When Christian missionaries are still engaged in their war on Hinduism, alienating the Indian people from their families and native traditions with money and false promises of salvation, how is it possible for Hindu representatives to sit and talk about “visions of the divine” and “social harmony” with the Archbishop of Canterbury or any other Christian leader? – Swami Devananda Saraswati
The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams, England’s first citizen after the Royals, is on a working tour of India since Oct. 9th. His primary business is church business and consolidating church interests in India. He probably will not visit Khajuraho and the Taj Mahal. But he does intend to visit St. Thomas Mount in Chennai.
In a letter to his Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs, Dr. Katherine Wharton, we asked her to bring to the Archbishop’s attention that the St. Thomas fable is deeply offensive to Hindus. It charges Hindus with “diecide” — the killing of Thomas by a Hindu assassin. We also informed her that San Thome Cathedral and the other churches associated with St. Thomas are built on the remains of Hindu temples destroyed by the Portuguese. These churches are monuments to religious bigotry, not houses of prayer.
We ended our message by asking if the Archbishop condoned the conduct and lies of the Portuguese who built the St. Thomas Mount church he intends to pray in?
The secretary Dr. Elizabeth Wharton has not replied to us. This is not surprising. The Archbishop has other things on his ecclesiastical mind. He and his various national churches abroad are at odds. He would like these churches to accept gay men and women priests to lead the congregations as bishops. The churches are outraged at his suggestion. But he will continue to try to have his way so long as he is archbishop and the various Anglican congregations stay with him and accept him as leader.
This is the same Archbishop who advised the British government to recognise Shariah as a valid legal justice system in England. But he does not hold similar sympathies for Hindu religious traditions.
Archbishop Dr. Williams in his public statements has already offended Hindus as best he can, by asking the various warring Christian churches to unite against the violence of the host Hindu community in India.
“Sustained violence against Christians in India has helped different denominations to bridge differences and heed the Good Shepherd’s voice,” he told a meeting of 1,200 church delegates in Nagpur on October 14th.
This statement is absurd. There is no sustained violence against Christians in India today and there has never been any at any time. The Archbishop is repeating a foul lie probably on the advice of his devious Catholic counterpart in New Delhi. He would like Hindus to be put on the defensive because his own position is weak and wobbly.
When communal violence occurs between Hindus and Christian converts who have been alienated from their traditions and native society (as has happened in Kandhamal), it is the converts who initiate the violence and the Hindus who respond.
This has been found to be true in every case without exception.
Throughout history Christians have deliberately provoked violence against themselves and then capitalized on the result, presenting themselves to the world as innocent victims and martyrs who have been unjustly attacked. But a close examination of the evidence of violence against Christians exposes them as the instigators of the violence for their own selfish benefit. They believe in a martyred god and must become martyred like him.
The Archbishop Sahib is trying to create misunderstanding and hatred between Christians and the host Hindu community with his mischievous remarks.
He is to meet Hindu sadhus in Bangalore on Oct. 20th. The press release reads:
Archbishop of Canterbury and Hindu Swamis in Dialogue
Whitefield Ecumenical Centre, Bangalore
On the afternoon of the 20th October 2010, the Archbishop will be
hosting a dialogue meeting with five Hindu Swamis. They will speak in
private for two hours and then give a public presentation together
before responding to questions from the audience.
Participants
Archbishop Rowan Williams, Anglican Communion.
His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna
Jeeyar Swamiji, Sri Vaishnava , Founder of Jeeyar Educational Trust
(JET), Hyderabad.
His Holiness 1008 Sri Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji, Dvaita, Shri
Puthige Matha, Udupi.
Srimat Swami Harshanandaji, President of Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore.
Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru Dr Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji, Lingayat.
Swami Paramananda Bharati, Dashanami, Sringeri Math.
Chair: Professor Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, Lancaster University, U.K.
This dialogue is at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury to
respected teachers and leaders of Hindu sampradayas/traditions to
engage in discussions for mutual understanding.
Programme
1pm – 2:30pm Visions of the Divine
‘I want to suggest that, understood as a means of God-given discovery,
dialogue actually brings us up against a greater and fuller awareness
of the sheer mystery of the God with whom we all have to do.’
Archbishop Rowan Williams
Each participant will set out the nature of their traditions
conception of the divine and the specific practices recommended to
attain spiritual knowledge (jnana).
2:30pm – 3:30pm Social Harmony
What is the ideal community? The Swamis and the Archbishop will
discuss the social values central to their respective traditions and
ask how a pluralist society can encourage and protect true freedom of
belief.
3:30pm – 4:30pm Public Question and Answer Section.
The Archbishop and Swamis will reflect on the dialogue and articulate
the main points for a public audience. Then questions will be taken
from the audience.
