The other day one of my friends while talking about something happened to talk about states of people and when it came to me she said "he is a Christian". I found it quite offending. I have observed this a lot. Whenever someone talk about which states each one hails from he/she tend to say "I am gujju, he is punjabi, that guy is a marwari, that guy from U.P. and Sabu is a Christian. As if, being a Christian I do not belong to any state, as if I am a migrant from Europe or US. The other day I asked Kalashree about one of her friends and casually asked which state he is from (I know its not very important - being Indian is more important, above all being human)- she answered me that he is a muslim. When I asked her again she replied "I told you yaar , he is a muslim". It's so sad Christians and Muslims are many a times stereo-typed, they do not belong to any state, they eat non-veg and all christians drink alcohol etc..etc..
Then here, this information is for those guys who feel as if Christianity is not "Indian" :-
Christianity came to India far before it was wide spread in Europe or far far before US was discovered - in 1st century; exactly speaking A.D 52. Surprised !!!. You thought Britishers or may be Vasco-Da-Gama brought Christianity to India. Thats what you will learn from BhajrangDal or VHP or BJP or RSS. Well no, christianity came to India when St.Thomas apostle came here Kodungallur in Kerala in A.D 52 establishing Seven Churches. Subsequently as a carpenter he offered to build a palace for the Indo-Parthian king Gondophares later converting king's daughter and her newly wed groom before returning to Mylapore, Chennai in 72 AD where he attained martyrdom.
Christianity spread in Rome after St.Peter reached there in AD 68.
So now you know, it was from A.D. 52 that christianity existed in Kerala and it was by Aug 15, 1947 that today's India was formed. So almost 1900 years difference. Then how come I am looked at as if I am from europe or US. Why do I need to prove my "Indianity" ?
Saturday, September 22, 2007
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5 comments:
Good post Sabu. On top of a heating discussion, just 4 years back, I faced a question, "You Christians always look forward to USA, your sole aim to go there." That guy is now in Dubai, apparently a Muslim country while I have never gone out of India to the date.
haha...thats interesting Jo...
unfortunately christians from keral cling on to that orthodox christianity and remove Christ from the entire "relationship" with God and make it into what India recognises as today's religion. Hindus and Muslims look at us and think " Catholic" at once!! i hate that! that and the fact Catholics party it up with "santa Claus" and thats what the non christians see and totally think we are a bunch of ritualistic, clueless, drunks.My family was extremely hindu, and then my grandfather was saved and so i have a hard time explaining my last name to people and telling them im Christian!!!i love it. its an awesome witness.
Dear grafxgurl,
You seem to have a dissent towards mallaylee Christians (catholics) in particular. I am a protestant (presbyterian) from Mizoram but have spent enough time among my catholic mallu friends to know that every denomination is as Christian as the other. I was brought up in a South Indian Catholic school and I agree the "mass" is more ritualistic compared to most protestant churches, but then that is exactly one of the main reason why the protestant movement arose, to break away from ritualism and make it more personal. But the belief and faith is as strong as any other denomination.
Great post Sabu!!! If you think being a Christian puts you out of place among other Indians, try being in my shoes! :) I'm a Christian mongoloid (from Mizoram), so my Indian brothers and sisters not only think I'm not Indian because of my religion, but also think I'm a chinese because of my looks. lolz. But that is something we must accept in life, and what really counts is how we build up on what we already have.
@grafxgurl :- I agree that sometimes some christians add to such stereotyping, however I have found mallu christians are into indian traditions more than christians from other regions. It's my observation. May be it's because of difference in how each community came up (for eg. Goan christians being converted after portugese colonization).
@illusionarie
I understand how you might be feeling after getting double stereotyped :). Thanks to hindi-belt indian's poor knowledge of geography and history.
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