12-01-2005, 01:21 PM
not true.
ram mohon roy was the father of modern india. way way ahead of his time.
one of the major reasons why hinduism survived under the missionary onslaught and hindus didnt get enamoured with x-ianity was because some people very wisely managed to package hinduism on the lines with which the secondary abrahamic types couldnt find fault with.
their main targets of hinduism was the caste system, idol worship and polytheirsm.
so people pointed out that hinduism was monotheistic as well as polytheistic - that it was pantheistic (or some other term, i forgot).
similarly they pointed out that the idol was just like an embassy.
if you think that the indian embassy in japan is india - then its idolatory.
if you think it represents india - then thats not idolatory thats iconatory.
they also pointed out that hinduism and hindu society had changed considerably from the hinduism of the veds - which have mention of gods but not idols or idol worshipping.
by packaging hinduism thus, they ensured that hindus would not feel as if their religion has some sort of defects, at least when looked at from an abrahamic viewpoint.
as for the sort of social justice (abolition of sati, education of women - sarojni chatterjee and toru dutt etc - and widow remarriage etc) that ram mohon roy brought about, it hardly needs anyone's certificate.
neither kesab chandra sen nor ram mohon roy became X-ian.
both manage to subtly incorporate the "+ves" of christianity into hinduism and pacakage hinduism in such a way that hindus didnt feel enamoured with christianity. read what koenraad elst has to say about this tactical move.
like i said, and koenraad elst and even bal thakeray (!!!!) had said, we should be cautious about how non-western we should be. for a bit much of it, would mean that we keep the electric bulb out of indian also !!
hinduism, with the DEEP caste system as it used to be back than at least (and continues to be in up and bihar), was anything but democratic, even less egalitarian.
the weaknesses of hinduism are preciselyt the strengths of islam and christianity, which is why people are attracted to it. for all muslims pray together and 'dalit muslims" are not asked to keep away. for all christians can read the scriptures and go for education and not just the brahmins amongst them.
ram mohon roy, apart from being the father of modern india, was also one of the fathers of the bengal renaissance.
ram mohon roy was the father of modern india. way way ahead of his time.
one of the major reasons why hinduism survived under the missionary onslaught and hindus didnt get enamoured with x-ianity was because some people very wisely managed to package hinduism on the lines with which the secondary abrahamic types couldnt find fault with.
their main targets of hinduism was the caste system, idol worship and polytheirsm.
so people pointed out that hinduism was monotheistic as well as polytheistic - that it was pantheistic (or some other term, i forgot).
similarly they pointed out that the idol was just like an embassy.
if you think that the indian embassy in japan is india - then its idolatory.
if you think it represents india - then thats not idolatory thats iconatory.
they also pointed out that hinduism and hindu society had changed considerably from the hinduism of the veds - which have mention of gods but not idols or idol worshipping.
by packaging hinduism thus, they ensured that hindus would not feel as if their religion has some sort of defects, at least when looked at from an abrahamic viewpoint.
as for the sort of social justice (abolition of sati, education of women - sarojni chatterjee and toru dutt etc - and widow remarriage etc) that ram mohon roy brought about, it hardly needs anyone's certificate.
neither kesab chandra sen nor ram mohon roy became X-ian.
both manage to subtly incorporate the "+ves" of christianity into hinduism and pacakage hinduism in such a way that hindus didnt feel enamoured with christianity. read what koenraad elst has to say about this tactical move.
like i said, and koenraad elst and even bal thakeray (!!!!) had said, we should be cautious about how non-western we should be. for a bit much of it, would mean that we keep the electric bulb out of indian also !!
hinduism, with the DEEP caste system as it used to be back than at least (and continues to be in up and bihar), was anything but democratic, even less egalitarian.
the weaknesses of hinduism are preciselyt the strengths of islam and christianity, which is why people are attracted to it. for all muslims pray together and 'dalit muslims" are not asked to keep away. for all christians can read the scriptures and go for education and not just the brahmins amongst them.
ram mohon roy, apart from being the father of modern india, was also one of the fathers of the bengal renaissance.