Two articles have appeared on your website that refer to me:
· "Inciting Religious Hatred in Britain" is thoughtfully-written and, as it makes reference to me, implying that I "religiously hate" Hindus, I was planning to respond. · In the meantime a second article has been posted which focuses entirely on my writings ("Ram Gidoomal: behind the mask of respectability") The charge of inciting religious hatred is a serious one and all the more so as the government proposes legislation to prevent it. So I take very seriously the comments that have been made and have thought carefully about what may lie behind them and what offence may have been caused. May I point out that the article fails to distinguish "hate" from "being willing to point out things that are unacceptable or just plain wrong". Both of these are, in turn, different from "respectful disagreement". May I point out, also, that "inter-religious dialogue" is not, at its best, intended to be a dialogue of the deaf. At least, that is what I would hope. And if genuine dialogue takes place, then I should expect some learning to take place - both ways! It is in that spirit that I offer the following comments. It was precisely as a result of "inter-religious dialogue" that, as part of my continuing spiritual journey, I came to the conclusion that Jesus the Lord is light personified. Moreover, in the Vedas and in many of the other Dharamshastras there are striking references that anticipate one who would offer paraschit or sacrifice for sin. So to acknowledge that in Jesus is not at all against what was written by the ancient sages. (If you wish to have details of this, I will be happy to send you further information). Accepting Jesus as my Sadhguru Maharaj does not mean that I tolerate religious hatred of Hindu beliefs. Indeed, accepting Jesus heightened my appreciation for many aspects of religious, philosophical, and cultural values, and led me to serious study of Hinduism in the first place, which I doubt if I would have undertaken if I had not become a chela of Lord Jesus. In my writing about Hinduism, whether for Hindus or Christians, I have sought to be honest in examining both positive and negative aspects. It is only by doing this that we can come to appreciate the distinctive aspects of the different faiths in our culture. My book Karma 'n' Chips explored similarities and differences between Hinduism and Christianity in an attempt to find what is truly solid and what is hollow in both traditions. In the same way I am of course critical of much in Christianity. Further, Christianity itself should not be confused with the person and teachings of Jesus. There are Christians, priests, bishops and leaders who do indeed follow Jesus the Lord, but others who do not. Just as some from Hindu families, like me, follow Jesus while others do not. In reviewing what I wrote over 15 years ago I am aware that I would not always use the same words today. Cultures evolve and contexts change. If anything that I wrote has caused genuine hurt, I am truly sorry. That was not my intention. I was made aware from the two articles of an underlying consciousness of hurt and vulnerability that some Hindus feel in the face of sufferings in the past and present. My own family experienced this when they were forced to flee Sindh in 1947 [and East Africa in 1968]. I appreciated the sober tone of the articles and their call for 'mutual respect, exchange of ideas and concerted efforts to move in the direction of peace and harmony'. I am always pleased to 'debate these matters openly, honestly and on a level playing field', as invited by the writer. For me that does not mean argument for the sake of it, which I have always counselled against. It means discussion between people who are concerned not simply with maintaining a pre-determined position, but with seriously entering into a joint search for Truth. Anyone who wishes to enter into such a dialogue is welcome to contact me. Yours sincerely Ram Gidoomal