The Three Components of a Nation as Follows: a. People. B. Land. C. Governs.

Nationhood can
be further strengthened by adding standing army to it. Nationhood of Israel is a gradually
development, their understanding....
Modern Nationalistic Movement in Israel
Zionism
It means for support for a Jews return to sovereignty in their ancient home land with a majority
of Jews Culture
Zionism and Hindutva have many similarities:
1. Both intertwine religion with particular region. 2. Both are militant in culture. 3. Botha re
fighting for the cultural dominion in their own homeland. 4. Both are considered by others as
outsiders, means they were not the original inhabitants of the land. For example, For both,
Islam is an enemy. India we can see the continuous conflict between the RSS and Islam
regarding the Babri Mosjid. In Israel, they are the centre of conflict between two religions
regarding the Dom of Rock in temple mount area.
Deference between them:
The difference is that Zionism says that whoever stands against Israel stands against God.
Whereas Hindutva asserts that whoever stands against Hindus stands against India.

Mission in these contexts:

The Bible can give us many present methods.
Different kinds of Nationalism
1. Political Nationalism. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was political nationalism. 2. Religious
Nationalism. Vivekananda is an example of religious nationalism. 3. Majoritarian Nationalism, 4.
Cultural Nationalism, Veer Swarkar is an example of cultural Nationalism in India.
Bible and Cultural Nationalism
It is not biblical term. But the ethos or the concept of Nationalism can be found in the Bible.
Both the Testaments differentiate people using Laos (people of God) for the Jews and the
Christian. (Judges 20:2, 2Sam. 14:13, IS, 10:22, Jer. 16:19, Lk 21:23, Heb. 11:25, Acts 18:10. I
peter 2:10). Ethnos (Nation) for Gentiles (Is. 34:1a, LXX IS. 42:1, Mt. 10:18; Rom. 15:9-10.

The Difference between the Hindutva and Biblical Perspectives of Nationalism

Hindutva is Cultural Nationalism. But Biblical nationalism is a theological Nationalism. Cultural
Nationalism lives with religion as- ideology whereas Biblical Nationalism is theological
nationalism. Theological Nationalism has religion as faith. However, there is a strong underling
concept of cultural nationalism too in the Bible.
The Concept of Nationalism in the OT
In the OT, The concept of Nationalism and Religion are used synonymously. For Example, Hear
O Israel (Deut. 6:4). With the strong sense that the land was given by God, the people of Israel
had strong nationalistic feeling.

Three sorts of Nationalism in the Nation Israel

1. Theological Nationalism: Was dominated in the period of ancestors, Egyptians
bondage, and the settlement period. It was Yahwehs community. Temple was the centre
of National Identity. The King and the leader were Yahweh himself.
 2. Political Nationalism. Is dominations based on a king, territory, Army. The idea of
political nationalism was dominant in the time of Monarchy. In this period of the kings, Israel
tried to over through the foreign nations.
3. Cultural Nationalism: Injustice, violation of Human rights, the promotion of syncretism,
adoption of culture and customs of other nations, and decline of economy made the way for
the growth of cultural Nation. The idea of One God, One people, One Cultic centre and One
people can be seen in Deut. 7:6, 12:1-5. Hebrew speaking Jews were the proponents of Israel
nationalism. Anything that challenged the superiority of Hebrews was either sidelined or
exterminated by them. There was division of US and THEM in Israel on the basis of race
and to a certain extent of their faith. For example, Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans
and Galileans. The book of Esther too reflects its primary theme as the Jews and Gentiles
relationship. The story unveils the dark passions of the human heart: envy, hatred, fear, anger,
vindictiveness, pride all of which are fused into intense nationalism.

***** Our responsibility is to witness the nations, not to convert them into Christianity. The
Bible says that in the book of Acts 2: 40-42 that God was adding the peoples to the Church. It
is the act of God n not of the Human being. Our responsibility is to experience Christ with
heart, mind, and soul to witness among the nations.
Questions: In your opinion, what is the stand of OT as far as the Cultural Nationalism is
concerned? Do you agree with presentation of Cultural Nationalism in OT?

The Concept of Nationalism in New Testament

In Jesus time there was nationalistic movements like Zealots, they opposed vehemently the
dominion of Romans. Religious Nationalism derived in Jesus time from the Roman dominion
and opposition to the heavy taxation. However, the writers of the Gospels reject the idea of Jesus
being nationalists. His value was egalitarian in perspective. The Parochial nationalism of the
Jews became a spiritual nationalism with their home being Promised Land New Jerusalem. Jesus
and the Nation called New Jerusalem transcended the culture. This was not restricted to a
particular ethnic group and its culture. Lk. 7: 33-34; 15:1-2 can be taken as the evidence of Jesus
disapproval of Zealots. It was because the tax-collectors were collaborators of Romans. Jesus
word love the enemies (Lk. 6:27-36, Mt. 5:38-48) in the context Roman dominion also shows
that He was not supporting the Jewish nationalistic movements of His time. Spreading hatred and
distrust are the main two characteristics of nationalists. He relates with people without
discrimination on the basis of caste, class and birth. He promoted the values of the kingdom of
God: Justice, peace, love, compassion and equality.

