Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Drishtikone

Home
Hindu
Controversy on Hinduism in California Text Books

Controversy on Hinduism in California Text Books

Last updated on: January 27, 2006 at 7:56 pm by Desh Kapoor

Controversy on Hinduism in California Text Books 2006-01-27T19:56:48-06:00 Desh Kapoor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

There is a controversy on the issue of controversy of changes to California sixth graders books with respect to Hinduism. There are many blogs which are commenting on it so I thought I might as well take it up too! There are two that I have read and commented on – Amardeep Singh and Intentblog.

But I will weigh in this controversy with a view to show the behavior of the various ‘actors” in the entire drama – specially with respect to the Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT)

Aryan Invasion Theory was put forward by Fredrich Max Muller – an indologist of dubious intentions. And this is what BBC says about this Aryan Invasion theory:

The theory was not just wrong, it included unacceptably racist ideas:

– it suggested that Indian culture was not a culture in its own right, but a synthesis of elements from other cultures
– it implied that Hinduism was not an authentically Indian religion but the result of cultural imperialism
– it suggested that Indian culture was static, and only changed under outside influences

– it suggested that the dark-skinned Dravidian people of the South of India had got their faith from light-skinned Aryan invaders
– it implied that indigenous people were incapable of creatively developing their faith
– it suggested that indigenous peoples could only acquire new religious and cultural ideas from other races, by invasion or other processes
– it accepted that race was a biologically based concept (rather than, at least in part, a social construct) that provided a sensible way of ranking people in a hierarchy, which provided a partial basis for the caste system
– it provided a basis for racism in the Imperial context by suggesting that the peoples of Northern India were descended from invaders from Europe and so racially closer to the British Raj
– it gave a historical precedent to justify the role and status of the British Raj, who could argue that they were transforming India for the better in the same way that the Aryans had done thousands of years earlier
– it downgraded the intellectual status of India and its people by giving a falsely late date to elements of Indian science and culture

For more about his intentions and thoughts you can go to “The Life & Letters of Right Honorable Friedrich Mueller” Here are some excerpts:

In a letter of 1866 A.D. he writes to his wife: ‘This edition of mine and the translation of the Veda will hereafter tell to a great extent on the fate of India, …it is the root of their religion and to show them what the root is, I feel sure, is the only way of uprooting all that has spring from it during the last three thousand years.’ (Vol. 1, Ch. XV, page 346).

In another letter he writes to his son: ‘Would you say that any one sacred book is superior to all others in the world? …I say the New Testament, after that, I should place the Koran,27 which in its moral teachings, is hardly more than a later edition of the New Testament. Then would follow according to my opinion the Old Testament, the Southern Buddhist Tripitaka, the Tao-te-king of Laotze, the Kings of Confucius, the Veda and the Avesta.’ (Vol. II, Ch. XXXII, page 339).

On 16th December 1868 A.D. he writes to Duke of Argyle, the Minister for India: ‘The ancient religion of India is doomed and if Christianity does not step in, whose fault will it be?’ (Vol. I, Ch. XVI, page 378.)

letter written by him to N.K. Majumdar: ‘Tell me some of your chief difficulties that prevent you and your countrymen from openly following Christ, and when I write to you I shall do my best to explain how I and many who agree with me have met them and solved them… From my point of view, India, at least the best part of it, is already converted to Christianity. You want no persuasion to become a follower of Christ. Then make up your mind to work on yourself. Unite your flock – to hold them together and prevent them from straying. The bridge has been built for you by those who came before you. STEP BOLDLY FORWARD, it will break under you, and you will find many friends to welcome you on the other shore and among them none more delighted that your old friend and fellow labourer F. Max Muller.’ (Vol. II, Ch. XXXIV, pages 415-416.)

The problem is that the very right to “define” vocabulary has been hijacked to start with. And then.. using that unlimited latitude, these people have defined mythological/social terms in their own way… and termed them as historical fact. Using these historical stories borne out of definitional piracy – an entire campaign has been created.

When you argue about the absurdity of Aryan Theory.. they will talk about that the indigenous theory is an act of a fundamentalist.. and when you say that yes, indigenous thoery is falsehood.. they jump on the other side of the line claiming there is enough “evidence” of AIT being true!

Its this constant “Lie Dance” that is being performed in the public arena by these leftist and pseudo secular folks time and again!

