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(2/3) Pat Robertson Opposes Religious Freedom, Denounces Hinduism

Question:

Part 2 of 3 parts Political Agenda    The program used common stereotypes of Hinduism (as well of as other prominent non-Christian religions in America) to create fear among the American people of non-Christian religions.  What is the purpose behind those tactics?    Judging from Michael Little’s, President of the Christian Broadcasting Network comments on the show — "There are so many opportunities for us to take programs which will reach the people of India," and "Help us carry the light to a nation in darkness"-it is obvious that one strategy of "The 700 Club" is to gain support and money.  "Give us a hand on this [India]," pleads Robertson at one point, "because it’s a big one." But that is just part of the plan.    Robertson’s true thinking is revealed in his 1991 book The New World Order.  That novel discloses a secret plan being followed by the present political leaders of the world.  Robertson labels that plan the "New World Order," which he sees as the formation of a one world government, one police force, one judicial system, and one economic market.  Robertson claims that in this "new world government no one could speak out against the beliefs of a Muslim, a Hindu, or an animist.  What we know as the freedom of religion would be taken away, and Christians would be muzzled."    But Robertson has a vision of another future, one is which "God sweeps away the pretense of the satanic and man-made counterfeits and announces His New World Order, and His anointed leader, Jesus the Messiah."    Robertson stated in The New World Order: "The media challenged me.  `You’re not going to bring atheists into the government?  How dare you maintain that those who believe the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?’  My simple answer is, `Yes, they are.’"    Mr. David Cantor, Senior Research Analyst of the Anti-Defamation League, points out that such "religious tests for office are unconstitutional.  It’s not just a purely a religious statement.  It’s a political statement." The Human Rights Issue    "In the discussion of human rights, there are different positions on the right to free speech or freedom of expression.  The extreme position, that is sometimes called the `American position,’ is total freedom of speech," explains Dr. Pedersen.  "As Americans, we believe that even the most offensive and the most incendiary statements should be allowed in the name of freedom of expression, because once you start to legally restrict the freedom of speech, you are on a slippery slope of restricting all kinds of speech on different political or ideological ground."    Dr. Pedersen feels that such anti-Hindu statements may refer back to the 1920s, at a time when the Ku Klux Klan (a Christian white-supremacist group advocating violence against Black Americans) was on the rise, and the national belief was that all Americans must be Christians.  During the 1920s, immigration laws prevented European immigrants from entering the United States. Eventually Europeans were allowed to immigrate and by 1965 Hindus were included in immigrant quotas.    However, in the 1990s, some feel that the multicultural immigration has caused a backlash in American society in the form of racial discrimination between various cultural groups.  In the wake of such discontent, Peter Brimelow has recently written a book called Alien Nation which attacks multiculturalism and its negative effects on American society.  Something must be done, Brimelow advocates, to prevent white people from becoming a minority in America.    "What Robertson is really saying is that Hindus shouldn’t be allowed to come to the United States," evaluates Dr. Pedersen.  "All of the Hindu engineers, doctors and computer experts who are living here should go home.  This is a very big statement that he has made."    Even Christians are concerned with Robertson’s manner of preaching Christianity.  Sister Mary Elizabeth Moore, a Professor at Claremount’s School of Theology, feels that Robertson may be overstepping his boundaries as a Christian.  "I have been very distressed that Pat Robertson and others like him have used the gospel to preach condemnation of others, to judge harshly, to demonize people in other faiths and to demonize some Christians with whom they don’t just happen to agree," expresses Sister Moore.  "I think that’s absolutely counter to the gospel of Jesus Christ."    Hinduism is not the only religion under Robertson’s extremist attack; The New World Order is filled with anti-Semitism.  However, Ms. Nancy Israel of the American Jewish Committee, notes that Robertson is slowly transforming.  "He’s being very careful now," observes Ms. Israel, who is from the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Jewish Committee.  "Up until now he’s been able to say what he wanted to say, and I think that those people who don’t watch `The 700 Club’ and don’t read his materials have no idea what he’s saying.  He’s been forced to back off because of this public spotlight and because he’s decided to make the Christian Coalition a more mainstream organization."    Sri Anutama Das, Director of Communications at ISKCON feels that Robertson’s actions should send a message to devotees of Hinduism.  "It’s unfortunate that such an influential religious and Christian leader as Pat Robertson demonstrates disdain for the world’s oldest religious culture.  As a Vaishnava, I see his emphasis in trying to spread Christianity in India, specifically among Hindus, as a reminder of the need for all of us to delve deeply into our own faith’s traditions," notes Anutama, who is from ISKCON’s branch in Rockland, Maryland.  "As Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, `Raja Vija, Raja Guyam.’  This knowledge of the soul, of Sanatana Dharma, is the highest spiritual knowledge. However, if we do not educate ourselves and our children and abide by the teachings, materialists will find us easy targets for conversion." Concludes in part 3 Jai Maharaj Jyotishi, Vedic Astrologer  http://www.flex.com/~jai Om Shanti

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Filed under: Human Rights

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