Hindu Dharma, with its diverse philosophical traditions, stands distinct among major world religions for its non-proselytizing nature, emphasizing individual spiritual exploration and honoring diverse paths to the divine. Yet, despite its non-invasive and non-proselytizing ethos, or perhaps because of it, it has been a prime target for invasive proselytization for over 1200 years – first by Islamic invaders, then by Christian colonizing proselytizers. This prolonged onslaught has left a deep scar on the cultural and spiritual fabric of Hindu society, much like the devastation caused by cancer to the human body.
Indeed, proselytization and cancer seem to share a number of traits in their inherent capacity for destruction. While cancer ravages the human body at a cellular level, proselytizers, blinded by an unwavering zeal, embark on a mission to reshape beliefs. This brief essay explores the destructive tendencies of proselytization and cancer, highlighting how the two seemingly disparate phenomena pursue their singular purpose of dismantling their respective objects.
Cancer operates as a silent assailant, relentlessly destroying the body at a cellular level. Its microscopic invasion disrupts the harmony of healthy tissues, compromising the body’s defenses and plunging cellular functions into chaos. In its single-minded pursuit, cancer erodes the foundations of life, posing a severe threat to its host.
Proselytization, a religio-political malignancy, mirrors this destructive tendency. The proselytizer’s objective is clear: reshape the beliefs of their targets through persuasive tactics without regard for social, moral, or ethical norms. The invasive nature of proselytization disrupts cultural and personal foundations, seeking to replace existing ideologies with the proselytizer’s worldview.
Both cancer and proselytization draw strength from blind “faith”—the former subverting the body’s regulatory mechanisms, the latter endeavoring to overwrite established belief systems. Their destructive force stems from an unyielding commitment to a singular purpose, be it the uncontrolled growth of malignant cells or the relentless push to convert minds. In their blind pursuit, both phenomena lack redeeming qualities, demonstrating a singular focus that leaves no room for positivity.
Encountering resistance, both cancer and proselytization adapt to overcome obstacles, particularly when the object’s defenses are compromised. The impact on the object is profound—the spread of cancer weakens and incapacitates the host, while proselytization weakens existing belief structures, leaving individuals and societies vulnerable to the imposition of an alien worldview. The divisive nature of proselytization, akin to cancer metastasizing through the body, alters the essence of the object in irreversible ways, often leading to conflicts within communities.
Remarkably, both forces remain oblivious to their dependence on the vitality of their object. Persisting in their endeavors, they fail to realize that their existence ceases once their host succumbs to their impacts.
Proselytization and Cancer – Twin Forces of Destruction, Unyielding in their Impact, Devoid of Redemption!
