During the Second World War a high class Brahmin woman was raped by some US soldiers in Madras. She committed suicide. I write this to highlight that the higher classes never countenanced a relationship with the white rulers and generally lived an insular life.
But there are many Christian converts in India, mostly Catholics. Though a minority, their numbers are increasing. In case the higher castes did not convert then who converted to Christianity in India and how?
Generally Christianity believes in spreading the Gospel and the message that Jesus was the son of God. This is of course is a myth and there is no historical basis or otherwise of this belief, but then faith is not based on historical facts. But this belief in spreading the Gospel led to Rome authorizing Christian missionaries to come to India to spread the Gospel and in the bargain try and convert as many people as possible to Christianity.
The Moslems converted the Hindus to Islam by the sword, but the Christian missionary used subtler methods of coercion. Firstly they targeted the weakness of Hindu society, the caste system. The Hindu at the lower end of the caste system was poor and denied a lot many rights. Thus they were easy fodder for these missionaries. They gave food and shelter to these lower castes and enticed them to convert to Christianity. Money and other allurements were definitely used and a lot many lower castes converted to Christianity. Thus most converts to Christianity in India are from the lower castes and that has not rubbed of them. Their lot has still not improved.
The second class of people targeted by the missionaries was the Tribal's. The Missionaries went among these forsaken people and did yeoman service by setting up schools and spread education. In the bargain they lured the simple tribal's to convert. Thus wholesale, the tribes in the North east and the Central India converted to Christianity. The missionaries did good work but their aim was basically conversion and they set about this task in earnest.
The missionaries exploited the moribund Hindu religion and examined the weak points which they targeted. Thus part of the blame for these conversions lies in the Hindus themselves and it is only now that a militant Hinduism has emerged and people resist this conversion to Christianity.
However despite the best efforts of the Missionaries the Christian number only about 3% of the population. But the fact remains that most Christians in India belong to lower castes or are tribal's.
But there are many Christian converts in India, mostly Catholics. Though a minority, their numbers are increasing. In case the higher castes did not convert then who converted to Christianity in India and how?
Generally Christianity believes in spreading the Gospel and the message that Jesus was the son of God. This is of course is a myth and there is no historical basis or otherwise of this belief, but then faith is not based on historical facts. But this belief in spreading the Gospel led to Rome authorizing Christian missionaries to come to India to spread the Gospel and in the bargain try and convert as many people as possible to Christianity.
The Moslems converted the Hindus to Islam by the sword, but the Christian missionary used subtler methods of coercion. Firstly they targeted the weakness of Hindu society, the caste system. The Hindu at the lower end of the caste system was poor and denied a lot many rights. Thus they were easy fodder for these missionaries. They gave food and shelter to these lower castes and enticed them to convert to Christianity. Money and other allurements were definitely used and a lot many lower castes converted to Christianity. Thus most converts to Christianity in India are from the lower castes and that has not rubbed of them. Their lot has still not improved.
The second class of people targeted by the missionaries was the Tribal's. The Missionaries went among these forsaken people and did yeoman service by setting up schools and spread education. In the bargain they lured the simple tribal's to convert. Thus wholesale, the tribes in the North east and the Central India converted to Christianity. The missionaries did good work but their aim was basically conversion and they set about this task in earnest.
The missionaries exploited the moribund Hindu religion and examined the weak points which they targeted. Thus part of the blame for these conversions lies in the Hindus themselves and it is only now that a militant Hinduism has emerged and people resist this conversion to Christianity.
However despite the best efforts of the Missionaries the Christian number only about 3% of the population. But the fact remains that most Christians in India belong to lower castes or are tribal's.
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