Madhav Desai

Strength: With over 850 million followers and growing, Hinduism promotes Secularist and Progressive attitude to its followers. Bhagawat Geet is considered by many Western and Eastern Scholars as the “Real” word of God.

Weakness: Older traditions, illiterate followers, wideness.

Opportunity: One of the most progressive religion of all. From Bob Marley to Beatles, from Steve Jobs to Mark Twain, and many more Creative and Scientific people follow the religion. Kind approach towards animals and nature. Many Muslim Rulers visit Hindu Priests, and many Liberal Muslims like Muhammad Dara Shikoh believe Upanishads as heavenly books.

Threat: The Caste System that has been Indian Traditions do not allow equality and people looking for social inclusions convert to Islam or Buddhism.

Using many of above listed Weaknesses and Threats, many so-called BABAs and SADHUs are exploiting Indian people and take their advantage. These people are no better than Benny Hinn, as few of these BABAs also perform magic and show different unreal tricks.

You may often see Satya Sai Baba producing Rolex Watches (some with valid Warranties), Gold China, etc.  Satya Sai Baba foundation does provide free medical services and education throughout the country – it is hard to believe that a BABA of his stature who’s disciples claim that he cures Cancer – has to come to provide “Darshan” sitting in a wheel-chair.

Second example can be Nithyanand Swami or Sex Swami as many know him as. Don’t get me wrong I do not believe what he was doing there was wrong or forbidden, I rather feel the News company went too far in to someone’s personal life. But what I find amusing is – why wont Nithyanand Swami accept in public that he was having mature relationship? Instead he went on to claim that he is asexual (or not male or something like that).

Last I would like to bring example of very famous Chandraswami. From Prime Minister of India to Royal Family member of Brunei, all used to go to him. For Chandraswami it was all good as he was providing solutions to many problems that his followers had. At his peak, he became the most powerful person in India and beyond. But He was rather not-so-powerful when Hands of Law fell on his collars and the whole racket came out in open.

While Majority of Hindus are Progressive and not discriminatory there is about 30% of them throughout the world that believe in this stupidity of Black Magic, etc. What these 30% forget is that in ancient India  Gurus and Hrishis were Scholars and Scientists of Highest Stature.