There's been this thing that's been bothering me of late.
I'm talking about the whole conversion-at-the-deathbed thing.
Don't know what I'm talking about?
Well not to speak ill of any particular community, but I mean its obvious that a large percentage of Indians in general are Hindus right? Well, within the families, sometimes there are Christian converts. Now, when an old lady or man dies, or is dying, on their deathbed, sometimes, these converts while visiting them may or may not approach the idea of conversion with them. Meaning asking them if they want to convert to Christianity. Perhaps citing that Jesus will take away their pain, and that its never too late to convert. I don't know exactly what they say. Whatever it is, and whatever they say does not matter. Reason being that it all comes to light when said elderly person passes on and the matter of the funeral preparations have to be settled and suddenly, instead of the usual rites for a Hindu cremation, there is a Christian or Catholic service and cremation (no burial in spore anymore).
*Gasp* shock! "I didn't know she was Christian? I thought she's so devoted to DurgaMata?"
Hence , we come to the conclusion that the elderly person was basically converted on his/her deathbed. I'm not accusing anyone or anything but this seems to happen especially when the elderly person has like a son or daughter that has converted and said son/daughter or his/her relatives somehow converted the elderly person. This also seems to happen especially when the elderly person has been suffering a lot over a long period of time. It makes more sense right?
I've got absolutely nothing against Christianity. Honestly I don't. I know there are certain denominations of the faith that advocates the preaching and spreading of said faith. Meaning, in layman terms, "convert more people, and you're more likely to go to heaven"
If I've paraphrased wrongly, please excuse me and I do apologise.
Now, this is all well and good. I mean, if that's part of your belief, then fine.
However, going after senior citizens, and "preying" on them when they're in their most vulnerable state, in great pain, or basically waiting to die and telling them that this other God will protect you, take away your pain and look after your "after-life" is simply evil, pathetic and despicable.
Strong words for strong feelings.
Seriously, how can you do that?
Especially to a mother or an aunt who's at the end of her life. Let them have the ending they expected and desired. And don't be so sly as to ask them when they're not even lucid enough to comprehend what you're asking or worse, take anything they say as assent.
Furthermore, what does YOUR religion or faith have to do with you're mother or father or aunt's faith? Why do YOU feel the need to ask your elder if they want to convert to another religion, after literally worshipping another God all their life? I just don't get it.
It just makes me really really sad la. Like my sister said, won't the elderly person not find peace then?
Worse still, I'm worried that this may actually happen in MY own family, though it probably won't if my dad has anything to say about it.
Then again, Paise bolte.
sigh.
now, I'm melancholic and emotional.
nights all.
shini
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Darshini, this happens a lot over here, not just conversion at the deathbed, but when the person is alive and walking as well. We have a Christian group called Murdoch Christians United (MCU). There are members of MCU who have graduated but still are always around campus. Apparently, Joanne, when she was trying to convert my flatmate Nadira, told her that they actually get PAID to convert people. How abhorrent!
ReplyDeleteI get it that people of any faith are ambassadors of that faith. Even Islam says that it is a duty of a Muslim to invite people to Islam. However, we do this by making them think about our actions, and ponder about Islam. We are never aggressive about this. I find that Christians are always so aggressive about converting people into Christianity, maybe because of the reason you said.
When I was younger, I naively followed my friend to her church gathering. Throughout the session, the pastor kept calling people to come up to the stage to embrace Jesus. The whole thing was like a concert! Singing, dancing, clapping. It was as if they were in a trance or something. What disgusted me was that my friend almost FORCED me to go up on stage even though I insisted no. She kept asking me reasons. I told her that I am very happy with Islam and I believe strongly in it. She refused to accept that reason! So finally, I told her, my mother would kill me if i convert. That she accepted almost immediately! I was so astounded as to her mental capacity to accept such a shallow reason and not the true meaning of faith! Thank God, I knew my stuff and was strong in my faith. If I were any weaker emotionally, I would have been one of them.
This is what I mean. They "prey" on the emotionally and physically weak, offering them a promise of a better life if only they accept Jesus as their God. This is truly despicable. Wouldn't you want someone of a strong nature to TRULY ponder about religion and then decide the right way of life? A weak person might probably not be true to Christianity either, simply because he is weak. Maybe, that is why they convert people on the deathbed, to 'secure' them in Christianity. They can't exactly revert back if they are dead, can they?
Disclaimer: My rant here sounds like a comparison of Islam and Christianity, but it is purely coincidental. I do not comment anything about Christianity, I only criticise the aggressive conversion being carried out in the name of Christianity.