to pacify Nepal's so-called religious minorities? Take Tibet for example. Do you all really believe for one second that were Tibetans allowed to practice their religion freely, they would allow Christians to start their missionary work? Hell no. But these people who were allowed to live in Nepal as Buddhists, and were not just tolerated, but respected, want to end Nepal's Hindu status!. Talk about being bad guests. These people are trying to destroy us for their foolish secular agenda. Hindus are a dying bunch already. They just wanna deliver the final coup de grace. This just makes me angry. Simple question, why are there no Hindu nations in the world? There are Buddhist nations, Christian nations, Muslim nations, but at present, there are no Hindu nations. I think Hindus are way too tolerant. We're being pushed to the edge. This is getting a little out of hand. What can we as Hindus do to keep our religion alive and kicking?
Please realize that no matter what you do or say, Nepal is still a HINDU majority. You just can't argue against this fact. No matter how much the census has been manipulated, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that Nepal is predominantly Hindu. However, we Hindus are a dying breed it seems, because it seems that we open people with open arms, and they decide to backstab us. This has happened to us historically.

Look at the larger picture (esp. global warming)--we humans are a dying species.

And, we should bend over backwards to get a perspective on life.

It was folly a big one! there was no haste, public demand for it, gradual and corrective measures in fast but wider opinions survey would have been appropriate. Nothing to blame the pressured and visonless leaders for the haste, yeah opinions of friends here in this part of the world is also in same line.
Potential marketing value of Nepal as a pligrimage and the socio-cultural implications was surely overlooked, but again if that is what majority wants, that is the best example of democracy. Having said that, i am more happy seeing it secular than the slave-master, abuse, discrimation filled mess then.

Sitara,
we don't even need to look at the larger pic to realize our mortality. Does that mean we stop living today?
I am not ready to give up my culture and religion in the name of "equality" and "khokro adarsha." If you name a bull a cow, the bull is not going to start giving milk. (I heard this saying when I was a little kid) Calling a country thats divided in every possible way is not going be a secular state, just by the name itself. Its a weakness we have cultivated as humans and Mr. Prachanda and his allies can't eradicate this my mere change of names. Its a little uncomfortable for me when my religion and heritage is made a scapegoat for something thats not my fault.

Last I heard these jokers were going to work on CA. I didnt know a sacked government and at the same time an expired one can change laws in ways that will affect the people in a negative way. I would like to see the mandate of the people for this proclamation. I dont buy Prachanda's phone calls to Girija as that mandate.

I want my King back!

Sure, global warming is a big cause for concern, but what makes you think we're all going to perish?
"We should bend over backwards to get a perspective on life. "
Respect is a two-way street. If you respect me, my religion, my beliefs, my ethnicity, then I will reciprocate in kind. But life is not just black and white, it has shades of grey in it. If we all could learn to live in harmony, then we don't have to bend over backwards for anything at all. I agree that we all need to get a perspective on life, but you're simplifying a rather complex issue. I guess you're saying that life is more important than fighting about trivial matters like religion. I agree, but most people don't think that way. If everybody thought that way, then there would be peace on earth. Our rights as hindus are being infringed upon. I'm not trying to sound an alarm, but it just feels like we as Hindus have been way too tolerant, and people are just using us for their own selfish goals.

"if that is what majority wants, that is the best example of democracy"
Bingo, that's the issue. I don't think the majority wanted Nepal's Hindu tag removed in the first place. They got a little too hasty.

Also, let's forget about the king. There's a bigger issue at stake here. I am a bit concerned about the fact that there are no Hindu nations on the planet anymore. All other religions have countries that follow these major religions. Doesn't that bother anybody else? Look, life cannot be reduced to simple sound bytes. Everybody cares about his culture/religion/heritage etc.

Vincent Bodega is absolutely right.

Vincent, if calling a state/country "secular" is not going to cause it to lose its religion, then why are you insecure about losing yours? Religion is a personal affair (like your underwear), you need not flaunt it. Who is asking you to stop living... the day the government bans people from going to temples, churches, mosques...that is the day, we have cause to worry. Till then, "secular" is appropriate for those who do not subscribe to one particular religion or doctrine.

How have you fared, by the way with this recent stripping of Royal powers? I am curious.

SeriousGuy, Seriously, you assume much... what makes you think I don't belong to the "Us Hindus" group? Aren't you as a Hindu secure in your "Hindutwa" without having to attribute a whole nation to that doctrine. Know what is "Hindutwa" is before ranting about the rights of Hindus in a country of mixed culture and religion.

