Overcoming Religious Overcoming Religious FundamentalismFundamentalism

Presented by Rev Joshva Raja at Presented by Rev Joshva Raja at the SCMI meeting Jamshedpur the SCMI meeting Jamshedpur

2005 May.2005 May.

Saha Navavathu Saha Navbunakthu Sahaviryam Karavavahai May He (God) protect us both togetherThejasvi Navadhithamasthu May He nourish us both togetherMa vidvishavahai May we both work together with great

energyUpanisad prayer May our study be vigorous and effective

May we not hate each other

What is fundamentalism?

• It refers to all religious movements that seek to return to ‘fundamentals of their faith’. (Hippler and Lueg:1995)

• “the affirmation of religious authority as holistic and absolute, admitting neither criticism nor reduction…” (Lawrence:1989)

• It is “a proclamation of reclaimed authority over a sacred tradition which is to be reinstated as an antidote for a society…” (Hadden and Shupe: 1989).

Fundamentalism contd…Fundamentalism is understood as the strict

maintenance of traditional orthodox religious beliefs or doctrines especially belief in the inerrancy of scripture and literal acceptance of the creeds as fundamentals of one’s own religion (The New Shorter Oxford Dictionary).

Fundamentalism in simple words can be explained as an act of return to the fundamentals of a particular religion or a text which people believe to be literally true.

Different Kinds of FundamentalismsDifferent Kinds of Fundamentalisms

Religious Political

National

Theological

Cultural Economic

Racial

Caste Tribal

Linguistic

Hadden:1992

Liberal

What makes a sect - What makes a sect - fundamentalist group?fundamentalist group?

Fixed Narratives of FaithFixed Narratives of Faith – Fixing God – Fixing God within this narratives and thus play God for within this narratives and thus play God for their ends-absolutism and inerrancy of their their ends-absolutism and inerrancy of their revelation - selective of their tradition – revelation - selective of their tradition – defend it at all costs – feel threatened by defend it at all costs – feel threatened by erosion of religious values.erosion of religious values.

Strictly dualistic – Strictly dualistic – Myth of the otherMyth of the other - - members are chosen in light –outsiders are members are chosen in light –outsiders are under darkness – and so the under darkness – and so the other is evilother is evil and and is the enemy of God and are threat to their is the enemy of God and are threat to their faith, culture and so on – propagating the faith, culture and so on – propagating the negative information of the other and thus negative information of the other and thus ignorance about the ‘other’. ignorance about the ‘other’.

OutsidersOutsiders though they follow another though they follow another religions they are ‘infidals’, ‘Pagans’, religions they are ‘infidals’, ‘Pagans’, ‘Heathens’, ‘jihadis’ or ‘Western’ and ‘Heathens’, ‘jihadis’ or ‘Western’ and thus seen thus seen as monolithic groupas monolithic group (Homogenous) – a fear of other is (Homogenous) – a fear of other is createdcreated

Myth of the Golden ageMyth of the Golden age or ideal or ideal world filled with their members only – world filled with their members only – Ram Raj; Umma; Kingdom of God/New Ram Raj; Umma; Kingdom of God/New Creation – thus often support/join with Creation – thus often support/join with right wing politicians to establish it.right wing politicians to establish it.

Fundamentalism, Orthodoxy, Fundamentalism, Orthodoxy, Charismatic groups are not the Charismatic groups are not the

same!same! Is it wrong to hold on to one’s own beliefs? Is it wrong to hold on to one’s own beliefs?

– fundamentals of belief – If it leads us to – fundamentals of belief – If it leads us to the extend of seeing the other as evil and the extend of seeing the other as evil and thus trying to eliminate the other, then the thus trying to eliminate the other, then the fundamentalism is wrongfundamentalism is wrong. (Asghar Ali Engineer –. (Asghar Ali Engineer –Orthodoxy is not fundamentalism).Orthodoxy is not fundamentalism).

No Religion is a fundamentalist religion but No Religion is a fundamentalist religion but every religion has a few characteristics of every religion has a few characteristics of fundamentalism.fundamentalism.

