Today’s Jesus ‘n’ Mo strip, called “caste,” is based on a story at the National Secular Society’s website. in which a Hindu group threatens to report one of the NSS’s branches to the cops for blaspheming Hinduism. From the story:
A Hindu charity has threatened to report a secularist group to the police over a talk critical of Hinduism.
In December, Leicester Secular Society (LSS) held a talk, entitled “Hinduism: Wretched Immoral Compass”, by a former Hindu.
The talk aimed to “highlight the failure of Hinduism as a moral compass and show that it was flawed from the very outset”. It also examined “the contribution of several neglected Indian figures who stood for liberty, equality, fraternity, social justice, women’s rights, secularism/humanism and more”.
The promotional image for the flier included a diagram of the Hindu ‘caste system’.
Before the talk took place, LSS received an email from Rajnish Kashyap, general secretary of the London-based Hindu Council UK (HCUK), to express the charity’s “deep concern and offense [sic]” at the event’s title.
The email said the title “seems designed to appeal and incite hatred towards Hindus, who are one of the largest and most peaceful groups globally”.
It went on: “We intend to bring this matter to the attention of the local Hindu community, and local authorities, including the police.
The Divine Duo laughs it up—until Ganesha appears. Mo sets the elephant-headed God straight, telling him that the caste system builds religious discrimination right into the Hindu faith:
I hope we can look forward to frequent guest appearances by Ganesha (my second favorite deity, right behind Hephaestus) in Jesus ‘n’ Mo.
Jesus and Mo seem to be allies here as they team up against Ganesh. Major religions often have interesting maneuvers going on as they morph their “outreach” (marketing and recruiting) policies to adapt public relations tactics. I call it Mutually Assured Misdeconstruction.
An Untouchably funny cartoon!
Indian governments have for decades been thoroughly hypocritical in condemning apartheid as it existed in South Africa while running their own version of it.
Caste discrimination is a serious social problem in India, but it absolutely is not enshrined in law the way apartheid was.
If you read the accompanying PDF, you’ll see it is also a problem in the UK, sadly.
Blasphemy is not illegal in the UK, neither is offence. Why report it to the police?
He’s chancing his arm. In the recent past, the police have made fools of themselves by coming heavy-handed onto perfectly legal instances of free speech. This twit is presumably hoping that Leicestershire Police have not learned any lessons.
Agreed, the Leicestershire Police do not have a great track record in this area, too busy bowing and accommodating to “minorities”.
Ironic that most Dalits are Hindu!
i wonder if any Dalits take umbrage at criticism of their oppressors.
Probably had his speelung checker set to EN_US, not EN_UK.
It’s the standard religion not wanting to be held to any external standards. I’m not surprised that Jesus & Mo are ganging up against Ganesh though – they’re co-religionists compared to the diversity of gods and practices in Hinduism.
Can the Dalits even climb stairs? Worst villians ever…
From “India Today” television:
[Con]”Fusion Of Science & Faith: Lord Ganesha Blesses ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 Launch On Ganesh Chathurthi”
(Two & a half minutes)
ISRO: Indian Space Research Organization
Chaturthi (not Caturday):
Hindu festival idolizing mythic elephant god of Ganesh(a)
More space science with Ganesh(a):
(Five & a half minutes)