Mohan H Naik, Mangaluru

Mr. Alfred, whilst I appreciate your concern about poor and hungry, I am not convinced with your further views. You have agreed to the fact that by mere changing religion one will not become holy or pure. You also said, you trust in individual faith irrespective of his religion .Then from where do you get the idea of REAL PRESENCE AND FAKE PRESENCE OF GOD? Do you opine, by practicing a particular faith only man reach the salvation?. Are you are advocating the theory of ‘OUR GOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR GOD?

Human behavioral pattern, their good and bad thoughts and acts, their virtue and sin have no relationship to faith, religion they belong. Your theory of TRUE EXISTENCE of God and SOME ONE taking initiative sounds absurd. It’s the whole world today and past that should have taken the initiative to correct, convert, Adolph Hitler then and George Bush now by showing them the real presence of God and what brotherhood means all though both admit they are staunch believers.

To validate your theory, you taking an example of few handful of (like always you take) so called upper class of majority faith, you can not conclude that change over is justified. Swamy Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa and many have experienced the presence of God, if at all we believe them. Now tell me who had the experience of real presence of God and who had, fake presence of God. Wish to discuss with you more. Don’t get me wrong, as my argument is issue based not person based.

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Alfred J. Rebello, Kundapur/Dubai

I do agree Sudeep that no one has the right to force anyone to change the religion offering money or any other kind of help to backword class people who are generally poor. One thing I would like to ask you, who made them backword class? Is it God or some selfish people who claim that they are the only chosen people of God?

No one is backward or frontward. All are same in front of God. But we treat them like that, no?. I am afraid whether these people are aware of the true existance of God or not. And because of this some took the initiative to tell them the existance of God.

However, you & me quite agree when one is hungry he does not bother about anything. His only worry is how to get some food and a shelter first. And perhaps this tempted the preachers to give them some monetory help so they also can live in a dignified manner just like you & me.

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MOHAN H NAIK, Mangaluru

Mr Alfred, I agree with your comments.

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sudeep, udupi

Mr. Alfred, everyone has right to change his religion, if he/she feels so - no questions on that. But 'converting' economically backward people or tribals by giving them money in return is an organized racket with overseas fundings. THIS SHOULD BE STOPPED.

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Alfred J. Rebello, Kundapur/Dubai

While I agree statements made by Mohan H Nayak, just by changing the religion one becomes holy or pure. It is the one's faith which makes holy, which he can do whatever religion he follows. It is not necessary one has to change the religion to become a good person.

However, it is the individual right of all if any one wants to change their religion thinking they will feel the real presence of God by changing. Tomorrow if I want to change my religion no one can stop me. But just by changing thinking they will go straight to heaven then they are wrong.

No one will go straight to heaven just by changing the faith but by following the true words of God. However no one has the right to arrest anyone if the converters say they converted on their own accord to feel the real presence of God.

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MOHAN H NAIK, Mangaluru

One of the reader has opined ‘Conversion, (Religious) is a fundamental right, which I presume is his ignorance. I wish to put my thoughts with regards to conversion without being specific to any particular faith. I agree, Right to practice ones religion is guaranteed by the constitution.

The reader must understand, what conversion is, where it takes place, how it takes place, and why it takes place and aftermath of conversion and whether it’s socially feasible, acceptable or meaningful. Conversion means change over from one faith to other faith.

Why one should change his present faith? Gods are different? People are different? Some God is stronger, other God is weaker? An atheist embracing any faith on his own is meaningful as he has converted himself from non-believer status to believer status. Where as, a man already practicing a faith, changing over to new one is nothing less than horse trading.

The weaker socio-economical status of the subject is taken advantage and forced to join the new band wagon. I agree with the idea, ‘Propagation of ones faith’. Propaganda does not simply end there. It makes comparison of faith. It lists out all so called spiritualistic and MATERIALISTIC benefits that are going to be bestowed on the subject due to change over.

By doing so, the advocates of conversion indirectly express, they are intolerant to other faith. The question is not the expression ‘HOW STRONGER IS OUR GOD. BUT THE QUESTION IS THE IMPLIED MEANING, HOW WEAKER IS YOUR GOD’. To me it looks silly, trivial and ridiculous. These funny ideas rule our nation today, divide the society, erect wall between man to man. One should have faith. Faith is everything. One must also learn to respect each others faith.

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Ronald D'Souza, Mangalore

Conversion activity per se is a fundamental right - to practice and propogate one's own religion. Strange if a court of law can find a prima facie case here. However if the insulting of Hindu dieties is a fact - that and only that might be deemed a crime under our laws.

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Abraham D'Souza, Ajekar/Bahrain

Some people are keen on inviting trouble. In my opinion there is a lot of garbage to clean in our own yard then looking at our neighbours. If your yard is inviting you don’t have to knock at the neighbour’s door.

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