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HARVESTING OF THE SOULS  TWO INSTANCES OF "HARVESTING OF THE SOULS" IN INDIA AND THE U.S.A. "A MISSIONARY CATCHING A PERSON AND HER FAMILY FOR JUST 500 RUPEES AND ONE MEAL." From: Bala N. Aiyer <[email protected]> Jan 7, 2005 Subject: About Conversions I am forwarding a letter I received recently. I am sure you are aware of hundreds of incidents like this, but here, as I say, are two problems: 1. A missionary catching a person and her family for just 500 rupees and one meal. 2. Our failure in not educating the public and creating awareness. Here, while we should help renovate the hundreds of village temples and make them independent of a secular government hold, also should establish schools in each of these Temples to teach Hindu Dharma and also to avoid discrimination in the name of Jaathis. Bala N. Aiyer --------------------------------------------- http://www.us-hindus.com For Study of Hindu Religion --------------------------------------------- ======================================================= "THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMUNICATION AND CONVERSION." I know personally of one case at least which is repeated wholesale in India. My daughter's maid servant in Chennai who was known as Parameswari all her 19 years suddenly one day told my daughter that she will henceforth be known as Marie. Asked how, she said the local church has paid each member of her family Rs.500/-, a set of 'pavada dhavani', and ration for one week to each member of her extended family. Further asked whether she understood what converting to Christianity meant she was ignorant of any principles but said that the 'father' (Padri) has asked them to remove the bindi, not to keep any Hindu God's pictures or go to any temple. To her that was Christianity. Most of all she said being poor if some one was paying for this, why not? She may even convert to Confucianism if some one was willing to pay! Hence as Chitra said it was the power of the $ which flows uninhibited to India and the missionaries eagerly reap many many souls. I have heard so many cases where after conversion the church ignores the neo convert and he or she continues to live in the same old poverty as before. If they are dalits they have separate service and separate grave yard too. That is the Indian scene which all of us protest and hate. K R Nath =============================================================== UNSCRUPULOUS, CUNNING 'PADRIS' MISREPRESENT FACTS AND TRYING TO HARVEST SOULS It is not only in India that the unscrupulous, cunning 'padris' misrepresent facts and try to entice gullible Hindus to their fold. Even in the U.S.A. they are not lagging behind. Here is a flyer captioned "KARMA" vs. "KRUPA", distributed in Irvine, CA, which twists the Karma-vada, the doctrine of Karma, and at the same breath glorifies the so-called Grace of Jesus Christ, and exhorts: "There is no need for a sinner to perish by his Karma. Jesus Christ is salvation to you in the present. He forgives the sins of your past and He will bring you to glory in future. Come to Christ who is the refuge from Karma. Escape from the judgment to come and enter into eternal life. Will you do that?  May the Lord help you to make such a decision." A few excerpts at the very outset: "Karma is the effect of a disobedient act which the first parents committed. The law of Karma ruled over humanity until a new Man came two thousand years ago. This man is the first species of the new human race. He is God who became man. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Him a new law came into effect. This is the law of grace (Krupa). Karma says: 'You are a sinner by birth'. Sin demands your death. But Krupa says, 'Here is Jesus Christ. He paid to the last pie the debt you owe to Karma. Jesus nailed your Karma to the Cross. Through the first man the law of Karma ruled in your heart. But through Krupa (grace) the fetters of Karma are broken'. "The law of Karma judges you. The law, before the advent of Christ, was such a dread to mankind.  Karma demanded good works. But nobody could do good works polluted by a sinful heart. Grace, through Jesus Christ makes you a Karma-muktha (the soul released from Karma). "What happens to man after his death should not be the point of discussion, because we cannot arrive at a definite truth about a thing not revealed to us. Dear friend, the will of God is that you should be saved right now. Moksha is not something people look for as a state after death.  It is a practical reality to be enjoyed while you live on the earth. Karma is merciless in its judgment.  