Religion only plays second fiddle
Re: "Hinduism encompasses all paths", Letters, August 19.
Not to rain on William Page’s parade, but Hindu nationalism is a social phenomenon, not a religious one. That is to say that finer points of tolerance and coexistence are not going to stop raging Hindu mobs from lynching Muslims or Christians if it comes to pass again.
The fact that the cycle of violence (Nellie Massacre in 1983, Babri Mosque in 1992 and Gujarat riots of 2002) has apparently been broken is probably due to continuous exposure of India to global norms and values. We just don’t kill people to settle religious disputes anymore, not in the 21st century.
It’s for the same reason Thailand is not going to see a replay of 1976, even though we have roughly the same conservatives defending the same values.
It’s those who have failed to evolve and catch up with times who have caused all the latest troubles, no matter what was written on their banners.
William Page also probably overstates the influence of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda on Indian religion and politics. Hindu nationalists profess allegiance to Vivekananda, but not when it comes to accepting Muslims. At the end of the day, everyone just does whatever he wants, religion being only a secondary matter to one’s own ambitions.
Vivekananda’s words as quoted in William Page’s letter – “Whosoever comes to me, through whatever form, I reach him” – don’t seem to be the correct rendering of the actual Bhagavad Gita verse (4.11). There’s a key word missing there – “accordingly”. People might worship the same God, but they won’t get the same results, meaning they will be rewarded accordingly.
This forms an understanding of the world common among all religions – they might allow for the concept of one God, but they all reserve judgement on how much space should be given to any particular practice. To Hindus, Muslims can have their mosques, but not in Ayodhya; Christians can have their churches but not preach; and so on. Similar attitudes exist in Christian and Muslim societies too, and Thailand is no exception.
Stan G
Bangkok