Press release issued by
Dr. Kate Wharton
Research Assistant to the Revd Canon Guy Wilkinson
National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser &
Secretary for Inter Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury
Lambeth Palace, London, SE1 7JU
TEL: 020 7898 1216; FAX: 020 7401 9886; EMAIL: katherine.wharton@c-of-e.org.uk
From its inception at the Second Vatican Council til today, inter-religious dialogue has been used as an instrument of proselytization of the heathen and nothing else. The invitation to such a dialogue by a Christian leader has always been insincere. And the dialogues themselves have never served the Hindu interest. Never. Read the thoughtful discourse of Radha Rajan, Sandhya Jain, and B.R. Haran to know the truth about inter-religious dialogue and what it holds for the Hindu.
When Christian missionaries are still engaged in their war on Hinduism, alienating the Indian people from their families and native traditions with money and false promises of salvation, how is it possible for Hindu representatives to sit and talk about “visions of the divine” and “social harmony” with the Archbishop of Canterbury or any other Christian leader?
Hindu representatives who engage in these inter-religious dialogues are either simpletons and fools who live in cloud cuckoo land. Or they are quislings who have been paid by the Church to subvert and undermine their own community. They are either of these; there is no third kind!
As for the Lord Archbishop Sahib, he owes Hindus an abject and unconditional apology for the crimes against humanity that have been perpetrated in India against the Indian people by his church when they were enslaved by the British and robbed of their wealth and self-esteem.
India was by all accounts the richest country in the world until the 17th century when, after 300-plus years of rule by the Christian British, she became one of the poorest nations on earth.
Church of England divines were right in the middle of the thievery. Besides the dirty books they printed about Hindu Gods on their new printing presses, there are government records that show that almost all churches in Kerala received lands misappropriated from temples during the British regime. These lands have never been returned to their rightful owners, the deities of the dispossessed temples.
There was also the temple-breaking. Not so much as that perpetrated by the Roman Catholic priests roaming around the countryside looking for converts and little boys, but a few incidents high-profile enough to be remembered.
There was the removal of the Hindu shrines from within the Fort St. George campus because they offended the sensibilities of the British officials who lived there; there was the occupation of the temples of Triplicane and Mylapore by troops when the British and French were fighting; there was the confiscation of the beautiful Jalakanteeswara Shiva Temple in Vellore Fort — the image had been removed earlier either by or because of the Nawabs of Arcot — and its use by British troops as a stable for horses; there was the partial demolition of the Tirumala Nayak Mahal in Madurai out of envy (it was more beautiful than the British king’s palace); there was the firing on the Kalahasti temples by British troops in order to intimidate the local people; there was the removal of the Mumba Devi Temple from its original site to its present location in Bhuleshwar to facilitate the building of Victoria Terminus in Mumbai.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. What the British did in North India are unspeakable crimes. But this is enough of a list to make our point to the visiting colonial White Sahib.
Perhaps more criminal than these visible attacks on Hindus was the vast quantity of vile and perverted literature produced by Church of England missionaries against Hinduism and Brahmins — Brahmins were (and are) targeted by missionaries because they are the custodians of Hindu culture and are not easily converted. Ziegenbalg was one of the first to produce anti-Hindu religious pornography on his imported printing press at Tranquebar. But the Christian publisher ISPCK in Delhi, a colonial institution the Archbishop is today praising to the skies, also produced a lot of this missionary garbage.
So the Lord Archbishop Sahib is on the warpath. He is not repentant of past crimes perpetrated by his predecessors and Church of England missionaries in British India. He has already taken the offensive and accused Hindus in Nagpur of “sustained violence against Christians”. What then is he going to say to the Swamijis in Whitefield before he offers them their bags of ‘dakshina’?
The Archbishop should get down off his high horse; indeed, he should get down on his knees before Mother India. She is about to be recognised a world power — again! — while his own depraved country, England, has been recognised as the favourite catamite of US presidents. England and the English Church has become the laughingstock of the world.
The Archbishop of Canterbury owes Hindus an abject, unconditional apology for the crimes — those past and those still being contemplated — of his missionaries and countrymen in India.
And if the Archbishop is really a man of God as some of his guided followers believe, then he will give an unequivocal undertaking to stop the conversion of Hindus in India from today. If he is a sincere and good man — and he may be one — he will give this commitment to his Hindu guests in Whitefield before he gives them their bags of money.
As for the Swamijis themselves, before they accept the Archbishop’s gifts they must demand a commitment from him to give up the harvesting of souls in India for the duration of all time. Religious conversion is destroying the social fabric of Mother India and must stop.
What say the Swamijis? They are the representatives of Sanatana Dharma at this dubious conference and are answerable to the Hindu community at large.
Or are they?