धर्मनिरपेक्षताको सान्दर्भिकता
Kantipur editorial has good answer for Seriousguy's agenda:
प्रतिनिधिसभा घोषणापत्र- २०६३ ले विभिन्न धर्मावलम्बी, जनजाति तथा अधिकारवादीहरूले लामो समयदेखि गर्दै आएको संघर्षको सम्मान गर्दै नेपाललाई धर्म निरपेक्ष तुल्याएको छ । धर्म आफैंमा आम मानिसको आस्थाको माध्यम
हो । सामूहिक भावनामा आधारित हुने हुनाले यो संवेदनशील हुन्छ । धर्मलाई आस्था र सेवाका रूपमा मात्र लिनुपर्ने भए पनि राज्य नीतिका रूपमा अंगीकार गर्ने प्रवृत्ति अझै केही देशहरूमा छ । धर्म र राजनीतिबीचको सम्बन्धले धर्मको व्यापकतालाई कुण्ठित गर्छ । धर्मको महानतालाई सीमित तुल्याउँछ र सेवा भावनालाई लेनदेन बनाइदिनसक्छ ।

नेपालमा बहुसंख्यक हिन्दु धर्मावलम्बीको बसोवास हुँदैमा यो हिन्दु अधिराज्य रहिआएको होइन । हिन्दु धर्मलाई राज्य नीतिहरूमा समेत समावेश गर्ने मान्यताका कारण धर्मविशेषलाई बढी जोड दिइएको हो । नेपाललाई हिन्दु धर्मावलम्बीहरूको देशका रूपमा विशेषगरी भारतीय हिन्दुहरूले आस्था गर्छन् भने त्यो गर्वकै विषय हो । भारतीय राज्यसभाका भारतीय जनता पार्टी नेता जसवन्त सिंहले नेपालले हिन्दु अधिराज्य हटाउँदा आफूलाई लघुताबोध भएको टिप्पणी पनि गरेका छन् । देशभित्र पनि केही हिन्दु धर्मसम्बन्धी संस्थाहरूले यसको आलोचना गरेका छन् । त्यसो गर्दा हिन्दु कुनै धर्मभन्दा बढी सभ्यता हो भन्ने मान्यता अस्वीकार हुने बुझ्नुपर्छ ।

हिन्दु राज्यका रूपमा राज्यनीति कायम राखिरहनुको कुनै औचित्य छैन । कुनै धर्मविशेषलाई बढी जोड दिनुको अर्थ अरूलाई कम वास्ता गर्नु हो । हिन्दु धर्मले अरू धर्मलाई अनादर गर्न सिकाउँदैन, बरू धर्मका आधारमा कसैलाई भेदभाव नगर्न सिकाउँछ भन्ने मान्यता राख्न सक्नुपर्छ । हिन्दु हुनु भनेको गौरवको विषय हो भने अरू धर्ममा आस्था राख्ने वा आस्तिकहरूलाई पनि उत्तिकै आदर गर्न सकिन्छ । त्यसो गर्न राज्यलाई कुनै धर्मविशेषसँग जोडिरहनुपर्दैन । धर्मसँग नजोडीकन राज्यलाई जनताका आम आकांक्षामा आधारित राजनीतिबाट मात्र निर्देशित गर्नुपर्छ । प्रतिनिधिसभाले नेपाललाई आधुनिकतम लोकतन्त्रात्मक राज्यव्यवस्थाका जिम्मेवार नागरिकहरूको देश बनाउन उक्त घोषणा गरेको हो भन्ने विश्वासका रूपमा लिन सक्नुपर्छ ।

बहुसंख्यक हिन्दु रहे पनि तिनै हिन्दुले यहाँ के बौद्धमार्गी, के मुस्लिम, के क्रिस्चियनलाई उत्तिकै सराहना गर्छन् । नेपाली सभ्यता र संस्कृतिको मौलिक पक्ष कुनै पनि धर्मावलम्बी किन नहोस् जीवनपद्धति र सांस्कृतिक व्यवहार एउटै छ । संस्कृतिका दृष्टिले धर्म नछुट्टनिे गरी नेपाली समाज मिसिएको छ । त्यसकारण नेपाली हुनु नै ठूलो धर्म हो भन्ने संस्कार भएको देशमा धर्मनिरपेक्षताको उदाहरण दिन झन् सकिन्छ । त्यसमाथि जाति, जनजाति, भाषाभाषीका दृष्टिले विश्वमै विविधताबीच एकताको नमुना भएको देशले त्यही पहिचानको मर्यादा बढाउन पनि कुनै धर्मप्रति विशेष आग्रह गरिरहनु स्वाभाविक हुँदैन । लोकतन्त्र भनेकै न्याय र समानतामा आधारित राज्य प्रणाली भएकाले त्यस्तो व्यवस्थामा अल्पसंख्यकहरूले लघुताबोध गर्नुपर्ने गरी कुनै धर्मलाई राज्यले अंगीकार गरिरहनु हुँदैन ।

हिन्दु धर्मले प्रत्यक्ष त्यसको वकालत नगरे पनि कर्मकाण्डीहरूले यसलाई जातीय भेदभावको माध्यम बनाएका छन् । जातीय भेदभाव, छुवाछूतजस्ता आधुनिक समाजले सजिलै दुत्कार्नुपर्ने मूल्यमान्यता धर्मका आडमा संरक्षित रहिआएका

