Ideally there is no need to discuss religion, since it is a private matter and should remain in that domain.
Unfortunately Christian missionaries try to make it a very public thing, show how their religion is superior, tying all their benefits they offer to conversion to the religion. Naturally there will be a reaction. It is high time destruction of local religions be check by the powers that be. On 5/1/08, Costantino Faillace <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Ciampino (Rome) > > Dear Indian friends of Jharkhand Forum, > > > > It is since a couple of months that I receive your messages, I read them > with great interest. The topics that you are passionately debating > > are very important and are worth discussing them. > > > > I am an Italian hydrogeologist, a former UN Project Manager. I worked in > many developing countries of four continents for international > > organization dealing with water development projects. I decided, twenty > years ago, at the age of 63, after a heart operation with 4 by-pass > > heart operation, to dedicate the remaining years of my life to help the > Adivasi. > > > > I started my Tribal Village Water Program in Pune district 1989. Since > then I helped more than 500 selected villages supplying safe water. > > The water wells were drilled in villages and hamlets where the only water > sources were rudimentary pits dug in depressions and nala > > beds and people where suffering for water-born diseases. Preference was > given to villages and places where and the government > > had done little or nothing to help the striking water crisis. > > In 1994, following an epidemic of cholera in the northern talukas of Thane > District (Maharashtra), with the death of 1500 children, I moved > > the program in the affected area. Subsequently, I created a small > organization called Dr. Tino Faillace's Friends of Adivasis Trust. Funds > > derived from family savings( now nearly exhausted) and from my > International short term consultancies. For each successful well, we > > construct a small mandir where we install a statue of Lord Ganesh, > considered to be the remover of obstacles (the Adivasi people , on request, > > selected Lord Ganesh to be installed into the small mandir). People > participate supplying local material: sand, gravel, stones, bricks, if > available, > > and labour while constructing the platform for the hand-pump. At the end > of the common work, we perform Pooja, chanting Bhajans. > > Following the example of Mother Theresa, we never tried to influence > people to become Christians! Our program is not aiming at changing the > > culture and religions of people, we defend their human rights and try our > best to up-lift them to become self-sufficient. We help who > > is poor, independently from caste, religions, politics or any believe. > > > > Also my wife is fully involved as social worker in India, since nearly 12 > years. She is in charge of an education program, with the main goal to > > discourage child labour and encourage education, which is the only > powerful tool for human resources development. We spend 50%of our time > > in India (November to end of April) and six months in Italy as during the > monsoon time there is no shortage of water, (we have just returned to > Italy). > > My wife's assistance program is for helping widows with children at > school age. Needy families receive directly from their sponsor a yearly > > bonus in the bank account of each child with the mother as the only person > that can withdraw money monthly (we do not handle people's > > money). More than 500 children receive such benefit; they are very poor, > amongst them we have also a few poor Brahmins. It is not a charity > > program, we believe that charity makes people depended while our program > is aiming at the up-liftment of school boys and school girls through > > education. For our committed social works activities we received several > awards from India and other countries.. > > > > After all this introduction about myself and my wife, I would like to > suggest that more that going on discussing on conversion, all of you > > should start a discussion on the roots and reasons of the striking poverty > of the Adivasi people and what you suggest (getting involved also > > personally, not just talking) to solve this very important problem that > already now, specially in your region, is having a tremendous impact on > > peace and security. You may find out that there are many cultural aspects > at the roots of the Adivasi poverty, such as the caste system, the > > karma, the inferiority complex, the limited access to education, the > isolation, and many other factors that are contributing to create this > very > > unequal social conditions. > > This dramatic reality is still occurring, in spite of your modern > Constitution with its good government laws affirming equality for everybody > > since independence. Dr. Ambhekar, your great constitutionalist, respected > and honoured by all Indian people, encouraged Buddhism as a reaction > > to these