1. How do you justify saying your new organization “respects the separation of church and state as one of the bedrock principles of this country,” while you also say that the group is the premier institution for the representation of Hindu-American values in American politics?” How do you reconcile those two statements?
Religion should be something that unites people rather than dividing them. Religious organizations have always sought political power – the great thing about America is that there is the opportunity to form many of these organizations to make sure that no one organization wields too much power. Groups like Matthew 25, Catholic Democrats, and the National Jewish Democratic Council played large roles in the 2008 presidential election, and religious voters responded by voting more democratically than at any previous point in American history. As long as the Republican Party relies on their far right wing to raise money and recruit volunteers, democrats need to have something in place to at least try and match their influence if we want to have a chance at winning back these voters. America is very much a country based on morality, and many of our citizens’ morals are based on their religion. We saw this trend of values voters going to the Democratic Party begin in 2006 when the DCCC started to recruit candidates who weren’t afraid to talk about morals and personal responsibility, and that trend is still very much continuing today.
2. What do you say to Hindu Indians who don’t think Hinduism should be injected into politics?
I’d tell any Hindu Indian American who doesn’t want Hinduism injected in politics that they are deluding themselves. We are at a crossing road in American history where the influence of the Christian right can finally be matched by the emergence of faith based Democratic organizations – especially since the Christian right seems to becoming more and more marginalized as values voters have started to turn against that kind of divisive politics in favor of alternate Christian groups on the democratic side. I understand the fear that many older Indians feel – they don’t want this to be the start of an American BJP – but we are living in an incredible time for American politics. The Hindu community is finally becoming politically and socially active, with the introduction of groups like the Hindu American Foundation, and we are now at a point where Indian I are running for office nationwide every year and are taking on substantive roles in political campaigns. If we do not try to seize the opportunity now to play a significant role in the shaping of American politics and our government, we will lose our chance forever. The promise of America is that all people can have a voice, and given what the Hindu and Indian American community has contributed to this country, I think the time has come for Hindu Democrats.
3. Why not just join the many existing Hindu American groups in the U.S. that have been vocal about Hindu-related issues?
We are a politically motivated group and would not want to intrude on any group that is simply trying to lobby for rights. We honor and respect these organizations, but we feel that there is a market to be tapped to increase the political power of Hindus in America.
4. You could have formed a group to lobby both major political parties on Hindu values and traditions. Why didn’t you take that route?
Both of us (Rajiv and I) are proud democrats. I can’t speak for Rajiv, but I am very proud to belong to a Party that always asks its members to believe in themselves rather than submit to their fears. I’ve been working in Democratic politics for 2 years now, and will continue to do so.
5. Some see the Christian right as a divisive force in American politics. Did you form the group to counter their influence?
Yes.
6. Will you endorse candidates? Raise funds for Indian American candidates who reflect your values? Hold events? Establish chapters? Etc.
As a Political Action Committee, Hindu Democrats will endorse candidates and raise funds for them. We are already in the process of planning our first fundraiser, and will be able to provide more details about that as time goes on.
7. What exactly is it about Hinduism that would improve U.S. politics?
What is unique, I feel, about Hinduism is that it can be interpreted so many different ways – and neither way is regarded as more or less accurate by most people. I think at the core of Hinduism, for me at least, is this sense of curiosity. Unlike Catholicism, for example, we are encouraged to always question our beliefs – and I think that’s very similar to the nature of America, we want to involve our citizens in elections and issues because we think that everyone could potentially have a solution to any given problem. My favorite piece of Hindu scripture is Rigveda 10.29 – we acknowledge that maybe even God doesn’t have all the answers. There’s something great about a movement that recognizes that even its leader may not have the answers. There’s a great parallel to America here as well – plenty of people think the President is wrong. 8. Who are you guys?
