Article

2007-05-09 India-Pakistan

Hindus thrash Christians over conversions

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Posted by Fred 2007-05-09 00:00|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 Hindu hard-liners? You mean terrorists born Hindu.

Posted by Annon 2007-05-09 07:20|| 2007-05-09 07:20|| Front Page Top

#2 Another piss-poor ass-backwards religion, only marginally less grotesque than Islam.

Posted by Sonar 2007-05-09 09:08|| 2007-05-09 09:08|| Front Page Top

#3 By what use of force were these unwilling Hindus converted? Were they beaten? Threatened with beheading? Kidnapped, tortured, jailed?

Or, were they spoken to?

bleah

Posted by AlanC">AlanC 2007-05-09 09:44|| 2007-05-09 09:44|| Front Page Top

#4 Indias largest religious mass conversion will be held at Mahalaxmi Racecourse on May 27. Laxman Mane, a nomadic tribal whose autobiography Upara (Outsider) is a celebrated work of Marathi Dalit literature, will preside as lakhs of his supporters from 42 nomadic tribes convert to Buddhism. Tibetan spiritual leader The Dalai Lama will perform the rites.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed the Royal Western India Turf Club to let the organisers hold the rally. A citizens group, Public Concern for Governance Trust, had filed a petition in 2005 requesting the court to disallow such public functions at the racecourse.

The mass conversion, expected to be a social and political landmark, comes 51 years after Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar called on lower castes to abandon Hinduism and become Buddhists at a function to be held at the racecourse. But he passed away before the event could be held.

Its a small effort to realise Ambedkars dream, said Mane, who converted to Buddhism in Nagpur on October 2, 2006.

On May 27, Mane said, 1,000-odd nomadic families will be brought before the gathering organisers say about 5 lakh people will attend in all to lead the conversions. Over one lakh others will embrace the religion simultaneously.

Asked why he chose Buddhism, Mane (56) said tribals had been following Lord Buddhas teachings without knowing it. But now weve realised that our practices are similar to Buddhisms, he told HT. Mane refused to term the rally as an exercise in conversions. We tribals never followed Hinduism, so theres no question of relinquishing it, he said. Mane said the conversions were a protest against government apathy. Forget a decent standard of living, most of us dont even get shelter and food. Our literacy level is just 0.06 per cent, he pointed out.

Posted by John Frum 2007-05-09 17:14|| 2007-05-09 17:14|| Front Page Top

#5 The mass conversion, expected to be a social and political landmark, comes 51 years after Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar called on lower castes to abandon Hinduism and become Buddhists

Ambedkar wrote the Indian constitution

Posted by John Frum 2007-05-09 17:15|| 2007-05-09 17:15|| Front Page Top

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