"Hinduism causes evil".

[StarryNightshade]

This is quote I've heard quite a few say.

That Hinduism is the direct cause of the oppression of the Dalits (as well as the caste system in general), the oppression of women, the death of millions of little girls, satis, militant nationalistic groups such as Hindutva, etc. It's with these examples that many anti-theists use to "prove" that Hinduism, as well as eastern religion in general, is just as "poisonous" as Abrahamic faiths.

However, aren't these more politically charged, rather than religious?

edit: Mods, if I posted this in the wrong section, please move it.

 

[Jainarayan]

opcorn: Waiting for the movie to start.

 

[StarryNightshade]

opcorn: Waiting for the movie to start.

Hey, I first made sure it was okay to post this.

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm just sayin'.

 

[StarryNightshade]

Besides, I've seen FAR worse things posted on this forum. Things meant to offend and cause a fight, instead of a conversation.

 

[Maija]

I'm just sayin'.

Pulls up a chair, I had actually never heard this claim before.

 

[Sumit]

This is quote I've heard quite a few say.

That Hinduism is the direct cause of the oppression of the Dalits (as well as the caste system in general),

Caste system was very later introduced in Hinduism when four Varnas were destroyed.

the oppression of women, the death of millions of little girls, satis, militant nationalistic groups such as Hindutva, etc.

What else do you except when India was under 1000 years of Islamic rule, history writers were always unjust towards Hindus and Hinduism, truth is always hidden so as to convert more and more Hindus. You must read the below link to understand it, It will take some time but you will better understand the fact..
Islam Watch - "History of Jihad against the Hindus of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh" by History of Jihad

It's with these examples that many anti-theists use to "prove" that Hinduism, as well as eastern religion in general, is just as "poisonous" as Abrahamic faiths.

However, aren't these more politically charged, rather than religious?

Well I only want to say such people that Hindus never Kills any person on name on religion.

 

[Jainarayan]

Besides, I've seen FAR worse things posted on this forum. Things meant to offend and cause a fight, instead of a conversation.

I know, I was just bustin' your chops.

 

[Breathe]

In short:

Dalits (as well as the caste system in general) - not a Hindu thing. Caste isn't Hindu.
the oppression of women - not really: women, ideally, should be regarded highly in Hinduism; the mother is the first guru.
the death of millions of little girls - define
sati is not a religious requirement or encouraged, but was a culturally inclined practise: to avoid being a burden on society, to avoid being a 'target', avoiding perceived social stigma, etc.
militant nationalistic groups such as Hindutva, etc - nationalistic

It's with these examples that many anti-theists use to "prove" that Hinduism, as well as eastern religion in general, is just as "poisonous" as Abrahamic faiths.

Anti-theists are scum anyway.

 

[Vinayaka]

This is quote I've heard quite a few say.

And just who are these 'quite a few'? I like to consider the source of such information, or in this case misinformation. Is it spreading rumours against the competition? (Not that we view ourselves as in any competition, but others might.)

 

[StarryNightshade]

And just who are these 'quite a few'? I like to consider the source of such information, or in this case misinformation. Is it spreading rumours against the competition? (Not that we view ourselves as in any competition, but others might.)

Mainly just comments people will leave on other forums and places like YouTube. Plus some writers like Hitchens.

 

[Vinayaka]

Mainly just comments people will leave on other forums and places like YouTube. Plus some writers like Hitchens.

Consider the source. Please.

 

[StarryNightshade]

Consider the source. Please.

Of course. YouTube comments and anonymous bloggers are generally not very credible.

However, such things such as the caste system are very much prevalent in India and this was just a springboard into a conversation on whether such things in India do have some religious basis or if it is primarily political.

 

[Vinayaka]

Have you been to India? Were you able to notice the discrimination first hand? If so, what observations made you think it was caste- related?

(The worst I saw was an owner of a store berating his employees, and I don't believe it was caste, just a frustrated boss.)

 

[StarryNightshade]

Have you been to India? Were you able to notice the discrimination first hand? If so, what observations made you think it was caste- related?

(The worst I saw was an owner of a store berating his employees, and I don't believe it was caste, just a frustrated boss.)

No, I have not been to India. Although it is one of the places I do wish to see before I die.

Sorry if this thread has offended anyone in anyway.

 

[Breathe]

However, such things such as the caste system are very much prevalent in India and this was just a springboard into a conversation on whether such things in India do have some religious basis or if it is primarily political.

The caste system as it has been for a long time is about as Hindu as indentured servants and serfdom is Christian.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

This is quote I've heard quite a few say.

That Hinduism is the direct cause of the oppression of the Dalits (as well as the caste system in general), the oppression of women, the death of millions of little girls, satis, militant nationalistic groups such as Hindutva, etc. It's with these examples that many anti-theists use to "prove" that Hinduism, as well as eastern religion in general, is just as "poisonous" as Abrahamic faiths.

