ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Caste system among South Asian Christians

Okay, so imagine you and your friends are playing a game. Some of you might be really good at running, some might be good at throwing, and some might be good at catching. Based on your skills, you might have different roles to play in the game, right?

Now, some people in South Asia believe that their skills and abilities are not just for playing games, but also make them better or worse than others in their society. This is called the caste system.

Now, some South Asian people who are Christians also follow the caste system. They believe that they are divided into different groups based on things like their family background, occupation, and even skin color. Some groups are seen as "higher" than others, while some are seen as "lower."

For example, someone who comes from a family of doctors might be seen as higher up than someone who comes from a family of farmers. And someone with lighter skin might be seen as higher than someone with darker skin.

This can be a problem because it means that some people are seen as less important or valuable than others, just because of things they can't control, like where they were born or their skin color. It can also lead to discrimination and unfair treatment.

So, in short, the caste system among South Asian Christians means that some people are seen as better than others based on things like their family background and occupation, which can lead to unfair treatment and discrimination.