyasuddin Ghazi, who took up the name Gangadhar Nehru to avoid persecution by the British during the 1857 ‘sepoy mutiny’.) or not is a matter for personal take.So the situation has been fomenting and Hindu bashing is going on with nobody really being bothered to take the initiative to counter the evil. That’s why the noblest religion on earth, that actually advocates worship of nature and mother earth, the only real GOD that we have, is projected as paganism and is subjected to humiliation. Yes, I am proud to be a Hindu and no, I don’t believe in 33 crore demigods or ‘devtas’ as our scripture colourfully describes. I, however, refuse to be bogged down by conventional definition of secularism and hope that this time round, indeed, there is Modi sarkar and the pride of the land is restored, astu.

It is unfortunate that people without any knowledge on India , Hindus ,culture ,5000 years history, not reading the beautiful scriptures,contribution to any field to name a few astronomy ,astrology,science n tech ,environment ,ecology ,living in total harmony etcetc freely comment on most tolerant race on planet called earth!!

Hindus were never engaged inthe activities of slavery ? A shame on human race was promoted by whom ?.we never expanded with sword in one hand .

The fact remains that Islamic fundamentalist are biggest threat to humanity and any one trying to safeguard from such evil are labeled as Fundamentalist ….The same BJP gave India finest president called Dr Abdul Kalam a Muslim !! Where as so called secular Congress always gave India presidents without any merits . I don’t wish to name them , as list is big enough.

All great contributors of last 2 centuries from any field trans border ,caste ,faith have immensely benefitted from one single book called Bhagvat Gita . I request so called secularist to read a few pages to understand the soul of Humanity .

Modi is feared by the west for one single reason —- India n all Indians becoming strong and a super power …..My Gujarat every one has prospered incl Muslims . Visit Gujarat meet Muslim business community to know their honest unbiased views . Yet if some one feels unsecured ,not safe in Modi India ,he she it free to leave India ….

Sunil shah

Maria you are just amazing.
Sunil shah

‘@ Dr. Apuva Vora, Davinder and others who have posted about conversion
You think poor people can be taken for a ride by Christians.
Try cheating a poor man for 10 Rs.
Try cheating children. They will Google and find out.
You will find out nobody is a fool who can be taken for a ride as you may think.
Information is freely available and nobody can take another for a ride.
Belief is something personal and not visible and outwardly it cannot be seen.
Christians help
Bible says more than 100 times that destitute, widows and orphans and poor should be helped.
Help those who cannot give back in anyway.
Help in a way none other knows (what your right hand gives should not be known to the left hand.)
Many people, especially women, poor and rich, while undergoing pain and suffering can confidently go to a Christian organisation where they don’t get exploited. Is there any alternative in India honestly?
Christian giving
Christians are told to give till it pinches.
Give those who cannot return.
Don’t loan money for interest.
If all the religions had practiced this, India would not be leading in the list of poor countries. There will not be such disparities.
Christian Healing
You may or may not believe this. A close friend of mine was referred to Tata Hospital for advanced treatment for stomach cancer. Tata hospital discharged him saying that it was terminal (no cure). You all know that if Tata hospital says not possible then there is no cure.
He met some Christian and they prayed for him and he got healed completely. He is still living even after many years.
This is only one in a million case.
Christian Salvation (what to do if you sin)
Salvation through Jesus died and paid the penalty for all.
Salvation for all who believe, not just Christians.
It is free and does not involve money and the poor too can get it as they need not spend money on going to pilgrimage or on rituals.
Christians tell others about this only out of love just as you tell a person you care where you can get something good. Who would not tell others if what they have got is real and true? If you got something good, you definitely tell your friend whom you care for. You don’t do that if what you got is no big deal or if you don’t care for your friend.

These are the reasons why people get converted.

But I must tell you that there are Christians who are ritualistic, emotional and ignorant. When I say Christians I am not generalising here. This is about those who know what they believe and also follow what they believe.
Fianny all of you mind that Christian population remains at 4% or so. The conversion only makes up the population growth in other religions.

