From: mece1e3@Jane.UH.EDU
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.pakistan
Subject: Re: Idols RE: Why did Muhammad Break Temples
Date: 18 Dec 1992 22:38:10 GMT
Organization: University of Houston
Reply-To: mece1e3@Jane.UH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: jane.uh.edu

Best article from Deb in recent times. Let me try to elucidate some points
to make the problem more clear.

>  BTW, according to Hindu philosophy Jesus Christ (PBUH) preached the concept
>  of Karma and Bhakti (Deed and Faith). (The famous prayer of Christ is an
>  example.) Islam is merely a summation of rules (kriya) and contains the
>  command of placing unquestionable faith in the Supreme Will (Al-Islam). While
>  Hindus place no discontent on the latter part (Supreme Will), the way I might
>  do it is most likely to be different than yours. Consequently, the ancient
>  Hindus preached *tolerance* - upon realizing this. Christianity does the same
>  thing - maybe the followers of Christ were misguided - upon having not been
>  able to understand His subtle Divine Message.
>
The problem is not the kriya: but the laws reqd. for nation-building. The
ancient nation of Israel was built on Mosaic laws and the nation of Arabia
was built on Islamic laws. Some Muslims believe that that is the FINAL and
BEST set of laws for all time to come. The problem is how to preserve the
other people's right not to believe in this without restricting the individual
Muslim's right to practice his own religion.
A tricky problem indeed! And RJB does not help but make matters worse.

>  In conclusion, one must assert that considering the present circumstances,
>  that Mahommedans (Muslims) had for centuries wrongly tried to impose the
>  set of action (kriya) that *they* wanted to follow. (I am not sure how this
Rather tried to impose the laws. The problem is the imposition. There should
be no compulsion in religion according to Al-Quran. However, if the Muslims
are a majority in an area and the majority of the population believe that
Islamic laws are the BEST set of laws then by the principle of democracy that
should become the law of the nation: this is the inherent equation of
Dar-ul-Islam(As Raj points out) with the muslim-majority regions.

>  could be permitted granted that Islam also implies the Holy Peace.) Thus in
>  view of the circumstances, Hindus are obliged to protect themselves from the
>  pampered Muslim minority in India as protecting what I believe is my right
>  Karma and by all theories of principles of ethics, we (Hindus) must try to
>  protect ourselves and demand fair share of the rules. This can be done in a
>  democratic manner - amicable solution - desired by everyone. But, Muslims are
>  determined to implement the law of the Sharia - which we Hindus and other
>  religious groups feel quite is unacceptable to us. 
> 
>  I hope this blotches out some of your doubts.
>
>   - deb chatterjee
>  (a good samaritan)

What is the solution? To me the demand of the RSS seems like an appeal to
the Muslims to subjugate religious loyalty in favour of the national loyalty.
But I cannot dictate to anybody that in his personal life the national loyalty
MUST take preference. If he willingly chooses to do so that is fine. Personally
I believe in transcending both the religious and national loyalty to the
loyalty of the idea that earth is one family. However, the majority of the
people do not believe so. Hence this faux pass is going to remain.
Arindam
The tabernacle of unity hath been raised, regard ye not each other as
strangers. Bahaullah