The right to preach

By Reuben David

What an insult to Hinduism? A US-based Israeli born preacher, a middle eastern religious message of love and prayers, an expected crowd of 30 lakh, a 2000 strong choir, 67 giant screens, 1,50,000 watts of sound effects, all set in a sprawling Jakkur ground and lots of posters, billboards and pamphlets is supposedly going to wipe out a 5000-year-old strong Hindu civilization? This is a crazy joke! Hinduism is needlessly humiliated, I am afraid, not from the likes of Benny Hinn and others, but from BJP leaders, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagarana Vedike and other enraged right winged Hindu fundamentalists. Any sane, civilized, informed, Hindu, Muslim or Christian citizens of India ought to first think that human beings are free to think and choose their own faith.

Agitating and threatening that “a civil war” would result if Benny Hinn does not pull out only reflects intellectual and moral pettiness of BJP leaders and Hinn’s critics. How can a three-day prayer meet convert and change centuries old Hindu faith? Hinduism has no missionary zeal because it does not fear being defeated. It survived several religions mainly because it tolerates does not irritate, it accommodates does not exclude, it encourages religious plurality not religious hatred it believes that intimation of truth comes to us in many ways. It proclaims Satyannasti paro dharmah (there is no religion higher than truth). The Vedas echo Satyameva Jayate (Truth will conquer). The Bhagvad Gita says, “Let good thoughts come to us from all sides” or “The truth is one but the wise call it by many names.” Hinduism is a way of life and is not a militant faith as it has been portrayed by Hindu hardliners. This tells me that the message of Christ’s love for mankind and Christian prayer gatherings, even if led by men like evangelist Benny Hinn or others is no threat to Hinduism. Hinn has preached earlier in Mumbai and we have not heard of any civil unrest or bloodshed. Why the agitation?

Distinguished Kannada writer U R Ananthamurthy has reportedly exhorted Chief Minister Dharam Singh not to attend the event, describing it as a case of “mass hysteria”. Stirring undue rage against another Christian preacher seems to be driving people hysterical. We are not expecting a gang of Christian terrorists to show up in Jakkur Airfield, it is shameful to see the indecency of some BJP leaders and Hindu seers to attack the very constitutional religious freedom in India. Ours is a secular democracy because of its Hindu ethos. No country in the world has harmonized cultures derived from the great religions the way India has. All cultures have thrived and been transformed in the civilizational crucible of Hindustan.

We expect leaders to be peacemakers not peacebreakers. Indian democracy allows for freedom of expression. Why are not some Hindu leaders agitating against Sai Baba, Shankaracharya of Kanchi or Matha Amrithanandamayi and other Hindu religious heads that command significant crowd? Why not boycott the greatest of Hindu gatherings, the Kumbh Mela, that attract nearly 12 million people. Christians do not agitate these gatherings nor do they burn pictures of river Ganges or swamiji’s. India’s foremost Hindu leader Swami Vivekananda was not rejected when he proclaimed the message of Hinduism at the Chicago meet in 1893. Christians in America never attack Hindu leaders rather they engage in civilized debates. Welcoming is an Indian Hindu hospitality. American democracy and religious freedom has cherished another Indian born US based Hindu exponent, Deepak Chopra, who expounds on ancient Vedic texts and defends Hinduism. Christians in America are not burning pictures of Chopra and filing lawsuits. Why do we Indians, inheritors of ancient Hindu ideals, which preach tolerance and universal brotherhood attack Christian leaders?

The Hindu mind firmly believes in the Vedic thought “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is one family) It does not subscribe to just one belief, one philosophy, and one dogma but is ready to absorb any thought, so why not listen to Evangelist Benny Hinn preaching about Jesus Christ. It’s another thought to absorb, it is up to each individual conscience to accept or reject any message. If the freedom of will, choice and conscience is attacked then where is democracy and what happened to the greatness of Hinduism?

The dangerous anti-social elements are those who attack religious freedom. The message of Christianity is simply this: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3: 16. Evangelist Hinn cannot but preach the love of Christ to all mankind. Critics, including some Christians, have charged the evangelist as a charlatan and a fake healer. Why attack a message of healing? Why not charge the same against Sai Baba and other healers who avowedly claim as healers. Evangelist Hinn repeatedly affirms that he is not the healer but Jesus is. If somebody gets healed, it’s cause to celebrate, if someone is not, there is no reason to attack. Nobody pays for healing, why then mindlessly attack the evangelist. To be healed of any ailment is better off than being swallowed alive in the Tsunami? Does every medicine in this world heal? If it heals, it’s cause to be happy, if not try another medicine, but do we attack doctors and the field of medicine. It is up to each one’s faith and belief. Civilized democracy does not fear message of love and healing it has to only fear message of hatred and terrorism.

Think of the religious hostility sparked by enraged BJP leaders and other vested groups.

Secularism is more than just a theory or concept in Hinduism. It has a long history of religious tolerance, acceptance of diversity of spiritual paths, reasoning and discussion and the right to think, express and dissent. That is why concepts like blasphemy, evangelism, proselytism and crusade or jihad are alien to Hindus. Noted Indian President S Radhakrishnan and a Hindu intellectual once said, “Hinduism is freedom, especially the freedom in thinking about God. In the search for the supernatural, it is like traveling in space without a boundary or barrier.” Go Indian, take the Hindu idea that says all rivers lead to the ocean, and take a plunge into another river, this time on the banks of Jakkur.