‘@ Maria
Sorry for being repetitive. But you must notice that all your blogs, whatever may be the topic you start with goes towards venting out anger against other religions.
I hope and believe that your intention is not that.
Communal clash in India affects the country very much and puts the minorities in danger.
Here you must know that Hindus are in minority in other countries (especially in Muslim countries where they have gone earn their living and it will affect them too.) This blog is open to other countries too.
Hope you would moderate your blog in such way that it is not used to vent out anger and hatred.

Coming to your question, did know your Bible well before you took a decision to change your religion?
In all fairness you should have done that then you can answer this yourself.
Bible says there will be many surprises when you go to heaven. Jesus says that the first will be the last and the last will be first.
That is, you may find bishops and Church authorities missing there in heaven and the one who thought who was not a Christian will be there in heaven.
It is not based on the tag you wear as a Christian or Hindu or Muslim but by obtaining your forgiveness based on the belief that Jesus died for our sins and changing the life confirming to your conscience. (See here, no change of names,no need to read anything, no need to go to Church, no need to pay money anywhere. As you are).

By the way I must tell you we knew about Jesus Christ directly through His disciple Thomas who came to south India and a small piece of his bone is preserved. This is history and you don’t have to think that we came to know through western countries.

Having explained, I request you to explain what Hindu religion teaches about the destiny of the one who does not know Hindu rituals and does not worship any the idols. Or one who is not a Hindu.
Also what happens to the one who does not believe in Muslim truth according to Muslim faith?
You will see that Christianity is more inclusive.
Bye.

In the very first post of Ms. Wirth(Proud to be educated) that I read she says
‘ It is amazing that Indians still don’t have the confidence to stand by their own wisdom’.
And ” It seems that only when it is very obvious that the west appreciates something Indian, will Indians also appreciate”
Here I see a European Catholic studying Sanatana Dharma and giving her views while the comments are bending backwards to praise her for the effort. (I have no personal grudge but am amused) The exact same thing that she says, namely when a westerner/European is saying things about our age-old Dharma all of a sudden we are sitting up, taking notice and marveling at the wisdom…All that is being said is readily available in many vernacular languages also, for everyone to read in all of our scriptures, texts etc. We are being lazy and indolent when we do not make any effort to study them but want ready-made interpretations. Even those readymade interpretations are there in the various Bhashyas written by glorious sages and saints mostly intuited at a very deep level. It is high time, we the Indians if we feel sincerely about our own religion, sacrifice time, money and efforts to learn and practice our religion to the best of our ability.
Secondly, I feel we always tend to just live on past glory. But we have to live in the here and now. If the average Indian (read Hindu) is so proud of it, why don’t they practice it in daily life. Why not follow our rituals and traditions, most of which help in purification of heart and gradual erosion of Ego–two things mandatory for spiritual development as per our religion? Instead, everyone mostly, finds excuses when it comes to implementation, When this mentality goes and also the mentality of depending on or getting facts about Hinduism from non-Indian material we will be truly making efforts of our own to see our country and its religion/heritage from our own perspective. History is proof that due to excessive accommodation in the name of principles of Sanatana Dharma, we got royally skinned by successive marauding countries. Hence it is imperative we make our own efforts to rediscover and reconnect with our religion and not depend on translations and interpretations by westerners or other outsiders.

Yahoo! Well said! Hundred percent agree with you.

This article http://mariawirthblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/ ‘Proud to be educated?’ was published already some years ago in Garhwal Post and I put it on the net only in Dec. 2012. At that time, the awareness was still much less than today, at the start of Baba Ramdev’s untiring effort to make Indians aware of their treasure.
Right now I would add one more point regarding education, about which I feel strongly ever since I teach a small boy English. But I did not get down doing it yet:.it is: WHY English Medium schools at all. I don’t mean not to learn English. I also learnt English but never went to an English Medium school (there are none in Germany except for expats. In case you agree that is an important point, maybe you could take it up? On the other hand, since I am in India since 34 years, maybe you could consider me as half Indian?

