Write a short essay on The right and Wrongs of Conversion(At least 200 words)
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Answer:
The dictionary meaning of the term ‘conversion‘ in the present context may be, in its theological sense, the turning of sinners to God; a change from sinfulness to righteousness; or in the more familiar sense, the action of bringing a person over, or the fact of being brought over, to a particular belief or opinion, specially to a religious faith.
Conversion, historically speaking, must be as old as religion itself. India, too, is not new to the phenomenon. The early Vedic religion must have gathered followers from among the people who came into contact with it.
The Puranas may not be exact history, but they have a certain historical value; they speak of forest dwellers and animist tribes being brought over to Vedic practices.
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It was in reaction to certain practices in the Vedic religion that led the Buddha to evolve a new path of religious practice emphasising on compassion and avoidance of elaborate and expensive rituals.
Almost contemporaneously to Buddhism, Jainism too preached a way of life different from the older orthodox faith (or dharma, for it had not come to be called by the name of Hinduism then).
There were several converts to the new faiths. Even monarchs adopted the new faiths—Chandragupta Maurya embraced Jainism and Ashoka’s espousal to Buddhism is well known.