There is no specific ritual for becoming a Jain. 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. Last week the hardline group Vishnu Hindu Parishad (VHP) claimed to have reconverted more than 20 Christians in the southern state of Kerala. A national anti-conversion law, if enacted, would definitely be challenged in the Supreme Court. Hinduism is often described as a way of life. Religious Conversion | Hindu Converts To Christianity | Mass Conversion | English News | News18Breaking News | Reservation benefits for the Hindus who conve. Hinduism, says this analysis, was "adopted" by 47% of those who converted to a different religion in Kerala during the referred year. The exact requirements vary between different churches and denominations. Officials say an inquiry has been launched into Wednesdays event. Article 18.2 bars coercion that would impair the right to have or adopt a religion or belief, including the use of threat of physical force or penal sanctions to compel believers or non-believers to adhere to their religious beliefs and congregations, to recant their religion or belief or to convert." Copyright - newindianexpress.com 2023. The Muslim castes which have been particularly vulnerable to Hindu missionary efforts have been those MORE. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed by rioters. Some Christian sects require full conversion for new members regardless of any history in other Christian sects, or from certain other sects. The rise of the BJP to power at the national level in 1998 spurred a spate of anti-conversion legislation. Match case Limit results 1 per page. I would list some of the people here, 1. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, {{{add_comment_link}}} 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. Retrieved May 5, 2015. [37], Religious conversion to Hinduism has a long history outside India. 100 percent correct. In December another group conducted a similar ceremony for more than 200 Muslims in the northern city of Agra. The boundary between them is not easily defined: what one person considers legitimate evangelizing, or witness-bearing, another may consider intrusive and improper. It attracted the highest number of persons from Ezhava, Thiyya and Nair communities. 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. Twenty-three people from five Christian families in southwestern India converted to Hinduism on November 29 in a ceremony presided over by Indian parliament member Anant Kumar Hegde, a local leader representing India's ruling, Hindu nationalist BJP party, the Times of India reported on Tuesday. New trends of Mass Conversion of Christians to Hinduism has emerged in India. On 14 October 1956, Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, took a life-altering decision. Changing religion makes us visible," says Chanrabhan Prasad, a dalit writer. India investigates reports of mass 'reconversion' of Christians Up to 100 Christians 'welcomed back' to Hinduism in West Bengal, raising concerns about possible coercion A damaged mural of. Colonial missions since the 19th century have attracted people to an implied nexus of material well-being, civilisation, and European-style religion. Answer (1 of 17): Yes, a lot of people. The six Astika and two Nastika schools of Hindu philosophy, in its history, did not develop a missionary or proselytization methodology, and they co-existed with each other. For example, groups like the International Society for Krishna Consciousness accept those who have a desire to follow their sects of Hinduism and have their own religious conversion procedure. But, the solution a national legislation to ban and criminalise conversions assertively advocated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which commands an absolute majority in parliament, and despite repeated disavowals, remains rooted in essentially a chauvinistic, right-wing Hindu ideology, is far more disconcerting, and if implemented, would deal a grievous blow to the constitutional ideal of secularism. 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. This situation stems from a law passed in the 1930s by the dictator Ioannis Metaxas. [26], In some cases, a person may forgo a formal conversion to Judaism and adopt some or all beliefs and practices of Judaism. More portentous was the grand ghar wapsi (homecoming, or mass-reconversion) programme announced by the Dharam Jagran Samiti (loosely translated into Hindi-Religious Awakening Front) in the neighbouring town of Aligarh, where Christmas was to be celebrated by bringing 4,000 Christians and 1,000 Muslims back into the folds of Hinduism. [41], Since 1800 CE, religious conversion from and to Hinduism has been a controversial subject within Hinduism. In October 2021, Sukmawati Sukarnoputri of Indonesia converted to Hinduism. This is a service to our country and we will continue with the ghar wapsi [homecomings], Jugal Kishore, a VHP official involved in the event, was quoted as saying in the Indian Express newspaper. Initial reports suggest those converted at the VHP rally are BJP workers who were lured. Returns? Now we are on Telegram too. There are around 180 million Muslims in India, around 14% of the population of 1.3 billion. Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.. Some 3000 Muslims were massacred. Psychology: A Journal of Human Behavior, Vol 15(4), NovDec 1978, 1522. We are talking about an amendment bill introduced in the Uttarakhand assembly on November 29and passed a day laterto make the four-year-old anti-conversion Act (which ironically goes by the name Uttarakhand 'Freedom of Religion' Act, 2018) even more stringent. 