There is nothing wrong with learning English, but there is everything wrong with using English to smother all the languages native to our country…In my opinion, up til 5th grade, or age 12, all children must learn Hindi & their regional language, choosing one or the other as the first language. Once in 6th, they should be introduced to English…It will be easier for them to learn it because their brains have become more mature by this age & the ground work of their 2 languages has already been set in their mind & brain.They will pick up English very fast…yes, the one condition is that the teachers teaching English should be good teachers, with good command over English, & the quality must not be compromised. This will have manifold advantages…the next generation will be conversant in more than one language, will have a sense of extra achievement, pride in their identity, heritage, & diverse nature, & will be very much at home in the globalized world too…I grew up in that system…the only disadvantage I noticed there was the bad teachers who were teaching English in the Hindi & vernacular medium schools…I was lucky though that the Hindi medium school I went to for a short time had English teachers who were really good. And that is how it should be.

Elvis Jacob Jee,
Namaste!
Really? It means you do not know Christianity. Let me help.
Truth is – good people go to heaven, bad people go to hell. On the contrary, Christianity states, “All Christians go to heaven, no matter how evil. And all others go to hell, no matter how virtuous.”
Please read the bible yourself, with both eyes open.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. But he who does not believe is condemned already.
Accordingly, all your non-Christian ancestors are in hell. Is it true? Do you agree?
Let me tell you, they were virtuous and are in heaven.

What is up with people saying that christianity promotes violence and criminal behaviour….. Christianity is based on the bible and the bible nowhere prmotes any sort of violence…!! Mahathma Gandhi himself followed the principles of what was written in the bible because of the fact that it was based on one and one fact only, i.e, LOVE..!!

Elvis Jacob Jee,
Namaste!
Jesus is claimed to be the ‘Christ’, as understood by Jews then. That is – he is King of Jews, not God or son of God, came to free Jews from Roman colonization. The Christian definition evolved later, with no regards to who Jesus really was or what he actually said.
Any way, how can a person be ‘true?’ Only a fact may be true or not. Delhi cannot be true. ‘Delhi being capital’ is true. I am sure you are intelligent enough to understand the difference.
Dumbest idea behind Christianity is that one person’s crime can be transferred to another. Whole of Christianity stands on this nonsense. Adam Eve commits crime, whole humanity is guilty. We can pass our crimes to Jesus and he suffers. Absolute nonsense. Crime and punishment is not transferrable.
Another dumb idea as the edifice of Christianity is that a ‘belief’ does produce something tangible. No, a belief, true or not, does not make any difference. That is merely because somebody believes ‘Jesus is Christ’, true or not, hisher crimes do not fly off to Jesus 20 centuries ago.
Here are a few lessons on Christianity.
A. Jesus’s life and burial place in India and his teachings.
1. Parallels between Gautama Buddha and Jesus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallels_between_Gautama_Buddha_and_Jesus
2. BBC Documentary – Jesus was a Buddhist monk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YbUEZfJJaQ&feature=related
3. Buddhism and Christianity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Christianity
4.Jesus as a Reincarnation of Buddha
http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen045.html
5. Jesus in India – life and burial place
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNRLKDLJnX0&feature=related
6. BBC Documentary – Jesus in India
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiy5uY3Iw2s&feature=fvwrel
7. Govt of India Documentary on Jesus in Kashmir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9w-xJfSOyc&feature=related
B. Jewish Rabbis explain, ‘Jesus is not Christ.’
8. Why Jesus is not Christ. Rabbi Shraga Simmons, AISH.
http://www.aish.com/jw/s/48892792.html
9. Reasons why Jesus is not Christ. Rabbi Julius Ciss, Jews for Judaism.
http://www.youtube.com/user/JewsforJudaismCanada?v=49l-g_TtGhI
10. Trinity vs. Unity. Rabbi Michael Skobac, Jews for Judaism.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OnwZIuFjwA&feature=c4-overview&list=UU5qG9wUJNISCbVF8AVp7-xw
11. How to answer a Christian Missionary, Jews for Judaism.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvpD3FFa_0Y
C. Christianity’s crimes against humanity.
12. Inquisition and torture tools, 50 million tortured to death.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx8PdvOELvY
13. Discovery Channel – Machines of Malice – The Inquisition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bci-cAGMwts&feature=related
14. Millions of Native Americans were Killed by Christians – Hopi Chief
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLe1SqHtihA
15. American Holocaust of Native American Indians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTrbVf6SrCc&feature=related
D. Objective study of Bible and Christianity.
16. Bible scholar, Prof. Bart Ehrman, University of North Carolina, leaves Christianity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6PWFvzKl3I&feature=related
17. The truth about Bible exposed by a Bible scholar, Prof. Bart Ehrman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-1hdqNDQ9E&feature=related
18. Christian Delusion – Dr. Richard Carrier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28PjVaW4kKI&feature=fvwrel
19. Dr. Richard Carrier, Rapture Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=l-Xg4zFQyqY
20. Debunking the Jesus Myth, Prof. Robert M. Price, Ex-Baptist minister,
Johnnie Coleman Theological seminary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMUYRV4NXJg&feature=related
21. The core of the Jesus myth – Christopher Hitchens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMo5R5pLPBE&feature=related
22. Penn & Teller – Bible, real facts, Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwQyEL9lzSw&feature=related
23. Penn and Teller – Creationism, Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OOYLEDKDh0&feature=related
24. Prof. Richard Dawkins – The God Delusion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMqTEfeqvmM
25. The God Delusion – Prof. Richard Dawkins, Part 1/5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVr9bJ8Sctk&feature=related
26. Prof. Richard Dawkins on Christian doctrine of blood atonement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xceAHNgG4
27. Dr. Sam Harris on Christianity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcO4TnrskE0&feature=related
28. Real proof that Jesus was not real
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwrel&NR=1&v=ljRKhZ81aqY
29. Jesus did not exist, Part 1/7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB4zYq4DmLo&feature=related
30. “Did Jesus Exist?” Dr. Richard Carrier (Funny with x rated language)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX4LvKvIWJw&feature=related

