Christ and Krishna
The second largest religious minority in India is that of the
Christians. The Indian Christians consist of three main sects viz. the
Syrian Christians, Roman Catholics and Protestants. Christianity was, we
are told, first brought into India only a few decades after the passing
away of Lord Christ. But it was the apostle St. Thomas who is popularly
believed to have introduced Christianity into India around the 1st
century of our era. Thus Christianity seems to have come into India far
before it had reached many European countries like Britain and Germany.
Christ and Sri Krishna
But according to some scholars Jesus visited Kashmir in
India in this period and during his stay conversed with Sages in India.
It is
also said on his death, his body was brought into
Kashmir where it lies buried in a Shrine which bears the Arabic
version of his name i.e. Isa. Some others even confound Christ
with Krishna and assert that both were one and the same
person. As both were born in a pastoral setting, the birth of both was
foretold by a divine announcement, the reigning king (Kansa in the case
of Krishna) felt threatened with the birth of the God-Child, the
reigning king made efforts to kill the child, the reigning king killed
other children, the God-child was whisked away to safety across a water
body, etc. And above all the name Isa (Jesus) Christ is a corruption of
Esha (Lord) Krishna. But so far no conc1usive proof , has been found to
support this far-fetched theory.
Coming back to Jesus, after his baptism he continued
preaching his gospel in doing which he also acquired the role of a
healer of diseases due to the sick people whom he cured in the
course of his preachings. He had twelve select disciples one of
whom was named Judas. As the teachings of Jesus gradually
brought him into conflict with the Jewish religious
establishment who contrived with the Roman an authorities to
execute Jesus. In this they were helped by Jesus' own disciple
Judas who betrayed him for the sake of a few silver coins. Jesus
was thus held prisoner, he was tried by a Roman Court of law
and sentenced to death. Before his execution he had his last meal
(supper) with his disciples, at which he reiterated his preachings.
The last supper' is
an incident popularly engraved into Christian psyche second only to
the crucifixion.
After Jesus was put to death on the cross, we are told, that
after three days he was resurrected from his grave, after which he
preached from some more days before passing into eternity.
Chrisianity's umbilical cord with Judaism
But Christianity and Christians were not a distinct
religion different from Judaism. They were mainly Jews who
looked upon Jesus as their leader but who had not detached themselves
from Judaism. Even after the passing away of Jesus Christ, his teachings
spread
only in the Jewish quarters of cities outside Palestine. It was at
Antioch in Syria where for the first time
the Gentiles or Non-Jewish people were preached the teachings of Christ.
In the liberal atmosphere of Antioch the teachings of Christ grew
rapidly among the non-Jewish population.
Now
the question arose whether these non-Jewish followers of Jesus Christ should first be converted to Judaism - as Christ
was himself till then looked upon as a Jewish Reformer of Judaism. The answer to this question was decided upon at Antioch
itself sometime in the 3rd century during at ecclesiastical conference. At this conference it was decided. that the
followers of Jesus Christ were not a Jewish sect but constituted an international religion. It was also decided that the
non-Jewish converts to the new faith need not adopt the Jewish faith,
they need not practice circumcision, nor follow the
law of Moses in toto. This made the disciples of Jesus Christ a new
faith, distinct from its parent faith Judaism. The faith spread rapidly
due to missionary activities amongst the laity in the Roman empire.
http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar/hindu_history/christianity.html
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