The Temple: Part II

In my last blog I wrote about our visitation to the Hindu Temple in New Delhi, India. This was an immersion experience for our group that was visiting India. It was a highly effective way to get an introduction into the worldview of the majority of people that we were learning about and those we hope to eventually serve.

I have been exposed to other world religions from a distance but have never had this kind of experience. That is, to see it up close and personal. I was first amazed by the number of people that had to wait in line to work their way into the temple to worship. They had to take time out of their work-day to stand in line for hours to present gifts of flowers, money, and food to idols that do not speak, breathe, see, or hear.

I was also struck by the statue of the Hindu goddess and the swastika on her right hand. The symbol is said to have been the uniting symbol for the Arian Race. This symbol tied Arian peoples together from Europe to India and was seen as a sign of superiority. Hitler is said to have borrowed the symbol for his movement and appealed to the spirits for help, for advantage, and for success.

According to worshippers, the idols in the temple did not come alive until spirits embodied them. This would not happen until they were summoned to come to the temple and inhabit the idols by the ringing of the bell on the part of worshipers. The symbol clearly posted outside the temple in Hindi spells the sound of meditation = Hhmmm. This meditation is said to clear one’s mind to think on “nothing” as preparation for the spirits to indwell the idols and interact with the worshippers.

The worship area was an unclean place. The idea of cleaning is not practiced by people of the forward looking castes. Only the OBCs (Other Backward Castes) or Dalits (People with no caste or outcastes) are associated with cleaning. Drawing near to God, and in this case, the gods, does not produce an identity of cleanliness in this setting. This context stands over against the familiar saying “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” It also stands in contrast to the Holy Spirit, the clean spirit. People coming out of this tradition tend to be filled with joy at the prospect of being clean when the Holy Spirit enters a person’s life.

Now, imagine that you are a child belonging to an OBC or a Dalit family living on less than $2 per day. Imagine that you are without parents, on the streets, abandoned and in need of a loving family. You have little to no standing in society as a child, but as an OBC or Dalit (Talking Animals), you are seen as nothing, not even human. Yet, the majority of population of India fits in these categories. This puts a new spin on the phrase “the least of these” Jesus says we are to serve. I walked away from the temple that day with a heavy heart and wondering what a Jesus response would be.

Comments

[Michelle Heflin]

As I read about your visit the faces of the children come alive. What a great opportunity to serve the 'little children of the world.'

[Albert Reyes]

Michelle, the opportunities are endless. We must not ignore India. Please pray with me that the Lord will raise up a network of churches to fund Buckner ministry there.