Guest guest Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 NEW DELHI - Nearly 600 years after the first Christian missionaries landed in India to convert the locals, Brahmin priests are preparing to return the favour. At a seminary near New Delhi, dozens of holy men are being readied to head overseas to counter the influence of Christianity. Religious organizations allied with the Hindu nationalist-led government, committed to preserving Hinduism in its purest and most traditional form, said the priests will seek to dilute the influence of Christianity on expatriate Hindus. The extremist Vishwa Hindu Paris, which has attacked Christians for proselytizing in India, recently established a branch in South Africa to defend "the rights of Hindus against conversion." Equipped with urns, water from the Ganges river -- considered holy by millions of Hindus -- and a variety of incense, three of the 33 graduates from the Hindu Heritage Parishthan, at the Modipuram seminary 65 kilometres from New Delhi, left recently for posts in the United States, Singapore and Mauritius. "Well versed in ancient scriptures, these priests are expected to spread the virtues of Hinduism and perform rituals for the Indian diaspora," said Shashi Sham Singh, head of the seminary. All entrants to Modipuram are required to be proficient in Sanskrit and have a working knowledge of English. They undergo nine months of training, studying ancient texts and learning to perform Hindu rituals for marriages, child-naming ceremonies and death rites, and reciting lengthy and complex Sanskrit prayers by rote. "It is not only Hinduism the priests are taught, but also other religions to enable them to counter Christian arguments," Mr. Singh said. The emergence of Hindu missionaries comes at a time when India's Christian population is facing increased attacks from extremist groups that began shortly after the 1998 election of the country's nationalist government, led by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Christian backlash garnered international headlines in 1999 when a lynch mob led by a Hindu zealot murdered an Australian Christian missionary and his two sons. It took police more than a year to catch the group's ringleader, and a judicial inquiry into the murders absolved any Hindu organization of involvement. While there was a lull in attacks in the wake of the high-profile case, Christian missionaries say tensions are rising again -- there has been a rash of church bombings and more than 50 attacks on missionaries this year. Last year, the Pope admonished Mr. Vajpayee for the continuing violence against India's 17 million Christians, who account for about 2.5% of the country's predominantly Hindu population. "The needle of suspicion for anti-Christian attacks points to fanatic Hindu groups," said Father Dominic Emmanuel of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of India, adding many of the groups are linked to the BJP. Hindu extremist leaders claim Christian missionaries are trying to convert lower-caste Hindus, a charge denied by Church leaders. The World Hindu Council said Christians pose a greater danger to India than the country's Muslim population, which constitutes about 13% of its nearly one billion people. The council says Christians are attempting conversions by "trickery," and they will continue to oppose such efforts. Now the country's religious organizations are training missionaries to protect Hinduism's standing abroad-- and eager Indian priests are only too happy to reap the financial benefits of missionary work. A name-giving ceremony in Singapore, for example, costs the patron about $27; the sacred thread ceremony, essential for all traditional Brahmins, is $90 and a marriage is $223. Charges for all rituals and ceremonies double when conducted in the patron's home. Some temples allow their priests to freelance, but take a cut of the earnings. Younger priests are reportedly leading the charge out of India, convinced their earning capacity overseas is unlimited, especially for those with an appealing ecclesiastical manner. Overseas Hindu religious organizations play a major role in importing priests, but many also manage to secure appointments through networking skills and personal contacts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhakta Shakta Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 How much of the world do Christians actually have? Very little. Howoever, I have seen figures of 50% even, 45% haah, and even 33% almost. I would say about 18.43243% maximum. More like 12.564324% at the moment! [This message has been edited by Bhakta Shakta (edited 09-04-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhakta Shakta Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 Note: Bhakta Shakta is banned for good for failure to comply with our policies. He can not refrain from using inappropriate language, and has repeatedly used vulgar language despite multiple warnings. - Jndas. [This message has been edited by jndas (edited 09-05-2001).] [This message has been edited by jndas (edited 09-05-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amanpeter Posted September 4, 2001 Report Share Posted September 4, 2001 A name-giving ceremony in Singapore, for example, costs the patron about $27; the sacred thread ceremony, essential for all traditional Brahmins, is $90 and a marriage is $223. Charges for all rituals and ceremonies double when conducted in the patron's home. So, like, would that be American dollars or what? Do they maybe give coupons for future blessings or multi-ceremony discounts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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