How Christians prey on your soul

[wundermonk]

Hello HDF members:

A cousin of mine was plucked away from his life some time ago leaving behind a young wife and a 2 year old daughter. He was diagnosed with bone cancer. The entire family went through trauma and my cousin's mom [my aunt] was/is unconsolable. I think there is nothing in life more difficult than having to live through the death of your own firstborn.

My cousin had a Christian colleague. Knowing the difficulty the family was going through, she made a visit to my cousin's place, as it was becoming clear that my cousin did not have many days left to live. What was extremely disgusting was that she made my aunt swear that she would convert to Christianity if my cousin recovered. My poor aunt was trying anything that she could to have her son recuperate. She agreed. The Christian colleague gave my aunt a copy of the Bible and my aunt used to religiously read it even though she had no prior clue about Christianity. THE LENGHTS TO WHICH A MOTHER WILL GO TO SEE HER SON ALIVE!!!

In the end, all prayers [Christian, Hindu, etc.] became futile as the cancer proved stronger.

The point is this. How many of us Hindus would go to a Christian household and attempt convincing a grieving mother to swear on the Bhagavad Gita that she should convert to Hinduism if her ailing son recovers? I would NEVER do that. When someone is going through a difficult phase in life, I will never EVER bring religion into the mix. It is something that is extremely personal.

Does not what the Christian colleague did a form of psychological terrorism? What exactly was she trying to accomplish?

Will the Christian God not answer the prayers of a desolate Hindu mother to a Hindu God asking for more time on earth with her firstborn son? Is this not what the Christian colleague was implicitly trying to suggest?

[sunyata07]

Namaste Wundermonk,

My sympathies about your cousin and his wife and young child. I can't imagine how devastated you and his family must be considering how suddenly he was diagnosed. I'm also very sorry to hear about what happened to your aunt. Yes, there is no excuse or anything even remotely justifiable for what that woman did. It was a very poor show of compassion for her fellow human being and another prime example of the ways which Christian prosetylisers work to spread the "good news". Shocking and absolutely vile behaviour. I wonder do these Christians looking to convert... do they trade in their humanity for supposed salvation somewhere along the way in their religious madness? It's saddening to hear your aunt actually agreed to do this, as well. A mother's love clearly knows no bounds when it comes to the life of her child.

My prayers go to your cousin and your family.

Om namah Shivaya

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

I think there is nothing in life more difficult than having to live through the death of your own firstborn.

I too, am sorry to hear of your family's loss. There are two things that should never be:

1. A parent outliving a child;
2. The words "young person/child" and "cancer" in the same sentence.

Does not what the Christian colleague did a form of psychological terrorism? What exactly was she trying to accomplish?

1. Yes.
2a. Only God knows.
2b. Show her ignorance and lack of compassion.

When one doesn't know what to say or do in a case of another person's grief, do and say nothing, lest s/he make the situation worse by putting foot in mouth, hurting the other person and making him/herself look like a total ignoramus.

I've had situations in which people have said "I'll pray for you" or "you're in my prayers". That's all well and good, because I don't care whom they pray to if they pray with a sincere heart. But let someone say "let's pray together" and I'll demure, saying that prayers should be private.

[Aum namah Śivāya]

नमस्ते,

I'm so sorry for what you and your family have been going through, and for how they were treated.

The sad thing is that to a Christian, this line of tinkling completely makes sense. If someone believes that if a person isn't Christian, they will go to hell, then they'd be a bad Christian, by Christian standards, to not do everything possible to make them convert. Unfortunately, being a "good" Christian and a good human being seem to frequently conflict.

Not to say that there are no good Christians. I've come across quite a few of both good Christians and good human beings, but it isn't because they are Christian, it is because they know God and know that they don't have a monopoly on God.

ॐ नमः शिवाय

[charitra]

Agree. This is a very common practice in this faith, I know of similar incidents as well. Sorry about the tragedy. Namaste.

[Arjuni]

Namast�,

Imagine if you were given a time machine, and sent back to the few years before the Holocaust began, with all of the knowledge you have from your history textbooks now. And you have free rein to warn people, anyone you can, about the horror that's to come.

You know it's going to happen, but where do you begin? What do you say? Perhaps you start small, a person here and there, by any means; even one person who believes you and runs, is still someone saved. But it would be hard to remain sane when you know what's coming.

Imagining the fear and burden of this - admittedly far-fetched - scenario, it may give you a notion of how it seems, for Christians who take the idea of hell seriously. The world is divided into two fates - eternal bliss, eternal torture - and each person has only one shot to make The Right Choice. It must be maddening, literally.

I think that, at its heart, Christian doctrine itself is "psychological terrorism," Wundermonk. It doesn't excuse the abominable behaviour that you've described. But it is an explanation.

I add my own sorrows, for the loss and outrage to your entire family.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[wundermonk]

@All:

TY for the thoughts...

I did not make this OP with the idea of gaining sympathy actually...but as many of you have rightfully concluded, Xity IS not just another religion. It cannot tolerate any diversity.

It is GOOD that Hindus know what they are dealing with.

[Mana]

Namaste Wondermonk

I too am sorry to hear of your cousins plight, my heart goes out to his family.

If I may humbly offer a slightly differing perspective; Christianity is to my mind a watered down simplified version of a greater truth, one which we all aspire to.

It could be that given the the power of mantra at the right time in the right way, a miraculous recovery might have happened, but to find a practiser skilled to this degree, your cousin would have been truly blessed.

I do however believe that mantra and prayer has this power.

So do Christians; however finding one who is that skilled in mantra and prayer, you would be truly blessed ...

Just food for thought.

Power for good and change comes from the heart, it is not contained within words and doctrine, brAhmaNa; they simply float upon it, or are in effect the crest of these waves ...


praNAma

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

If I may humbly offer a slightly differing perspective; Christianity is to my mind a watered down simplified version of a greater truth, one which we all aspire to.

Permit me to make an addendum: "Christianity is to my mind a perverted version by too many people of a greater truth."

To quote Aum namah Śivāya:

Not to say that there are no good Christians. I've come across quite a few of both good Christians and good human beings, but it isn't because they are Christian, it is because they know God and know that they don't have a monopoly on God.

I know a lot who find the actions of their brethren and sistren (yes, that is a word, archaic as it is) deplorable. There are good and bad in all humans. Unfortunately it's the "bad" ones that seem to speak for the whole.