Eye for eye and tooth for tooth is its principle. Karma theory is not the solution to the issue of life; only Grace is that. God sent his only begotten Son to bear the Karma of all mankind. The Karma of all men is forgiven in Christ. 'You sin is bloody red', says God, 'but I will make it white in the shed blood of Jesus Christ'. "In Christ is the revelation. The mystery of Karma which was hidden for ages is now revealed in Christ. Karma demanded vicarious suffering of Christ. 'Come unto me', says Christ to all those who are heavy-laden by karma.  Christ will give us rest. "Dear Friend, your Karma has been stamped on Christ. The Cross is the answer to the problem of Karma. Because of your Karma, Christ, the spiritual law, has made a new act on mount Calvary. Look at the wounded hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Your look of faith heals you. He has borne your death, the wages of your Karma and He is ready to give you eternal life.  Don't you want to take what He is offering you? "Karma is unchangeable.  But the new law is, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ'. There is no need for a sinner to perish by his Karma.  Jesus Christ is salvation to you in the present. He forgives the sins of your past and He will bring you to glory in future. Come to Christ who is the refuge from Karma. Escape from the judgment to come and enter into eternal life. Will you do that?  May the Lord help you to make such a decision." --------------------------------------------------------- A friend who gave me this flyer writes: "The little flyer 'KARMA VERSUS KRUPA' [contents of which are fully reproduced below] was picked during the Indian Independence Day celebration in LA area, at the booth set up by (obviously a Malayali Christian from Kerala): Albert and Maya Thomas. Prarthana Center P O Box 3922 Torrance, CA 90510-3922, Phone 310-518-9714. Web site: <www.prarthanacenter.com> E-mail: <[email protected]> At the end of the flyer is also another address: Naya Jeevan Project P.O.Box 50415 Irvine, CA 92619-0415 "They had a huge stage for prayer and they were inviting everyone to pry. I saw lot of young and old Indians gathered in their booth. Their message is loud and clear: Do not follow Vedanta /Hinduism, follow our Jesus, the ONLY Savior of your souls. "I feel that we need to make counter flyer simplifying the teachings of Vedanta/Hinduism for our young generation in the U.S. They are looking for simple practices such as prayer for everyday or once a week at least. The 'abstract' does not work for common people. "Our temples need to have 1/2 hour lead and follow the usual ritual (along with a 15 to 20 minutes lecture). Then we can attract younger generation. Please think about some message. Currently I am preparing my students for speeches on the life and message of Swami Vivekananda. There is a youth day organized on Jan 15th for all Vivekanada Balvihar students at Irvine, CA." =============================================================== KARMA VERSUS (JESUS) KRUPA By Albert and Maya Thomas. Prarthana Center P O Box 3922 Torrance, CA 90510-3922, Phone 310-518-9714. Web site: <www.prarthanacenter.com> E-mail: <[email protected]> Karma is the most popular principle of life accepted by all Hindus in India.  It is the doctrine of cause and effect.  A Karmavaadi (one who believes in Karma) once said to a beggar, "I can predict your future and tell you of your past on the basis of your present.  You are a beggar because you were a beggar in your previous birth. You will be a beggar in your future birth because you are a beggar now".  This is the way Karma frequently depicts the lot of man. Karma shows to man a black picture of life. Karma is the result of his previous deeds. It is the effect. Karma, if understood right, is a law operating in life. "As you sow, so you reap" is a practical theory. Vedanta says that Karmaphala (The fruit of Karma) is inevitable. You just cannot escape from it. It is universal law before which all mankind should bow down. You see, the confusion arises with the word Karma, so freely used in India. To some, it is fatalism. You cannot improve your lot. To others, attributing everything to Karma, it is a complacent way of escape. I want you, my friend, to reason this out and come to a decision. Karma is a law of life.  It originated with the first man. The first man sinned by disobeying God. Into the ocean of humanity a stone was thrown, and ripples spread from the center to all the shores.  The paapakarma (Sin by thought, word and deed) of your first parents has come down to you as a heritage. Karma is, therefore, the effect of a disobedient act which the first parents committed. The law of Karma ruled over humanity until a new Man came two thousand years ago. This man is the first species of the new human race.  He is God who became man. