First question: When the Dalits became Hindus?
Rajen
>From: Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [Assam] re: conversion & supreme court
>Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 17:14:38 -0500
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> >Why then did the Hindu Dalits convert to Christianity to begin with?
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>*** Is it to mean that they do, so that they won't not have to seek the
>prtections
>available for Dalits? In other words that by converting to Christianity,
>they would instantly become IMMUNE to the oppression meted out by the upper
>caste Hindus?
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>Or would they?
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> >If they had wanted to avail of the govt protection, they could have
> >remained Hindus and still >demanded that.
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>*** Say what? Does it mn mean that they could avail of the protection ONLY
>if they remained Hindus?
>That they cannot have it both ways--convert to Christianity and avail of
>protection for Dalits?
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>Are we suggesting here that only HINDU Dalits can receive such protection?
>And the moment a Hindu Dalit bolts from Hinduism, their Dalit-ness gets
>wiped out and they become eligible for EQUAL treatment from their
>oppressors ?
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>That would be quite an antidote to erase one's Dalittwa, wouldn't it?
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> >When Christianity is supposed to be free of caste, the question of a
> >particular caste in >Christianity should not arise.
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>*** Christianity is a religion. Not a social/economic condition. If a Dalit
>can elevate himself from his socio economic condition by switching to a
>religion like Christianity or Islam, from a condition IMPOSED on him as
>children of lesser Hindu gods by his birth into such communities, then the
>class of Dalits would have long been gone.
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> > Let's hear from the folks who have reconverted. "We were promised free
> >education and economic >emancipation if we converted, but we followed the
> >old way all along.
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>*** Whose old ways? The Dalits' deprivation or the upper caste Hindus'
>oppression?
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>*** The difference here lies in the fact that switching to a religion such
>as Christianity the Dalit has a CHANCE to break out his condition in time,
>thru education, healthcare, shelter and perhaps even spiritual upliftment
>as well. But remaining a lesser Hindu, he reduces that chance dramatically.
>And his condition won't change for a generation -- even if all the promises
>of Christianity get fulfilled. In the meantime what does he do?
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>Forego the protection he is entitled to - just like the others who are
>still noiminally Hindus as a penance for his sins of conversion?
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> >What sort of "soul saving" is this? Worst still, missionaries do not tend
> >the flock forever.
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>*** Whose prerogative is it to decide that? The Dalit, or the caste Hindu?
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> >It's just a numbers game.....as in "Go one million."( Rediff.com)
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>*** I don't know what that means. But we are the LEAST qualified to make
>arguments like that.
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>At 10:10 PM -0400 9/11/03, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> >In a message dated 9/10/03 9:39:41 PM Central Daylight Time,
> >[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> >
> >
> >
> ><< Under the circumstances, IF there are governmental protections available
> > for born Hindu Dalits , why should the converted Christian Dalits be
> > deprived of such protections?
> >
> > Punishment for conversion would be the explanation.>>
> >
> > Very boring! Those who refuse to understand, no explanation is possible.
> >This line of argument will be fine in the Christian outback. Why then did
> >the Hindu Dalits convert to Christianity to begin with? If they had wanted
> >to avail of the govt protection, they could have remained Hindus and still
> >demanded that. When Christianity is supposed to be free of caste, the
> >question of a particular caste in Christianity should not arise.
> >
> > Let's hear from the folks who have reconverted. "We were promised free
> >education and economic emancipation if we converted, but we followed the
> >old way all along. What sort of "soul saving" is this? Worst still,
> >missionaries do not tend the flock forever. It's just a numbers
> >game.....as in "Go one million."( Rediff.com)
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> > KJD.
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