Rajen-da,
Perhaps you may be right but thats another discussion altogether. I am busy preparing my Income tax returns - am done with the Federal and Massachusetts state ones and now onto Maryland one ( MD gave me $62.50 for year 2005!! I can just close my eyes and file for this stae though perhaps - no tax at all on me?)
Umesh
Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>Your son or daughter stops praying with you in the temple or mosque you having being together for ages.Believe it or not that is what the early Aryans would have to do to maintain the caste system not hereditary. At the age of 10 or 12 they would have to go for a different caste depending on his or her qualities and will have to live in different houses. Otherwise, just think of it, all different castes living in the same family. The elder Brahmin son doing his thread ceremony and the younger Sudro so son not even permitted to read the Vedas. I don't know how life was. Most likely Caste system was hereditary.RB----- Original Message -----From: umesh sharmaSent: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 7:16 PMSubject: [Assam] Part 2: Scenario : Right to Convert OTHERS --why and whynot!!New Convert's early life and relationship changes:The other issue when someone from your faith is getting converted to another is of family tensions. Your son or daughter stops praying with you in the temple or mosque you having being together for ages. As the saying goes " A family that does not pray together does not stay together" - or something like it. Further, your grand children will also not follow your faith but that if their converted parent/s - thus you would not relate to your coming generations. You will not be able to narrate to them stories from your culture or faith - if their parenst do not follow your faith. As the saying goes " Naya Musalmaan Zyadaa Pyaaz Khataa hain" - meaning a new convert to Islam (from Hinduism) eats more onion - since most Hindus considered onion as bad and not muslims.So a new convert is more zealous - and if your offspring becomes a convert - s/he would not allow you or engage in discourse of cultural or religious nature. Political lines will also get drawn sharply. Thus, if your child converts to another faith - most families face enormous tensions and upheavals (unless other family members practice their faith only in name).Similarly, you can say about close friends (of those who follow your faith) and relatives. Ofcourse, many a times the new converts themselves beccome the most vocal proponent of their faiths - seeking to convert others (from among their friends etc). This brings us to the main issue. What if the convertor is given the Right to convert OTHERS?Myself a neo-convertBefore I go further, I may add that I myself have been a new convert of sorts -- and have witnessed many of these upheavals. I have sought to change my own ideologies or mind set -- and marked change in behavior . For instance, I do not rush to touch feet of elders - a sign of respect -- since I do not wish to propogate that old is Gold and new is silver. I do not hesitate to argue in favor of my lifestyle - with senior relatives - even was ordered out of their house once. However, I have never sought to actively convert others to my views or beliefs. If I was really given a right to convert others then what are the possibilties?I may repeat that such a right was demanded and fought out in Supreme Court of India by Christian missionaries. What harm in that?Armed with Right to convert Others - Action PlanTo convert others you need to get in touch with other people and use these opportunities to spread one's beliefs.Analogy: life insurance agent - I recall when a colleague of mine from Indian Express joined ICICI Prudential Life Insurance. Later he helped another get a job there. The second one was more zealous and very hard nosed salesman. He tried to sell insurance to me and to all my friends. Whenever I would go to his house - near mine - he would call me more often - he would immediately act business like and show me all the policies and make every effort to make me buy them. The visit started and ended like that every time. Needless to say I started visiting his house only when he was not there - for courtesy call to his family - or only when a group of friends had gathered so as to have casual conversations.So even among friends repeated efforts to convert (into a sale of insurance policy) can damage relationships.Hard nosed journos Some might recall how Princess Diana died in 1997 - trying to escape from papparazi photographers - and banging her car on the wall. The journos were trying to exercise their right for freedom of the Press. They might say we meant no harm -- just were taking pictures or taping their phone calls etc or pressing them for interviews. They were not trying to bring a sea change in the life of the target.They were not trying to cause a disruption in relationships of the person -with all others. They were merely taking photographs or seeking interviews. Some ofcourse, take actions which border on veyourism or gossip.Hard Sell : I read a book on "hard sell" or hard nosed journos - while doing MBA. They mentioned what is acceptable and what is not. They said that it is acceptable to seek an interview with a person by calling him/her on phone or by ringing the door bell. However , it is not acceptable to be waiting outside a person's door - in hope that someday s/he would come out --even if s/he does not respond to your overtures. It is also not acceptable that you bang the back door or tap the windows to draw attention.Ofcourse, salesmen or journos do not have a right to seek interviews. They do not have a right to sell concepts (selling concepts is the essence of seeking converts).I was in the business of selling concepts - as selling newspaper advertising space - trying to convince even semi-literate traditional people why it would be a good idea to advertise all over India when their products do not sell well even in their town. I had to observe limits of propriety.I have the Right!! -- then..Only a constitutional Right to concept selling or seeking converts to my view --would make me oblivious to what is socially acceptable . I would do as i like and make conversions regardless of the means. I have the Right!!!Whether I dish out money to my target audience or threaten them with harm -- its my right to do so. After all , the Indian constitution has given me a right to convert otthers. So convert others I will -- noone can take away my right. Who dares?? I will seek the international support from human rights watch dogs, religious leaders like the Pope or Imam of Mecca or Shankaracharya etc .Since everyone would be given the right to convert others --it would be somewhat like Holi festival -where everyone has a right to throw colors (or mud or paint) on others. Many do not like that kind of freedom?Do you?Umesh
Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740
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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Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740
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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