Youre just blaberring smething for the sake of an argument…. U have no idea what christianity is and yet, u act like u do….. You just see a few things that happen here and there and then u come to a conclusion and a judgement…… The foundation of christianity is the bible…. Read it properly first and then draw conclusions before you point out at other relegions…..There are a lot of things i could say about hindus the way u talk about christians but yet i do not want to bring that up cause i am not a hindu and i chose to believe that ther is more to it than what i just see from people around me….. So i do not want to make a judgement….. There is absolutely no justification that any christian can make if he commits a sin…. Cause the bible is against sin…. God being holy cant stand it in the first place…. So christianity is definitely not what you think it is……
If you want to go ahaed and support hinduism, thats fine… But stop accusing other relegions…

Jacob Jee
Namaste!
The statement ‘Jesus is the only way to heaven’ is nonsense. Actually, he never said that. It was written much later as if he said so. However, who cares who said when? The very idea that only Christians go to heaven and others go to hell is absolute ridiculous. Truth is ‘Good people go to heaven. Bad people go to hell.’ It does not matter what religion you belong to. But you will not be able to reconcile the truth with nonsensical Church doctrine. That is called brain washing.
As I wrote before crimes and punishments are not transferable. Otherwise, we do not need any court or prison. Jesus has already paid for it. By the way, how does it work? If you still a chicken tomorrow, do you e-mail to Governor Pontius Pilate 2,000 years ago, and he then gives a few more lashes to poor Jesus as the substitute punishment for your crime?
Tilak

THE BIBLE IS A BOOK THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. ITS AUTHOR IS PRESENT WHEN YOU READ IT. SO THE CHALLANGE IS ARE YOU WILLING TO READ IT…

