66 Comments. Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no universally accepted governing body, no binding holy book nor any mandatory prayer attendance requirements. "[67], Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union the Russian Orthodox Church has enjoyed a revival. It's Not That Easy", "Dalai Lama opposed to practice of conversion", Conversion to Tibetan Buddhism: Some Reflections, Handbook of Oriental Studies. 978--8122-9600-6 Peace & Conflict Studies, Sociology, Religion Let me say this that if there is a hint of coercion or forcible conversion, the matter will be dealt with seriously, said Derek OBrien, a spokesman for the Trinamool National Congress party which is in power in West Bengal. 11/6/01 The historic rally on November 4 in New Delhi featuring a mass conversion of Hindus to Buddhism has taken place, but not in the way that had been planned. Church authorities told the Indian Express that around 1,000 local people had been baptised in the poverty-stricken and remote area over the last year. New Delhi: Undeterred by the controversy surrounding a Buddhist "mass conversion" event in Delhi last week, the main organiser, Mission Jai Bheem, is going ahead with its plan to bring 10 crore people "back to their original culture" of Buddhism by 2025. Often these are relatively small, close-knit minority religions that are ethnically based such as the Yazidis, Druze, and Mandaeans. At the end of the 12th century, Jayavarman VII set the stage for conversion of the Khmer people to Theravada Buddhism. Proselytism is the act of attempting to convert by persuasion another individual from a different religion or belief system. 77% of the new converts to Islam were Hindus and 63% women. More than 550 Hindu temples in the Portuguese territories were razed to the ground. Latter Day Saint churches do not recognize baptisms of other faiths as valid because they believe baptisms must be performed under the church's unique authority. More than 70 people from the village of Kumarriguda, 40 miles outside Hyderabad, the capital of southern India's Andhra Pradesh state, will leave the Hindu religion. to comeout of religious politics for ever India must rediscover why they pakistan and beangladesh. |A+AA-. "Bah pioneers", rather than attempting to supplant the cultural underpinnings of the people in their adopted communities, are encouraged to integrate into the society and apply Bah principles in living and working with their neighbors. The third attribute of semetic tradition that of creating a bond of one people is sought to be achieved by replacing the turbulent river of history, with its diverse tributaries and distributaries, with a mainstream mythological narrative based on the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. [38][39][40] Some sects of Hindus, particularly of the Bhakti schools began seeking or accepting converts in early to mid 20th century. There is no daily call to prayer, no Sunday morning sermons. But these benefits aside, there was another more substantive reason why many Indians, especially the Dalits (Untouchables) and tribals embraced Christianity, and even Islam. Krishna, Manmohan. "India investigates reports of mass 'reconversion' of Christians". Christianity lost 242 believers to the other two religions and attracted only 119 persons. Jain monks and nuns are required to observe these five vows strictly. All Indian religions usually practice mutual religious syncretism among each other. Details of the incident are unclear but it was reported that between 50 and 100 Christians from some of the poorest communities in India were welcomed back to Hinduism in a homecoming ceremony in a remote area in the eastern state of West Bengal on Wednesday. Now we are on Telegram too. In sharing their faith with others, Bahs are cautioned to "obtain a hearing" meaning to make sure the person they are proposing to teach is open to hearing what they have to say. He ordered mass conversion of the Muslims to Christianity. The widespread Dalit mass conversions to Buddhism have enraged many Hindu organizations from Delhi in the north to Yadgir in the south. Buddhism received two new believers who switched from Hinduism. The move has been decried not only by secularists who argue that the only book which could have national status is the Constitution but also by those who subscribe to the view that Hinduism has always been an eclectic agglomeration of smaller traditions rather than a monolithic structure that can be represented by a single text, no matter how seminal it might claim to be. There has to be a reason why so many people especially Hindus vote for the BJP. [37] The steps involved in becoming a Hindu have variously included a period where the interested person gets an informal ardha-Hindu name and studies ancient literature on spiritual path and practices (English translations of Upanishads, Agama, Itihasa, ethics in Sutra, Hindu festivals, yoga). "Converts" redirects here. Evangelization. Some 3000 Muslims were massacred. LESS In fact we think that there are very few differences between Buddhism and Hinduism," says Lalit Kumar, who works for a Hindu nationalist welfare association in Andhra Pradesh. Religious wars and suppression shaped the histories of the Baltic tribes, the Hussites and the Huguenots. The communities [involved in the recent incidents] are already vulnerable and the campaign seems quite aggressive and the combination is concerning, said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director of Human Rights Watch. It attracted the highest number of persons from Ezhava, Thiyya and Nair communities. [21] In Islam, circumcision is considered a sunnah custom and is never mentioned in the Quran. Religious conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. When the Church in Kerala speaks about "Love Jihad" it is reported as a fact and when Hindu organisations say the same, What is not mentioned in this report is that these are often tribals or SC/ST folks who have already converted to Christianity. It was the mass conversions at Meenakshipuram that sowed the seeds for the Ayodhya movement in the early 1980s and sparked a debate over freedom of religion in India. 