In the interest of full disclosure, let me just say that I’m a Christian AND I believe – like the author – that “freedom of religion” is only legitimate when one has the ability to engage others intellectually and let them decide for themselves what religion they feel is the most accurate to what they observe in themselves and the world. That said, I would venture to guess that most Indians will find Hinduism in line with their cultural DNA… while less might find the objective truth claims of Christianity more inline with their experience and thinking.

Let me also agree (I think with most everybody commenting thus far) that religious conversion by force is an atrocity… which should be punishable with imprisonment. And that conversion by coercion is a sham… I can’t even begin to understand a person that would fraudulently believe that their efforts for “conversion” were somehow worthwhile by “converting” people by trickery… such as the “miracle box” mentioned above… or by bribery… by “buying” converts. How intellectually dishonest can a person be? That’s certainly not what this Christian believes is his “duty” in helping point others towards God.

I’m going to try and resist the urge to hit every single topic mentioned here… let me just say this. If a person, through persuasion, be it intellectual or spiritual quickening/awakening, becomes – and remains – a “true” Christian, this is of NO threat whatsoever to India as a sovereign nation. True Christianity has no political ends… Jesus said, My Kingdom is not of this world. This is why America, while founded primarily by the blood of Christians, has in it’s most foundational document, the constitution, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”.

While I think that there millions of wonderful, genuine peace-loving tolerant Muslims in the world, I also believe that the core of Islam IS political. And this is a big problem when you come into societies and try to impose things like Sharia Law. This is a cultural disaster and a political ticking time bomb… albeit, in most cases, one with a very long fuse.

I think we have to acknowledge that while there are many similarities in religions, there are also many differences. Tolerance… absolutely. But not egalitarianism… that’s crazy and unproductive. Not all ideas are equal… and all religions are essentially ideas about spirituality and God.

Lastly, if you want to respond to this post, let’s take the issues one at a time. I think there’s a worthwhile dialogue to be had, but I don’t have the time or patience to sift through long-winded rants about how bad Christianity or Islam might be for India.

it should be said — are the aggressive methods of the Pentecost and Seventh Day Adventist missionaries, known for their muscular ways of conversion.
conversions in India by Christian missionaries of low caste Hindus and tribals are sometimes nothing short of fraudulent and shameful acts. American missionaries are investing huge amounts of money in India, which come from donation-drives in the United States where gullible Americans think the dollars they are giving go towards uplifting “poor and uneducated” Indians.

It is common in Kerala, for instance, particularly in the poor coastal districts, to have “miracle boxes” put in local churches. The gullible villager writes out a paper mentioning his wish such as a fishing boat, a loan for a pucca house, fees for the son’s schooling. And lo, a few weeks later the miracle happens! And of course the whole family converts, making others in the village follow suit.

Did you know that Christianity is dying in the West? Not only is church attendance falling dramatically because spirituality has deserted it, but less and less youth accept the vocation to become priests or nuns. And as a result, say in the rural parts of France, you will find only one priest for six or seven villages, whereas till the late seventies, the smallest hamlet had its own parish priest.

And where is Christianity finding new priests today? In the Third World, of course! And India, because of the innate impulsion of its people towards god, is a very fertile recruiting ground for the Church, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Hence the huge attention that India is getting from the United States, Australia, or England and the massive conversion drive going on today.

It is sad that Indians, once converted, specially the priests and nuns, tend to turn against their own country and help in the conversion drive. There are very few “White” missionaries left in India and most of the conversions are done today by Indian priests.

Last month, during the bishop’s conference in Bangalore, it was restated by bishops and priests from all over India that conversion is the FIRST priority of the Church here. But are the priests and bishops aware that they would never find in any Western country the same freedom to convert that they take for granted in India? Do they know that in China they would be expelled, if not put into jail? Do they realize that they have been honoured guests in this country for nearly two thousand years and that they are betraying those that gave them peace and freedom?

as in numerous ways it is similar to Hinduism, from which Christ borrowed so many concepts. (See Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s book: “Hinduism and Christianity”)

British missionaries in India were always supporters of colonialism. They encouraged it and their whole structure was based on “the good Western civilized world being brought to the Pagans.” Because, in the words of Claudius Buchanan, a chaplain attached to the East India Company, “Neither truth, nor honesty, honour, gratitude, nor charity, is to be found in the breast of a Hindoo!” What a comment about a nation that gave the world the Vedas at a time when Europeans were still grappling in their caves!
And it is in this way that the British allowed entire chunks of territories in the East, where lived tribals, whose poverty and simplicity made them easy prey to be converted to Christianity. By doing so, the Christian missionaries cut a people from their roots and tradition, made them look westwards towards a culture and a way of life which was not theirs.

And the result is there today for everyone to see: it is in these eastern states, some of which are 90 per cent Christian, that one finds the biggest drug problems (and crime) in India. It should also be said that many of the eastern separatist movements have been covertly encouraged by Christian missionaries on the ground that “tribals were there before the ‘Aryan Hindus’ invaded India and imposed Hinduism upon them.”

the recent cases of persecution of Christians in India at the hands of Hindu groups. I have personally investigated quite a few, amongst them the rape of the four nuns in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, nearly two years ago. This rape is still quoted as an example of the “atrocities” committed by Hindus on Christians.

