Hindu tolerance: fact or myth?
For a long time, ‘tolerance’ was spoken of as a characteristic feature of Hinduism. Even people who opposed Hinduism still managed to praise the fact that it had a benign, harmless tolerance. But in recent years the image of Hinduism and of Hindu society has changed quite drastically. Media coverage of the Hindu political assertion in India that began in the late 1980’s and the accompanying inter-religious conflicts has changed the view that many people have of Hinduism. For example, during a conversation with an Eastern European guy at the gym, the topic of religion came up. When he found out I was a Hindu, the first thing he said was, “Are you one of those extremists?” Amazing - as soon as I said I was a Hindu, the first thing that came to his mind was extremism. He had probably been watching TV footage of Indian riots. Events in recent years have indeed shown that Hindus, like others, are not incapable of indiscriminate violence in certain situations….
January 29th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Hindus have definitely become violent and excitable but only after the advent of Hinduatva when religion went to the streets as a political weapon.This has done little good to spreading its values and knowledge and only passed it on to small time street leaders as a handle to power.
May 18th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Hindutva is political, but it is very rational, if you care to read Veer Savarkar, Major. Veer Savarkar did not believe anything was 100% sacred and thought that religion should be scrutinized by religion - how does this compare to the Christian or Muslim right wing?
The idea that Hindus have become “violent and excitable” seems to be media propaganda. Hindus are usually anything but.
Hindu tolerance is the hallmark of dharmic society because it is inherently pluralistic. It is not monolithic but is imbued with spiritual democracy. We were taken advantage of because of it, otherwise we would not be in the state we are in today.
Keshav
May 19th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
To make Hindus violent is uphill task. In the heart of Delhi, in Delhi University, a book in B.A(Hons.) 2nd year openly throws flith on the pious relations of Ram family
And in another book of B.A 1st year, a book without any reference to any Richa of Vedas held the womenhood in bad shape and taste. On simple protest by the students, the boys are sent to jail for more than 14 days and there is protest either from people or from the so called our political party. Still, if some body says, Hindus are violent, my good wishes are with him.
Om Parkash Trehan
May 20th, 2008 at 12:09 am
I watch in horror as the fanatics burn books and valentines cards and all that crap, aping the worst of the fundamentalist islamic and christian traditions. I had a lesson, in Ramayana, of acceptance, when Lord Rama says in Uttarkanda 82, that he accepts men, women, and those without characteristics of each.. the whole universe
May 20th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
This has nothing to do with religion, Hindus like other non-Abhrahamic religions generally have an open minded view of the world. How were we to know a millenium ago that violent religions like christianity and islam would come to existance, whos sole basis was utter destruction of anything different. Naively we tried to tolerate these people, however I believe that the root cause of rioting was pent up fury and like a spark to a can of petrol, I think the last incidence of violence against Hindus was the last straw to set off a wave of destruction.
-Muski
June 6th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Hindus are the fantastic people by nature in this universe.It is quite natural, hindus are by and large tolerence bynature. Becuase from the childhood hidus able to learn how make life easoier and tolerence.
In a servey it has been confirmed that, 70 % parents are more concern abouat there children.It is nothing but hindusies.But sorry to say that, it is becuase Islam and Christians hindus are becoming violent due to there bad practice in India. They are trying to convert the innocent hindus.
Thereis comparision of Hinduism with any religion. its my challenge how many have guts to wright Sacred Gita, Vedas, Uapanishad and purana. Hindus have everything to the mankind starting from cosmology, yoga, medicine,mathematices. Ayurveda nad n number of things. U just tell me can u find the same in ISlam and Bible.Not at all.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
This whole article is based upon a misnomer…why should any particular religion be more tolerant than another?
It is utter Garbage to base the premise of an article upon a religion’s tolerance.
It is much more pertinent to look at a set of civics/codes which a society bases its conduct, in order to guage its tolerance. As a society, surely there cant be one more tolerant than England; as a Hindu i know that India as much to learn about tolerance (see Gujarat massacres and Sikh Pogrom).
Hindu Tolerance?? An oxymoron as it would be for all religions.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
DP,
If you are looking for an absolutely tolerant group, I suspect your argument for rubbish is correct. But considering the British history towards the Irish to the Indian to the Chinese… It seems hardly a fair comparison.
If I say today I didn’t discriminate, therefore I am less discriminating than you, obviously that is a fallacious argument. What must be looked at is a statistical approach towards groups and tolerance. In this way, though I recognize no formal studies have been done, the history of Hinduism, buddhism, Hopi, Classical Greek, Classical Roman, Hun… traditions are far more tolerant than the christo-islamic / contemporary european groups. It is reasonable to argue that a system can be more tolerant than another system (consistently though perhaps not always) using history. If not, then you must accept that Nazism can not be degraded as some Nazi’s tolerated jews, leninism was ok because not all russians were persecuted, maoism is a good because the cost of milllions of chinese is an acceptable cost… Certainly, a well designed study that looks at tolerance as an attitude in modern cultures could be undertaken:
if someone leaves your religion, should that person be killed?
should only one religious practice be supported by / attached to the government?
is there public space to disagree with scripture?
…
hariaum
June 30th, 2008 at 7:31 am
This article is very thought provoking and useful for Hindus to look back and find out for themselves way forward.
As I see it Hinduism is most certainly the oldest religion on Earth. I am also of the opinion it is mother of all subsequent religions. It is even pre-Greek and Egyptian civilisations. That is why one finds certain elements and beliefs from the Vedas in these two civilisations. This article asks a very big question whether Hinduism is very tolerant and non-violent religion. I think it is and there is reason for it.
All the philosophers and scholars have no doubts the Vedas are the roots and base of Hinduism, the Sanatan Vedic Dharma. The language and manner in which they are written one can only conclude they are for the God created ‘human race’, hence of holistic nature. This is the fundamental difference between Hinduism and Abrahamic religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam. One can only surmise, The Vedas are divine while other religions are results and outcome of political upheavals and power struggles through the ages and cannot be more than ‘man made’. And anything man made cannot claim to be of ‘spiritual value’. The only way these religions can survive is by politicising, Jihad and territorial wars.
Hinduism is about leading a progressive life, material and spiritual. Materialism delivers physical comforts and also greed with it, but it is ‘spirituality’ that keeps us in touch with our creator and leads us to more peaceful life. I find only Hindu scriptures have capacity and a process for leading such a life. The prerequisite at the beginning of this process is acceptance and firm faith in ‘reincarnation’ for all living things. The reincarnation as a fact of life has now been proved by many researchers. This strong element in Hinduism has acted as a guiding force and sense of purpose in Hindu life for thousands of years developing tolerance and non-violence. There is no such self regulatory discipline leading to union with our creator in Abrahamic religions.
Big question for Hindus has always been; despite such high ideal and divine process should Hindus remain tolerant to the end when aggression from other religions may result in there own destruction.