Investigation into comments made by Durban pastors about the Hindu faith continues

Revival ministries in Chatsworth, Durban, is in hot water after SA Hindu Dharma Sabha (SAHDS) opened a case against its church members following a video that has been doing the rounds on social media.

In the video, evangelist Simeon Bradley Chetty alludes to Hindus worshiping idols and other gods. The church leader makes reference to his mother and father who he says were Tamil and Telegu respectively, but worshipped other gods and eventually converted to Christianity.

Reverend Llewellyn Joseph is said to have made a similar statement during one of his sermons on Facebook.

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SAHDS president Ram Maharaj has revealed to Daily News that their complaint with the national office of the SA Human Rights Commission was received last week. He further said that they will not give up until justice is served, which is why they had also reached out to the office of the President. 

"The anti-Hindu comments by Chetty and Joseph are hurtful, denigratory, incendiary, discriminatory, defamatory and divisive. They must accept responsibility for their inappropriate actions and face the consequences thereof.

"Hindus do not indulge in idol worship but ideal worship. Most Hindus pray through murthis or personalised tangible images, symbolising the formless, nameless, infinite, eternal, universal Supreme Divine Reality called God, " Maharaj said.

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However, according to Siven Samuels, who is the Revival Ministries' lawyer, the Hindu body does not have a case as Chetty was merely testifying.

"We have freedom of religion. Scripturally he was referring to the Bible, that anyone can turn to Jesus. He has done nothing legally and religiously wrong,” Samuel was quoted as saying.

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IMAGE CREDIT: Facebook/Revival Ministries