On increased roles of indentity - an attempt to answer

Most of the people in the East (who are not living and imported life from the West ) find it hard to continue with their standards, their limits, in the modern world. They see a compromise in completely adopting West. West intrudes our life, and we keep on denying it. Come to India, to see your Palestinian/Arabs mates studying here..watch them indulged into all sorts of debauchery. They don't certainly exemplify the ideal Muslim life, documented in Quran ( Iranian students are a lot better; and so they seldom go to india ;) ) Reportedly, they are purer muslims than the most in subcontinent...right?

This phenomenon is something which has pervaded every tradition, and every norm. Marriage is one of them; Not only is it appropriate to mention this phenomena here, but it is also pertinent with respect to the orignial question that was raised. Possible conversion before marriage, is not just a change of faith, not just about starting to follow certain "correct" traditions, but in an increasingly Westernized environment, its about identity of a Hindu or that of a Muslim. It would not be feasible for any hindu to marry a muslim, if he/she wants to preserve his/her relations with the family/community concerned. Same applies to the muslims too. Being a Muslim or Hindu, is not just about holding certain idea or following certain ideals. It is much more than that in a society whose way to "progress" is about relying on West for new ideas, rather than questioning its own standards, understanding its own norms, churning its own ideas.

The unexpected rate with which AIDS spread in India, the number of hits desibaba receives in an year, are only an example of how devoid of integrity we are. We have dismantled the system which handles our own desires. Our desires find expression in systems, which are not "permitted" in our society. This is only because of our inability to go and make changes in our social systems. If our society can handle our desires (which the case should be in an ideal Muslim world or an ideal Hindu world, and which was the case before British overtook us) we would be less fundamentalist, more welcoming to "aliens". Its just that we don't express our desires in our own systems; we end up abusing our own religion(s) and ethics. At least I am sure about my side of the border (or may be just "my" state or "my" community)

I respect those more who would abandon rules completely, rather than compromising to a hazy bastardized set of standards ... I respect the urban elitist Hindu's candid acceptance of the fact that it "is" real hard to follow Hinduism, to feel "pure" in a really "impure" world, to compromise with "reality". This would make things a lot healthier.