Admitting certain facts in a pot pourri religion climate

THE EDITOR: Recently there are reports in the local media of yet another controversy where Hinduism/Hindus are said to be under attack. Now it is claimed that there is a booklet in circulation in schools that is anti-Hindu.

The Muslim leader of the Inter Religion Organisation (Brother Noble Khan) and the President of Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (Mr Trevor Oliver) along with others, have spoken against the booklet. A few years ago a local Seventh Day Adventist break away group was hounded for statements on Hindus. Tele evangelist Benny Hinn is unwelcome in Trinidad and Tobago because of certain observations he made from his visit here. At the same time, all kinds of comments are made on the various Hindu-Indian owned local radio stations and left unchallenged by other groups in the community.

I have not seen the booklet, but will like to obtain a copy to make my own judgement on whether what it says is reasonable and accurate as to what is done in practice. Is it just that many do not want to admit certain facts in this present “we all worship the same God” pot pourri religion climate. It seems the Global Organisation for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) has done a wonderful job with people’s minds in North America and here so that even in so called Christian North America and Europe, now Hindu beliefs are in control of the new religion thinking. From my own personal experiences with Hindu led spiritual problems, I know there is malice to me as of African origin and also as a Christian follower of Jesus Christ. Likewise I am certain that other people can relate negative experiences with groups of African origin and/or Christians. Once these are accurate of what happened, why can’t people say so.

For decades people knew of the sexual abuse of children by religious practitioners but it was a taboo subject until 2002, when the situation with RC priests came into the public domain worldwide. Some are still in shock at the revelations. Before that, there were the US tele evangelists Barker and Jimmy Swaggat money and other activities. The local Presbyterian Church also had its own problems in public. The fact that these were taboo subjects, cannot mean that victims who had experiences should not speak out and be taken seriously. Why should the Hindu followers, and in fact, should not the same apply to practices of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Americans, Russians, etc groups. There is need to respect the freedom and thoughts of other religions, but does this mean that regardless of what crime according to the Law books, against others is done, it cannot be brought into the public domain?

At this time, whether leaders of African origin and/or Christian followers of Jesus Christ are under a spell, sleeping and slumbering while the foreign death and destruction jumbie is about them, so that they cannot do much, that does not change the facts. If that is the situation, then that is the fact. This raises another question of whether the IRO has a Code of Conduct for members. How does someone make a complaint and how is this dealt with? What areas of conduct does the code cover, if there is a Code. The point is, while there is the right of freedom of conscience, freedom of thought, and freedom of expression, are there not also responsibilities to ensure that these are not abused so the need for honesty in letting the reality and unpleasant facts be brought into the public domain and discussed in a rational way as what happened with the religious Catholic child abuse situation in 2002.

E DAENS
EMR, Arima