Treat all religions equally, Hindu group tells pope ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW DELHI, India, Oct. 19 — A Hindu group allied with the governing party has asked Pope John Paul II to affirm that all religions are equal when he comes to India next month, an Indian news agency reported Tuesday.
The demand by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh echoed calls made in recent weeks by other Hindu allies of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They coincide with a 650-mile march protesting the pope’s visit by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu Council.
The march from the southwestern state of Goa will reach New Delhi on Nov. 4, the eve of the pope's visit.
The actions have embarrassed Vajpayee, considered a soft-spoken intellectual and a moderate politician, as he courts foreign investors and tries to rein in strident Hindu groups supporting him.
H.V. Seshadri, general secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, told activists the pope should announce that Hinduism and Christianity are equal paths to salvation, the Press Trust of India news agency said.
It quoted Seshadri as saying the pope was denied permission to visit China and Sri Lanka because those governments feared his visit would encourage proselytizing by Christian missionaries.
The pope is to be the first foreign guest of Vajpayee's new government, which took office last week. Some of the Hindu groups have demanded that neither Vajpayee nor any of his ministers meet with the pope.
During the Nov. 5-8 papal visit — the second in nearly 15 years — the pope will participate in a gathering of Asian bishops, meet Indian secular and religious leaders and celebrate Mass at Nehru Stadium in the Indian capital.
Most of India's 820 million Hindus and 23 million Christians live in harmony. Christian missionaries are widely respected for setting up schools and hospitals in remote areas.
In the last year, however, Christian leaders say there have been at least 100 attacks on them by fringe Hindu groups. The attacks have been concentrated in four states governed either by Hindu nationalists or suffering from extreme poverty and illiteracy.
The federal government, which investigated all the cases, says the figures were exaggerated and most of the incidents were related to property disputes.
Christian groups say the number and intensity of the attacks are related to the growth of two fringe Hindu groups allied with Vajpayee's party that accuse Christian missionaries of targeting poor and illiterate Hindus by promising cures for blindness and hearing loss.
Christians deny the allegations of coercion and deceit.
Is it really possible to treat all religions equally?
What if say for example, I was to start a new religion which required the strangling of chickens? Don't laugh...there are some pretty crazy religions around.
A good article though. You should post it in the Politics section as well for some feedback from our secular Indian contributors.
The RSS and the VHP have no right to demand equal treatment when they dont treat other religions with equality. Also, christian missionaries "lure" conversions with socially beneficial activities like education, orphanages, old age homes, medical camps..etc. What does the VHP do other than spread hatred?
I agree with Mr. Xtreme, this is more political and less religious. However, I don’t agree with him starting a new religion to strangle chickens. First it was pigs, now poor chickens. Mr. Xtreme, there are other ways to get the eggs out.
Nonetheless, all religions are equal. Equally acrimonious and equally oppressive. The only religion that is not like other religions is perhaps Buddhism. You can belong to any religion, and still practice Buddhism. Isn’t that beautiful? Religions should be more accommodating, more evolving with time, and more accepting of ideas of change and innovations. It is sad that they are not.
In terms of Papal visit to India, I hope it brings some good. I hope it sends a message to religious minorities everywhere that they are not forgotten. I am not a big fan of the Papa, but if his intentions are good, I wish him well. I hope he gets to enjoy some delicious Indian cuisine after living on that pasta for years. Aa-way Maria! Ha La Lojia.
The VHP has every right to protest in a democratic way, but if the protests turn violent, the government should put it's foot down and put the miscreants in jail.
Queer....it's really impressive and commendable what the missionaries have done regarding education, health etc. But we must not forget their discriminatory attitude on occasions and everyone believing in secularism should oppose that. Why is it that in some hospitals run by missionaries, Catholics have to pay less fees than people of other religions. Would this be tolerated in other countries ? We all know that forcible conversions in India have been going on. I've got no problem with that...but some people might. They are entitled to their views.
Anyway, I hope the visit goes well and I hope the Pope makes a statement on the treatment of Christians in India since 47 by comparing it to that of other countries where they are in a minority. We're always open for critisizm ! :)