Thats the problem… youre making ur statements on a few infos that you got from some books and from some other source…. you have got it wrong…. There are many christians itself who tell the same thing that only christians will go to heaven…… but thats wrong because most of them just read bits and pieces of the bible and then they go on proclaiming wrong things…. trust me, that is not what the bible says…. there is more to it. God is a righteous and a just God…. So he wont just throw eveyrone into hell as he wants….. His ways are holy and righteous…. Infact, Jesus hated religion…. So he never said anything about only Christians going to heaven….. If christians don’t live according to the will of God, neither are they going to heaven……. But it is true that Jesus is the only way to heaven…. And like I said before…. There is an exemption for those people who havnt known Jesus….. God wil judge them according to how they led their life……… And he is not just gona throw them into hell….. So try and read the bible and figure out the truth for yourself …. dont judge too soon……

and as for Jesus dying on the cross… No, pontious pilate does not hit him everytime we commit a sin… This is how it is…. God being holy couldn’t tolerate sin…. As it is said, “The wages of sin is death”….. and so everyone had to make sacrifices as an offering to God because blood was the only way out for man from sin…. but Since God loved us so much he wanted to find a permanent solution and so he himself came down as a man and shed his own blood for us on the cross for all the sins that was and that is to come….. I dont think that is dumb…. I think that just shows his unending love for us…. Why would the creator of the entire universe want to come down from his throne and die for such sinful tiny little people like us…. But yet he did it…. That just shows his love and the main essence that the bible speaks of, ie… LOVE..!! God is love..!! That is his greatest commandment…. To always love one another and to even bless your enemies and pray for them.

To all my Christian friends here: please be aware that the dogmas of your belief can never be verified. you are free to believe them, but also see that it is rather difficult to believe them, unless one hears about them already in childhood when one does not yet question what one is told as truth.
Voltaire’s quote
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities”….
i would like to stop this thread now.

Similarly, the dogmas of evry relegion including hinduism is hard to believe until someone really sits and ubderstands it…. So i would like to conclude by saying that every relegion has its own pros and cons…. Stick with whichever you chose , but stop judging each other if you really cant take the time understabd another relegion…..

Thank you Maria for initiating this…. 🙂

Elvis Jee
Namaste!
Yes, some doctrines can be verified. However, we need to pay attention to the central and defining doctrines.
Hinduism: Theory of Karma “Every action has equal and opposite reaction” is proven by Scientist Newton. You may test yourself in any physics laboratory.
Christianity: Sins committed by Adam “original sin” spreads like virus to all humanity. Original sin plus personal sins of individual Christians are already paid by Jesus. It is repudiated by Christian nations by forming courts and prison. If all their crimes were already paid by Jesus, is there any need of court and prison?

You said: “We must rely on none but ourselves”

Perhaps you should reconsider your view as who you include in “ourselves”. Perhaps “ourselves” should include whoever defends the cause no matter her/his nationality but how honest and involved is in the cause. Otherwise, you will be practising sheer racism.

Haven´t you realised that she UNDERSTANDS and CONVEYS the cause FROM an INDIAN HINDU perspective itself? I can tell you that I have seen in my life many hindu indians much less hindu and much less indians than her.

If Maria had changed her name by some indian one, nobdoy will read her with NOT PREJUDICED lens. Then nobody would mind if she had her indian mother in Germany who reads the news for her. And they would see the content more than the container.

By the way….seeing “ourselves” would mean having the enough viveka to distinguish between who are “them” and who are “us”.

And please, Gandhi did not need anything out of Christianity, when his own tradition much more ancient is pervaded of Pure Love if well understood!!! Instead of the childish dualistic divisions of good and bad, friends and enemies, which just divide the world, it teaches about ONENESS.

Learn in profoundity by yourself and not only what the pastor or the priest says. If you learn from biased sources, you can only get biased results.

This is the price muslims paid for civilizing an uncivilized bunch of jokers.Neither do u believe in God, multi Gods is a joke man grow up!!. Nor do you have a civilized life… treating women like dirt and caste system how much more do you want to fall. Nobody forced conversion, we protected the masses from the brahmans who were the hypocrites. To portray somebody as special.. what a racist religion!! 90% of tourism is based on whatever the true Indians built and you have the nerve to cal them outsiders. The mughals hadalready spent centuries here after babur was invited by another king to rule India due to the infighting. You changed history to say that he invaded, thats what a brrahman RSS does, change history and create divisions to rule. Shivaji was a crook and jailed and he is a hero.. what a joke.

