Should Sanathana Dharma be eradicated?
AVS
1st Article in the Series
Introduction:
A student who attends the classes conducted by Aarsha Vidya Samajam recently sent me some videos, posts, and Facebook links. These were speeches and posts by certain religious fundamentalists, caste-radicalists, and political leaders in Kerala, all of them opposing Sanatana Dharma. The student urged me to offer an appropriate response to such criticisms on Facebook.
I carefully listened to the YouTube talks and read the articles I received. In many of them, I found harsh and degrading criticisms directed against Sanatana Dharma.
This article series is intended as a response to all those who spread such narratives. Since these Facebook posts are not personal in nature, I will not mention anyone by name. However, when false propaganda steeped in hatred toward Sanatana Dharma is voiced in crude language, under the very shelter of our society’s freedoms of expression, freedom of religion, tolerance, and secularism, it becomes necessary to respond, at least in a measured and balanced manner.
In Kerala, certain religious fanatics—who “see the speck in their brother’s eye but fail to notice the log in their own” (Matthew 7:4), are deliberately trying to disrupt the growing Hindu–Christian friendship. To such people, we are left with no choice but to respond in the way they deserve, and in a way they can understand.
Their efforts are like Hamas in Israel—provoking an attack and then complaining when a stronger backlash follows. In earlier times too, during similar situations in Kerala, Sree Chattampi Swamikal gave fitting responses to such people. Those who mock Hindu scriptures refuse to apply the same scrutiny to their own religious texts. Theirs is “wow,” ours is “eww”—classic double standards! One rule for them, another for us.
If the “words of God” from the Bible are dissected and carefully examined, all of them would be forced to hang their heads in shame. If Christians wish to avoid being subjected to criticism, the first step is to be prepared to correct or restrain such people who find faults in our scriptures.
To those who scream “You are insulting Christianity!”, at least remind them of this advice of Jesus: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same measure you judge others, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1–3).
If you can’t do that at the least, kindly forgive us for we have no other option but to respond to the criticism.
(To be continued…)