Yet, when I interviewed the four innocent nuns, they themselves admitted, along with George Anatil, the bishop of Indore, that it had nothing to do with religion: It was the doing of a gang of Bhil tribals, known to perpetrate this kind of hateful acts on their own women. Today, the Indian press, the Christian hierarchy and the politicians, continue to include the Jhabua rape in the list of atrocities against Christians.

It is thus necessary that Indians themselves become more aware of the danger their culture and unique civilization is facing at the hands of missionaries sponsored by foreign money. It is also necessary that they stop listening to the Marxist-influenced English newspapers’ defense of the right of Christian missionaries to convert innocent Hindus.

Conversion belongs to the times of colonialism. We have entered the era of Unity, of coming together, of tolerance and accepting each other as we are, not of converting in the name of one elusive “true” god.

When Christianity accepts the right of other people to follow their own beliefs and creeds, then only will Jesus Christ’s spirit truly radiate in the world.

[The author, who writes "The Ferengi's Column" in The Indian Express, is the correspondent in South Asia for Le Figaro, France's largest circulating daily. He has just published "Arise O India" (Har-Anand).]

india belongs to hindus (hindustan), and not mainly to cristians & muslims who are making india satanistan.

What an oxymoronic statement !!!!!

>>>>>>>> A Hindu can never be converted because whatever religion he or she adopts, he or she still remains a Hindu. For a true Hindu, Jesus and Allah are gods as much as Ram and Ganesh are; <<<<<<<<

What a cunningness!!!!!

Why don't you try these thoughts in Saudi-Arabia OR Pakistan?

you may try telling the below sentence in Vatican:
"A CHRISTIAN can never be converted because whatever religion he or she adopts, he or she still remains a CHRISTIAN. For a true CHRISTIAN, Jesus and Allah are gods as much as Ram and Ganesh are;"

Or for that matter Try telling this to a fellow coming out of Friday prayers in any mosque any where in the world:
"A MUSLIM can never be converted because whatever religion he or she adopts, he or she still remains a MUSLIM. For a true MUSLIM, Jesus and Allah are gods as much as Ram and Ganesh are;"

I suppose we all will have fun at your expense if you can try these antics that you are trying in a "Free India" which has been mentally/intellectually enslaved in a cunning manner by people like you.

The Catholic/Christian faith says that Jesus was/is/would be the ONLY saviour. So a Hindu cannot be a Hindu once he/she converted to Christianity.

Similary Islam says "Allah is the only god and Muhammad is the last Prophet and the way to God is only thru Islam. Nothing else stands a chance. Rather they wouldn't let it stand at all."

And to those Hindus (like Anusha Gopakumar) who thinks that this world is all pally pally and only Nirvana exists, please open your minds and read a funny little thing called History. Do you mean to say that Rana Pratap was not a True Hindu since he fought wars? Do you mean to say that our Freedom Fighters are not True Hindus since they fought the British? Do you mean to say that Swami Vivekananda is not a True Hindu since he said – "Every Hindu lost out to another religion is not only a man less but an enemy more"? Do you mean to say that Mohandas Gandhi is not a True Hindu since he said "Religious Conversion is the Biggest Fraud on Humanity"?

The whole of Northeast has been converted to Christianity and they are waiting for an opportune moment to secede from Indian Union. In the next Hundred years, if the same trend continues, either there won't be anything called India OR there will be a Akhand Christustan.

If Caste is/was a big issue let's solve it together. But Why are the Wolves in Sheeps clothing crying about it? What is their gain? Hindu loss is their gain. Loss of Hindu culture, Hindu Religion, Hindu Territory (First Pakistan, Then Bangladesh, Then it would be North-east, Then it would be Tamil-Eelam……etc., etc.,), Hindu Lands (Today, CHURCH organizations have the BIGGEST land bank in India – Bigger than any real estate company can have)…..

Before any one asks any politician or Hindu religious leaders to preach peace, please STOP all religious conversions in India (There can't be any If's and But's on this) and Make religious conversion ILLEGAL by enacting a law.

The Indian State & the Indian Government exists for sole purpose of the maintenance and upliftment of Indians. If there are a section of society suffering OR or below par, it should be primary and exclsuive duty of the Indian State OR Government to remedy this. Why are RELIGIOUS institutions doing this? Isn't India a Secular State? As per Secular Definition, the STATE and RELIGION should be separated. RELIGION shouldn't get in to STATE subject – which is the welfare of the people. Why has Indian STATE / Government not discharged it's duty?

All of those who care for the poor, downtrodden, suffering people of india (irrespective of their castes), please take your time and effort to go and help them in every direct manner possible. In addition, Elect a Government which will take care of the welfare of it's citizen.

Please don't create websites, and in the name of discussion / debate, promote religious conversion – especially to christianity.