‘@Maria Lozano, I see that you are accusing me of racism in a not-so-subtle fashion. I would like you to tell me any country in the world that depends on foreigners to create a revival of the native religion…excluding of course, missionaries and jihadis? Would French go to say, Portugal and teach them Christianity?? Just because the French are Christians too? Even if they knew the local language, how effective would that be?
The idea is that unless the movement is started at the grassroots level, in a sustained fashion, by yes, our own people for a long time, permanent change cannot be affected. The percentage of people who read blogs in a predominantly rural India is very less. So, the reach is simply NOT there.
For eight centuries we have had peoples after peoples forcing their way into our country whether for invasion, plunder, conversion, massacre, trade or rule. Perhaps it is best to leave India and Indians alone at long last to sort out the problems that infest them now and trust me, we do not lack brains to do that. Hindus may leave India but our religion will NEVER leave our land. The requisite Will will come and we can overcome our issues. This is the reason the large number of Westerners since the time of Vivekananda who were curious about our religion came, learnt what they liked and left, realizing that renaissance of our religion must come from within.

btw, you are also accusing me of prejudice, when you know NOTHING about me. Are you commenting on behalf of Ms. Wirth? as for your content-container, no one will drink milk that is poured out of a bottle of alcohol.

‘@Tilak Shrestha

You said good people go to heaven.
What is your definition for good?
Name one good person you know.
I am sure you will be scratching your head.
There is no one who is good.
All are bad but in varying degree.
You have quoted the Bible but even the few verses you have not understood. Do any of these verses talk about Christians ? It is only talking about how the belief in Jesus can save you.
You seem to be in search of the truth as I see that you have read all the religious books. Please read them with the intention of knowing the truth. If you read only to find fault, you will be only wasting your time like running on a tread mill. You will be in the same spot.

Firstly, i dint write that…. And secondly… Kudos to whoever wrote that coz it makes perfect sense….. And listen,i really dont wanna carry this forward cause its pointless talking to smeone who is hell bent on proving her point rather than just listen and maybe think for a while about it before accusing and pointing out at other relegion…. You are a human at the end of the day, and so just like everyone else, u use onky 1% of ur brain and hence there will be a lot of things u can’t understand like about sins being transferred and stuff….. Jesus being a God, knows what he spoke about……
Anyways before i end this, just have one more thing to say…. jesus may have walked among the jews but they never accepted jesus as their king cause of many reasons whixh ull understand if u read the old testament…..

And its not me who needs to read the bible…. Go ahaed and read the entire thing instead of a few paragraphs from here and there…… Then things will start making sense and ull knw what it means….. Read with an open heart like the other person wrote….

By this i would like to end this….. You can choose to believe what you want….

NAMSTE TILAKJEE & YAHOOJEE

Enjoyed the 241 comments ! what enjoyed most was the more you kindred and civilized folks did jee / jee to our friends and countered their holy books their weak arguments were replaced by abuses !! The problem with these poor souls is they are painfully aware of the fact that they converted to christians and muslims out of greed and fear .

All fanatics are dangerous, irrespective of religion/race. Hindus have their own share of Hindutva Taliban. Would be wise to nip this problem in the bud else the example of Pakistan is there for all to see. How a largely peaceful and democratic society has been overrun by fringe fanatics.

The problem is our democratic system allows one to grab power by polarizing the electorate. No one is required to secure an absolute majority. Modi came to power by capturing 22% of eligible voters. A full 78+% DID NOT vote for Modi. 34% of eligible voters DID NOT even bother to show up, which was incidentally the biggest group!

Please read “Let’s all be Hindu fundamentalists” further down on my blog.
As far as I read your numbers of 22% may be wrong.

Deepali I wish to see so many more views like yours!! Most people these days have become so intolerant and ready to attack other religions fanatics excluding their own. Bless you wise woman!