However, aren't these more politically charged, rather than religious?

I would to start by saying that of coarse caste discrimination is a great injustice done to human beings just as racism is. I do not what to give you the impression that I am defending it in any way. With that said...

Few facts about caste in India that might just surprise you.

Caste is not a Hindu word but derives from the Spanish and Portuguese casta. It is a mix of the Jatis system grouped by the Brahminical texts (not scriptures as far as I am concerned). Along with the varnas of that are talked about in the Hindu scriptures. Many in the West see the caste system as an ancient fact of Hindu life, but some contemporary scholars have argued that todays caste system was constructed by the British colonial power.

Every American I know identifies caste as a part Hinduism. The fact is that caste systems exists on the Indian subcontinent that including other religions. Some groups of Muslims, Buddhists and Christians have caste systems. In fact a few years ago Christians had riots because some new convert Dalits wanted to come to their church.

Ancient Indian texts show that caste system was not rigid. The Low caste Valmiki to compose the Ramayana, which was widely adopted and became a major Hindu scripture. This is just one example. I can give more. It seems in ancient India people moved up and down the caste system. Depending on personal skills and interests.

Fa Xian who was a Buddhist pilgrim from China, came to India around 400 AD. Said that Chandals (Dalits) he found to be outcastes because of they're degrading work as dealing with dead bodies. They were universally shunned. It seems that no other group of the population were disadvantaged.

Hinduism is a very big tent and some groups have never excepted caste discrimination. The Tantrics is Assam have always had low caste priests in some of there temples as one example.

Hope this clears up some stuff for you.

 

[Me Myself]

Of course. YouTube comments and anonymous bloggers are generally not very credible.

However, such things such as the caste system are very much prevalent in India and this was just a springboard into a conversation on whether such things in India do have some religious basis or if it is primarily political.

Political. No religious basis. Actually, you" ll find many parts where the religion contradicts a caste system.

A quote from Bishma in the Mahabharat says that no one should be a slave, for example.

 

[Vinayaka]

It's just one of those things that gets totally overblown. People who fear something because they don't want to take the time to study it out, will create misconceptions. Some days I'm surprised mangoes aren't considered poisonous, or craze-inducing intoxicant fruits.

Even today we see it in Wikipedia and elsewhere. Hinduism getting a bad rap. No attempt to understand at all. Its sad, because our great religion has so many wonderful things (like ahimsa) for example to offer the rest of the world.

If there ever was class discrimination, it most certainly was by the British, and other Europeans. They actually took slaves from Africa and indentured labor (one very small step up from slave) from India. Do people actually acknowledge what slavery is?

 

[bp789]

Playing the devil's advocate here, here's an article I found about abuse to Dalit women married to higher caste men in Tamil Nadu. I have no idea how commonplace since I haven't been to India for a long time.

80% dalit women face violence in inter-caste marriage | Deccan Chronicle

Chennai: Contrary to the claims of non-dalit groups led by PMK founder Dr S. Ramadoss blaming dalit men for luring caste Hindu women into pseudo love marriages, an RTI query has revealed that mostly dalit women were at the receiving end in the inter caste marriages and the perpetrators are none other than the caste Hindu men themselves.

Moreover, the caste Hindu men are biggest perpetrators of domestic violence against women belonging to their intermediate caste, said a reported released by NGO Evidence based on RTI data received from the districts.

According to police cases registered in the state between 2009 and 2012, over 80 per cent of women who had faced domestic violence in the inter-caste marriages were dalits. Of the 20 per cent of other caste women, 76 per cent of them faced domestic violence in the hands of the caste Hindu men.

Across the state, 84 women had filed cases of domestic violence against their husband and family members, husbands who deserted them after marriage and men for sexually harassing them by making false promise of marriages. Of the 84 women, 67 were dalits and 17 were caste Hindus.

Out of the 67 affected dalit women, 52 were lured by caste Hindu men on false promise of marriage and sexually harassed them, the data revealed. Among the 84 complaints, in 95.2 per cent cases perpetrator of violence is caste Hindu men.

Evidence executive director A. Kathir said that the RTI info exposes the false campaign carried out by the caste outfits post-Dharmapuri violence that dalit youths lure caste Hindu women into a wedlock in the name of love marriage only to blackmail the latter’s family for money.

He urged the state government to issue a special order to punish those who are sexually assaulting women on false of promise of marriage. In case of dalit women, case should be registered under Section 3 (2) (5) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, he said, demanding the government to strengthen the Act by amending it.

He also asked the government to bring special schemes to rehabilitate the women affected by the inter-caste marriage and violence against them.