CHINA TO BECOME WORLD'S LARGEST CHRISTIAN NATION BY MID-CENTURY

[justanobserver]

Going back in history... Buddhism was meant to reform Hinduism which had become dogmatic and the caste system had hardened.

Under Emperor Ashoka it succeeded to an extent, atheistic concepts were injected back into Hindusim and the caste system was diluted, however the reform stopped because of the invasions from central asia which destroyed many Buddhist universities

There is however an interesting twist . Dr Br. Ambedkar, called the 'Father of our constitution' was a Dalit but later converted to Theravada Buddhism. He abolished untouchability, outlawed the caste system and introduced positive discrimination

So in a way Buddhism did reform Indian society

 

[CardSharp]

Going back in history... Buddhism was meant to reform Hinduism which had become dogmatic and the caste system had hardened.

Under Emperor Ashoka it succeeded to an extent, atheistic concepts were injected back into Hindusim and the caste system was diluted, however the reform stopped because of the invasions from central asia which destroyed many Buddhist universities

There is however an interesting twist . Dr Br. Ambedkar, called the 'Father of our constitution' was a Dalit but later converted to Theravada Buddhism. He abolished untouchability, outlawed the caste system and introduced positive discrimination

So in a way Buddhism did reform Indian society

Not throughly enough.

 

[justanobserver]

Not throughly enough.

Give it another 40 years

 

[Durran3]

Going back in history... Buddhism was meant to reform Hinduism which had become dogmatic and the caste system had hardened.

Under Emperor Ashoka it succeeded to an extent, atheistic concepts were injected back into Hindusim and the caste system was diluted, however the reform stopped because of the invasions from central asia which destroyed many Buddhist universities

There is however an interesting twist . Dr Br. Ambedkar, called the 'Father of our constitution' was a Dalit but later converted to Theravada Buddhism. He abolished untouchability, outlawed the caste system and introduced positive discrimination

So in a way Buddhism did reform Indian society

Thats very interesting.. i didn't know that the father of the Indian constitution was a Dalit.. I doubt you could find a better person to write a constitution than an educated person who has suffered real discrimination on every walk of life.

 

[rubyjackass]

@Durrani : Ambedkar was a genius in his own right. His hard work was exemplary for all people. He used to be stuck onto some book using up every minute of his spare time. My textbook with his biogrphy says he used to sleep only 2 hrs a day and work for 22!hrs. He was a lawyer by profession and advocated dalits converting into Buddhism where they need not remember their caste. Kicked the casteist Hindu fundamentalists in the face with such measures. The idea of reservations quota also came into effect because of his fight.

 

[Jackdaws]

Thats very interesting.. i didn't know that the father of the Indian constitution was a Dalit.. I doubt you could find a better person to write a constitution than an educated person who has suffered real discrimination on every walk of life.

Infact, he was as opposed to Gandhi's infusion of religion into the freedom movement as Jinnah was. Or Tagore was for that matter. He was educated in law at Columbia and there is a statue of him there. If he had not accepted the post of heading the constitution - he had the potential of arousing as much passion amongst the Dalits as Jinnah had in the Muslims. For the record, the Dalits were then patronizingly called "Harijans".

If I remember correctly, he died a deeply disillusioned man.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Ambedkar was a genius in his own right. His hard work was exemplary for all people. He used to be stuck onto some book using up every minute of his spare time. My textbook with his biogrphy says he used to sleep only 2 hrs a day and work for 22!hrs. He was a lawyer by profession and advocated dalits converting into Buddhism where they need not remember their caste. Kicked the casteist Hindu fundamentalists in the face with such measures. The idea of reservations quota also came into effect because of his fight.

He was an impressive man, no doubt about it.

 

[CardSharp]

@Durrani : Ambedkar was a genius in his own right. His hard work was exemplary for all people. He used to be stuck onto some book using up every minute of his spare time. My textbook with his biogrphy says he used to sleep only 2 hrs a day and work for 22!hrs. He was a lawyer by profession and advocated dalits converting into Buddhism where they need not remember their caste. Kicked the casteist Hindu fundamentalists in the face with such measures. The idea of reservations quota also came into effect because of his fight.

Casteism is a fundamental offence to modernity.

 

[Chogy]

Karma as the ultimate form of cosmic justice would be nice, but... bad things happen to good people and bad people take good things for themselves. There just isn't any evidence that such a thing exists.

In Buddhism, doesn't the Karmic justice take place after one dies? So you can be an evil drug lord your whole life, and die in riches, but in your next life, you might end up a poor blind beggar or something. Not sure, that may be an incorrect interpretation.

 

[CardSharp]

In Buddhism, doesn't the Karmic justice take place after one dies? So you can be an evil drug lord your whole life, and die in riches, but in your next life, you might end up a poor blind beggar or something. Not sure, that may be an incorrect interpretation.

Hmmmm you maybe right. I was more addressing those hateful people who point to natural disasters as karmic justice for a country being tolerant to homosexuality.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

For China, i see Islam isn't a problem, but Christianity is!!!

 

[The Clarifier]

Christianity is growing at a staggering rate in Africa as well..

As much as I dislike fundo Christians at least the Christians tend to integrate into society just fine where as Muslims once they grow tend to want to separate and claim their own land...not much of an issue if you ask me.. Spreading of Christianity or Judaism isn't half as bad....

You must either be:

1. Ashamed of being a Muslim
2. Ashamed of being a Pakistani. We were born of religion.

 

[Peacefulll]

Hmmmm you maybe right. I was more addressing those hateful people who point to natural disasters as karmic justice for a country being tolerant to homosexuality.

Who made that statement?

 

[Gold1010]

You must either be:

1. Ashamed of being a Muslim
2. Ashamed of being a Pakistani. We were born of religion.

If hes speaking his opinion how is he ashamed of being a muslim?

 

[Developereo]

Passionate members of all belief systems try to 'convert' people to their beliefs, whether its religion, atheism or any other philosophy. It is human nature to be proud of your beliefs (otherwise you wouldn't keep them) and to explain them to others.

The only problem happens when coersion is used.

As much as I dislike fundo Christians at least the Christians tend to integrate into society just fine where as Muslims once they grow tend to want to separate and claim their own land...not much of an issue if you ask me.. Spreading of Christianity or Judaism isn't half as bad....

That is simply not true.

You can take selective snapshots to substantiate any claim. For example, by using the Amish example, you can claim that Christians don't integrate. Or take Orthodox Jews and you can claim that Jews don't integrate. If you look within Israel, there are tremendous ethnic tensions which are only kept in check because of the external threat.

The problem is that certain elements in the West focus on the Islamic immigrants who don't integrate, rather than the vast majority of mainstream Muslims.