5:48. Though ostensibly secular in objective, the, Indians look up to the judiciary to uphold the secular values of the republic, and the Supreme Court has, time and again, thwarted onslaughts on peoples core fundamental right of religious freedom. The closest Hindu equivalent of a regular congregation is the RSS shakha. [34] Individuals have had a choice to enter, leave or change their god(s), spiritual convictions, accept or discard any rituals and practices, and pursue spiritual knowledge and liberation (moksha) in different ways. There are around 180 million Muslims in India, around 14% of the population of 1.3 billion. A Jehovah's Witness, Minos Kokkinakis, won the equivalent of $14,400 in damages from the Greek state after being arrested for trying to preach his faith from door to door. [31][32][33] In its diffuse and open structure, numerous schools and sects of Hinduism have developed and spun off in India with help from its ascetic scholars, since the Vedic age. Some have suggested that the concept of missionary conversion, either way, is contrary to the precepts of Hinduism. It still exists in India and in our village too. In other words, the true purpose of a religion is to ensure that each person reaches his true potential, goes beyond the temptations toward one honest truth - upliftment of himself. Of India kept sleeping or had their mock permission. [21][22][23] The majority of clerical opinions holds that circumcision is not required upon entering the Muslim faith. What many in the media and outside the fold of Hinduism fail to acknowledge is that mass conversion of people is a very unpleasant practice, which generates a lot of disharmony, insecurity, hatred, and communal tensions in a multi religious and diverse nation like India. According to official figures for the year 2020, the biggest gainer in terms of new converts was Hinduism. A series of attempts by rightwing Hindu groups to hold mass conversion ceremonies have caused controversy in recent months. 22.; emphasis added), Some countries distinguish voluntary, motivated conversion from organized proselytism, attempting to restrict the latter. In the New Testament, Jesus commanded his disciples in the Great Commission to "go and make disciples of all nations" [Matthew 28:19] [Mark 16:15]. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to provide services in line with the preferences you reveal while browsing the Website to show personalize content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audience is coming from in order to improve your browsing experience on our Website. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice" (Article 18.1). The Dharama Jagran Samanvay Vibhag, an offshoot of the RSS, is reportedly going into the bounty-hunting business. Other religions organize mass conversions, usually of Dalits, away from Hinduism and its legacy of caste discrimination. [18], Baptisms inside and outside the temples are usually done in a baptistry, although they can be performed in any body of water in which the person may be completely immersed. Officials say an inquiry has been launched into Wednesdays event. Being Buddhist means we will be separate but equal," said D Anjaneyulu, a local dalit politician who says he first considering switching religion when he was physically stopped by local Brahmins from raising the Indian flag because of his caste. Reports of a new mass conversion of Christians in India have raised concerns over freedom of worship, days after Barack Obama challenged the countrys record on religious tolerance. What is God? "Evangelization." Retrieved 11 July 2021. {{/totalcount}}, Thu, Mar 02, 2023 | UPDATED 08:23 AM IST. Conversion to Hinduism. Reports surface in newspapers of untouchables being barred from temples. This might be from one to another denomination within the same religion, for example, from Baptist to Catholic Christianity or from Sunni Islam to Shia Islam. 2 Dec 2020 0. Buddhism [ edit] The mass ceremony was the latest in what is a growing number of such conversions to Pakistan's majority Muslim faith in recent years although precise data is scarce. However, it takes exception to what it considers illegitimate proselytizing by the Roman Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other religious movements in what it refers to as its canonical territory. Yet the Sangh Parivar is happy to coerce Dalits to remain Hindu or to "reconvert", and to "convert" tribals to Hinduism. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the BJP, in its election manifesto, has promised an Uttar Pradesh model law against forceful religious conversion and love jihad in Kerala to woo Hindu and Christian voters, the data sourced by TNIE from the government gazettes paint an altogether different picture. Returns? If you wish to object such processing, please read the instructions described in our Cookie Policy / Privacy Policy. [citation needed]. You can become a Hindu even if you are born a non-Hindu and you are of a non-Asian origin. [Galatians 3:28] Islam allegedly spread in North Africa through just administration, and in the Balkans by integrating new believers with improved tax conditions and social prestige. [37], Religious conversion to Hinduism has a long history outside India. One does not need to ask any authorities for admission. India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith, he added. March 21, 2015 by Ambaa Choate. In the small one-room house on the edge of the rice bowl of India, Narasimha Cherlaguda explains why he is preparing to be reborn as a Buddhist. Sixty years ago BR Ambedkar, the first untouchable to hold high office in India and the man who wrote India's constitution, renounced Hinduism as a creed in the grip of casteism and converted -. [19], Following baptism, Latter Day Saints receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands of a Melchizedek Priesthood holder.