I am a junior at American University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Religion. I became politically active after the “Macaca” incident in the 2006 Virginia US Senate race and went on to campaign for Barack Obama through 2007-08 in half a dozen states, including the Carolinas and New Hampshire. I was also in Des Moines for a week leading up to the caucuses and was in the room when the President delivered his first victory speech on January 3, 2008. Aside from the Obama campaign, I started my own political talk show with two of my friends at school in 2008 called Politics Now. I later went on to serve as Chief Analyst when some of those same friends hosted a live webcast to cover the 2008 elections called 270to44. The webcast is online at www.270to44.blogspot.com Currently, I intern at a political consulting company called Catalist that specializes in micro-targeting. My co-founder, Rajiv, is a 2008 graduate of West Point who is currently deployed in Afghanistan. He speaks 5 languages fluently, including Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, and French. He has also run several marathons and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. At West Point, Rajiv helped found Beyond Orders, a non-profit that helps soldiers recieve humanitarian aid to help civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a social journal. He also sits on the Board of myVetwork – a social organizing tool for veterans and their families and friends.
I had given you the benefit of a doubt but nope, turns out you are ignorant.
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p>Whoa there, tiger! Even the highest echelons of Catholicism respect the questioning of beliefs. Little kids in Sunday School (CCD) learn something called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which is a story that makes the point that you can question your faith and beliefs and apostate even, and God will be waiting for you, glad to have you come back to Him no matter what you have done.
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p>The Catholic Church also has a plethora of different orders, both clerical and lay (for priests and non-clergy) whose beliefs and behaviors vary greatly. Put a member of a Franciscan order, a Jesuit and someone from Opus Dei in the same room and tell them what you think and see how hard they laugh. Go speak to a priest, and ask him about counseling for people who are questioning their faith. He would tell you that people are encouraged to seek out their truth, confident that the faith and grace of God will find that person. Catholicism is not a faith based in coercion and ignorance. Perhaps you’d like to peruse Summa Theologica and then City of God.
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p>Your claim that Catholics are discouraged from questioning their beliefs is patentedly false and frankly is very dissapointing. I understand that you are a Hindu and know more than I do about it. But also understand that I would NEVER go about making negative comments about Hinduism because I know I don’t know anything about it. Your apparent ignorance is understandable, but your comments in the light of such a fact is inexcusable.
I’m certainly not sure how accurate Wikipedia is on this. (I go through phases of reading articles about India on Wikipedia.) Anyway, the definition section of the article on Hinduism reads like this:
Also this:
Finally, on the range of Hindu beliefs, one reads this:
This suggests a level of questioning, doubt, and openness to different approaches that surpasses anything in the Abrahamic religions.
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p>So if I understand all this correctly (and I may not), Catholicism allows some room for doubt, possibly accepts it as part of the human condition, but holds onto to some doctrinal positions and sacramental practices as non-negotiable features of the faith. Hinduism is an order of magnitude fuzzier than that. After all,
one may question them to their hearts content — and such questioning is encouraged. Great works of religious philosophy aren’t produced by the sheep, but by people who have dwelled upon the great questions of religosity, questioned themselves, and questioned God.
or has historically been a faith that embraces the questioning of belief is simply disingenuous. Catholicism has relied deeply on the strict adherence to its tenets. While some questioning as an academic exericse is tolerated, active questioning or dispute of tenets is not. Indeed, when presidential candidates and other prominent political figures are threatened with the withholding of the sacrament because of their stated beliefs regarding the church’s precepts, one can hardly take your suggestion seriously.
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p>The Catholic Church has demanded strict adherence to its “laws” even when those laws clearly are not in the best interests of its people. Let us consider the historical role of the church in Ireland, for example, during the famine years.
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p>There is no comparison between the intellectual freedom afforded Hindus and the freedom to question afforded Catholics, either traditionally or contemporarily.
but questioning beliefs and committing acts of heresy are not the same.
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p>For the record, reading the Canon Law, one can be disqualified from receiving the Eucharist for a myriad of reasons, most of which are self-imposed. The priest will know if you are consious of grave sin, but one is supposed to refrain from communion in such a circumstance. A politician who proclaims he is pro choice and works on legislation to support such an end is aware of the reprucussions of such activity. He can question the Canon Law all he wants, but it is still to be followed. I did not see John Kerry make any great effort to call together clergy in an effort to discuss this matter.
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p>Are we not a nation where one can question the law? If I question the law that forbids me from killing my neighbor, is the correct path to question that law to simply go shoot him? It is similarly erroneous for a Catholic to question Catholic doctrines by breaking them outright.