inequalities in the Indian society. > > Inequality, this is a good starting point to be discussed in your blog. > Your could and should contribute to spread the message of peace, tolerance, > > equality, human rights and love and not so much on the influence of > religions: All religions have good, universal basic principles, there are so > many > > religions. People should be free to follow the religion that most satisfy > them, they should be able to choose their own religion, and this can be > possible > > only if teaching and learning about religion is completely free. After > all, religions teach about spirituality and love for good. Good is for > everybody. > > Spirituality should be the essence of religions. I am a Christian because > I was born in Italy, but when I enter in a church, in an Indus temple, in a > mosque > > or in a Synagogue and I kneel, my thoughts are directed to god who is > everywhere. While kneeling I pronounce the following mandra: God Help me > > to Help the Poor! > > > > We have to understand that when suffering people, like the Adivasi, feel > do not be properly protected by the society, then they search help from > > other sources, from other religions! If people are well off, they are less > keen to search for a change! > > > > On the first of February I had the opportunity to meet your Prime Minister > in an International Conference in Pune, organized by Maharashtra Institute > > of Technology (MIT) by my good friend Prof. V. Karad. Listening to his > speech, I was impressed to learn about the great potential of your country, > which, in the time, should bring a lot of expected benefits, if peace will > prevail. And this may depend a lot from you and all of the younger > generations of > > your generous land! > > > > For all of you, my Indian brothers and sisters, my best greetings and my > love, Costantino Faillace, (known in India as Dr. Tino) > > > > P.S. You can find more information about my activity in India (including > my publications) searching in Google: Costantino Faillace > > > > > > * Jharkhand.org.in/forum * <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/forum> > <http://egroups.com/list/Jharkhand> > * * > > > ------------------------------ > To: [email protected] > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 07:18:05 +0100 > Subject: RE: RE: [ =>> Jharkhand <<= ] Conversion law violation is a > criminal offence > > conversion is a protest, though misgided, against the religious > irrationality. > > *vikash singh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > Try converting a Muslim, The next day your dead body > will be found. > Hindoos are good people that people trying to convert > are still alive. They should thank Jesus that they > deal with Hindus. > > Anyway Jesus couldn't help himself, what the hell he > will help the poor christians... > > Vikash S. > --- Sachi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > As for my personal opinion any humans living in this > > world should be given > > right to practice any > > religion they want. It has been happening throught > > the world : Convertions > > What's wrong in Convertions, be it to Hinduism, to > > Chistianity , to Islam, > > to Buddhism. > > Anyone want to have debate on why conversions should > > not be allowed in a > > secular country like India? > > > > Bye, > > Sachi > > > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of WILLIAM KISKU > > Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2008 1:04 AM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: RE: [ =>> Jharkhand <<= ] Conversion > > law violation is a > > criminal offence > > > > > > > > Well I am not a politician: I hate politicians. > > > > From my basic general knowledge the Indian > > constitution is based on British constitution, which > > is a western/christian based constitution, therefore > > contrarary to Hindutvas constitution. > > > > As far as my understanding goes, it is NOT > > illegal/criminal to convert christians back to > > Hindutva, but criminal to convert adivasis/tribals/ > > into Christianity. > > > > Advocate Ashutoshjee... Can you throw some light on > > this and educate the forum on the right of an > > individual to practice a religion based on the human > > right issue? > > > > William Kisku > > > > --- Gladson Dungdung <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:nfindia%40rediffmail.com <nfindia%2540rediffmail.com>> > wrote: > > > > > Hello, > > > > > > It's not the matter of Gladson or Venki. The real > > > matter is the state is becoming the violator human > > > rights in the name of freedom of religion and so > > on. > > > How can the State dictate which religion I should > > > follow, profess or decline? > > > > > > Father of the Nationa, Mahatma Gandhi had very > > clear > > > idies about it. He said that I'm a sanatan Hindu > > and > > > it's my personal matter therefore the state should > > > not dictate my religion. We have the right to > > > freedom of religion as the fundamental rights > > > guaranted by the Constitution of India under > > Article > > > 25 and the state is duty bound to ensure these > > > rights. If the state decides about whom I should > > > believe, what I should wear and so on then where > > my > > > freedom is? > > > > > > When a tribal or dalit becomes Christian, Muslim > > or > > > Budhist peole of the so-called main streem of the > > > society lose their sleep but why people do not > > raise > > > any question when a Sharma, Verma, Mishra and list > > > goes on accept/change their religion. > > > > > > Another thing is when a tribal becomes Christian, > > > Muslim or Budhist so-called people call it > > > "conversion" but when the same fellow becomes > > > 'Hundu' then they call it 'Ghar Vapsi'. what a > > > wonderful defination of conversion we have. > > > > > > This is nothing than the power politics. The major > > > reason is that the Tribals and Dalits are > > > challenging the statu quo as a result the Brahmins > > > have already lost their control in the politics > > and > > > now they are also going to lose their social > > > control, which they are not able to digest > > therefore > > > they blam in many ways to stop the social change > > > process. But nothing is going to work we will > > bring > > > about change in the society at any cost. I know > > that > > > many people feel uncomfortable in these issues > > > therefore it must be stopped but sometimes I > > > surprise that inspite of many request why do peole > > > put these matterials in the group. I don't have > > any > > > problem if people want to discuss let's discuss > > it, > > > otherwise I would requet to the Moderater please > > > don't pass any matter like this, which is > > > meaningless to discuss in the forum. > > > > > > rgds > > > Gladson > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 BARBARA ali wrote : > > > >Hi, > > > > > > > >Its as simple as this, each one mind your own > > > business and let Venki and Gladson go hand in hand > > > and stand where ever they have to if they want to > > do > > > what ever they wish with their own lives. > > > > > > > >Bye > > > > > > > >BARBARA ALI > > > >SHARJAH > > > >UAE > > > >PO BOX 38485 > > > >Mobile No: 0097150-6914668 > > > >URL: > > > > > > Http://angloindianheritagecentre.googlepages.com/anglo-indianbiographies<http://angloindianheritagecentre.googlepages.com/anglo-indianbiographies> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:Jharkhand%40yahoogroups.co.inFrom<Jharkhand%2540yahoogroups.co.inFrom>> > : > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:prabirkc%40yahoo.comDate <prabirkc%2540yahoo.comDate>> : Sat, 26 > Apr > > 2008 08:01:51 > > > -0700Subject: Re: [ =>> Jharkhand <<= ] Conversion > > > law violation is a criminal offence > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Hope somebody prevents the Dalai Lama, Rajneesh > > and > > > Mahesh Yogi's followers from entering Gujarat! > > > >Now what will we do if Venki converts Gladson to > > > Jainism? Will they arrest Gladson or Venki? > > > >And > > > >Prabir--- On Sat, 4/26/08, ven > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:ahvenkitesh%40gmail.com <ahvenkitesh%2540gmail.com>> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >I believe such a law such be enacted in Jharkhand > > > as soon as possible since the state is plagued by > > > unethical conversions of the poor.Conversion law > > > violation is a criminal offencehttp://timesofindia > > > .indiatimes. com/Ahmedabad/ Conversion_ > > > law_violation_ is_a_criminal_ offence/articles > > > how/2984048. cms26 Apr 2008, 0332 hrs IST,Rajiv > > > Shah,TNNGANDHINAGAR: From now on, anyone wishing > > to > > > convert will have to tell the government why they > > > were doing it and for how long they had been > > > following the religion which they were renouncing, > > > failing which, they will be declared offenders and > > > prosecuted under criminal laws. Forced conversion > > > could land those responsible a three-year jail > > term. > > > This clause is contained in the rules of the > > > anti-conversion law which came into effect on > > April > > > 1. The new law is called Gujarat Freedom of > > Religion > > > Act, 2003, and took five years to be implemented > > > because of the failure of the state government to > > > come up with rules on the kind of information to > > be > > > provided when applying for permission to convert > > to > > > any religion. The Bill confirms that Jainism and > > > Buddhism are not sub-sects of Hinduism. The rules > > > have been published in the Gujarat government > > > gazette. The rules make it obligatory for a priest > > > seeking to convert someone from one religion to > > > another to take prior permission of the district > > > magistrate in order to avoid police action. > > > >. > > > === message truncated === > > > > > > > * Jharkhand.org.in/forum * <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/forum> > <http://egroups.com/list/Jharkhand> > * * > > > > > > * Jharkhand Forum * <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/forum> > <http://egroups.com/list/Jharkhand> > * * > > > >
