Arya Samaj

Devo · Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 11:24 pm Post subject: Christian Conversion Activities

What are your views on the increase of Christian conversion activities worldwide?

Shishya · Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:51 pm Post subject:

Conversion Tactics
Deception, Lies & Deceit

Christian Missionaries on one hand preach high moral values, yet at the same time, they follow the lowest most despicable ones in order to convert people to their religion. Missionaries especially prey on the poorest, most rural folk under the guise of helping them out of poverty when in fact they have chosen to convert them because they are the most uneducated and therefore most likely to fall for their deception.

Fake Medicines – One common tactic employed by Missionaries is to give a sick villager fake medicines which have no medicinal value and ask them to worship in the name of their faith for wellness. After several days, the missionary gives the villager an identical dose of the medicine, but this time it is the real medicine. Then the missionary will instruct the villager to now pray to Jesus. Soon after, due to the medicine and not due to Jesus, the villager will be cured. The uneducated and gullible villager, however, will attribute his cure to Jesus and convert to Christianity.
Floating Idols – In rural villages in India, Missionaries and place a stone or metal idol of a Hindu Deity in a bucket of water. The statue will sink in the bucket. Next the Missionary bring a wax-coated idol of Jesus or Virgin Mary (though Christianity prohibits idols) and places that in the bucket. Due the wax-coat, the Christian idol will float. The Missionary will then conclude that because the Christian idol floated, it is “higher” and, therefore, better than the Hindu one. The uneducated villager, not knowing anything about buoyancy or density, falls for the Missionary’s ridiculous explanation and converts to Christianity.
Fraudulent Saints – Often Missionaries will disguise themselves as religious leaders of the local religion and subtly attempt to convert the locals.

The classic example was that of Robert de Nobili, a Jesuit from France, who came to India in the early 17th century. He adopted the saffron robe, started to live in a hut, squatted on the floor for conducting his discourses, became a vegetarian and gave up liquor, projected that he was a Brahmin saint from Rome and that the Bible was one of the lost Vedas (Hindu holy scriptures), and generally tried to pass himself as another Hindu sanyasi (saint). He was successful, and many Hindus came to him for spiritual reasons of which many he converted.
Though Nobili used this tactic centuries ago, this deceitful and treacherous method is still in use by Missionaries even today.
Blasphemy & Impurity – Another tactic used my Christian is to somehow make the victim impure to their religion in some way. Then the Missionary will convince the victim that they can no longer practice their old faith due to their blasphemy, and therefore they must accept Christianity.

The most infamous incident is known as the “Sepoy Rebellion”. In 1857, British General Lord Canning gave orders for the British to mix crushed cow and pig bones into the salt, butter and sugar rations of his Indian troops. In addition the British greased Enfield rifle cartridges with cow and pig fat. After some time, it was discovered by the troops that the rations they had consumed and the mouth-loaded cartridges had been contaminated with animal fats. This led many devout Hindu and Muslim to believe they were no longer pious members of their respective religions and so many were forced to convert. This outrage led to a massive war-like rebellion by the Hindu and Muslim troops which was eventually quelled by British.

By making one impure to their religion, shows the paramount of hatred and disrespect that Christian Missionaries have for all other religions.
Guilt & Accusations – In 1975, Christian Missionaries were unsuccessful in converting the Panare Native Americans of the Colorado Valley. The missionaries had converted the Bible to their native language, but the peaceful and simple tribe could not understand the concepts of sin, guilt, war and plagues. So instead, the missionaries changed the Bible so that instead of the Romans and others, the Panare were responsible for the death of Jesus. One excerpt read:

”The Panare killed Jesus Christ, because they were wicked. Let's kill Jesus Christ, said the Panare. The Panare seized Jesus Christ. The Panare killed in this way. The laid a cross on the ground. They fastened his hands and his feet against the wooden beams, with nails. They raised him straight up, nailed. The man died like that, nailed. Thus the Panare killed Jesus Christ…

God will burn you all, burn all the animals, burn also the earth, the heavens, absolutely everything. He will burn also the Panare themselves. God will exterminate the Panare by throwing them on the fire. It is a huge fire. I am going to hurl the Panare into the fire, said God.”

And the simplistic Panare tribe immediately claimed they loved Jesus, fearing they would be burnt by God. Missionaries seem to go to any extent to convert others, even if it requires gross deception and misrepresentation of their own holy book, the Bible will for the benefit of “winning souls”.
False Identities – To convert a more educated and pious individual, a Missionary will pretend that he/she has a religious background that is the same as yours.

For example, a Missionary who is targeting a Hindu may tell the Hindu that he (or a Christian friend or acquaintance) was once an orthodox Hindu, or that he had a solid Hindu education, a traditional Hindu family life, etc. This is almost always an outright lie so that you will open up to him. The hidden message that he is attempting to convey is that he came to believe in Jesus after knowing and overcoming all of the Hindu objections, and therefore, the Hindu he is targeting should also try to follow the same path, (which he never really took).

