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On Hinduism
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28. Hinduphobia
Hinduphobia refers to prejudice, hostility, and hatred directed toward Hindus and Hinduism. It manifests in society, academia, and politics—often from individuals and groups influenced by Abrahamic religious frameworks.
Common tactics used to promote Hinduphobia include:
- Stereotyping Hindu beliefs: Hindus are labeled as “polytheists,” “idol worshippers,” or even “satanic.”
- Misrepresenting cultural practices: Traditions such as Yoga are dismissed, distorted, or ridiculed with pejorative labels like “low quality.”
- Derogatory depictions of deities: Hindu gods are trivialized as the “Monkey God” or “Elephant God,” ignoring their deeper symbolism.
- Political framing: Hindus are often portrayed as intolerant, supremacist, or uniformly “right wing.”
- Academic distortions: Some Indologists discredit Hindu literature, attempt to rewrite history, or replace terms like “India” with “South Asia.” Textbook debates—such as in California—have included attempts to describe Vedic scriptures as mere “secret rituals” or “spells and charms.”
- Religious bias: Hinduism is sometimes portrayed as outdated or regressive, while Buddhism and Sikhism are selectively presented as “improvements” over it.
In short, Hinduphobia systematically undermines Hindu traditions, symbols, and contributions, while denying Hindus the dignity of representing their own faith on its own terms.
Other reading material: Venkat and Rajeev podcast,
https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/new-york-times-fecal-load-of-hinduphobia
https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/how-the-new-anti-semitism-can-provide-insight-into-hinduphobia
Contributor: Rajeev Singh
Location of this post (28a): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-hinduphobia/
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28. Hinduphobia
As per the Supreme Court of India, “Hindutva is a way of life”. It is the essence of being (-tva) a Hindu.
Swamini Svatmavidyananda says, “The one who is intolerant of intolerance is a Hindu.” This Hinduness, which identifies its origins from the land of Bharat (India) and takes utmost pride in its respect for others with a strong sense to not only preserve but propagate this respect, is called Hindutva.
Hindutva is the encapsulation of tolerance and respect that has its roots in Bharat, which has sustained a multitude of theistic, non-theistic, and atheistic beliefs.
Other listening material: https://tinyurl.com/ydbx4mc2 (Swamini Svatmavidyananda audio). Hinduphobia
Relevant videos: Who is misrepresenting Hindutva? | BJP’s Tejasvi Surya, BSP MP Danish Ali | Times Now Summit 2020,
Contributor: Rajeev Singh
Location of this post (:28b): hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/how-would-you-define-hindutva/
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28. Hinduphobia