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HINDU BELIEFS & CUSTOMS - WHY NO RESPECT Part 2b (Continued from Part 2a) Poor promotion & public relations Hindu religious leaders and exegetes have not bothered to promote their religion within a coherent, rational framework. Unlike the Chinese, Indians didn't keep written rigorous records about their own history and achievements but depended mostly on oral traditions and folklore. Discussion and debate were the preserve of the Brahmins and there was little dissemination of knowledge to the general population. It was through foreign records that we begin to get a clearer picture about India. Indians have always had problems communicating with other cultures. The colonising Brits were aware of Indian contributions in astronomy and mathematics and sought to enter into a rational discourse with the Indians. John Playfair (1748-1819), professor of mathematics at the University of Edinburgh had requested the Asiatic Society to organise 'an actual examination of the stars and constellations in company with a Hindu astronomer.' They just couldn't overcome the cognitive hurdles. Here is what the President of the Society replied: "I would have long examined the heavens in company with an intelligent Hindu astronomer if such a companion could have been found. I was assured by the Brahmin who I had commissioned to search for instructions that no Pundit in Bengal even pretended to possess the knowledge I required." G Thibaut (1848-1914) who popularised early Indian geometry wrote: "Indian life has been under the mighty sway of religion (including) those departments of knowledge which the Indians have cultivated with such remarkable success." Popular expositions of Hindu beliefs are not readily available and the typical Hindu is curiously unable to explain the core beliefs succinctly to an outsider. Discussions tend to littered with dogmatic assertions and non sequiturs (from a failure to provide supporting evidence and to abide by the rules of logic and inference). Examples: The Vidya Bharati texts for schools in India contain statements like the following [see for example www.sabrang.com for details.] a) 'Lord Ram, the blue-skinned warrior king of Hindu lore lived 886,000 years ago', a conclusion based on 'ancient texts and astrology.' b) Homer based his epic (Iliad) on Valmiki's Ramayana. c) The North American Indian languages have evolved from ancient Indian languages. Crude assertions like these are abhorrent to scholars and can hardly inspire respect. In August 2001, reputed Indian scientists and mathematicians jointly expressed concern over the campaign to introduce so-called 'Vedic Mathematics' in the school curriculum by the NCERT, and 'Vedic Astrology' at the university level by the University Grants Commission. They pointed out that "the so-called 'Vedic maths' is no more a bag of tricks to do some elementary arithmetic computations. Its value is at best recreational and its pedagogical use limited". The signatories demanded that the NCERT proposals be submitted for thorough scrutiny by a proper body of scholars in India. So What should Hindus do? Here are tentative proposals for a) educating the West on Hinduism, b) improving the Indian image before the West, c) turning the tables on the Christians (!). 1. Prepare a series of pamphlets in popular style about Hinduism, including an illustrative catalogue of Hindu deities - explaining their form & function (elephant trunk, multiple arms, extended tongue.). The idea is to throw light on the symbolism by rational tools. 2. Persuade the BBC or Channel 4 (in the UK) to launch a popular series on Hindu myths, rituals & deities - explaining the core beliefs, the meaning of rituals, the philosophical underpinnings. 3. Indians should strive to be more assertive & articulate, grovel less before power, adhere to scientific norms in debate, forge a vibrant intellectual culture. 4. Instead of acting the victim, Hindus could turn the tables on the Christians (not by silly slogans or physical assaults) but by mounting satirical attacks on Christian beliefs, especially the fundamentalists (the Christian Right). Let's elaborate a bit on the last point. If the Hindus would only care to study the Christian scriptures and practices, they would find plenty of unsavoury facts to throw back at the Christians. In May 2002, the secretary of the National Council of Hindu Temples (UK) was shocked that Selfridges (London superstore) had topped their cakes with the figures of Hindu deities: 'The idea of cutting and eating the image of a god is incredibly offensive.' No Hindu pointed out in response that the Christians (the Catholic variety at any rate) do it all the time during their 'communion service' - they claim to eat the body of Christ and drink his blood, a ritual which others can innocently interpret as cannibalistic. The Bible (Old Testament) is a treasure house of horrors. The OT God is violent, spiteful, racist, sexist, you name it. Examples: [Leviticus, chap27] A male (aged 20 to 60) is worth 50 shekels [30 kg] of silver and a female in that age group 30 shekels. [Exodus, chap 7-12] God unleashes a series of calamities on the Egyptians - plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, boils, locusts and finally, "At midnight the Lord struck down all the first born in Egypt", including the slaves and livestock! [Leviticus, chap 26] "If you will not listen to me. then I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight. I will send wild animals against you, destroy you cattle... You will eat the flesh of your sons and daughters..." [Leviticus, chap 19,21]: Those wanting to become priests had to be free from defect. They could not be lame, hunch-backed, have "an eye defect, festering sores or damaged testicles." Read more in www.goa-world.net/overseas-digest/Archives 2/history-otgod.html
