Orissa

[indianx]

Do you guys know what is happening in Orissa? A Christian forum I visit had a thread on it, but it was somewhat incomplete. Based on what I've read on BBC, a local priest named Swami Laxamananda Saraswati, who was working in the area re-converting Christians to Hindus, was attacked before Christmas by a mob. This allegedly led a Hindu mob to burn churches located in the area, which, in turn, led a Christian mob to retaliate by burning Hindu homes. An assembly of Hindus gathered around a local police station asking for protection was then fired upon leading to even more protests and disruptions. I'm not sure what the scenario is exactly right now.

It's extremely frustrating when these religious conflicts occur. I will say that the Hindus should have not reacted the way they did. They should have simply protested in a Gandhiesque manner, whether through protests or fasts. Now, I know it is their right to defend their homes, but still, you know they're going to be accused of communal violence.

Is there any way we can assist the affected?

[saidevo]

Namaste indianx.

It's extremely frustrating when these religious conflicts occur. I will say that the Hindus should have not reacted the way they did. They should have simply protested in a Gandhiesque manner, whether through protests or fasts. Now, I know it is their right to defend their homes, but still, you know they're going to be accused of communal violence.
Is there any way we can assist the affected?

I don't agree with you that Hindus should not react when they are attacked. When a man's house is burnt, how can he sit on the Gandhian way of 'satyagraha'? Hindu dharma is based on 'ahimsa' but it does exhort protection of dharma: 'dharmo rakshaka rakshithaha - He who protects dharma shall be protected'.

Churches in Orissa were burnt by Hindu tribals long frustrated by the loss of their faith and culture by the Christian conversions. For a factual analysis of the Orissa violence check:
http://offstumped.nationalinterest.i...t-communalism/
http://www.kanchiforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1998 (posts dated 29th Dec 2007)

[sm78]

Now, I know it is their right to defend their homes, but still, you know they're going to be accused of communal violence.

So appearing "secular" before a few foreign educated, non-religious, utterly selfish and completely misguided set of educated people, whose homes are well protected is more important than protecting our own homes ??

Can we not just tell those who accuse of communal violence to just shut up ?

Can we not instead accuse the chiristians (provoked by an unscrupulous leader) of militancy, for attacking an elderly hindu monk ??

In any rational country and rational media this wud have happened. Hindus (even the so called millitant ones) are never the first to attack...an age old rule of righteous battle.