SA has freedom of religion

THE article “War on Conversion” (POST, September 5-9) comes as a complete surprise to me. In South Africa, we have a policy of freedom of religion and freedom of choice as far as adherence to an ideoogy, a theology or religion is concerned.

So how Mr Ram Maharaj plans to execute his campaign with any measure of success remains a mystery.

In fact, by adopting this draconian philosophy ourselves, one could (for the same price) argue that any effort on his side to remedy historical ‘conversions’ after the fact would actually constitute a new set of ‘forced conversions’ in reverse.

Having said that, Mr Maharaj should bear in mind:

There are no lasting, sustainable forced or superficial ‘conversions’ in Christianity. Such ‘conversions’, if not subscribed to spontaneously, sincerely and voluntarily in the first place, usually soon falter and diminish into equally superficial ‘religious commitments’ of no serious long-term benefit and consequence for Christianity.

In fact, sincere Christian leaders usually frown upon ‘superficial conversions’ from the fold of alternative religions and would rather do without them if it could be helped. Forced or superficial conversions are inclined to give Christianity a bad name.

A person can only convert to Christianity genuinely by spontaneously accepting Jesus Christ as Messiah, Lord, Saviour and Creator of the Universe and, furthermore, on a totally voluntary basis, an act of faith that results in such a person’s miraculous spiritual regeneration that cannot be reversed by force of theological ultimatums or philosophical arguments.

In such cases where spiritual regeneration has taken place and a conversion to Christianity from an alternative religion could be described as genuine and sincere, it would be appreciated if such individuals could be left alone to exercise their right to freedom of religion in peace.

The point is that either Jesus Christ was in error and Christianity will eventually pan out as an untrue and invalid religion, or the Hindu spiritual leaders from history were in error and Hinduism will ultimately pan out as invalid and in error. They cannot both be right or valid at the same time, as Christianity and Hinduism are two contradictory and mutually exclusive ideologies and theologies.

So, in years or centuries to come, the one in error, through natural attrition, will simply fall away while the other one will survive, and to try to interfere with this process and the inexorable march of cosmic truth in the universe is quite disingenuous, superfluous and anyway in breach of the rules of engagement in a constitutional democracy.

To be of service to the one and only Creator of the Cosmos, the noblest thing Mr Maharaj, the Global Hindu Foundation, the South African Hindu Dharma Sabha and all fellow lovers of truth (including Christians) could do today is to back off and let things play out naturally, peacefully and spontaneously.

There are, among others, five things that cannot (and ought not) be legislated, namely love, faith, fellowship, friendship and freedom of association.

As Christians we will leave Mr Maharaj to his own devices and kindly tolerate him whenever he preaches Hindu theology in the marketplace with complete and guaranteed constitutional freedom.

But then we as Christians would expect him to reciprocate in kind whenever we should decide to preach messages that invite adherents to alternative religions to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of their lives.

Free choice, in a constitutional democracy, is sacrosanct and inviolable and should be left untouched.