Society: Culture, Religion & Freedom

 

During the reign of King Ashoka the Great, Buddhism spread to vast areas of India. Even Goa was under Ashoka's reign. The question needs to be asked: Where are the Buddhist Stupas and Temples of Goa? Were they destroyed by Portuguese Catholic intolerance, Moghal Muslim violence, Rajput connivance with the Hindu Brahmins (as the Buddhists allege) or just the monsoons.

Religious Intolerance in India: History is replete with examples of great civilizations which have been destroyed  by  the misutilization of religion and religious fervour towards political ends. 

Time to take notice: The leaders of the RSS and Bajrang Dal make no bones about the fact that they are the defenders of the faith and will do whatever it takes to ensure that the  people "keep the faith".

Why I walked to work:  I wonder whether the 'Government of India' has any plans to fight the terrorists within its institutional folds or do they feel that they can guard every temple, car or public place from future 'revenge bombers/terrorists'.

The Travesty at Anjediva!   Despite pleadings from Church and Heritage groups, one of  the oldest Roman Catholic Churches  in the East, is set for desecration by the Indian Navy!

The Siddis of India: Mainly sold by Arab traders as slaves to Indian Princes,  some bought by Portuguese colonialists and transported from Africa to Goa as slaves, the descendants of these hapless people remain at the very fringes of  Indian society.

Afro-Indian Caribbean conflicts:  The East Indian people of Guyana were discriminated against during the regime of President Forbes Burnham. However, Afro-Caribbean people claim that Indians routinely discriminate against them. The fact is that West Indians of African as well as East Indian ancestry are prejudiced against each other; their overt togetherness notwithstanding.

Hinduism's Political Resurgence :  India has changed fast after  Hindu nationalist rage in 1992 led a crowd of Hindu men to demolish a 16th-century mosque in Ayodhya.

India should make the Conversion activities by Christian Missionaries an offence: If a Christian missionary, whilst propagating his own religion, comes to me and calls me a sinner, he is denigrating my own religion and my own belief.

Growing up & Tolerance in a civilized society: The justification of violence because one's religious beliefs are denigrated, cannot be tolerated in a civilized society.

Jesuits in saffron and Sanskrit?  Any attempt to pervert it, or to give a wrong rendering of the historical events, will be resisted not only by the Hindus (courtesy Gomantak Times).

Hypocrisy!: A response to the Ashok Chowgule article (above) : One thing that unites all religious fundamentalists and fanatics, is hypocrisy.

Hypocritical Pakistani Hindu & Christian view:  Pakistani Christian & Hindu organizations indulge in anti-Indian diatribe merely to appease the Muslim majority.

Don't cry for us, Pakistani Christians: We can take care of ourselves.

The Catholic Church in a Lurch : A few  sick & unscrupulous individuals masquerading as priests, rock the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church fights back : After the recent tribulations the Catholic Church has effectively repulsed the well choreographed attack on its very foundation.

Falsely accused Catholic priest cleared of charges :  And you wont find much comment about this piece of news!!

The challenges a Catholic  faces in India : The recent rise of Hindu Fundamentalism, and the shocking infiltration of the Catholic clergy by sexual predators has seriously disturbed Indian Catholics.

A Catholic's view of Hindus : 'Would you prefer a dishonest and hence nominal Christian over an honest Hindu or Muslim or Sikh......and vice-versa?'

Christian Missionary activities:  a  Hindu Perspective : Right Wing Hindus associate Christianity with the intolerance of science, the killing of women suspected of being  witches, the crusades and the of victims in the Goa Inquisition.

A Hindu view of Muslims : India's Prime Minister Vajpayee claims that Muslims  don't want to live in harmony.

Indians killing Indians: There will never be an end to Indians killing other Indians as we saw in Gujarat. Not as long as we let ourselves think of such massacres as "old and outdated subjects." Not as long as criminals are passed off as patriots. (courtesy Rediff.com)

Christian Missionaries are like the Mafia: Christianity has over the years been destructive of the cultural systems of many countries; it is the most violent doctrine with its holy book, the bible, is mainly a gospel of hate.

Hindu Coercion no different from Christian: Whatever you say about Conversions by the Christians is true for conversions by the Hindus.

Not opposed to Conversion, only proselytizing: I have never opposed voluntary conversions or conversions by conviction. I am opposed to the proselytizing activities being carried out by the Christian missionaries

How about conversion to humane behaviour?: How do you explain the near disappearance of Buddhism from India (widespread during Emperor Ashoka's time)?

Muslims, not Hindus destroyed Buddhism: The actual decline of Buddhism was largely due to the conquest of India by the Mohammedans and not due to the intolerance of the Hindu Kings.

Buddhists were attacked by violent Hindu Kings: Post Ashoka, Buddhism, its followers and shrines, were attacked by the then violent, feudal Hindu kings. That is history!. No need to hold a torch for the Islamic, Christian or Hindu fundamentalism.

Portuguese Hindus commemorate 20 years: Sant Shri Morari Bapu and Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji arrive in Portugal to join in the festivities which mark the 20 years of this community in Portugal.

The place of women in Hindu society - a Sikh perspective : The birth of a female child was a sign of misfortune. So female infanticide came to be practised.

The Caste System of India : The world's first system of organised religiously sanctioned discrimination based on race and colour.

The Decline and fall of Buddhism : The reason why Buddhism was destroyed but Brahmanism survived, the massacre by Muslims must be understood.

Religious Extremism : They dig up graveyards of history to show how temples were demolished to make way for mosques. If they dig further, they would find scores of Stupas being demolished to build temples.

The Most Unholy Inquisition: The Catholic Church must apologize for the very unholy Inquisition during which many people were tortured and sent to their fiery deaths.

A Muslim view of Hindus :

Terrorists come in various garbs and disguises :  Like the VHP!

 

Declaration of Chapultepec : Freedom of expression in all its forms & manifestations is a fundamental and inalienable right of all individuals. Additionally, it is an indispensable requirement for the very existence of a democratic society.

Viva Timor-Leste! :  The brave East Timorese  gain Independence but only after 200,000 of its people are killed by fighting, famine and disease that followed Indonesia's 1975 invasion and subsequent occupation.

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