(Vivekananda in Indian Newspapers, pp. 5-6.)
[The Indian Mirror, December 7, 1893]
———
HINDU CRITICISES CHRISTIANITY
———
MR.VIVEKANUNDA SAYS RELIGION OF THE VEDAS
IS RELIGION OF LOVE
———
VIVEKANUNDA SAYS CHRISTIANITY IS INTOLERANT
Dr. Noble presided at the afternoon session. The Hall of Colombus [Columbus] was badly crowded. . . . Dr. Noble then presented Swami Vivekananda, the Hindu monk, who was applauded loudly as he stepped forward to the centre of the platform. He wore an orange robe, bound with a scarlet sash, and a pale yellow turban. The customary smile was on his handsome face and his eyes shown with animation. Said he:
We who come from the East have sat here on
the platform day after day, and have been told in a patronizing way
that we ought to accept Christianity because Christian nations are the
most prosperous. We look about us, and we see England, the most
prosperous Christian nation in the world, with her foot on the neck of
250,000,000 of Asiatics. We look back into history, and see that the
prosperity of Christian Europe began with Spain. Spain's prosperity
began with the invasion of Mexico. Christianity wins its prosperity by
cutting the throats of its fellowmen. At such a price the Hindu will
not have prosperity. (Vide "Cantakerous
Remarks", Complete Works, III: 474.)
I have sat here to-day, and I have heard the height of intolerance. I
have heard the creed of the Moslem applauded, when to-day the Moslem
sword is carrying destruction into India. Blood and the sword are not
for the Hindu, whose religion is based on the law of love. (This last
paragraph is a heretofore unpublished extract.)
When the applause had ceased, Mr. Vivekananda went [on] to read his paper, a summary of which follows: [Vide "Paper on Hinduism", Complete Works, I: 6-20]. . . .