Some learned and not-so-learned
Indians have taken the comment personally and have tried to defend themselves
by seeking shelter and solace under the banner of the Great Indian culture. I had
hardly scratched my head to figure out what's the whole cry is about when in an
instant I realized that eating
with hands has got
nothing to do with our Indian
culture. In my personal opinion, I find eating with hands as a reflection of an uncivilized
society. It is unhygienic and disgusting.
The custom of eating with hands is prevalent in third world countries,
among tribal, economically and socially weaker sections of the society. It
reflects the deplorable state of the society. Eating
with hands reflects a
pre-medieval custom still practiced by people living in forests. If I dig
further, it also reflects that we have still not learnt to enjoy the fine art
of dining. Eating is not about filling our bellies; it is much more than that.
When you are still scrounging, you would only be content to survive rather than
even ponder about luxuries and eating
with hands, in my personal opinion, epitomizes the fact that we are
still trying to meet the most basic of our needs. We neither have the resources
nor the will to experiment with spoons and forks.
This raises another really serious
question about our attitude towards good and better things in life. We Indians
are obstinate, perverse, stubborn and adamant people who due to ignorance,
false pride, ego and fear do not want to change for the better. Bible refers to
us as stiff-necked people. For centuries, we continued the despicable practices
of child marriage, sati system (the burning of widows
alive on her expired husband's pyre), thugi ritual (the ritual murder of
travelers as human sacrifices to the mother goddess kali, by gangs of men known as
thugs), casteism, and untouchability. We still practice the abhorable dowry
system. Britishers used stick to implement and enforce the law enacted to
abolish the custom of child marriage, sati,
and thugi. It took the
Britishers along with some enlightened Indians to ban these
customs. Casteism, untouchability and dowry system is still advocated and
practiced all across India, even among learned, educated and rich Indians.
You do not accept Jesus that you may
have life because you are, as the Bible rightly says, 'the children of the
devil', 'the children of wrath', 'the children of darkness' and 'sons of
disobedience' who have been kept for the great and terrible day of judgment
before the Great White Throne of the One and Only True and Living God.
For you have rejected the True and Living God, who became man and
suffered the shame of cross and died for your sins. You have rejected Him who
rose up from the dead. You have trampled underfoot the goodness, love,
sacrifice and grace of the One and the Only One, Jesus Christ.