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 - with more than 100,000 of his followers - to Buddhism. On the other hand, persecution can drive religious faith and practice underground and strengthen the resolve of oppressed adherents as in the cases of the Waldenses or the Bah Faith. The price differential is presumably based on the premise that Christians are a much smaller minority than Muslims, and so pose less samasya (problem) to the body politic than do followers of Islam. In that case, the judges could remedy the errors of 1977 by seeking inspiration from the European Court of Human Rights 1993 ruling in the, Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights, programme announced by the Dharam Jagran Samiti, anti-conversion laws in force in various states, Uproar in India over forced conversions. Culture can be defined as a way of life. I think Hinduism's influence is weaker than one god religions. [42][43], In recent decades, mainstream Hinduism schools have attempted to systematize ways to accept religious converts, with an increase in inter-religious mixed marriages. Much of the theology of Latter Day Saint baptism was established during the early Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. ), read and discuss ancient literature, learn and engage in rites of passages (ceremonies of birth, first feeding, first learning day, age of majority, wedding, cremation and others). 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. This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 09:42. Latter Day Saints hold that one may be baptized after death through the vicarious act of a living individual, and holders of the Melchezidek Priesthood practice baptism for the dead as a missionary ritual. 06/24/2021 India (International Christian Concern) - Using extremely anti-minority rhetoric, a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader in India on Wednesday tweeted his support for mass 're-conversion' programs pushing Indian Christians and Muslims to convert to Hinduism. This fabricated India is not a land of different people who settled in different places at different times, and had different ways of living and different forms of worship. ", Learn how and when to remove this template message, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith, United Nations Commission on Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Forced conversion of minority girls in Pakistan, Safavid conversion of Iran from Sunnism to Shiism, https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Monergism, https://archive.today/20220314005237/https://www.whatdomormonsbelieve.com/15/09/2010/the-original-sin/, "Guide to the Scriptures: Baptism, Baptize: Proper authority", "Abraham's Test: Islamic Male Circumcision as Anti/Ante-Covenantal Practice", Symposium Series (Society of Biblical Literature), "Islamic Law and the Issue of Male and Female Circumcision", "So You Want to Convert to Judaism? [citation needed]. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Buddhism means I can simply say I am not a Hindu. We will be happy to have you on board as a blogger, if you have the knack for writing. conducted by Indian Hindu nationalist organisations Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and their allies. But often on trains people ask about my background, what my father did, where I am from. 2014-12-30. Mate. the biggest gainer has been Islam. "Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion." There are plans for a Buddhist temple and money set aside to hire a Buddhist priest - probably the first in the area for 1,500 years - to conduct prayers as well as marriage and death rites. Low-caste Indians are leaving Hinduism en massepartly to stick it to their prime minister. {{{read_comment_link}}} In addition to the baptizer, two members of the church witness the baptism to ensure that it is performed properly. "Conversion" is a very charged word for Hindus. [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. Welcome! According to official figures for the year 2020, the biggest gainer in terms of new converts was Hinduism. Today almost double that figure will embrace a new religion and repeat the 22 oaths Ambedkar mouthed. Terms of Use | [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). Saurav Datta teaches media law and jurisprudence in Mumbai and Pune. Both are true in their own contexts. 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. 05 Oct. 2016. Religious enthusiasm for proselytism can play a role. The views expressed in comments published on newindianexpress.com are those of the comment writers alone. These mass conversion movements, and resulting narratives questioning converts' sincerity and agency, set the stage for three central challenges undermining the human right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion in India today: Legislation limiting "forcible" and "induced" conversions In Hyderabad the first person to convert will be KRS Murthy, 70, who was the first dalit recruited into the state's civil service in 1959. He ran away after being tied up with his mother and clubbed for a night by an upper caste neighbour for allowing his goat to wander. Mass conversions of areas and communities to Buddhism occur up to the present day, for example, in the Dalit Buddhist movement in India there have been organized mass conversions . Modi, 64, a former organiser with a revivalist Hindu organisation, has yet to make any public comment on the reconversion ceremonies. In a shocking update, an alleged 'mass conversion' took place in Rajasthan's Jaipur as around 400 families have been allegedly converted. Being a dalit in Hindu society means this is not possible. However, people who converted to Buddhism said they faced caste. ", "Justice and reforms after airmen were given criminal convictions for their religious activities". Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, A Buddhist monk shaves the head of a man converting him to Buddhism. Conversion to the Bah Faith carries with it an explicit belief in the common foundation of all revealed religion, a commitment to the unity of mankind, and active service to the community at large, especially in areas that will foster unity and concord. Political Consciousness in Indian English Writing: A Study Of Manohar Malgonkar, Naintara Sahgal & Bhabani Bhattacharya.1991, Bahri Publications. This suits their propaganda well and helps in the mass mobilisation against Muslims and Christians. B Veeraiah, a 42-year-old who fled his village 160 miles north of Hyderabad a year ago, was washing dishes on the streets. If there are any mistakes, or if any part of the person being baptized is not fully immersed, the baptism must be redone. Answer (1 of 5): Sorry to say but Islam was not spread in the world by its teaching but was done through swords. Kiran Bedi, the BJPs main candidate in forthcoming elections in Delhi, blamed fringe elements for the ceremonies. 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. Mainly it includes Customs and traditions Religion Arts Literature Science Government Festivals Language "We want to be equal to upper castes. Instead, the recreated India is sought to be made into a nation of total homogeneity, cultural, ethnic, and religious, a nation of one people. The mass conversion was part of a . Following the conversion of Rinchan, his commander-in-chief and many other Hindus converted to Islam. Like African Americans in the US who refuse to use their "slave" names, many in the lowest castes have spurned their obvious caste identifiers. 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. [citation needed]. The historical God-fearers may represent a philosophical bridge between Hellenism and Abrahamic faith. In cases of mass conversion of Muslims to Hinduism, the central thrust has been on their de-Islamisation rather than on their accepting the Hindu religion. 72% of the new converts to Hinduism were Dalit Christians, mostly Christian Cheramars, Christian Sambavas and Christian Pulayas. Force can at least apparently coerce people into adopting different ideas. A former associate editor with the Times of India, Jug Suraiya writes two regular columns for the print edition, Jugular Vein, which appears every Friday, and Second Opinion, which appears on Wednesdays. Mansar Baskey, one of the reconverted, described to the newspaper how he had become a Christian a year ago with his wife, son and father. Of the total 506 people who registered their change of religion with the government, 241 were those who converted from Christianity or Islam to Hinduism. [16], Baptism is seen as symbolic both of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection[17] and is also symbolic of the baptized individual putting off of the natural or sinful man and becoming spiritually reborn as a disciple of Jesus. Bahs regard their own faith as the most recent (but not the last), and believe its teachings which are centered around the principle of the oneness of humanity are most suited to meeting the needs of a global community. (2010, September 15). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. 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. Newer Than: Search this thread only; Search this forum only. One does not need to ask any authorities for admission. Religious wars and suppression shaped the histories of the Baltic tribes, the Hussites and the Huguenots. [13] The theology thus rejects infant baptism. [64][65], On the other end of the proselytising scale are religions that do not accept any converts, or do so very rarely. [21] In Islam, circumcision is considered a sunnah custom and is never mentioned in the Quran. It has been distributing pamphlets in and around Aligarh seeking donations from the public to help fund a reconversion ghar wapsi (homecoming) ceremony that the saffron outfit is planning to hold on Christmas Day and during which it will seek to bring Muslims and Christians back into the Hindu fold from which they have allegedly strayed. Modi has been criticised by opposition politicians for remaining silent on the issue of reconversion ceremonies. "Islam is egalitarian, and we get the self-respect," said Khalik. [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. Ghar Wapsi ( Hindi, meaning "Returning Home") is the programme of religious conversion to Hinduism and Sikhism from Islam, Christianity and other religions, [which?] Of Human Behavior, Vol 15 ( 4 ), NovDec 1978, 1522 organisations Vishva Hindu Parishad ( )... Force can mass conversion to hinduism least apparently coerce people into adopting different ideas according to official figures the..., & quot ; said Khalik the Human Side of religion. Consciousness. Been a controversial subject within Hinduism for writing castes which have been particularly vulnerable to missionary... Coerce people into adopting different ideas Vishva Hindu Parishad ( VHP ), Rashtriya Swayamsevak (! 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