Originally posted by r99pawn77
re Hinduism and the caste system..
that is some bizarre cultural thing and really has nothing to do with Hinduism. Mahatma Gandhi wrote specifically on the subject, if interested...
Here in America, plenty of people claim wacko stuff in the name of religion. The KKK calls themselves Christians. So did the Nazis in Germany.
You can't judge a pat Anyone can take potshots at anything, but that hardly describes the real nature of something.
its is neither bizarre nor a cultural phenomena. Have you not seen the pictures in national geographic of sudras having acid poured on their faces and being disfigured because they drew water from a village well, the act of which was deemed to pollute it. Bizarre, a phenomena, i dont think so, not by those who have to live it. what is more it can be directly traced to both religious and social historical factors, distinction being made on both religious grounds and the colour of ones skin.
The religious theories explain how the four Varnas were founded, but they do not explain how the Jats in each Varna or the untouchables were founded. According the Rig Veda, the ancient Hindu book, the primal man - Purush - destroyed himself to create a human society. The different Varnas were created from different parts of his body. The Brahmans were created from his head; the Kshatrias from his hands; the Vaishias from his thighs and the Sudras from his feet.
- http://adaniel.tripod.com/origin.htm
social religious distinction made on the grounds of skin colour,
The social historical theory explains the creation of the Varnas, Jats and of the untouchables. According to this theory, the caste system began with the arrival of the Aryans in India. The Aryans arrived in India around 1500 BC. The fair skinned Aryans arrived in India from south Europe and north Asia. Before the Aryans there were other communities in India of other origins. Among them Negrito, Mongoloid, Austroloid and Dravidian. The Negrito have physical features similar to people of Africa. The Mongoloid have Chinese features. The Austroloids have features similar the aboriginals of Australia. The Dravidians originate from the Mediterranean and they were the largest community in India. When the Aryans arrived in India their main contact was with the Dravidians and the Austroloids. The Aryans disregarded the local cultures. They began conquering and taking control over regions in north India and at the same time pushed the local people southwards or towards the jungles and mountains in north India.
The Aryans organized among themselves in three groups. The first group was of the warriors and they were called Rajayana, later they changed their name Rajayana to Kshatria. The second group was of the priests and they were called Brahmans. These two groups struggled politically for leadership among the Aryans. In this struggle the Brahmans got to be the leaders of the Aryan society. The third group was of the farmers and craftsmen and they were called Vaisia. The Aryans who conquered and took control over parts of north India subdued the locals and made them their servants. In this process the Vaisias who were the farmers and the craftsmen became the landlords and the businessmen of the society and the locals became the peasants and the craftsmen of the society.
In order to secure their status the Aryans resolved some social and religious rules which, allowed only them to be the priests, warriors and the businessmen of the society.
- http://adaniel.tripod.com/origin.htm
this of course is not merely taking potshots, for if a religious system is used to perpetuate a rigid stratification of society from which a person may never free himself no matter what personal effort he puts forth, is it not proper to seriously question its values? i think so.
Hinduism Resources
05 Jul '10 20:54
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