My beef (pun intended) with all this – that I do not even consider Hinduism a religion – religion is a construct of the West.. it was only when someone came and said I am “X” to us .. that we became a “Y”! Before that I dont see in any scripture that there was a Valmikism or Vasisthism or Tulsidasism or whatever? They were as, if not more, accomplished in spiritual sense as Buddha, Guru Nanak Dev or Jesus or others were! What were these guys then? Hindus? That word NEVER occurs ONCE in entire Mahabharata or Ramayana or Vedas..

So, I subscribe to the “open-source” nature of exploratory spiritual journey that all the Vedic Rishis subscribed to AND adhered to.

Having said that.. for reasons outside my control.. I have been – in todays world – that is dominated by Western influence .. and so PRONE to categorization – have fallen into a BOX called “Hindu”.

Now, that is ok with me.. but it becomes inconvenient when I am walking down the street and someone comes and hurls abuses at me because I somehow think that what Krishna says in Gita is the most profound thing I have read or heard. For he wants me to swear by Jesus or Mohd… ONLY! I love Jesus and others.. but as is my wont.. I would say that all are equally worthy of reverence.. but that just does not satisfy the bully. I HAVE to FALL in a BOX or I am dead!

Its the same act that has gone in on this controversy by “holier-than-thou pseudo secularists”… either I and others FALL IN A BOX called “opposition to AIT is fundamentalism” or we get a Middle Finger. Nothing short of that will do!! NOTHING!

Hues in this world are NOT possible anymore!! And that is the real tragedy of our age! Black or White.. Box X or BOX Y.. life out of box has ceased to become a choice. And these folks who have a factory load of labels with “Fundamentalist” written on them, HAVE ENSURED THAT BOXES REMAIN FULL!!!

Finally in the end I personally need to charter my own private course. And this is what I think of it:

I am convinced beyond doubt that ultimately it will be our OWN understanding that will help our kids to understand the range of religious thoughts in their correct perspectives as they grow up. Just that the age to engage with them on such a dialog has reduced!

Also, I cannot side with people who want to “framework” Hinduism in to a religion! That will mean creating another Box. I would rather provide my kids the freedom to learn all philosophies.. and REMAIN free! They should have the compassion in their heart to love Jesus, Krishna, Sufis, Ram, Guru Nanak Dev, without having to cut out any one of them from their world-view.

Once they learn to live in freedom they would feel claustrophobic at the site of a “Box”, so the fear of “conversion” that, I know, many Hindus have here in the US will not be a possibility, because they would rightly ask “Conversion from “whom” to “whom”???

“Jithe Hai ikko;
Othe Safaat ki te Jaat ki?”

Where there is only one..
Of what importance is my achievements and caste?”

Technorati : California sixth graders, Hinduism
Del.icio.us : California sixth graders, Hinduism
Ice Rocket : California sixth graders, Hinduism
Flickr : California sixth graders, Hinduism
Buzznet : California sixth graders, Hinduism
43 Things : California sixth graders, Hinduism

Previous Post

January 27, 2006

Globalization: Boon or Curse?

Next Post

January 28, 2006 Four guys, a Manager and the Pie

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Aarti Achievement and Leadership AfPak Africa Annual and Year-end Asia Audio Australia Behavioural Sciences Bhagwad Gita Bhagwad Gita Blogging Blogs Business Business Intelligence Business Strategy Cannes Careers Chanakya China Conservation Corruption Creative Daily Links Desh Poems Development & Welfare Devotional Audio Devotional Songs Drama Earth Economics Education Entertainment Environment Europe Everyday Quotes Featured Articles Featured Songs Finance Flickr Pictures Food Geo-Political Global Warming Globalization Health & Medicine Hinduism Historic History Humour India Indian Culture Indian music Indian Weddings Israel Issues Legal Link Love Minorities Misc Motivation and Personal Development Movie Lists Movie Reviews Movies Mumbai terror attacks Natural Disasters Nature News Outsourcing Pakistan Parenting Personal Philosophy Poetry Politics Poverty Quotes Recipe Regular Blog Post Relationships Religion Religious/Spiritual Audio Sciences Showcase Slideshow South Asia Special Stories Spiritual Quotes Spirituality Sports Stories Strategy Technology Technology Terrorism Travel Uncategorized US Video Women Women_s Rights Worship Yoga

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 September 2014 August 2014 January 2014 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Beersheba" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

House of the King Valley of Water Well of the Oath Blessed Field