do you think that the ancestors of christians of kerala were brahmins or jews?

Answer 1

There is a point in this question. The earliest conversion to Christianity, in India, took place in Kerala. The oldest group that was converted was from the upper castes like Nairs, and even the Brahmins. Most of the Syrian Catholics of Kerala are stated to be from this group. The later conversion, like elsewhere were among the lower castes. The dichotomy between the upper caste converts and the lower caste converts is portrayed well in Arundati Roy's celebrateed novel, 'God of Small Things"

Answer 2

Social order has played an important role in facilitating and initiating conversion, as the bottom rung is always unsatisfied and suppressed, and awaiting to take the first boat out, be it to Buddhism or Islam or later to Christianity when Christian started arriving at our shores right after Christ's death.

I suspect like majority of Christian elsewhere in India, Kerala Christians would also have been lower caste Hindus, as traditionally those are the first ones to be targeted by missionaries for mass conversion.

Upper castes which were already enjoying the benefits of prevalent social order and positions of power would not have bothered to convert or considered a foreign religion or social order as that would mean giving up the power status quo which bestowed immense power and influence within the social order. Upper caste conversion happened only later and on individual basis.

Lower castes were open to conversion as they were treated badly by the prevalent social and religious order which allowed upper castes to subjugate them. Conversion not only allowed them to escape the harsh reality prevalent the social prejudices, but also provided them with a new identity which was alien to them till now. Sadly, prejudices of upper caste Brahmins continued even after the conversions happened though under the guise of religious rivalry, as they knew giving any kind of approval to any conversion would mean giving away their power too. So the prevalent social and religious rivalry is mostly a reflection of pre-conversion social order which is exerting a regressive force to maintain a status quo. The more conversions happened the more upper caste started hating the converted for vacating the bottom rung for another religions.

This would explain a lot of prevalent undercurrents of prejudices against Christian within high caste Brahmin families in North as well as in the South.

The present increase in prejudices and hatred under the guise of religious prejudices and rivalries is just a symptom of it.

Answer 3

Brahmins

Answer 4

bhramins