In India Hindu 'untouchables' are converting to Buddhism and Christianity by the thousands. Why is this?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061014/india_nm/india272240

Why would the religions of Buddhism and Christianity be appealing to the lower caste members in India? The Indian goverment has gone so far as to forbid it. Is this right?

Answer 1

The other religions would be so appealing to the low caste Indians, because they promise equality, something they won't get as a Hindu. Buddhism and Christianity have no caste system. Besides, the Indian government is notably corrupt, they can't afford the bribes they would be forced to pay to obtain the certificate, and you shouldn't need the government's permission to practice your faith, Its just another way of keeping them down.

Answer 2

City-dwelling Hindus tell me the caste system no longer exists and is no longer important and that only in the backward parts of the countryside will people pay any attention to it, so it's really not a problem. But I saw on a documentary where two Indians in the UK were on a blind date and the guy asked her what caste she was from and she was so turned off she gave the guy the flick. So maybe attitudes are changing. There was one low-caste Hindu man who made it very high up and helped draft India's constitution on indepdence, but because of the lack of acceptance of him even after all his achievements he converted to Buddhism and thousands of low-caste Hindus followed his example. Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism and specifically spoke out against the evils of the caste system, yet ironically some buddhist countries like Burma and Japan ended up with a 'soft' caste system in practice. But many parts of Buddhism are similar to Hinduism, so a Hindu converting to Buddhism isn't such a major shift, especially as there's no 'conversion' to become a Buddhist in the first place, you just become one. Today there are about 6 million buddhists in India, though many were always buddhists and are refugees from Buddhist lands like Tibet, so the 'mass conversion' isn't as significant as some might think.

Answer 3

There are also Dalit leaders like Mayawati who are only motivated by money and power. She has recently said that she will only convert to buddhism once she becomes Prime Minister. It's evident that they don't face any discrimination from the "Upper castes" but are only in it for power. She was even chargesheeted for corruption, millions of unaccounted dollars worth of property but to escape she used the Dalit/untouchable card. Does their hate toward the so called uppercaste stem from discrimination? I think not! It is only to gain political mileage as they have the maximum population and the stupid political parties and churches that fan this hatred and caste system. They donot want to look for real solutions like educating these people instead just use the hatred toward brahmins. Well Brahmins hardly make 3% of the Indian population. The poor lot out of the brahmins don't get anything but a dalit gets reservation and concessions on everything! Are they trying to improve the peoples conditions or bring everyone else down to their level? It is the Dalit leaders themselves that are hindering the progress of these castes not the upper castes!
The christians filled this idea into the dalit mind that they were oppressed by brahmins! Christianity destroyes every nation it touches instead of creating harmony. Please read Nietzche's view's on christianity and the caste system.

Answer 4

Because these religions do not have a "caste" or class system which lables certain people according to their birth/ family .( Like the class system in Britain: Upper Class : Upper Middle Class,
Middle Class, Lower Class.)
This is an artificial system that suppresses people and does not view them as equal spiritual potential. It doesn't exist in any other religions. It is one of the things that Guatama Buddha who was also Hindu by birth, (And Royalty too, his father was a King) , changed with his teachings, because he excluded no one and did not recognize any caste system.

Answer 5

The Indian Govt. wll do what they have to to keep the Brahmin class above the rest. In Christianity, everyone born is equally a sinner and of equal worth in the eyes of God. That's why it is rightfully appealing to people who are considered the lowest in their society. Jesus loved those who are suffering and outcasts the most!

Why they would convert to Buddhism? No clue. As far as I know there are no Buddhist missionaries.

Answer 6

People are turning to Jesus Christ all over the world, not just in India. Though, I have read about some major God out pourings in India. There is an open door in India right now. Also, in other places where the door was closed before.

There are constitutional additions that includ global humanity protection where one cannot be killed for their faith. If you want, I can look up the world humanity law in my book.

Answer 7

Because they are realizing that the religion that they are following is wrong. Hindu promotes caste system, where people are discriminated just because they belong to certain caste and because of that their whole life becomes miserable.

They should convert to Islam! Since Christianity has already been corrupted, the bible is not the same bible anymore. There are 50,000 errors in it.

Answer 8

The hindu religion is too tie in with the indian caste system & its has evolve together For the "untouchable" it is a means to freedom that christian & buddhist missionaries are offering them. The government is trying to please the hindu majority & maintain peace.

Answer 9

I think you need to look for economic as well as religious motivations. To be a low caste Hindu is to accept being treated with prejudice as part of life so perhaps changing religion gives them better prospects of employment etc.

Answer 10

Would you want to be in a religion where your only purpose is to clean up after others - through no fault of your own but in some bogus past life? Not me, bring on Christianity!