Usually, all that is necessary to expose this type of hoax is to ask him about various small details of Hindu life that any observant Hindu child would know, and see how he responds. In almost all cases, he will begin to hedge about the extent of his "background" and "Hindu knowledge". Unfortunately, most Hindu or targets of other religions are themselves not knowledgeable enough to be able to expose this type of deception and quite often Missionaries are successful.
Secret Baptism – Another tactic that is deceptively employed by Missionaries is to “baptize” a victim without their knowledge. Then to reveal that they had been baptized and they must convert to Christianity. Though well-documented, it is little known that the most famous perpetrator was Mother Teresa and her sisters.

“For Mother (Teresa), it was the spiritual well-being of the poor that mattered most. Material aid was a means of reaching their souls, of showing the poor that God loved them. In the homes for the dying, Mother taught the sisters how to secretly baptize those who were dying. Sisters were to ask each person in danger of death if he wanted a ‘ticket to heaven’. An affirmative reply was to mean consent to baptism. The sister was then to pretend she was just cooling the person’s forehead with a wet cloth, while in fact she was baptizing him, saying quietly the necessary words. Secrecy was important so that it would not come to be known that Mother Teresa’s sisters were baptizing Hindus and Moslems.”
Miracles – One of the most despicable ways of deception is how Missionaries pray on young rural school children. The school bus will stop suddenly. Young kids are told that they must pray 'Krishna' to try and restart it, but it fails to do so. Then they try 'Rama', then 'Guru Nanak', then 'Allah' etc. Finally, after exhausting the common names in India for spiritual authority, they are asked to say 'Jesus' all together, and at that time the bus suddenly starts. Everyone applauds the demonstration of Jesus' love and power.
Miracle Boxes – Missionaries will place "Miracle boxes" are put in local churches: The gullible villager writes out a request - a loan, a pucca house, fees for the son's schooling. A few weeks later, the miracle happens, paid for by Western Christian donations. And the whole family converts believing it is a miracle of Jesus, making others in the village follow suit.

Summary

All in all, Christian Missionaries will not hesitate to distort, deceive and defame others in order to propagate their religion. Their devious tactics break every fundamental rule or human benevolence. Instead Missionaries often bring out the worst of humankind.

(Source)

Shishya · Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

I think the above article gives a good indication of the depths to which Christian missionaries will stoop to gain followers. It shows that they have no interest in uplifting or educating the people they preach to, but instead wish only to use the ignorance of the simple-minded to manipulate as many people as possible. These missionaries have blinded themselves to the Truth, and wish to make the whole world blind for the sake of conformity. It is the duty of any Truth-loving nation to ban and/or punish the practice of such conversion tactics altogether. Such spiritual scoundrels cannot be allowed to operate under the pretext of 'religious freedom'.
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Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Shishya · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:29 am Post subject:

Would anyone else like to make a comment or share a story regarding this topic?

Sunita · Arya Ladies Forum Moderator Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 567

We should band them from our communites. Its just a trick .......the government should implement a law and band this mission.

Shishya · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:50 pm Post subject:

Namaste Sunita,

I was reading one Christian missionary site the other day that was discussing tactics for conversion. One that stuck in my mind involved water.

These organizers were telling their missionaries that they should travel to an non-Christian areas where there is little water and for about $1000 (relatively cheap for a westerner but a fortune for many poor around the world) have a deep well drilled. Then, they should build a house or church next to the well. That way, when the people realize that the well is there, they will be forced to go to the church where they will have to talk to the missionaries before they are allowed to get water for themselves.

How can you exploit a person's basic needs like that and sleep at night?
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Sunita · Arya Ladies Forum Moderator Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 567

Shishya,

Its very easy for them to live like that. From experience.....hahahahaha! u will know why i prefer to hide in my clossette and play msn games instead of hanging out. But luckily nobody here can ever tried to convert me...I changed the topic to a fake interest.

There is a serious need to let the public be aware and start a campaign against these bastards.

Devo · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:55 am Post subject:

Namaste,

Apparently, we are a bunch of walking=talking 'dead' people..... Since, according to come Christian Missionaries, the World ended in the yr. 2000.

Any takes?.. or am i the only 'dead' one? 8)

Sunita: Playing in the closet is paying off!... You're highjacking all the top scores in the Arcade.. Wink

Sunita · Arya Ladies Forum Moderator Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 567

Shishya · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

For a related topic, please see this poll.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Hiten · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:28 pm Post subject:

Namaste

Conversions by force will always backfire on the faith thats doing all the harm. Since what goes around, comes around.

At the end of the day, Truth will always prevail.

Satyameva Jayate
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Regards, Hiten

Aum Shantih Shantih Shantih

Sunita · Arya Ladies Forum Moderator Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 567

They only goes to third world countries because people are financially poor and humble and very easy to convert. If u try argue with these missionaries they will tell u plain that they are not interested in hinduism...there job is to preach the bible and jesus.

The eyeglasses they give out are the ones expired from patients. The government should help stop this mission. There are charities like the Red Cross etc that just help people without converting patients.
_________________
Namaste!

(1) If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it. William Arthur Ward

(2) The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.John Dewey:

(3) Andre Gide: Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.

