Barua,
>Since you are trying to split hair, I will have to ask you what do you >think the process of conversion consist of?
Thats a good question but its NOT splitting hairs. The right to freedom of religious choice is inherrent in democracies, but that does NOT include your a right to force others to convert.
One could explain the virtues of Islam or Christianity, and if someone is willing to convert, that is fine.
But more often than not, it does NOT just stay with explaining. Sometimes there is force, while at other times it is cash or other things promised to potential converts.
The problem is, in a country like India, most of these conversions take place among the poor and uneducated. These people are fooled into accepting some other religion because of some immediate gratification.
I think, if conversions are NOT done surreptitiously and the converts are well aware of what they are getting into it might be fine.
On the other point of re-converting back (if they change their mind) does not usually happen because of some peer pressure these people go thru, and the possible rejection from, say, Hindu groups.
--Ram
On 4/11/06, Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
convert OTHERSSince you are trying to split hair, I will have to ask you what do you think the process of conversion consist of? And how does one convert oneself without another converting one?. When you join a political party, does not somebody ask you to? Is that not called converting OTHERS? Freedom for conversion means freedom to convert others, if you mean telling about the party or religion means converting.RB----- Original Message -----From: Ram SarangapaniTo: Barua25Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 12:40 AMSubject: Re: [Assam] IE: Anti-conversion law in Rajasthan?
Barua,>>demand a right to convert OTHERS>f I have a right to convert to a political party, I should have equal >right to convert to any religion.Yes, you should have the absolute and full rights to convert or reconvert any religion you wish.But that is NOT the point here. The point is do you have the right to convert OTHERS?--Ram
On 4/11/06, Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:demand a right to convert OTHERSIf I have a right to convert to a political party, I should have equal right to convert to any religion.In fact in my ideal free society, a child should be allowed at the age of 10 or 12 say to adopt any religion. In order to do that there will be have to be some people of all the religions explaining what the religion is based on etc so that one can take a wise decision to convert. I fail to see why there should be any objection to conversion specially if we really think that all religions are equally good. If Christianity and Islam are equally good as Hinduism, then a Hindu should not have any problem if one is converted to any of these religions.RB----- Original Message -----From: umesh sharmaSent: Monday, April 10, 2006 10:09 PMSubject: Re: [Assam] IE: Anti-conversion law in Rajasthan?
Ofcourse we all agree one must be able to convert to any faith of one's choosing -- the debate is about should anyone demand a right to convert OTHERS.At 9:37 PM -0500 4/9/06, Barua25 wrote:Right to Freedom of Religion is intricately connected to conversion.
*** Absolutely so! Very good observation.
For me to change my religion, I must be influenced by that religion and I will need somebody to formally accept me in that religion. >From another angle that can be viewed as conversion. So Freedom of Religion without Freedom for Conversion does not make any sense.RB
----- Original Message -----From: umesh sharmaTo: [email protected]Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 2:30 PMSubject: [Assam] IE: Anti-conversion law in Rajasthan?Please note that Supreme Court in India clarifiied last year that there is definitely Right to Freedom of Religion but there is no Right to convert others.The case had been filed by Christian missionaries who want to convert members of other faiths - mostky Hindus but also Muslims (in kashmir etc) , Sikhs (in Punjab, Chhatisgarh etc) and Buddhists . The most famous Sikh to convert to Christianity -as per reports - was the Sikh King - Dalip Singh who then settled in London- while under British rule.http://www.indianexpress.com/story/2042.html
Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
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1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
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Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
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