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Posted by Harsh Nevatia Feb 2, 2008 |
The right to worship the way we want should be a fundamental right. If a person wants to convert out of dissatisfaction with his present belief or even because of inducement offered then he should be at a liberty to do so.
In this context the brouhaha being made by several Hindu organizations in India will be counterproductive in the long run. There are two reasons for this. The choice of religion is a fundamental right that cannot be taken away. And the concept of conversion itself has no place in an inclusive religion like Hinduism. When a religion propagates that all faiths are different paths to the same God how then can it condemn a person for choosing a different path.
The perceived problem arises because the other major religions are exclusive and do not accept Hinduism as a valid path to God. This provokes a childish reaction “If you do not accept my way as valid then I will not accept your way”. In India there is perhaps significant conversion away from Hinduism to Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. This is largely a backlash of the caste system which has over the centuries been given a religious overtone. It is also the inability of the well do to sections of Hindu society to reach out to their economically deprived brethren.
I think it is high time that the Hindus once again see their inclusive philosophy as their strength and not their weakness. Whatever drawbacks exist in the administration or perception of their religion, need to be addressed. It is important to realize that world over people are beginning to value the inclusiveness and tolerance Hinduism offers and this will be lost by the constant bickering against conversions.