Read also
- The Spirit of Satan at Work in India – M.K. Gandhi
- Conversion is an Act of Violence – Swami Dayananda Saraswati
- World Vision: Christian NGO Engaged in Culture Murder not Social Service – V.K. Shashikumar
- Temple looting in Kerala: Yesterday and today – Leela Tampi
References
Head of the Church of England and Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, will hold talks with religious leaders during his visit here on October 20.
During his brief tour aimed at promoting religious harmony, the archbishop will hold talks with SriTridani Srimannarayana Ramanajua Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji, Srimat Swami Harshanandaji, Sri Taralabalu Jagadguru and other seers. The meeting will be held at the Ecumenical Christian Centre in Whitefield, Bangalore
The archbishop is on a 16-day tour of India from October 9 at the invitation of the Communion of Churches in India.
“The archbishop is visiting the Church of South India in his official capacity as head of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion,” said Bishop and moderator S Vasanth Kumar of Church of South India.
During his visit, the archbishop will visit congregations and look at the development initiatives of the Church of South India and Mar Thoma Church.
He will be the main celebrant at St Marks Cathedral. He will be the preacher at the Eucharist service to be held there on October 21. Later, he will address the faculty and students of the United Theological College. In the evening, he will participate in the public reception organised by the Karnataka Central Diocese. Governor HR Bhardwaj will be the guest. – DNA INDIA
“It will be the time when all Anglican churches will come together. The Roman Catholic church will also participate in the event. The Archbishop of Bangalore Fr Bernard Moras will also take part in the event,” Kumar said.
The Archbishop of Canterbury had visited India in 1985.
Violence against Christians has helped Churches understand the need of unity, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, told a meeting today.
“Sustained violence against Christians in India has helped different denominations to bridge differences and heed the Good Shepherd’s voice,” the head of the world-wide Anglican communion said during the conclusion of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Church of North India (CNI) on Oct. 14.
Some 1,200 delegates from 27 CNI dioceses attended the jubilee at the Church’s birthplace in Nagpur, central India.
The CNI was formed as a union of Protestant Churches in northern India after Anglican Churches in India delared themselves independent in 1970.
Although independent, the CNI and its counterpart the Church of South India (CSI) both consider the archbishop as their titular and spiritual head.
The archbishop began his 16-day “goodwill mission” to India on Oct. 9, visiting cities such as Kolkata and Ranchi before reaching Nagpur.
“I expect the Churches to work together to reach out to the millions of the Indian poor, who need immediate attention,” he said.
He added that unity among India’s Churches can help form a strong Church. It will also help shed its image in India as a foreign entity resulting from the British colonial rule.
Filed under: india, UK | Tagged: conversion, history, interfaith dialogue, katherine wharton, nawabs of carnatic, rowan williams, st. thomas |
BHARATA BHARATI 
[…] He added that unity among India’s Churches can help form a strong Church. It will also help shed its image in India as a foreign entity resulting from the British colonial rule. https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/the-archbishop-of-canterbury-owes-hindus-an-abject-a… […]
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[…] The recent publication of “Buddhist Warfare” by Michael Jerryson and Mark Juergensmeyer is another attempt at discrediting the non-violent aspect of Buddhism. Depicted in a write-up by Katherine Wharton as “The Dark side of what is often thought to be the most peaceful of all religions,” it debunks the faith. Incidentally, Katherine Wharton has organised the India programme of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the recent c… […]
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[…] the Christian threat, but are not sufficiently equipped or knowledgeable to counter it. Unlike Christian priests who study Hindu scriptures and philosophy in-depth for years in order to critique them, Hindu religious leaders have never […]
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this meeting of math heads with the archbishop shows up a disturbing trend: our sadhus are becoming like our politicians. they are meeting secretly with the enemy and making deals even when they are aware of devotees objections. nobody can be trusted any longer it seems. not even the gurus!
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[…] The recent publication of “Buddhist Warfare” by Michael Jerryson and Mark Juergensmeyer is another attempt at discrediting the non-violent aspect of Buddhism. Depicted in a write-up by Katherine Wharton as “The Dark side of what is often thought to be the most peaceful of all religions,” it debunks the faith. Incidentally, Katherine Wharton has organised the India programme of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the recent c… […]
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If this report is correct, it appears that Hindu leaders have missed an opportunity to tell a Christian leader from the West what they really think about the Church’s “harvesting of souls” policy in India.
Does the conversion of indigent Hindu villagers constitute “mutual respect” of Hinduism by Christian leaders and missionaries?
We think not.
Hindus are great complainers. Our complaining is justified when it comes to the treatment we receive at the hands of missionaries who operate without let or hindrance in the countryside.
There is no reason why we should not complain loudly to the Archbishop Sahib about his missionary projects in India.
But as is to be expected of our pusillanimous leaders, they appear to have let the opportunity pass them by.
Inter-religious dialogue is a carefully orchestrated Christian set-up that does nor serve the Hindu interest. But it is also true that our leaders do not take the opportunities offered them to make themselves heard.
