Caste India: Journey into the Unseen

Delhi is like any major mega city in the world numbering about 27 million, that is, until you see the city through the Caste system. The Caste system in India is a socio-cultural system born out of the Hindu worldview.  According to Dr. Thom Wolf of University Institute , “a caste is a group assignment, social standing. A caste birth is a life assignment, a life career. In the USA, life is like an arrow moving from creation to consummation. In India, life is like a circle, a Karma. A caste birth is a Karma birth.” Here is how it works:

Forward Castes represent about 15% of the 1.2 Billon population in India, about 180 million people. These Castes are called “Forward” because on a scale of purity and pollution, these castes face the purity side of the scale. People in the Forward Castes represent Brahmins: the priests; the Kshatriyas: the princes or those in government; and the Vaishyas: the proprietors, those in business.

Backward Castes, those facing the polluted or unclean part of the scale, represent about 50% of India’s population numbering about 600 million people. The more you work with your hands, the lower your caste group ranks as backward and therefore, unclean. A carpenter’s son, for example, would be a member of a backward caste in India. This group would be called the Sudras or manual workers and servants. The good news is that to be in a caste is to be human. Females in all castes are seen as second-class caste members. There is no concept of being created in the image of God and no concept of personal dignity.

So, in India, you have four chances to be human if you are a Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya or Sudra.

If you are not born into one of these castes, you are an outcaste, a person without a caste, inhuman. This group is called Dalit, “talking animals.” About 20% of India’s population is Dalit, numbering about 240 million. 70% of all Christians in India are Dalit.

If you are following my math, we are missing about 180 million people or 20% of the population. These folks are referred to as “Pop Outs” according to Wolf. They “pop-out” of the Caste system through conversion to other religions, primarily Islam, Roman Catholicism, and Evangelical Christianity.

Dr. Thom provided a very helpful orientation for our team on our first day in India. He reminded us of the often quoted “It is self-evident, that all men are created equal,” and said in India, you say it this way: “It is self-evident, that all men are created unequal.”

Jeff Jones, Susan Williams, and I found ourselves immersed in a world much different than we are accustomed to. A city roughly the size of Mexico City but very different. Different from anything else I have ever been exposed to. Yet, the calling of the Spirit of God never seemed more clear to me. We must find a way to serve the least of these in India.

Comments

[Rudy Garcia]

Interesting comment on India Pastor Reyes: In addition the Hindu religion stil adores many gods and demons.

In my trip to China I found another facet of a country that is not Christian; Chinese today adore the god of commerce and money. Everything is business and more business. Taling to some Chinese and Taiwanese I found that they have no religion, just a set of superstitions in a framework of materialism.

Rudy

[Albert Reyes]

Rudy, Thom Wolf has taught me to enter into the global conversation with individuals with no religous convictions, only a basic framework of beliefs. He has encouraged me to focus on conversational questions to bring out The Way as the best way to live life on the planet. These are very exciting times.