Deepan Abisuriya · Junior Member Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 66

Namaste,

This type of conversions are corrupting the society and I also feel that christianity and Islam itself is getting corrupted .

What will happen if you just dump people in the religion without teaching them the scriptures and making their spiritual lives pure and holy.

Superstition still remains, casteline still divides, lack of education degrades the culture.

This is the backfire which is truly happening in christianity and Islam.

Deepan

Devo · Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:23 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

If we refer back to Swamiji's famous speech, that Shishya provided to us in another thread, we will see very vividly why conversions tend to backfire, and also why societies such as Christianity, Islam, and even the Arya Samaj, at times, seems corrupted.

However, we tend to focus too much on the problems of other faiths, that we sometimes forget our own problems within the Samaj.

It is such a shame, on our part, that we have the knowledge at our finger tips, we know what is Satya and Asatya ( I'm assuming this is the opposite of Satya), we know how to become better human beings, but yet, we cannot utilize the wisdom that Ved Maa presents to us, for the betterment of ourselves and our society. Instead, we think we know, therefore assuming we are better than others, and because think we know, we get carried away in an 'un-aryan' path, so to speak.

Many say that Arya Samajists are like crabbs in a barrel. I say we are stuck in a box, and unless we pull together, unless we agree on one common ground for the preservation and promotion of Vaidik culture, we will become just like the Christian & Islamic societies, God forbid.

There are many ways by which we can come out of this box, we're in presently. Our leaders, for one, fail us tremendously in moving towards this goal.

Now, it is left on the rest of us with basic common sense, and a level of respect that we can give to others, and of which we expect others to give upon us, for us to move ahead.

If we can move with just these principles, wew ould not have to fear conversion, and it effects on our Vaidik way of life.

Devo.

Shishya · Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:50 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

Deepan and Devo make some good points. In connection with this topic, I recently made a post on another Arya Samaj website:
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Namaste Deepak & Sanjeev,

I think both of you have brought forth very valid points. I would simply like to add that I think we need to first focus upon the foundation before we attempt to errect a superstructure - that is to say, we need to firmly establish the Samaj in the Vedas and other Vedic Literature before we try and bring the message of the Vedas to others.

If I had the financial resources, I would love to see to it that each and every Arya Samaj household owns a complete and correct copy of the 4 Veda Samhitas, the 4 Principal Brahmanas, the 10 Prinicipal Upanishads, the 6 Vedangas, the 4 Upavedas, and the 6 Darshana Sutras. Having a community copy in a local Mandir is simply not enough. I believe it to be vital for the renewal of Vaidik Dharm that every man, woman and child have direct and personal access to these scriptures. If translations into Hindi, English and other languages are necessary, then let a body be formed of vedic scholars to oversee that work. And after we have made these holy works available to all Arya Samajists, then let us distribute them to all corners of the globe. This is the single most important work the Arya Samaj could do for the upliftment of mankind. It is high time that it be undertaken.

Others have taken this route, and their success has been enormous. Take a look at Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada. Within 10 years, he was able to build a huge international Vaishnava community with millions of devotees, building more than 100 lavish temples around the globe. And all of that was made possible simply by making works such as the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana available to the masses at affordable prices. The people of this earth are starving for true wisdom. How much more success would we have promoting the Vedas, the source of all true knowledge, in comparison with a work such as a Purana? It boggles the mind.

Or again, think of how successful the Christians have been in getting their 'holy scripture' printed and published around the world. In any hotel room in the U.S., for example, you will find a free copy of the Bible. What other book has that kind of exposure? And it is exposure that is vital in the work of spreading truth. If we had only 1% of the financial resources which result from the sale of the bible, we would be able to bring about a positive revolution in India and abroad.

At the very least, we need to offer an alternative to the positively damaging translations of the Vedas as they are found on the internet. Hundreds of thousands of youths are searching the internet each and everyday, and if they are looking for the Vedas, then they will find only lies and corruption presented as 'scholarly work'. It is a shame and a disgrace that we allow this to go on unchecked. I have talked with so many Hindu adults and youths who honestly believe that the Vedas teach polytheism, blood sacrifice, magic, and all other sorts of superstition. And this is directly due to these faulty tranlsations. We must make it our top priority to reveal the truth to all in this regard.

We often forget: God is on our side. He wants dearly that all people find the truth. But we need to undertake the correct steps to make that happen. He has given us the Vedas. It is our job to make sure that we spread that wisdom over this entire earth.

Let us first root ourselves firmly in the Vedas. When that foundation is established, and awareness is on the rise, then we may set about the great work of Krinvanto Vishvam Aryam.
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As is typical, however, the post has yet to receive any response... Confused

_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Deepan Abisuriya · Junior Member Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 66

Namaste,

That was a excellent thought to strengthen our samaj as well as enlighten the whole world with our Vedic dharma. This will make every individual of Arya Samaj and also hindus to be spiritually strong , that they will be able to differentiate between sathya and asathya.

This will make our samaj the light to all, unlike the christian and islamic community, where people get westernised (corrupted form of it ) or blindly follow the arabian culture of divorse and poligamy.

Deepan.