The Hindu American Foundation
responded to a Hinduphobic article, "Defying
Tradition" (April 24, 2005)in the Los Angeles
Times where, an Indian Missionary Father D'Mello urges the
new Pope Benedict XVI, who holds other religions as 'deficient',
not to yield an inch to 'extremists'. The writer Paul Watson
also equates Hinduism with the worship of cows and snakes.
HAF points out that it is indeed Christianity that holds exclusivist
views whereas Hinduism is tolerant and values pluralism.
April 27, 2005
Dear Editor:
Paul Watson's "Defying
Tradition", April 24, 2005, promotes Hinduphobia rather
than balanced reporting. The article says that Father D'Mello
"battles for souls against the myriad beliefs of Hinduism"
and urges Pope Benedict XVI, who holds other religions as
'deficient', not to yield an inch to 'extremists.' In fact
it is the Pope, when he was Cardinal Ratzinger, who expressed
extremist views by denigrating Hinduism as a religion of
"false hope" that guaranteed salvation based on
a "morally cruel" concept of reincarnation resembling
a "continuous circle of hell." Such Hinduphobic
views anger Hindus and build distrust. Hinduism is a peaceful
and tolerant religion that believes in pluralism.
Urging Hindus "to
place their faith in Christ instead of the cows, cobras
and other beings they revere" is deeply hurtful and
ignorant. Hinduism's reverence for nature is not a central
principle in and of itself, but rather the outgrowth of
a philosophy that sees the divine in all of creation. As
the Bhagavad Gita says, "For one who sees Me everywhere
and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever
lost to Me" (Gita 6:30).
For true peace and harmony, there needs to be understanding,
tolerance, and pluralism. Missionaries like Father D'Mello
promote their own exclusive views at the expense of other
belief systems and thereby create a cycle of distrust that
ultimately leads to conflict.
Sincerely,
Swaminathan Venkataraman
Member, Executive Council
Hindu American Foundation
(www.hinduamericanfoundation.org)
