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Re: There is a need to be careful here Re: Religious unity
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To: soc-religion-hindu@uunet.uu.net
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Subject: Re: There is a need to be careful here Re: Religious unity
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From: Vidyasankar Sundaresan <vidya@cco.caltech.edu>
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Date: 19 Jan 1996 06:19:40 GMT
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Newsgroups: soc.religion.hindu
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Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
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References: <4csg4p$j8j@babbage.ece.uc.edu> <4d29qh$6ml@babbage.ece.uc.edu> <4d734s$8es@babbage.ece.uc.edu>
shskambh@reading.ac.uk (C. Kambhampati) wrote:
>
>
>I have been a bystander - sort of lurking in the darks - and have been
>follwoing this discussion on SRH re-org for sometime. But the follwoing
>from an otherwise sober Sundaresan caught my eye - the line of argument
>that is -
>
>Vidyasankar Sundaresan (vidya@cco.caltech.edu) wrote:
>: vijia@pop.jaring.my (Singam) wrote:
>
><...deletions.....>
>: >
>: >The land of Hindustan has seen the evolution of a variety of
>: >religious/social schools, some of which are happy to identify with the
>: >exisiting schools while others choose to claim exclusivity.
>
>
>: Your statement shows that there is strong connection between the land of
>: Hindustan and those who consider themselves Hindus. What about those who
>: have no real connection to the land of Hindustan, but follow the teachings
>: of a religious leader from Hindustan? Are they also Hindus? Do we have the
>: right to force them to call themselves Hindus also? These questions have
>: particular relevance in the light of SRV, discussed below.
>
>It is this argument which is used by the BJPites in calling all from
>Hindustan Hindus - which many from India oppose - since we rightly or
>wrongly consider the word 'hindu' to have religious connotations. It is
>a trap which people better watch out for.
>
You managed quite admirably to misunderstand me completely. If you read my post
crefully, you will see that I am arguing for the exact opposite. Thankfully,
Thiru Singam understood me correctly.
Briefly, my point is that you cannot claim all Buddhists in SE Asian countries
to be Hindus, just because the Buddha was from Hindustan. Especially if they
don't themselves want to be called Hindu. Similarly, you cannot thrust the word
Hindu upon those Westerners who follow a religious leader from Hindustan. In
other words, the fact that a religious leader is from Hindustan is not
sufficient cause to say that his followers are Hindus. I hope this makes it
clear.
S. Vidyasankar
