By Subhasis Chattopadhyay –
There is a distinct Hindu way of life, and there is a distinct Christian way of life. But the problem is that these two ways of living have been hijacked by the white man funding both Hinduism and Christianity from the first world. And therefore, white Hindus believe they are more Hindu than Indian Hindus, and white Christians keep harping on how Jesus Christ and the Bible can only be interpreted by them. If I paid you, then you’d better do the monkey-dance. Let us illustrate this with two examples to show how urgent is the need for reclaiming what is Indian about being Hindu or Christian.
If one were to Google Tantra, one would be astonished that there is something called Tantric Massage; if one were to Google Christian theologians, one just sees white faces. Tantra has nothing to do with massages, and there are influential Christian Indian theologians. I know it from both Indian Hindu and Christian scholars that if they send scholarly manuscripts to first world presses, then these are rejected based merely on the author’s skin colour.
I know of a Catholic Religious Brother who went to their European headquarters about ten years ago when the former was a Provincial. He was told by his white confreres in Europe to not bother much with his Congregation since Indians are too poor to think. Recently, a Hindu monk informed me that just to survive as a scholar he has to request books from the American Academy of Religion. Genuine dialogue cannot happen unless rigorous scholarship is produced by Indians for Indians. In this day and age when the internet spews venom at good people of all faiths, we need our own Indian Academy of Religion. Ideally, it should have only scholars and provide a platform for rigorous academic studies of India’s major faiths.
Let us come together to have an authentic Indian Hinduism and an authentic Indian Christianity. Only Indians can speak for Indians. If the good do nothing, the worst in their passionate stupidity will destroy all attempts at dialogue. Dialogue is impossible without the space for thinking and living beyond the confines of one’s one faith community. Let there be an Indian Academy of Religion with its own standards and meetings and let us be done with suing for grace in the first world.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Indian Catholic Matters and Indian Catholic Matters does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Subhasis Chattopadhyay is a blogger and an Assistant Professor in English (UG & PG Departments of English) at Narasinha Dutt College affiliated to the University of Calcutta. He has additional qualifications in Biblical Studies and separately, Spiritual Psychology. He also studied the Minor Upanishads separately. He also studied Hinduism separately and remains a staunch Hindu. He had written extensively for the Catholic Herald published from Calcutta. From 2010 he reviews books for the Ramakrishna Mission and his reviews have been showcased in Ivy League Press-websites.