The terms ‘Heathen’, ‘Kaffir’ and ‘idol worshipper’ are highly derogative and insulting, yet freely used for Hindus and taught to Christian and Muslim children. This should stop, writes Maria Wirth.
The terms ‘Heathen’, ‘Kaffir’ and ‘idol worshipper’ are highly derogative and insulting, yet freely used for Hindus and taught to Christian and Muslim children. This dehumanizes Hindus and leads to hate crimes and even genocide. This should be considered as a violation of human dignity and equality, writes Maria Wirth in a letter to PM Modi. Below is the letter.
Dear respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji,
I am not an Indian citizen but Iove India and want her culture to flourish and spread because it is most beneficial for all humanity. Except in India, all ancient cultures have been wiped out by Christianity or Islam or in some cases by communism. India is the last ancient culture standing but heavily under attack by those three forces.
Please allow me to make a suggestion, since I know both Christianity and Hindu Dharma as an insider.
The terms ‘Heathen’, ‘Kaffir’ and ‘idol worshipper’ are highly derogative and insulting, yet freely used for Hindus and taught to Christian and Muslim children. This is dangerous, as it dehumanizes Hindus and is prone to lead to hate crimes and even genocide. An UN official said on Holocaust Day that the Holocaust of the Jews did not start with gas chambers but with hate speech. Hate speech against Hindus happens regularly in religious class of these two religions.
Could the Indian government petition the United Nations to declare the discrimination of Hindus as Heathen and Kaffirs who are rejected by the true God and thrown into eternal hell by Christianity and Islam as a violation of human dignity and equality?
The narrow, communal mind-set can be whipped into a frenzy of violence by unscrupulous leaders who remind their followers that Allah wants only Muslims on earth and therefore they need to do Jihad and will be rewarded with a higher rank in paradise (Quran 4.95). The Church may not kill any longer (it did earlier), but also sees Heathen as inferior and considers it as its duty to convert them all, which causes great damage to society. The indoctrination in both religions from childhood is very strong, and even stronger in India to “protect” them from falling back to their old ways.
Religious freedom has its limits when it infringes on the basic rights of others.
Only India, Israel and countries in Asia like Japan, China, Nepal, Thailand… can red-flag this issue, as the rest of the world are already either Muslim or Christian majority countries, though many secular European governments may support such a petition as their citizens don’t believe anymore everything what the Church wants them to believe.
Pakistan and OIC have petitioned the UN to ban criticism of Islam and Islamophobia, which is ominous and probably shows that they are aware that they can’t defend the doctrine reasonably.
India’s concern is genuine and urgent. To be seen and treated as inferior has resulted in great suffering for Hindus which is well documented. Appeals for peace between Hindus and Muslims are shallow and painful for Hindus, if we don’t address the issue what Muslims are taught about Hindus.
Now may be the right time for the Indian government to register with the UN its objection to the fact that the majority of Indian citizen are declared as the worst of creatures who “burn eternally in hell” (Quran 98.6). The Church also claims that Hindus cannot be saved from hell if they have heard of Jesus but did not accept him.
Hindus don’t take the claims that the great Creator will reject them seriously but there are many Indian Muslims and Christians who believe it. By putting those claims into the public realm, many of them may also wonder if this can really be the truth.
These two religions probably cannot be reformed but people can lose faith in the harmful aspects. An exodus from Christianity and to a smaller extent even from Islam has started already, and India can help to accelerate it.
Pointing out the mind-set which led to millions killed over the centuries, and trying to change it, is probably the most important aspect in this war of civilizations.
Kindly see the attached draft in English and Hindi, which could be used as a basis for a petition to the United Nations.
Yours Sincerely,
Maria Wirth
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