Back in Canterbury they are laughing their heads off. Hindu representatives have “accommodated” the Lord Archbishop on Oct. 21st even as they have done before.
Doing Bharat Mata puja three times a day has no value if the pujari cannot face Bharat Mata’s enemies head-on when the time comes to fight.
Standing on one’s religious dignity is sheer cowardice when one should be speaking one’s mind so that the whole world hears.
Has nobody read Lord Krishna’s injunction to Arjuna when he refused to fight?
But of course! It was a private meeting! We cannot know what actually went on. But there was a public question hour afterward. Why have we heard nothing at all about it?
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Times of India, Bangalore, Oct. 21, 2010
Inter-faith dialogue calls for mutual respect
BANGALORE: Hindu and Christian religious heads reiterated the need for faiths and religions across the world to respect and learn from each other. The inter-faith dialogue, was initiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, UK, Rev. Rowan Williams, at the Ecumenical Christian Centre here on Tuesday. The dialogue included Srimannarayan Ramajuna Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji; Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji from Puttige Mutt, Udupi; Swami Harshanandaji of Ramakrishna Mutt; Swami Taralabalu Jagadguru Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswami of Sringeri and Swami Paramananda Bharti also from Sringeri.
The religious leaders shared tenets, goals and vision of their traditions and faiths in a two-hour closed-door dialogue with the archbishop.
The archbishop said they discussed the general principles of religious conviction and belief. “We did not seek to hide differences nor did we attempt to shut the doors on diversity. We were also not looking for uniformity. We attempted a common and shared understanding of society and discussed the need to create a public environment in which politics and religion would not be used or exploited to further any set of beliefs. We sought equality and justice before law for all.”
Shivacharya Mahaswami said the private dialogue was free and frank. “It was not meant to hide anything from the public. I believe there is a need to have the same face in private as well as in public.” Sugunendra Swamiji said: “The conversation was very good, an attempt to unite different faiths.”
Paramananda Bharti said different traditions in the country were continuously in dialogue and been discussed for a long time.
Read more: Inter-faith dialogue calls for mutual respect – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Inter-faith-dialogue-calls-for-mutual-respect/articleshow/6783132.cms#ixzz1351sH29k
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The Vellore edition of The New Indian Express reported that the Archbishop gave India a pat on the back for its pluralism (neglecting to acknowledge that India’s pluralism is because of its Hindu culture and nothing else), praised missionaries to the skies for their “Ministry to Rural India” (by which he means the harvesting of Hindu souls for Jesus), and opened 60 new churches — for the new converts we suppose.
Tomorrow in Whitefield he will ask his Hindu guests to agree to “voluntary conversion”. His guests, not having done their homework, will not understand the implication of his request and agree.
We would like to remind these Hindu leaders that in the Indian context there is no such thing as “voluntary conversion”.
All conversion (even in the West) is the result of an inducement. The targeted person is offered education, money, health care, and in some cases a rollicking night with the missionary’s wife.
But just as often the appeal is emotional and psychological. Threats of “going to hell” will be made if the target does not accept Jesus.
On the positive side there is the promise of “going to heaven” if the target does accept Jesus.
Silly as this may sound to the Hindu, this is the way it works. And its works well because of the insecurity of the human condition and the unknown that is called “life after death”.
So in the end there is no voluntary conversion and Hindu leaders should be on their guard when the Archbishop offers them his poison.
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There is no caste system in Christianity (except among Syrian Christians). But Christian leaders are inventing castes for their Indian converts in order to collect government money! It is the height of duplicity. They will not share church wealth with poor Christians. But Hindu taxpayers are supposed to support the Christian converts instead! As for the Maoists in Kandhamal, the favorite scapegoat of Christian propagandists, they are all Christian converts!
See Christian churches threaten Dalit rights
See what the leader of the Poor Christian movement, R.L. Francis, has to say about Kandhamal and the missionary churches.
From Sify.com/news
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No dialogue since interfaith [meeting] is simply a ruse to gain proximity and then overawe.
The Anglican Church and British intelligence agencies exercise huge influence over Hindu organisations in the UK and have corrupted their Hindu leaders with money and rubbish like OBEs and MBEs that the latter so desperately crave.
Hindu leaders tearfully apologise for their faith by repeating again and again that they want to engage in interfaith dialogue, in a relationship that echoes that between a butcher and the goat being readied for slaughter.
The founder of the UK Hindu Forum had announced in print that in the event of war between the UK and India Hindus should fight for Britain. These are the leaders that boast of their access to the British Prime Minister and Buckingham Palace!
My question to him was why did this unlikely situation become an issue for him (i.e who was he trying to please) and would it not be wiser to work peacefully to prevent such a war and abstain from participation honourably as a conscientious objector, a status treated with respect even by the British courts.
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