Mother Teresa...Hindu gods?

[OneForTruth]

I know someone that actually got to meet Mother Teresa…they visited with her and spoke with her. The one thing that troubled that my friend was when they visited her home for the sick and dying. At that Catholic facility were pictures of multi-armed Hindu gods on the walls of the facility…and she was under no compulsion place these on the walls.

This caused my buddy, as well as myself, to really be taken aback. Why would she do this??

 

[LilyM]

I know someone that actually got to meet Mother Teresa…they visited with her and spoke with her. The one thing that troubled that my friend was when they visited her home for the sick and dying. At that Catholic facility were pictures of multi-armed Hindu gods on the walls of the facility…and she was under no compulsion place these on the walls.

This caused my buddy, as well as myself, to really be taken aback. Why would she do this??

How do you or your friend know that she was under no type of compulsion? Perhaps people would refuse to support, donate to, enter or even permit the existence of the facility if it only had images pertaining to Catholicism displayed?

I have heard that a lot of militantly Hindu people in India criticised Mother Teresa’s work on just the opposite grounds, that she was engaging in excessive evangelisation and attempting to convert people to Christianity.

Sounds like she was in a ‘darned if you do, darned if you don’t’ kind of situation.

 

[Ignatius]

I know someone that actually got to meet Mother Teresa…they visited with her and spoke with her. The one thing that troubled that my friend was when they visited her home for the sick and dying. At that Catholic facility were pictures of multi-armed Hindu gods on the walls of the facility…and she was under no compulsion place these on the walls.

This caused my buddy, as well as myself, to really be taken aback. Why would she do this??

They were probably the private possessions of those who were being cared for. It would be very cruel to deprive them of their personal possessions in such a vulnerable state.

 

[cecilia97]

They were probably the private possessions of those who were being cared for. It would be very cruel to deprive them of their personal possessions in such a vulnerable state.

My thought too…we can’t know if family or visitors hung them, or if they belonged to the patients, etc.

 

[Genesis315]

One thing that I know has brought a lot of converts is the fact that the Church gives charity unconditionally. Whether you cling to your false religion or not, we will help you out. We’ll share the Gospel, but we won’t force or coerce anyone or use our charity as a bribe to convert–the love is unconditional.

 

[Michael_Howard]

There has been much “Mother Theresa” bashing over the years. A local pastor here back in my protestant days was in India and visted Mother Theresa. He said she was doing her usual caring for the sick and dying and destitute, but what really made him upset was the fact that “she did not preach the gospel”.

It was one of those times my heart sank and one more nail in the coffin of protestantism. So all she was doing was tending to the sick, dying and destitute, and that was not the gospel? She was living it!!! “As much as you’ve done it to the least of these my bretheran you’ve done it unto me”.- Jesus

It’s easy to slam an extraordinary soul like this, but I challenge anyone, try walking in her shoes for one day. Christ have mercy!

 

[Genesis315]

There has been much “Mother Theresa” bashing over the years. A local pastor here back in my protestant days was in India and visted Mother Theresa. He said she was doing her usual caring for the sick and dying and destitute, but what really made him upset was the fact that “she did not preach the gospel”.

Everyone knew who her Master was–and if she loved so much, how much more does her Master?

 

[Genesis315]

I have heard non-Christians bash her for forcing or tricking the dying into being Baptized. Usually when there is contradictory bashing going on, the person being bashed is usually in the right

 

[MelanieAnne]

I have a dear friend who is both Indian (from India) as well as Catholic, which is actually rather rare.

Hindu “Gods” in the way of life and thinking of many of the people of India, according to my friend, is much more of a “lifestyle” than a “religion”. In this sense, having these things in some building may not truly represent a conflict.

But in any event, Mother Teresa met people where they were, what does that have to do with her?

 

[Epistemes]

The real question is: Did anybody see Mother Theresa offering a consecrated Host to the images of Krishna, Shiva, etc., or some other propitiatory act?

I didn’t think so.