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March 03, 2010
"Untouchable Lincoln" ~ from Time Magazine
Interesting quote and documentation of Ambedkar and Christianity and religion in the 1930's from Time magazine. Ambedkar wanted a faith that impacts all areas of life. The Christianity he experienced in America was content then to focus only on personal religion. The Papal response then was lukewarm.
~Joseph
source: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,755912-2,00.html
One of the few men who have risen from the malodorous sink which is
below the lowest caste of India is Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, No. 1
Untouchable. This plump, cheery, bespectacled man of no caste, whose
very shadow would outrage high-caste Hindus, managed to get a good
education in Indian Government schools, was staked to courses at the
University of London and Columbia University by the highly democratic
Gaekwar of Baroda. Dr. Ambedkar is probably the only man alive who
ever walked out in a huff from a private audience with the Pope of
Rome. His Holiness Pius XI having heard from Dr. Ambedkar about the
miseries of Indian outcastes, replied: "My son, it may take three or
four centuries to remedy these abuses, be patient."
Impatient Dr. Ambedkar summoned 10,000 raggle-taggle Untouchables to
Nasik near Bombay last autumn, said de liberately: "I had the
misfortune of being born with the stigma of Untouchability. But it is
not my fault. I will not die a Hindu, for this is in my power. I say
to you, abandon Hinduism and adopt any other religion which gives you
equality of status and treatment."
Thereupon the 10,000 adopted a resolution advising India's Untouchables
—some 60,000,000—to desert Hinduism en masse. Then a mob of
Untouchables made a mighty bonfire of the most sacred Hindu books they
could find. At Lucknow volunteers were solicited to force entry into
Hindu temples, from which Untouchables have been barred since time
immemorial. At Barabanki 28,000 Untouchables shouted their support of
Dr. Ambedkar, laid plans for an All Indian Untouchable Conference.
Millions of leaflets bearing Untouchable Ambedkar's message began
fluttering out over India.
To what faith the Untouchables should turn for "equality of status and
treatment," Dr. Ambedkar did not hasten to explain. Since he was
reported dallying with Mohammedanism, Christian leaders in India
exhibited pious skittishness. Declared the National Christian Council
of India: ''The harvest is ripe for the gathering in many quarters and
we urge that volunteer bands be sent forth to gather it."
This week in Zion's Herald, New England Methodist weekly, appears the
first interview with Dr. Ambedkar to be published in the U. S. since
he made his Nasik speech. To get it, able Editor Lewis Oliver Hartman
went to India, sought out its No. 1 Untouchable, plied him with
practical questions. Wrote the editor of Zion's Herald:
"The [Untouchable] leader was rather critical of Christianity's
constant emphasis upon personal experience at the expense of any wider
reference. 'Why have you not seen the importance of a religion that
reaches out into all life and all relationships?' he asked.
Continuing, he declared with deep feeling, 'If you are going to
compromise with evil conditions while you stress personal religion
exclusively, I tell you now I am not with you.
. . . . "I pointed out in answer that, so far as the Methodist
Episcopal Church was concerned, our watchword was this: 'Nothing that
has to do with human welfare is foreign to Methodism.' This seemed to
please him. . . ." Of Hinduism the man whom Editor Hartman calls
"India's Lincoln" said: "Hinduism is not a religion; it is a disease."
Editor Hartman's interview concluded thus: ''This much is settled,' he
said to me, 'we are through forever with Hinduism. We are going
somewhere, but are not ready yet to say in what direction 'Yes,' I
answered, 'you are not strong enough yet to announce a decision. If
you compromise with the Hindus, all is lost; if you choose
Mohammedanism, the Hindus will crush you; if you go Christian, both
the Hindus and the Moslems will be on your back.'
" 'Exactly,' replied Dr. Ambedkar. 'We are not ready—yet.' "
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,755912-2,00.html#ixzz0h01lYC4z
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,755912-1,00.html#ixzz0h01RbTuX
Posted by klajja at March 3, 2010 08:00 PM
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