A timely reminder that violence is not the prerogative of one religious group or sect, but can break out at any time, anywhere, for any reason.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2008/nov/09/middleeast-religion

As Crikey pointed out, there's a great shot of a monk in red performing a flying dropkick at 0:12, then executing a perfect left hook at 0:18.

Classic.

Boaz,

I think most OLO posters including myself are telling you the same thing: balance your views and restrain your bias.
You started the thread with a chilling statement :"PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING... just like ..the early days of Acts and the Roman Emperor"

Hi pericles,

Don't give Boaz any ideas on left and right hooks, he was into kickboxing last time I saw him :)

Peace,

'A timely reminder that violence is not the prerogative of one religious group or sect, but can break out at any time, anywhere, for any reason.'
The religous people are normally only surpassed in violence by the irreligious (that is secularist) who are quick to murder the unborn and quick to demonstrate violently at peace rallies. Oh well just maybe some will be honest enough to see that violence comes as a result of the sinful nature (its not rocket science)!

This thread is most instructive about how bias in fact does arise, and how groups (our group here on OLO) can quickly become polarized when our existing biases seem to be reinforced by others... (group dynamics)

Now..Robert said "What seem like more balanced reports"

Some points on the very first link.

1/ The date is 2007 ... much more had occurred since then.

2/ Looking at this article, which refers to the opinions about origins from both sides we can glean some important facts.

a) The Christians say "Its because we wanted to celebrate Christmas"
b) The hindus say "The Christians attacked one of our leaders"

Swami Sarasvati was murdered..NOT by Christians..but by Maoists.
(this seems to be lost on most of you)

As to point b) above, it was long before the murder which was in August 2008, but clearly there have been degree of at least protest, but the source is not mentioned other than what are described as "Christian Militants with cache's of weapons"... a highly UNlikely state of affairs. Graham Staines from our own tradition was murdered years before in this area..by Hindu Nationalists.

Last time I checked... we don't encourage people to even own weapons.

ROOT CAUSE (for all those who mentioned this)

= Hindu Nationalism and fear of losing the caste based downtrodden and exploited tribal people to do their dirty work (Literally) such as clean toilets.

<<Orissa is predominantly Hindu, with a small Christian minority. Over the past few years, though, thousands of Hindus have converted to Christianity. Many converts, and the churches they join, say conversion is a way to escape their place in the complex social hierarchy of Hindu caste.>> (from Roberts balanced article)

Yes..there definitely 2 sides to a story. But it is important to know WHICH side is perpetrating the violence..and which is not.

The portrayal of Christians in Hindu Nationalist publications seems as bad as the worst of the German portrayal of the Jews during the Holocaust.

http://rajeev2004.blogspot.com/2008/09/rise-of-chrisitst-terror-swami.html

...continued

...continued.

THE MURDER OF SWAMI SARASWATI.

2 sides.

1/ COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA claims responsiblity.

(Hindu source) http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/05/stories/2008100560400800.htm

KANDHAMAL: The Orissa State committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on Saturday claimed that it killed Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda in Kandhamal district on August 23.

Talking to a team of journalists from Bhubaneswar in a forest in Kandhamal, the spokesperson of the party’s Orissa unit, Sabyasachi Panda, alias Sunil, said it became necessary to eliminate the Swami as he was forcing tribals and Dalit Christians in Kandhamal to convert to Hinduism.

Mr. Panda reiterated his party’s threat to eliminate 14 local leaders of the VHP/RSS and their allied organisations if they did not stop the violence in Kandhamal and end forcible conversion of tribals and Dalits. Tribals were not Hindus, he said.

NOTICE THE FOLLOWING: (please) This was in a direct interview with Journalists.

NOW THE HINDU PROPOGANDA.. (note the method)

Headline "Maoists deny killing Swami"

but see the 'source'! "Some posters recovered" errrr yessss....right!

"Some posters" vs "direct interview" and the admission of a 14 Hindu leader hit list!

Such posters fit the MO of those wishing to promote disinformation for their own purposes. (Anti Christian pogrom)

Note also the REASON the Maoists have that hitlist!

<<Mr. Panda reiterated his party’s threat to eliminate 14 local leaders of the VHP/RSS and their allied organisations if they did not stop the violence in Kandhamal and end forcible conversion of tribals and Dalits. Tribals were not Hindus, he said.>>

So..here we have the MAOIST claiming it is the Hindu extremists forcibly converting the tribal people AND fermenting violence.

I'm kinda hoping that the '2 sides' of this story are starting to emerge more clearly now.

PERICLES..nope..I don't need to goto the Bagavad Gita or wherever to try to find 'key verses'... this is purely about nationalism and Hindu religious intolerance.

My views... are unbalanced? :)

David, the root cause is probably people very much like yourself but with extremist Hindu views rather than extremist Christain views. Those who take every opportunity they can find to cause mistrust, dislike and sometimes hatred of a faith which is in opposition to their own.

There will be some isolated incidents of christian wrongdoing along with christins not being like everybody else (perhaps they are more inclined to drive people movers than others) which keeps the fanatics agitated. Mostly the christains are probably just trying to do most of the same things as the rest of the population but extremists very much like yourself can't accept that and work non stop to promote the situation which is occuring.

You won't see that. You will probably reject the idea but I think that apart from a small number with similar views to your own most other posters see your actions exactly that way.

R0bert