Religious nationalism threatens the “stability of India and the whole world

Nov 20, 2015

MUMBAI: The Hindu nationalist ideology that has arisen over the past century in India (Hindutva) begins with a conception that India is a Hindu nation, in which Hinduism is a default way of life for Indians. This model entails a distinction between conversions away from Hinduism, which are a threat to the national integrity of India and a key contributor to the alleged decline of Hinduism. Re-conversions to Hinduism are described by the term ghar vapsi, translated as ‘homecoming’ that is, to one’s own original religion. Thus, the issue of religious freedom has become extremely complex in India in recent years. Several States in India have passed anti-conversion bills; ironically, these State-level bills are formally known as Freedom of Religion Acts!

The manipulation of religion for political ends is of  grave concern for religious freedom in India. More pre cisely, it is a movement for nationalism, appealing to religious sentiment. It is a violent reaction which is sparked off by the fear of ‘Indian secularism.’

While Christians and their institutions are attacked systematically by the proponents of Hindu nationalist ideologies, there is a subtle but strongly growing movement among neo-intellectuals who, influenced by the West, are spreading secularist ideas. The tide of secularism in post-modern society has marginalised religion. Consequently, freedom of religion is restricted, if not altogether prohibited.

Secularism conceives that the world in which we live may be understood entirely on its own terms. There is no need to refer to any other point beyond, ‘history’, ‘society’ or ‘the state’ in order to understand their meaning and their value. Eternal Truth is relativized, particularly through recourse to historical investigation, falling into error of ‘nihilism,’ which ultimately ends up in a sort of ‘totalitarianism’ of the ideological world. It is a complete absolutisation of the act of reason, bringing rise to atheism. All those who follow God and religion are ridiculed and are labelled as ‘blind’ in their belief. -- AsiaNews