छन् । यो देश लाखौं लाख दलितहरूको पनि हो, जसले कुनै पनि क्षण आफू अन्यबाट हेपिएको अनुभूति गर्नु आम नागरिकहरूका लागि लज्जास्पद हो । यो देश बौद्ध धर्मावलम्बीहरूको पनि हो जसका त गौतम बुद्ध स्वयं यहीँ जन्मेका थिए भनेर सारा नेपाली गर्व गर्छन् । यो देश अन्य धर्मावलम्बीहरूको पनि हो, जसले कहिल्यै पनि आस्थाका आधारमा आफूलाई भिन्न सम्भिmनुपर्ने अवस्था हुनु हुँदैन । आफूलाई गर्वसाथ नेपाली नागरिक ठान्नु सबैको समान अधिकारको विषय हो ।



Posted on: 2006-05-21 20:07:52

Just for your information, I am not a religious person. When I was in Nepal, I seldom, if ever, went to temples. I don't even know much about Hinduism as a religion, but if secularization of Nepal can push a non-religious person like me towards this, just think for a second how religious Hindus are feeling right now. Are Hindus tolerant or not? Forget about Hindutva and other junk for a second. I don't even know what it is, nor do I care. Even when Nepal was a Hindu nation(which was till a few days ago), we had peace among religious groups. Everybody knows that extremism is alien to Hinduism, but people can only be pushed this far before they decide to push back. Since you're a secularist, answer this question: which country has had more religious problems: India, the beacon of secularism, or Nepal, which has essentially been a Hindu country for a few decades.
Oh, and here's a food for thought: Hitler was a secularist.

SITARAji..
What if someone forcefully yanks off your underwear? (As Muslims have been doing it)
OR
Lures you with a fancy imported item with the ill-intention to see you naked? (as in the case with Christian missionaries)

Sire, Seriousguy, for a "non religious" person, you are mighty touchy about the subject. Nepal has been too busy fighting it's socio-political ills to take on religious issues. Now, if your Hitler analogy is to hold even a spit of enlightenment--Gyanendra is a "Hindu God!"

Nut ji, what kind of a human are you that you would want to be clad while the other "non Hindus minorities" were forced to either wear your underwear or go naked! The Government has not asked people not to worship--"Secular" does not mean "Godless" it just means "keep it to yourself."

As for the Christian Missionaries, if they meet the needs of the poverty stricken while the "Hindus" avert their eyes--- let them. The poor are allowed to live too-survive their poverty even if it means converting. If being Christian benefits them, so be it. Unless, you are going to take on a crusade to feed the poor and the destitute.

Yow dem Nepalian Chilluns,

Blessed be dem you all.

I is not unnerstan what dem you is talks about.

Bend Backwards! Why dem Complain?

Dem leaders who dem want Secular nasion is not dem Hinduest of dem Hindu Peopal?

Them Leaders did not Convicsion I and I for Killing da Sacred Cow?

All dem Leaders is not dem peopal who dem Make him Majesty incarnasion of Vishnu?

Them Leaders and them their forefadas not give I and I religion?

Them Leaders always did not lead I and I in dem right Path?

Hey hey Rasta, long time! How have you been, my sweet friend?

I am against the king.
Hitler was a socialist, which by default makes him a secularist.
I am a non-practicing Hindu. Of course I am touchy about the subject.
There are no Hindu nation on this planet at present. None. If an all-out ethnic warfare erupts, and if other religious minorities take over India and Nepal, which can happen given that religious minorities are the ones that are reproducing faster(no offense), Indian and Nepali Hindus have nowhere to go. We'll just be slaughtered left, right and center. We Hindus need a "safe haven" of sorts. Even Jews, who make up 20 million of the world's population(at maximum) have Israel. What do we Hindus have?

Yow dem sweetest of dem all Star, Blessed be dem you.

I is never no change. I is alive.

It dem always nice to see veteran peopal like you.

Blessed be dem you.

It is not about freedom to practice or not to practice religion. In one family you can find devoted orthodox vegan Vaishnav brahmin, a spiritual seeker (not bound to religious practices), an atheist, a non-vegetarian all of them and more variations of different faiths. They exist in one family and have no conflict with each other. This type of tolerance existed in the society among other beliefs as well.
In Nepal secular means two things, freedom to kill cows and freedom for religion conversion. There is nothing more than that. Even though it was illegal to convert there were many missionaries active who actively converted in Nepal. It did not stop them however they could not do it in grand-scale, I can see that happening.
The secular state announcement is not about religious practices it is about politics and now just sit back and watch what happens when religion and politics are mixed together. I can tell you it wont be pretty.
It is not about wearing someone else uwear, or not wearing your own. LOL.

Yow , dem Shiv, Blessed be dem you.

I is not dem unnerstand much many of things. You peopal is knows many many.

I is only say and ask and no peopal give I no answer.

Yes dem peopal who dem is make secular is not dem your Vaishna peopal?

Them Vaishna peopal did not teach Iand I to not to go in dem Vaishna temple of their?

Them not know many things?

Them not bring da revolusion?

Them not bring show I and I dem path of dem Prachandapath?

Why dem we is have many many probilams?

There is no turning back now that Nepal's status as the world's only Hindu kingdom has been whisked away. There will be hue and cry(and riot) if they made Nepal a Hindu kingdom again. But one thing's for sure: the recent turn of events will produce Hindu extremists.
I have always been for separation of religion and state, but it feels like Maoists are playing SPA like a violin.