Revival groups, Reform movements are Revival groups, Reform movements are not fundamentalists unless they are not fundamentalists unless they are extremely exclusive.extremely exclusive.

Strategies of Strategies of Popularizing Popularizing

Fundamentalism Fundamentalism among the publicamong the public

MythsRumors

MediaEducation

History

Politics

Diplomacy

science

Media and Mythical Media and Mythical statementsstatements

‘‘Christianity is a slow poison which is Christianity is a slow poison which is the cause of peace and family felling the cause of peace and family felling among the tribals. Christian among the tribals. Christian missionaries have made use of missionaries have made use of Government resources for the purposes Government resources for the purposes of conversions’. – Sandesh Newspaperof conversions’. – Sandesh Newspaper

missionaries do forceful conversion in missionaries do forceful conversion in Gujarat -Gujarat Samachar (a daily Gujarat -Gujarat Samachar (a daily newspaper), Nav Gujarat (a daily), newspaper), Nav Gujarat (a daily),

‘minorities have to earn majority's goodwill’

“70 HINDUS ARE BURNT ALIVE” as Headlines.

“AVENGE BLOOD WITH BLOOD” This is a quote

from a statement issued by a VHP leader

THE ROLE OF NEWSPAPERS DURING THE

GUJARAT CARNAGE

HINDUS BEWARE: HAJ PILGRIMS RETURN WITH

A DEADLY CONSPIRACY

Boycott of Muslims

India will be a Hindu rashtra in two years…

Impact of Fundamentalism on Impact of Fundamentalism on USUS

Mass Ignorance – Culture of Suspicion – Mass Ignorance – Culture of Suspicion – Mass Phobia - Mis UnderstandingMass Phobia - Mis Understanding

Relationship breaks down – No contacts Relationship breaks down – No contacts – Culture of confrontation spreads– Culture of confrontation spreads

Any Flash news becomes a clash news Any Flash news becomes a clash news – Burning of Ko’ran leaves 100 dead – – Burning of Ko’ran leaves 100 dead – Jo Bole So Nihaal- Culture of Violence Jo Bole So Nihaal- Culture of Violence spreads.spreads.

Attacks on the churches in Attacks on the churches in Gujarat after these reportsGujarat after these reports

Pre and Post Godhra Pre and Post Godhra ImpactImpact

Pre and Post Godhra Pre and Post Godhra ImpactImpact

How to overcome Religious How to overcome Religious Fundamentalism?Fundamentalism?

Addressing the question of SelfAddressing the question of SelfUnity with humankind – Sharing the resourcesUnity with humankind – Sharing the resourcesNarratives and Unity – Removing IgnoranceNarratives and Unity – Removing IgnoranceCommunicating towards a Culture of Dialogue – Communicating towards a Culture of Dialogue –

Respecting Human Dignity of the ‘other’Respecting Human Dignity of the ‘other’Establishing Dialogue groups at grassrootsEstablishing Dialogue groups at grassrootsAlternative media and Culture of PeaceAlternative media and Culture of PeaceOur Mission towards Culture of CoexistenceOur Mission towards Culture of Coexistence

Your Commitment todayYour Commitment today To set up Small To set up Small

groups/clubs/network from groups/clubs/network from different religions and from different religions and from different castes to establish different castes to establish contact, listen, talk, understand contact, listen, talk, understand and learn about each other!!!!and learn about each other!!!!

To use small media to promote To use small media to promote stories of inter-religious and inter-stories of inter-religious and inter-cultural relationship – to further cultural relationship – to further understanding between different understanding between different communities!!!communities!!!

Commitment contd…Commitment contd…

Writing a joint letter to the president Writing a joint letter to the president asking him to build a hospital in the asking him to build a hospital in the place of temple-mosque and make a place of temple-mosque and make a statement that we younger statement that we younger generation want to establish a generation want to establish a culture of dialogue and a culture of culture of dialogue and a culture of peace in the place where we live inpeace in the place where we live in

Media Awareness- writing to media – Media Awareness- writing to media – organizing literacy programmes…organizing literacy programmes…