Hinduism is often criticized for its caste system. To deflect this criticism some point to divisions in other religions. However, two wrongs don’t make a right, and these other divisions are horizontal and/or porous, as no group feels inferior and one can interconvert. But the caste divisions are vertical and impervious, as some castes are superior to others and one cannot interconvert. Caste, in practice, is birth-based. Realizing the obvious flaw in this, some claim, quoting selected “scriptures” that it ought to be occupation-based. If so, however, castes are redundant, as world over numerous societies have functioned, and are functioning, quite efficiently without defining caste-like societies.
The caste divisions also resulted in probably the most unique and worst racists in the world. Hindus are probably the only “group” that ill-treats co-religionists. The vertical divisions also result in despisement among upper castes and resentment among lower castes. This explains the often rude unfriendly behavior in encounters between Indians. Similar behavior is seen abroad. Indians treat non-Indians in a friendlier and supporting manner than fellow Indians in most situations. This is in stark contrast with people from numerous other countries who back their own countrymen.
The caste structure also inculcated the habit of demanding unearned respect, by upper castes from the lower castes. This thought virus easily spread and respect is demanded, and given, based on non-issues like age, gender, relationship, occupation, and money. Thus, significant interactions of a Hindu involve subservience. This explains the extreme form of hero-worship of Indian celebrities, as fans pride in showing their subservience to the hero. This includes extreme abuse of any perceived competitor to their hero.
Also as pointed in a brilliant analysis by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the fragmentation of the Hindu society based on castes, and more, led to forced widowhood, sati, and child marriage. In short, to protect the purity of the caste and also due to limited male and female population, when one’s spouse passes away, the one left behind has to be prevented from re-marriage and out of caste marriage. To accomplish this, while the females were forced into widowhood or sati, the males, being the law-makers, eventually married outside the marriageable population, which led to child marriage. Thankfully, social reformations, and virtually unlimited marriageable population due to population explosion and global communications, ended these practices.
Hinduism thus has a vast section of discriminated people vulnerable to conversions. Further, Hinduism is at a disadvantage because there is no formal way to convert into a Hindu. Also one cannot be sure if Hindu literature had not been tampered with to suit the Brahmins who “owned” the literature. However, I find literatures such as Bhagavadgita (despite its verses on caste), “hymn of creation” from Rig Veda, the advaitha philosophy as sophisticated and relevant as Einstein’s relativity or the Quantum theory.
The modern world has no place for injustices. Hinduism, along with religion in general, will become increasingly irrelevant, except some of its literature. The west has progressed only after separating the church and the state, and embraced freedom and human rights. And, Indians should.
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