JESUS ATTITUDES TOEWARDS JERUSALEM

Jesus wept over Jerusalem of its sinfulness (Lk 19:41). He fought against the exploitive nature
of culture by the upper tradition in Jerusalem. He was not a votary of the Jews hierarchy. He
seldom called for the veneration (worship) of Israel or Jerusalem, like the modern Hindutva
demand of an idolatrous attitude to India. Mankind, not the culture and tradition was the central
of His mission. In comparison with this idea, the Hindutva is considering India as Holy Land.
The RSS believes that India is a Holy Land. But Jesus never gave that kind of attitude regarding
the Jerusalem. Jesus was supra cultural. Even He was not under Jewish culture. He is not
confined Himself within cultural He was beyond any culture.

The goal of nationalism has ever been power, prosperity and authority; Christ definitely set aside
the power as the goal of life. Jesus advocated an open society based on just relationships where
there is no hierarchy. He emphasized for an alternative community of solidarity and sharing. He
calls for co-operation, love and equality among the individuals, societies and nations. So His
kingdom values were absolutely opposite the modern cultural nationalism. He always educated
His disciples of justice. But, there may be administrative hierarchy. But He did not oppose it. His
opposition was against the social hierarchy in relation to the any social discrimination. His
intention was to abolish the any social hierarchy from the Jewish society. So we have good
material to support against any kind of social hierarchy.

Does Bible Approve Cultural Nationalism?

In both the OT and the NT, there are strong theological, political and cultural nationalistic
feelings. In both the Testaments, the underline principles of cultural Nationalism can be seen. In
the NT Zealots, Jewish and Gentiles divisions as Children of God and Gentiles, Jewish Gentiles
debate on circumcision etc. The fundamental principle of cultural nationalism is one religion
(One God), one culture, one nation. (One Jati-LIGHT, One Nation and One Culture in Hindutva)
can be seen in OT (Deut. 7:6, 12:1-5).
Jesus Attitude to Cultural Nationalism
Jesus was a supra cultural i.e. above all cultures. Though He was strongly rooted in His own
culture which was Jewish culture, He was not a devout Jewish culture follower. . He became one
with the culture and He respected the cultural setting of that time. From the Bible, we can see
that even He was against the dead Jewish Culture which was no value of Spirituality in human
life.
Jesus was not a parochial nationalist in the sense of culture or nation. He proposed a universal
Humanistic Nationalism. He considers human dignity and freedom is more important than
culture. Love, equality, justice, freedom, and sharing etc. are considered above culture. When the
tradition questioned the dignity of human being, Jesus corrected the tradition by saying Man is
not made for Sabbath, Sabbath is made for Mann (Mk. 2:7). Jesus talked about a New Jerusalem
which is beyond the political boundaries and cultural affinities, where there is no hatred or
division, but love and equality.
Some Suggestions
1. Challenge the Form, but Keep the Content
Taking Jesus as our model, our ultimate purpose witnessing of Jesus Christ to the people
the way they understand, enjoy and feel comfort, not taking the traditional Christian
methods of worship. So the outward form can be India at the .......We should listen others
and appreciate instead of hurting them.

Our approach should be very strategic in a given contexts. We have to walk with pace
what they are running. We should not tell them about any foreign culture and customs
including Jews cultures and customs. I cannot go with my tradition to impose others
traditions.
 The Mission Challenge of Hindutva and Christian Ministry Today
Only one hour of the day they do some physical exercise changing their dress and western
tradition RSS dress for that allotted time. Physical exercise they practice. They do road march.
RSS has their branches in UK. They change their dress system. January 2009, total numbers of
branches 43,905in 30,015 places. They have education system. 1. Ekal Vidyalaya2. Sankar
Varga2. Balwadi, Bala gwauka...Villege Health Guide, mobile dispensary.

Vanavasi KalyanaSHRAM (1952).

Out Of 321 vanavasi districts. VKA operates in 247 districts cobvering 4835 places. And Active
contacts established over 37,710 villages. In Addtion
Objestives: To discourage the soclilly alienated and economy aaly deprived tribals from
adoringor adopting Chriwtianity and tof alien ideoogiessusc as islam Christianity.2. to cultivate
and oreserve Hidu Dharnama o de-Christieniding those who had alredy done. The tribals wree
alsoi constantly urge to give up those customes that identified them a sChristians. Protect the
hind societ8ues from the insideoulsy spreading clithsces
VHP(1964): to defend

Youth Wings: such as Bajrang Daal, Durga Avhini and host of others indstuties. ZThe VHP
oinvolves the youth in their wirks throygh various organizations.