[19]. Many dalit thinkers say that what is happening in India is a "religious rebellion" against a hierarchy that condemns them to a life of suffering. Religious Freedom and Mass Conversion in India illuminates the ways in which these tactics immobilize potential converts, reinforce damaging assumptions about women, lower castes, and religious minorities, and continue to restrict religious freedom in India today. The mass conversion of dalits takes place on the anniversary of one of India's most controversial religious events. They even treat tribals as low. "No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice" (Article 18.2). All Indian religions usually practice mutual religious syncretism among each other. This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 07:01. Now, my family and I want to become Hindu again, Baskey said. Web. He will not be alone. It states that "Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Alphonso Albuquerque conquered Diu. Going way beyond, they endow the government with surveillance powers over a constituency of people. Stark, Rodney and Roger Finke. Gauri Viswanathan (1998), Outside the Fold: Conversion, Modernity, and Belief, Princeton University Press, "Artists Find Inspiration, Education at Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre Nashville. Ghar Wapsi ( Hindi, meaning "Returning Home") is the programme of religious conversion to Hinduism and Sikhism from Islam, Christianity and other religions, [which?] Like African Americans in the US who refuse to use their "slave" names, many in the lowest castes have spurned their obvious caste identifiers. Digvijaya Singh, of the ousted Congress party, thanked Obama on Twitter for speaking up for the Indian citizens rights to profess practice and propagate his religious belief. The bench of Justice Manju Rani Chauhan was dealing with the anticipatory bail application filed for anticipatory bail in a case registered under Sections 153-A, 506, 420, 467, 468, 471 IPC and 3 & 5(1) U.P. Based on the declaration the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) drafted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a legally binding treaty. Much of the theology of Latter Day Saint baptism was established during the early Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. People convert to a different religion for various reasons, including active conversion by free choice due to a change in beliefs,[3] secondary conversion, deathbed conversion, conversion for convenience, marital conversion, and forced conversion. According to the survey, "mass-movement is the conversion of people in groups as families or groups of families as a community or group of communities. Messianism may prepare groups for the coming of a Messiah or of a saviour. University of California Press, 2000. p.114. They are fringes. Some people say that missionaries are forcefully converting them. At one stage Kerala Anglo Indian nurses were very well respected in other states also but with the passage of time the conversion to Islam picked up the race and see now they are in majority. [42] Religious leaders of some of Hinduism sects such as Brahmo Samaj have seen Hinduism as a non-missionary religion yet welcomed new members, while other leaders of Hinduism's diverse schools have stated that with the arrival of missionary Islam and Christianity in India, the view that "there is no such thing as proselytism in Hinduism" must be re-examined. The boundary between them is not easily defined: what one person considers legitimate evangelizing, or witness-bearing, another may consider intrusive and improper. [37] Some schools encourage the new convert to learn and participate in community activities such as festivals (Diwali etc. Some people convert under the influence of other social conditions. UP's Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Ordinance, 2020, promulgated last week penalises mass conversions - defined by the ordinance as conversions of two or more persons. Hindus who convert to Islam or Christianity are forcefully converted and rice-bag converts. Place Nagpur, Maharashtra, the city where the Headquarter of Rastriya Swayamsewak Sangh is situated. Views expressed above are the author's own. Like tens of thousands of other untouchables - or dalits - across India today, Mr Cherlaguda will be ritually converted to Buddhism to escape his low-caste status. In fact they stop talking to me. Starting from the premise that the freedom of religion and religious chose of those who are converted (note; the laws never say those who convert) need to be protected from incursions of proselytisers the various anti-conversion legislations, ironically termed as freedom of religion laws make it mandatory for the convertees to inform the head of the district administration. Is reportedly going into the bounty-hunting business Diwali etc religious conversion is act! Prayer, no Sunday morning sermons along the lines of religious politics for ever India must why. Former Soviet Union the Russian Orthodox Church has enjoyed a revival or of. 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