I would just like to see you back up your claim that, "it was especially the Brahmins who opposed the changes in laws regarding farm laborers". I couldn't care less about the past, India has been an independent country for over 60 years, and caste based discrimination is prohibited by the law. Thats almost 3 generations, not to forget all the benefits that backward class people have got over these years. So its high time they stop blaming Brahmins for anything and everything.
As i mentioned earlier, Brahmins alone shouldn't be blamed for caste system, specially in this day and age. All it takes to become a priest is to know Sanskrit and be familiar with the rituals. How hard chanting mantras from a book can be? And no one is stopping other castes people from getting these skills is there? Thing is will other castes take up this not so lucrative line of priesthood? Most certainly not.
At the end of day, its a job which the son inherits from his dad and so on. Am yet to see a priest whose dad wasn't a priest himself. And even if other caste people start taking up priesthood, would people want these other caste priests to come and do puja for them? Be honest to yourself and you will know the answer.
All am saying is let Brahmins of the hook now. They are just another group of people who have inherited this legacy thats about it. People should go look for other boegyman, or better yet stop blaming others for their failures in life.
I would like to hear the definition of Brahmins from you. Thanks for sugegesting that book btw, I ll have a look if I can find it.
You are taking my posts too negatively. No one blamed Brahmins for anything. Especially not in this era.
However, it is true that
in older times the Brahmins codified the law, so they must have taken care that law did not discriminate against any particular section of the society, which it did. And the biggest beneficiaries were Brahmins and Rajputs/Kshatrias.
Hinduism is an ever evolving religion, and we should always be open to new and right changes.
About your query, whether anyone will accept a priest born in a non-Brahmin family - No. And that is simply because the concept of caste defined at birth is deeply ingrained.
And no, I do not have any links or pictures to back up my claim on Brahmins protesting that particular law. It was 30 years ago, and barely made any news. But in the same breath, you should also understand that their protesting a law that merely appears to be liberating the poor may not necessarily make the Brahmins villains. They had their own valid reasons to oppose the law, which in effect made Brahmins discriminated against.
About the bold part, I hope you can see that my posts are completely open to legitimate interpretation. If you simply read what you want to read, then who am I to stop you.
About definition of Brahmin, my question was more of a statement. We both know what a Brahmin is. Or may be you will understand more, after you read that book I recommended. It is not expensive, try the hard cover if you can find.
http://www.vedpuriswar.org/book_review/India Unbound.pdf
P.S. In school times, I was part of the crowds that carried out protests on Sansad Marg, New Delhi against the implementation of the Mandal Ayog. It does not make me a villain/bogeyman, or someone bitter about lower castes. Even today anyone with even a slight mental capacity can see how the reservation has created a rather wider gap between the castes.