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A comment on Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows. Parent comment

Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by duxup on Monday September 03, 2018 @12:21AM (#17900290)
>evangelism (convert to christianity for money)

Is that ... really common in India?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by naruvimama on Monday September 03, 2018 @02:31AM (#17900775)
Asian countries are seen as "soft" targets. It is a multibillion dollar business. The church hides behind the garb of being a minority representing about 3 percent in India, while actual numbers are estimated to be much higher. It is not always money, it can also be career. The church is extremely well organised and way too powerful, no politician is ready to face reality and deal with it. The church is the biggest land owner in India after the government itself. In areas like the north-east with 80% Christians, there is a power struggle amongst the different church factions, with headquarters in different countries. Similar to the Saudi-Iran (Sunni-Shite) proxy war.
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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by wozniacki on Monday September 03, 2018 @03:04AM (#17900946) 

  The church hides behind the garb of being a minority 
  representing about 3 percent in India, while actual 
  numbers are estimated to be much higher. It is not always
  money, it can also be career. The church is extremely 
  well organised and way too powerful, no politician is 
  ready to face reality and deal with it.
It would be helpful to cite sources for the observations you make.
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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by naruvimama on Monday September 03, 2018 @11:38AM (#17903125)
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/personal-finance/...

https://www.curbed.com/2017/10/18/16483194/catholic-church-g...

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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by mayankkaizen on Monday September 03, 2018 @12:35AM (#17900349)
Yes. The target demography is backward cast people and tribal people who are more or less disconnected from a mainstream society. Obviously they are extremely poor but it is more about social acceptance. Once converted, they feel like their social status has become higher or they have become part of better community.

On Christmas and other christian festivals, I personally noticed surprisingly large number of 'poor' people attending church prayers. And I found out they were all converted (though not sure about the extent money played a role).

Depending on the region, such conversion may or may not face any backlash.

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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by j0e1 on Monday September 03, 2018 @02:44AM (#17900847)
Please don't make claims that are backed by your anecdotal experience of noticing people attending churches. I find this ridiculous. Though I don't deny there have been such cases reported in the past, to say some groups attend church because of money is unfounded and adds fuel to the fire by worsening the already tense religious atmosphere [1] the Modi govt. has created and based its campaign on.

I really wish the govt would show more interest in the plight of the 'lower' caste rather than just seeing them as a vote bank.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/24/india-modi-rel...

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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by Ar-Curunir on Monday September 03, 2018 @04:20AM (#17901234)
Evangelicals absolutely do target poorer communities in non-Western countries across the world, this has been the modus operandi of Christianity for the last 3+ centuries. This strategy went hand-in-hand with colonialism, with both being things that were "good" for the uncivilized natives.

As for evidence of conversions for money/material goods, here's a couple of links for you to browse at your own pace:

https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-meerut-priest-tries-to...

https://amp.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/aug/15/t...

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4470448

https://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.com/et-commentary/con...

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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by rightoven on Monday September 03, 2018 @07:17AM (#17901883)
I agree that this is Christianity's modus operandi, but I think the roots go back much further than colonialism. Back in Rome Christianity was first taken up by slaves and peasants because they liked it's ideology of all men being equal under God. "The meek shall inherit the Earth" and all that. In a country where traditional religion includes a rigorous caste system I bet it's very tempting to be converted to Christianity.
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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by naruvimama on Monday September 03, 2018 @11:59AM (#17903267)
"where traditional religion includes a rigorous caste system" - The word caste originates from Portuguese. The Indian "caste" system was established by the British population survey and race scientists who wanted to divide the population into various classes as existed in Europe at the time.

The Indian "Jati"system is similar to English/German family names based on profession like Mason, Smith, Carpenter or Schumacher.

The Indian "Varna" system is similar to the separation of the church and the state but included merchants. It was guidelines rather than a hard and fast rule.

A new population of untouchables/Dalits were created by the "Criminal tribes Act" that outlawed people by birth.

It is true that caste divisions and inequalities are a reality today but the solution lies in free market & economic development/mobility. This isn't something specific to India alone all ex-colonies like Rwanda, Syria .. have a minority ruling elite coopted by the colonist and the "others".

The Indian "Jaati" system itself was much more flexible and mobile compared to the European class system. The church has been so successful with this narrative that today the most prominent caste clashes and segregation is in the Christian population.

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Re:Modi’s Cash Crackdown Failed, Indian Bank Data Shows by AareyBaba on Monday September 03, 2018 @04:23PM (#17904683)
There at least four different strands of Christianity in India followed by different linguistic and cultural groups across India. The Syrian Christian Church in south India (Kerala) is over 1000 years old. Roman Catholicism was brought by the Portuguese (Goa) after the 1500's, followed by the Anglican Church by the British in the 1800's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_India

While older strands of Christianity have long since adapted to the culture of India the recent arrival of Evangelical Christianity from the U.S. since the 1980's is a problem since it is culturally jarring, morally self-righteous, and backed by donations from the U.S.

Christians are just 2% of Indian population (20 million out of 1300 million) After dividing into the various Christians sects you are talking about small groups of people that are linguistically and culturally disconnected. A Goan Konkani has little in common with a Keralite Syrian Christian or a Mizoram Presbyterian.

For Hindu nationalists, these distinctions don't matter and they have been very successful in creating a common Christian bogeyman to rally political support. Sadly, you can find these talking points repeated on HN by educated Indians.

[ Parent | on HN ]