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In Him a new law came into effect. This is the law of grace (Krupa). Karma says: "You are a sinner by birth".  Sin demands your death.  This is a God-made law. But Krupa says, "Here is Jesus Christ.  He paid to the last pie the debt you owe to Karma. Jesus nailed your karma to the Cross. Through the first man the law of Karma ruled in your heart. But through Krupa (grace) the fetters of Karma are broken". What do you mean when you say God is a consuming fire? The law of Karma judges you. The law, before the advent of Christ, was such a dread to mankind.  Karma demanded good works. But nobody could do god works polluted by a sinful heart. Grace, through Jesus Christ makes you a Karma-muktha (the soul released from Karma). Please observe the conflict between Karma and Krupa.  Karma is the wisdom of our land. It is the cultured philosophical thinking of India. Karma is spoken of in gossips and group discussions. People cultivate Karma-centered thinking from their early childhood. Karma is understood to be a doctrine of works. If you want to progress, keep on doing good works. Samsara (the cycle of life) is living according to Karma law.  The cyclic movement of creation is also called Karma. People die and are born and there is repetition of the same thing: routine and rut. Karma did not give any meaning to life as such. It only tells people to live and be carried along with the current.  But there is a little bit of hope implied in this philosophy. Work out for yourself merit so that the debt of Karma will be gradually diminished. Then there is some speculation built upon it.  Upanishads (expository treatises on Vedas) say that man's incessant spiritual industry may melt the mountains of a series of Karma acquired in your previous births.  Karma is the answer to Lokapravrithi (the way of the world). But alas, nobody has the assurance to that effect. The Vedantists tried to simplify the problems of cause and effect through the Karma-vada (the doctrine of Karma).   Let me quote here the four ways Vedanta suggests for redemption from Karma: 1. Because of one's unspirituality, man may degenerate into an animal in his next birth. 2. A spiritual man, after his death, will go to Chandraloka (the lunar world) and when his earned merit is used up he will be born as a man on the earth. 3. A man who has acquired extraordinary and abnormal spirituality will attain Brahmaloka (the supreme world) and he will then become a citizen of heaven in eternity. 4. Some people while they are on the earth become Karmamukthas (the soul released from Karma). They live in heaven even while on earth. They are Jivanmukthas (one who is released in this very life). Dear friend, the will of God is that you should be saved right now. Moksha is not something people look for as a state after death.  It is a practical reality to be enjoyed while you live on the earth.  Karma is merciless in its judgment.  Eye for eye and tooth for tooth is its principle.  Karma theory is not the solution to the issue of life; only Grace is that.  God is the Father of spirits. God sent his only begotten Son to bear the Karma of all mankind.  The Karma of all men is forgiven in Christ. "You sin is bloody red, says God, "but I will make it white in the shed blood of Jesus Christ". What happens to man after his death should not be the point of discussion, because we cannot arrive at a definite truth about a thing not revealed to us. A blind man cannot hunt for a black cat in a dark room. In Christ is the revelation. The mystery of Karma which was hidden for ages is now revealed in Christ. Karma demanded vicarious suffering of Christ. "Come unto me", says Christ to all those who are heavy-laden by karma.  Christ will give us rest. Dear Friend, your Karma has been stamped on Christ.  The Cross is the answer to the problem of Karma.  Because of your Karma, Christ, the spiritual law, has made a new act on mount Calvary.  Look at the wounded hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Your look of faith heals you. He has borne your death, the wages of your Karma and He is ready to give you eternal life.  Don't you want to take what He is offering you? Karma is unchangeable.  But the new law is, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ". There is no need for a sinner to perish by his Karma.  Jesus Christ is salvation to you in the present. He forgives the sins of your past and He will bring you to glory in future.  Come to Christ who is the refuge from Karma. Escape from the judgment to come and enter into eternal life.  Will you do that?  May the Lord help you to make such a decision. ===============================================================