| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| HINDU POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CRITIQUES | |
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Indian Muslims or Christians therefore become cultural Hindus? It is
not impossible but it does require making their religions
subordinate to the nation and culture in outer affairs. Above all it
means that they have to be liberal and open minded in their
religious views. They cannot be cultural Hindus if they are
fundamentalists, missionaries or militant in their religion.
Muslims and Christians in India can only become cultural Hindus if they give up the exclusivism of their beliefs and recognize that there are many paths to God or Truth, which includes Hindu traditions. Can a Hindu politician honestly tell Muslims or Christians in India that becoming cultural Hindus will not affect their religious beliefs? To say that it won't is to deny the fact that Pakistan came into being. Undoubtedly it will affect their religious beliefs unless they learn to interpret their religion in a more mystical and Bharatiya manner.It is probably not going to get them the approval of strict Islamic sects like the Saudis (Wahabis) and it may put them at odds with orthodox Christianity, like the views of the Pope. It will be most difficult for Indian Muslims in their own community, which tends to be very orthodox. Of course Muslims or any religious group in India do not have to become cultural Hindus in order to live in the country, but only to follow the laws of the land. Yet even this can affect their religion. |
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