A Religious Upheaval In India... And What It Means For Catholicism
Crisis Magazine e-Letter
October 13, 2005
**********************************************
Dear Friend,
Devidas Sabane was a diligent farmer, working the land of a former
member of the Indian parliament. When his son fell ill, the
impoverished Sabane went to the landowner's brother to request money
for his treatment. The brother wasn't in a giving mood. He beat
Sabane viciously and forced poison down his throat. The farmer died
later that day. When his bereaved wife reported the murder to the
police and the State Human Rights Commission, they brushed her off.
She later committed suicide.
This is India today. The account -- one among many -- comes from the
testimony of Indira Athwale, given last week before the United States
Committee on International Relations. You see, the Sabanes weren't
just Indians, they were Untouchable.
India is made up of a caste system, a construct of its Hindu
heritage. At the top are the Brahmins -- the priestly class. Below
them are the Kshatriyas, then the Vaisyas, and finally the Sudras.
There's another group that hasn't even merited a place on the Indian
social ladder: the Dalit, otherwise known as the Untouchables. Life
as an Untouchable is devastating. They're held in contempt by other
members of society, are relegated to the most menial of jobs, and
even physical contact with them is thought to bring contamination
(requiring special purification rituals to cleanse the higher caste
member). Their women are raped without retribution, and their men
beaten and killed without justice.
While discrimination against the 250 million Dalit is officially
prohibited in the Indian constitution, it continues unabated. That
they make up almost 1/3 of the country's population is irrelevant.
They're Untouchable and have no voice.
But now, something is happening among the Dalit... and it may have
effects on the religious future of the country.
You see, after centuries of shameful oppression by their fellow
Hindus, the Untouchables are starting to move away from the religion.
Initially, there were large Dalit conversions to Buddhism. But the
attractions of that faith are proving limited.
And so now, two religions are receiving attention and a growing
number of Dalit converts: Christianity and Islam. The possibilities
here are striking.
I spoke Friday with Betsy Vigneri, a media consultant with the Dalit
Freedom Network, and she told me the shift began in the late 1990s.
"It was a culmination of things," she said. "The world moved toward
globalization, technology, and communication. Suddenly, some of the
educated Dalits were able to see what was happening in the outside
world. They realized they could tell their story to a global
audience. That's when they organized and began to look for ways to
help themselves. They also realized that the best way to find relief
from this victimization -- from this slavery -- is to quit Hinduism
and embrace another religion."
The transition wasn't easy at first. "Originally, the Christian
churches were also practicing the caste system. But now, they're
working for freedom of conscience in religion. They're there to serve
-- the same approach Mother Teresa took. In their service, they're
trying to demonstrate the love of Christ."
While the Muslims are making every effort to convert the
Untouchables, the Christian churches have an advantage: the person of
Christ. "I've found that when Dalits hear about Jesus, they're deeply
moved to learn that He loves them," Vigneri said. "All their lives,
they've been told how horrible they are. But they hear that Jesus not
only loves them but died for them. In their minds, He reached out to
the Untouchables of His day. Touched them... talked to them... ate
with them... These are all forbidden for a higher caste person to do
with the Dalits."
But Islam itself is not without its own attractions. When an
Untouchable becomes Muslim, the female converts are protected by the
Muslim men from the harassment of the Hindus. This is no small thing,
since Dalit women are in frequent danger of assault and rape.
On the other hand, there are aspects of Islam that some Untouchables
find disconcerting. Vigneri noted that "there are Dalit men who have
seen how some Muslim men treat their wives or view women. They don't
want that for their wives and daughters."
While Muslim and Christian leaders in India have had fairly cordial
relations thus far, there is real concern that if India turns
Islamic, they could impose Sharia law on everyone. Given the
experience of non-Muslims in other such states, that could mean an
entirely new form of oppression.
Vigneri told me that there are a few things Christians in the West
can do to help the Untouchables -- both in their fight against their
horrific living conditions and in their spiritual journey:
1. Spread the word about what's going on in India. "So many
Christians tell us, 'I had no idea this was happening.' The Dalits
want us to tell the world what they're going through. This is very
humbling. We tend to think people want creature comforts. But the
Dalits want their stories told."
2. Pray. "The first thing Christian Dalits ask for is prayer. These
people have nothing, but they know the power of prayer."
3. Stay informed. One of the best ways to keep yourself up-to-date
on the struggles of the Untouchables is to visit the Dalit Freedom
Network. You can find their website here:
http://www.dalitnetwork.org
India is at a religious crossroads. Within one generation, we'll see
some kind of radical shift in the spiritual makeup of that rising
nation. Will it become the next bright light for Christianity, or
might it join other jihadist states in violence and oppression? Time
will tell.
We in the United States tend to live in a self-enclosed world.
That's the stereotype of Americans, and that stereotype is too often
true (and I'm as guilty as anyone). But as Catholics, we have a
spiritual obligation to care for all the world's suffering. By adding
the plight of the Dalits to your own prayer intentions and by telling
their story, you'll help them in this world and the next.
All the best,
Brian
P.S. I want to wish belated congratulations to our friends at
National Review. Last Thursday they celebrated their 50th
anniversary. Whether you're to the left or right, Republican,
Democrat, or Independent, I'm sure you can appreciate the influence
National Review has had on history. Ronald Reagan credited his
presidency to the magazine, and insofar as he played a key role in
the downfall of communism, National Review deserves a goodly share of
the credit as well. Our fondest best wishes to them all.
**** WHY WON'T THE SELF-HELP GURUS TELL YOU THE TRUTH? ****
What if everything you've been told about happiness is wrong? The
self-help movement has turned the subject into a billion-dollar
industry.
And yet, those who follow the advice of the feel-good gurus will
actually be farther from real happiness than they were before.
Get the facts here:
http://www.crisismagazine.com/truth.htm
(Cut and paste into your web browser if the link doesn't work.)
**************************************************************
To subscribe to the FREE CRISIS Magazine e-Letter, and get the
latest
news, views, and responses to current issues, send an e-mail to
e-letter@crisismagazine.com and
write "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject
line.
**************************************************************
To learn more about CRISIS Magazine, visit
http://www.crisismagazine.com/subscribe.htm
**************************************************************
If you no longer wish to receive the CRISIS e-Letter, please send an
e-mail to mail@crisismagazine.com
and write "CANCEL" in the subject
line.
**************************************************************
To change your e-mail address, please send an e-mail to
mail@crisismagazine.com with
"ADDRESS CHANGE" in the subject line.
Please make sure to tell us your old and new e-mail addresses, so we
can
make the change.
**************************************************************
Please forward this letter to anyone you think might benefit from
it.