Nam Jiwan Ji,
The concept that Hinduism or Sanatam Dharma holds any holistic value as compared to other religions is grossly incorrect. Hinduism is just another religion, not some 'holistic way of life' that can be practiced simultaneously with other religions. You may maintain your religion upto some point but after that you will have to denounce your previous religion for becoming a full-fledged Hindu. Hinduism may have its own beauties and rewards, but that's not the point I am going to touch.
Like other religious groups Hindus too identify themselves as one religion....and if you think Hinduism is extremely tolerant or something like that, here are some examples (Apologies to those who may feel offended...):-
* Attacks by large Hindu mobs began in the districts of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Saberkantha and, for the first time in its history, Gandhinagar on 28 February. Violence spread to the largely rural districts of Panchmahals, Mehsana, Hasnot, Kheda, Junagadh, Banaskantha, Patan, Anand and Narmada the next day. Over the next two days, Bharuch and Rajkot and later Surat were hit.
The first incidents of attacks on the Muslim community started at Ahmedabad, where Hindus began throwing stones at and later burned a Muslim housing complex known as Gulburg Society, and then spread elsewhere. The initial violence was believed to be instigated by unsubstantiated rumours, endorsed by a senior VHP leader, of Muslims having kidnapped three Hindu girls during the Godhra train attack.
In Ahmedabad, the dargah of the Sufi saint-poet Wali Gujarati in Shahibaug and the 16th century Gumte Masjid mosque in Isanpur were destroyed. The Muhafiz Khan Masjid at Gheekanta was ransacked. Police records list 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples and three churches as damaged in the months of March and April.
(Christophe Jaffrelot (July 2003). "Communal Riots in Gujarat: The State at Risk?")
* Whoever kills the sons of the snakes(Sikhs), I will reward them. Whoever kills Roshan Singh and Bagh Singh will get 5000 rupees each and 1000 rupees each for killing any other Sikhs. You can collect these prizes on November 3, 1984 from my personal assistant Jai Chand Jamadar.
-Speech by Sajjan Kumar, A Hindu Congress leader
* the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal called for a statewide shutdown on Monday, 25 August 2008. On the same day, rioters attacked a Christian missionary orphanage at Khuntpalli village in Bargarh district. An employee and a prospective convert, a local Hindu, was killed when the orphanage was set on fire.
("VHP activists set fire to orphanage, burn nun to death in Orissa - National News – News – MSN India - News". News.in.msn.com. Retrieved 2008-09-18.)
Hindu extremism and totalitarian philosophy is on the rise, especially after the advent of the 20th century. Anyone may throw some good sounding quotes from the Vedas or other religious texts, we can play with them all day. But the ground realities are harsh, and even harsher for those who try to deny them....
