Easter: religious intolerance

Or...

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master -- that's all.' (From Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll)

It is interesting how often these days, people act just like Humpty Dumpty...words mean what they choose them to mean...

...sometimes this is just annoying - why can't I be feeling gay, without being errrr gay?
Or why can't something unpleasant be wicked without it convincing anyone under 25 that it's also cool?
And exactly what did Bill Clinton mean when he declared

I did not have sexual relations with that woman...

...OK - lets not go there!

But sometimes this misuse of words becomes sinister.

Take Anil Bhanot, writing in The Guardian Unlimited.

It seems he likes Easter...

Hindus look forward to the Easter bank holiday and few of our children refuse the offer of an Easter egg.

but he clearly isn't so keen on Christian's telling anyone what Easter means to them...

What does affect us is the renewed focus hard-line Christian groups place on evangelism at Easter.

He states...

Hinduism is an inclusive religion respecting other faiths and ways of seeking God.

Well maybe...but it is doubtful that the Christians described here, here, or here would agree.

But this is not about excesses by any or all faiths (or none at all, atheists are by no means innocent of causing pain, suffering and death), we all have groups and individuals to be ashamed of.

But to return to the article...

Hinduism is an inclusive religion respecting other faiths and ways of seeking God. In the final chapter 18 of the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna declares to Arjuna:

"The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings,
Seek refuge in Him alone with all your heart;
By His Grace
You will gain Supreme peace
And the Eternal Abode."

Some Christian groups cannot see the beauty in this approach, sticking rigidly to their belief that their "truth" is the only "truth" and they alone have the monopoly on God. Using devious evangelical tactics, they plague our world and threaten our ability to live together in one global village.

So let's just make sure we are clear...we can quote the Hindu scriptures to illustrate the Hindu belief that (to put it another way) all paths lead to God but if one was to quote the bible...

"I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father, except by me." John 14:6

...then presumably that is using "devious evangelical tactics".

Next we have the all too common tactic that accompanies a flawed argument - a personal attack...

If Jonathan Aitken and his ilk really cared for humanity, they could compensate poor children working in India with wages while they attended school.

I have no idea, whether Jonathan Aitken gives money to India or any other charitable causes but I do know that millions of Christians do. They tend not to shout about it but they do their best to follow Christ's commandment to love others in practical ways.

But they also follow Christ's command to tell others the good news of the gospel. they aren't "hard-line" or anyone's "ilk"...just ordinary Christians.

And the snide language used of Jonathan Aitkin...

Former jailbird Jonathan Aitken

...is just a cheap trick. But it does beg the question of just how inclusive Anil Bhanot is...clearly he wouldn't wish to "include" Jonathan Aitkin (and his ilk). Or more probably he would, if Aitkin wasn't an evangelical Christian.

So,

A Christian trying to follow his beliefs and sharing his faith is intolerant...and we will not tolerate them...

..a Hindu telling a Christian not to share his faith is being "inclusive" and "respecting" of the Christian faith.

Humpty Dumpty would be proud.

faith belief christianity intolerance hindu religion