Vidya Bharathi (1967): Under the umbrella of VNB, ther are 210000 educational instutuons
inIndai under these 105000 teachers to teach them.

AKHIL Bhartiya idya Baharoti

Misconceptions of Hindus of Christianity

1. Christianity is a western religion. It was brought to India by the Western imperial power
like the Portuguese and British. They generally believe that each country has its own religion that
is suitable for them. Christianity is religion of the west where as Hindu is a religion of India. So,
they reject the Christianity as a foreign religion.
Responses: Christianity in essence is an eastern religion and not western Religion. Christian
faith was already existed India long before it was re-introduced by the western.
Someway, we are westernizing the Christianity in India by using foreign way of using
instruments in the worship. We wear sandals in worship time against our culture; foreign
missionaries are India to present as if they are presenting particular religions. Traditionally one
of the disciples of Jesus by the name Thomas who brought the gospel even before it reached
western.
2. Christianity Denationalize people
Being a western religion Christianity westernize Indians, thus denationalize and deculturize.
Much missionary word is done with support western people to make Indian western. This is not
good for the national spirit of the nation. Christianization coupled with Westernization caused
people to be ostracized by the own family, caste and community.
3. Christianity disintegrates Indian Society. Conversion into Christianity often affects the
Hind religions.
4. Christian converts by the unfair means. Most mass conversion to Christianity was due
to profit and income. Socio economic reasons played significant role in inversion than spiritual.
Why only the poor and needy attracted to Christianity. Generally conversions have been forced
on induced by material gifts-hence genuine.
5. The Christianity is religion that defiles to a Hindu whose religion is pure, holy and
admirable. Defecting from it, one becomes impure and polluted and defiled. Christianity is
perceived a religion f outcaste and lower class of people. Anybody wanting to be part of it would
be considered as outcaste.
6. Christianity is threat to national integrity. In view of creation Pakistan and tendencies of
separation in the North East India, conversions pose threat to national integrity. The perception
that only Hindu can be patriotic since other religious people have their allegiance outside of
India. Christianity is considered as dividing factor and most Hindu shun it.
7. Christianity is an arm of Western Christianity. It is perceived as extension western
Christianity. Close denominational, doctrinal, structural and organization affinity as we as
financial dependence on the west proves the point. It is another form of imposing colonization in
India.
Hindu Attitudes toward Christianity
Attitudes are the ways of thinking, feeling and acts toward something. They are like eyeglasses
which affect the way we see things and the way we respond emotionally and behaviourally to
those things. Persons responses can be assessed by knowing his attitude and perceptions. It is
because of attitude influences response, understanding Hindu attitude would help us. They are
formulated as a result of the accumulation of direct information experience and value.

1. Most Hindu admires Christ and ethical teachings. His simple and sacrificial life style
attracts them. His historicity does not matter to them; they interpret Christian as the non dualistic
Advatic Vedantic framework. Thus they try to separate them from the western interpretation of
Christ. They see that the creator and the creator are same. They are the part of the Brahma i.e.
God. The universe one and they are part of the creation in other way. They reject the systematic
understating and interpretation of The Bible. Normally non intense t is being shown in OT and
Pauline letters but the Gospels are admired. They perceive Christ as one of the gods.
2. Traditional Christian approaches were based largely on Christina attitudes toward
Hinduism. The Christian assumption that Jesus is the only way if way salvation was the basis of
most of approaches. This lead them to that all other religions or ways for false even demonic and
evil. Protestant missionaries from the western were individualistic. That exalted individual
conscience. They believed that human character could be totally transformed by the direct assault
on the mind. This requires an educated process which led them to develop approaches that were
more individualistic, educational and highly intellectual in its appeal. This suited most for
reaching the upper class.
Modern Approaches to Hindu Context
Our content calls for grater credibility. Our methods call for far greater witness .Then the result
would surely redemptive. Our approaches call for grater accountability.

Key areas: No compromise with the core of the gospel. Centrality of Christ should be generated.
Understand the RSS world views. Avoid Christian terminologies. Reveal your Christian identity
in the beginning itself. Make genuine friendship, conversion belongs to God. Use terms like
Barat instead of India .Namaste instead of English terminologies such as good morning and good
evening as part of the rapport i.e. relationship building. Talk high about the Indian Culture as
tradition as a starting point and suggest humanistic nationalism as an alternative. Make
friendship with individuals, not as a group. Tell about Christ, not about Christianity. Let our lives
speak to him/her about Jesus. Be ready to sacrifice our lives if it demands.

The Importance of Gaining the insight into the world view of Hindutva
Go to his thesis in the Library by NAIR