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p>To say the Catholic Church is not tolerant of questioning, it portends that questioning does not occur, much like how in circumstances of violent, extremist Islam, questioning of certain doctrines are met with death sentances.
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p>Questioning beliefs and laws does not mean breaking them at will and expecting it to be okay to do so.
is question is. You’re splitting hairs here because, I suspect, you don’t like the sound of something like the Catholic Church discourages questioning of one’s faith. You have yet to show how the Catholic Church embraces any dissent from its dogma. Indeed, the so-called cafeteria-style Catholics of North America are constantly condemned by Rome. Historically, followers–not the faithful thinkers you choose to substitute–have been told in rather unquivocal terms that there behaviors have dire consequences.
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p>The fact that you go to such lengths to detail the punishments that can be meted out to those who actively question only illustrates my point. Where is the counterpoint in any of the protestant faiths? What gets you refused communion from the Methodist Church? United Church of Christ? There is no analogous punishment for questioning in any form of mainstream protestantism, i.e., the other brand of Christian faith. Therefore, I stand behind my assertion that the Catholic Church is entirely intolerant of its followers questioning in any form other than an academic form. The diarist’s characterization is entirely reasonable, and I must say buttressed, ironically, by your defense of Catholic dogma.
I’m reminded of Bertrand Russell’s comment about how the effect of philosophy on religion has been to make it less severe. Main-line Protestants used to care deeply about doctrinal differences. In fact, unlike today, Methodists could actually say how they were different from Presbyterians.
John Kerry was the first Catholic presidential candidate in decades. The church actively campaigned against him, based on his position on choice. Never mind that his opponent was a pro-death penalty Protestant. People even questioned his faith and lobbied against him even receiving communion.
Growing up in southern Virginia, I spent a fair amount of time in sunday schools with my Christian friends learning all about Biblical tales like the Prodigal Son. I would never suggest that Hinduism is better than Catholicism or vice versa, but you make my point for me when you say that “you come back to Him no matter what you have done.” Hinduism is about realizing that no path is better than any other – that individuals have to find their own way to salvation through curiosity.
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p>Oh, and Aquinas’s Summa Theologica is one of my favorite pieces of literature. The five proofs were a solid stepping stone in my religious education.
Really enjoyed learning about your work in supporting faith based political activism. I learned at lot on a little trip through googleland about Hinduism and Indian/American culture. Sorry about the sidebar discussion about the relative flexability of various Christian sects.
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p>I do worry that too often faith based political action is just a lot of negative energy — witness the Crusades and even what’s happening in the 23rd Congressional district in NY.
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p>Did I just compare the the conservative nut cases around Lake Saranac to the dedicated Templars protecting Crusaders?
for your interest!
Your posts speak strongly of the impact and influence of Hinduism in your actions, and indeed that it would be “delusional” to think your religion will not have an influence on wider policymaking. I was getting concerned about a Democratic effort to outGod Republicans…
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p>…then I went to your website. Frankly, I don’t see anywhere how Hinduism informs your decisions as a group. I don’t see any references to religious texts or traditions of your religion, and your issue papers don’t strike me as unusual for a liberal group.
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p>Your posts speak much more fully about the impact of your religion on what Hindu Democrats does. But that isn’t borne out by your group’s website. Why the disconnect?
You mean
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p>http://www.hindudemocrats.com/
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p>You put in a slash where a dot was demanded.
we don’t want to seem preachy. as has been explored above by other users, hinduism is a much more hands off religion than the abrahamic ones due to the fact that it can be interpreted so many different ways. the site is there so that people can see that we do have a presence and we are trying to make a difference. then, if people are more interested in hearing about us, they can send us an email and we’d be happy at that point to engage in a full discussion.
on the question of our issue papers, we have been meaning to add scripture to support our positions but doing so has become considerably difficult since our executive director – bharat krishnan – works part time and is a full time student and our president – rajiv srinivasan – is currently deployed in afghanistan.
We do really want to tackle the issue papers, and will hopefully be able to have them refined by the end of the year.
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p>thanks for your interest!