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Hindus angry over Bible Distribution in South African school

A Hindu organization has slammed a Christian school in South Africa for allowing a motivational speaker to hand out Christian material to students, reports James Varghese, special to ASSIST News Service.

According to a news report published by www.hindujagruti.org, the incident occurred in KwaZulu-Natal, a province of South Africa.

The website reported that Vishwa Shakti ( World Power, a social organization) received complaints from angry Hindu parents and students of Tongaat Secondary School over the distribution of the New Testament.

According to the web site story, the school invited a speaker affiliated with a Christian-based organization, to address students on the importance of good values. After the lecture, students were invited to take copies of the New Testament.

The website reported that Vishwa Shakti’s Kamal Maharaj said, “The Schools Act prohibits the promotion of religious indoctrination. We have received complaints from pupils who were upset because it was more a propaganda program than an academic one.”

Maharaj added, “We expect some form of damage control to be done in the form of an apology to the children. This is a violation of human rights — psychological violence. When you try to promote a particular view among children who are impressionable, it’s just not fair.”

The site also reported that a parent who refused to be named for fear of retaliation said he was “furious.” The parent added, “These are impressionable minds. Even if a child takes it out of curiosity to read, a child can become influenced by what he or she reads.”

The web site reported another parent said, “If you wish to impart this kind of knowledge to children, it must be done with parents permission, because they are minors.”

The story reported another parent said, “We have no problem with anybody promoting their religion, but you can’t do so with children who are under the protection of adults. I think parents’ permission is vital in these instances.”

The story reported that the principal of the school, Soobramoney Raman, said, “Pupils could choose whether or not to take a Bible. Those who did not want the Bibles left the assembly area. It was never foisted on them. I get politicians and people with leadership skills to come and motivate my pupils and get them on the right track."

The web site reported Raman added, “Even people from Hindu organizations are free to hand out religious material. I don’t have any objections.”

Raman said there was no indoctrination was involved. He said, “In fact, all this is educational. Everything was done in a transparent manner. I do have Christians here in the majority, but we don’t have a Christian ethos. The minorities here have never been marginalized. I have my doubts that they would have been influenced in any way.”

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[06/28/2008]

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