Maria, I have read your “Lets all be Hindu fundamentalist” article. You cannot deny every religion has their sides that a human conscience does not agree with. Lets agree that Christians have been cruel, very cruel in the past and I agree because of the bad deeds they did in their lives they should rot in hell.

As a Christian I have always been taught to live and let live. They preach Christianity but have NEVER seen a forceful conversion EVER. I don’t think any community will like that. Why people convert is their PERSONAL choice. For example many dalits have either embraced Buddhism or Christianity. Dalits have suffered so much abuse and humiliation at the hands of high castes that they want to be around people who treat them well. You will have NO idea of this abuse as you are not a DALIT and a foreigner who embraced Hinduism and are treated with much joy and enthusiasm.

But being a Christian all my life, while my distant family from fathers side being Hindus, we have mutual respect for each other’s religion. But I found it offensive in the beginning but funny later when they still wash their kitchen with holy water after we visit their home in their village. Best to do then is to ignore such behaviour. We go to their home sometimes, and when they visit us, they come to Church with us. And that is what I love about our relationship.

I think its so important as a Hindu, Christian or a Muslim, be able to use your head and most importantly conscience to challenge the evil practises or beliefs when at the same time embrace ONLY the good things religions has to offer. It is your conscience and not a religious book that must drive one.

Well, Mr./Ms. skm, while I appreciate your ‘live and let live’ policy, it would be better to aware and talk about what is happening in outside of your home. You said in your comment (in a reply to Deepali) that “Christians preach Christianity but have NEVER seen a forceful conversion EVER”. How innocent you are or pretending to be one such. Thats why I said pl. come out of your house see the actual world. You would have not seen but I have seen so many Christian Missionaries luring poor people with money, material, monthly supplies, etc. I do accept that several Christian Missionaries extend real service to needy, but be aware that there are Missionaries other way around.
Coming to your other point, where you laughed at your relatives who cleaned there kitchen you you left the their house, let me give this example (not a mode of countering yours, but to enlighten your existing thought). A neighbour of our family was happened to be a Christian family. Their children visit our house play with my child. After a daily puja at our house, a ‘prasadam’, which is offered to God, is generally shared among the people presence in the home, but these neighbour children always refused to take and said us it is advised to them that not to take ‘prasadam’ from any Hindu’s house. Don’t tell me, such Christian families are very few. I too wish it would be.

In my house, my Christian/Muslim friends do visit now and then. We never treated them in different way, nor we clean our house with holy water (although I was born in an orthodox Brahmin family) . Whom you take it as an example for referring? Always refer good deeds to others. Treat bad deeds at your level and don’t propagate. Don’t simply blame the religion just taking few bad examples.

You were even talking about discrimination of people in Hinduism. Pl. recall your lost memory about the discrimination of people in African Countries few decades ago (may be still there) by White against Black (although both are Christians).

Dear friend if you have problem in any of your body part, treat it back to normal, don’t cut it off. Converting religion is also like that only, have any problem in people who are in other religion, it is individual mistake, not religious mistake.

Once His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekara Sarasvati Swamy ji of Kanchi said,

“All troubles in this world start only when attempts are made to wean away people from their native religion and to convert them to a new faith, by holding out the temptation that people can attain salvation only if the embraced that new faith. This is more than what any sensible person can swallow. Since every religion speaks of God, to ask a person to give up the religion in which he is born is tantamount to asking him to give up God and is a sin against God. It is the duty of every person to follow the religion of his ancestors.”

Hope above para is enough to understand how the follower (of any religion) should be! Respect others, admire yours.

What a terrific piece Maria.
Kudos for being excellent apologetic for BJP’s Hindu ideology. I bet you are much better in using information than 90% of the RSS functionaries themselves who claim that their version is the best Hinduism.
Like all religions are what an individual understands and believes, I have always loved the peaceful and loving Hindu coexistence enjoyed by people of India less anything related to RSS. For there is no difference between a Taliban explaining to me that Islam is a certain way is no different than any RSS or VHP explaining to me what is Hinduism.

Cheers to free spirit to love and worship .