Editing Apostasy (section)

== Hinduism ==
Hinduism does not have a "unified system of belief encoded in a declaration of faith or a [[creed]]",<ref>{{Cite book|title=An Introduction to Hinduism|last=Flood|first=Gavin D|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1996|isbn=978-0-521-43878-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo/page/6 6]|url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo/page/6}}</ref> but is rather an umbrella term comprising the plurality of religious phenomena of India. In general Hinduism is more tolerant to apostasy than other faiths based on a scripture or commandments with a lower emphasis on orthodoxy and has a more open view on how a person chooses their faith.<ref>K. J. Ratnam, [https://books.google.com/books?id=dWypDQAAQBAJ&dq=apostate+hinduism+tolerance&pg=PT68 Intellectuals, Creativity and Intolerance]</ref> Some Hindu sects believe that ethical conversion, without force or reward is completely acceptable, though deserting ones clan [[guru]] is considered sinful (Guru droham).<ref>{{Cite book|title=How to become a Hindu|last=Subramuniyaswami|first=Sivaya|publisher=Himalayan Academy|year=2000|isbn=978-0-945497-82-0|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/view/how-to-become-a-hindu|pages=133 forwards}}</ref>

The [[Vashistha Dharmasutra|Vashistha Dharmasastra]], the [[Apastamba Dharmasutra]] and [[Yajnavalkya]] state that a son of an apostate is also considered an apostate.{{sfn|Banerji|1999|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=hAZ0CAt03_QC&pg=PA196 196]}} Smr̥ticandrikā lists apostates as one group of people upon touching whom, one should take a bath.{{sfn|Banerji|1999|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=hAZ0CAt03_QC&pg=PA185 185]}} [[Kātyāyana]] condemns a Brahmin who has apostatised to banishment while a Vaishya or a Shudra to serve the king as a slave.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Narada Smriti 5.35, Vishnu Smriti 5.152}}</ref>{{sfn|Banerji|1999|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=hAZ0CAt03_QC&pg=PA226 226]}} [[Nāradasmṛti]] and Parasara-samhita states that a wife can remarry if her husband becomes an apostate.{{sfn|Banerji|1999|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=hAZ0CAt03_QC&dq=stripumsa+prakarana&pg=PA82 82]}} The saint [[Parashara]] commented that religious rites are disturbed if an apostate witnesses them.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=aUwqAAAAYAAJ&q=parashara+apostate Stories of the Hindus: an introduction through texts and interpretation]: 182, Macmillan</ref> He also comments that those who forgo the [[Rig Veda]], [[Samaveda]] and [[Yajurveda]] are "nagna" (naked) or an apostate.<ref>T.A. Gopinath Rao, [https://books.google.com/books?id=MJD-KresBwIC&dq=nagna+apostate&pg=PA217 Elements of Hindu Iconography, Volume 1, Part 1]: 217, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers</ref>