Hindu Extremism

The news constantly reports on Islamic extremism, that they are hell bent on destroying the West, and America in particular, though in reality they are focused more on expelling American influence in the Middle East, though by doing so they are only making it greater (idiots). What is not reported is the rise of Hindu extremism in India. The following paragraph was published in Zenit, a Catholic news outlet, reports:

The Indian state of Orissa has been the scene of a spate of anti-Christian violence that intensified at the end of August after a Hindu leader, Swami Laxmananada Saraswati, was killed. Extremists placed the blame for his death on Christians. In fact, the eastern Indian state has long been plagued by Christian-Hindu violence, as Christian missionaries work with poor tribal peoples of the region and Hindus accuse them of forcing or bribing conversions.

Over a period of three days in August 2008 there were 11 death caused by Hindu extremists, particularly against Christian clerics. One of which was Father Thomas Pandippally, who was found murdered "with his hands and legs broken, 18 stab wounds inflicted on his body and his eyes gouged out."

Other reports claim the Hindu mobs sought the continuation of the Hindu caste system.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India also reports and condemns a bombing in New Delhi which killed 22 and injured dozens.

Hindu persecution of Christians is as old Christianity itself. Contrary to the belief it was introduced in India by the Portuguese, it was already long established there. The first report of Hindu extremism against Christians was against the excellent Apostle St Thomas, peace unto him, who is also called Jude in Syrian tradition and some other patriastic writings. St Hippolytus of Rome, peace unto him, an early 3rd century priest, Church Father and martyr, wrote in his discourse "On the End of the World":

And Thomas preached to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and Margians, and was thrust through in the four members of his body with a pine spears at Calamene, the city of India, and was buried there.

St Ephraim the Syrian, 4th century poetic Church Father and Doctor of the Church has the Devil, in Ephraim's 42nd Nisibene hymn, as saying: "The Apostle whom I slew in India," in reference to St Thomas.

So obviously India is a country traditionally resistant to Christianity, if not hostile to evangelization. This is not completely the fault of the Indian people, as it was also political, as India was hostile to Westerners, wanting to keep the Roman empire at bay. Not to mention the myriad of Indian languages certainly did not facilitate evangelization, perhaps the only effect means was sending saints to perform miracles and do works of charity. Though its a wonder, why would the mobs attack people that want to help them, why attack people that work at orphanages? Isn't the Venerable Mother Teresa a national hero there? Yet they now many are seeking to harm Christians?

To be continued....