| Awaken Bharata |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| HINDUISM UNDER SIEGE AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE | |
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| There
is in fact much that is special about Hinduism, whether its
diversity, its antiquity, its understanding of the universe and the
layers of consciousness, its doctrine of karma and rebirth or its
yogic practices. But if all these are just thought to be part and
parcel of religion as usual, though the other religions seldom
contain them, Hindus will not value them or feel any pride in
practicing them. We must be taught that our religion is important or
we will not perpetuate it.
To unilaterally accept all religions as equal to our own does not do this and is perhaps only one step toward giving up our religion altogether. If I think any woman is as good as my wife, for example, will that encourage me to be a good husband? The idea that all religions are the same or equal has succeeded not so much in uniting all religions but in reducing Hinduism to one religion among many. It has removed Hinduism from its connection to Sanatana Dharma to being one Dharma among many.Such a response of trying, more or less to flatter everyone, particularly the people who may have power over you, is a kind of obsequiousness. It is the policy of a weak and defeated people trying to curry favor from their rulers. Though these rulers have left India, they appear to be still enshrined in the minds and hearts of Hindus. Hindu praise for Christianity and Islam under the guise of the unity of religions is really a hold over from the colonial period, when Hindus praised their Christian and Islamic rulers for favors and to avoid the wrath of their armies. Such servility seldom meets with respect and certainly does not afford dignity to oneself or one's beliefs. |
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