Author, religious scholar and television personality Reza Aslan has come under fire for eating part of a cooked human brain on his new CNN show, Believer.
The six-episode documentary series, which follows Aslan as he explores “the “world’s most fascinating faith-based groups,” has been accused of mocking Hinduism since the controversial act was made public.
In the recently aired episode, Aslan visits the Aghoris of India – a small sect of individuals who worship Shiva, the Hindu God of Destruction. The secretive group, which is largely opposed by mainstream Hindus, have been known to eat feces, drink from human skulls, eat human flesh and bathe in the ashes of corpses.
The Iranian-American journalist sits with the extreme group, and allows ashes to be smeared on his face and drinks alcohol out of a human skull, before agreeing to eat the human brain tissue.
“Want to know what a dead guy’s brain tastes like?” Aslan queried in a Facebook post on Sunday. “Charcoal. It was burnt to a crisp! #Believer.”
Despite noting that the group in question is a “small movement,” and adding that they take part in “ostentatious displays of defilement,” Aslan has sparked a wave of criticism from Hindus and viewers alike who recoiled in disgusted after watching the episode.
Many have also accused the author of using a fringe and extreme sect to represent the face of the Hinduism.
WATCH: Reza Aslan ingests human brains while filming the controversial documentary. Post continues…
“While good people across our country are working hard to increase mutual understanding and respect between people of different religions, I am very disturbed that CNN is using its power and influence to increase people’s misunderstanding and fear of Hinduism,” Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu member of Congress, tweeted.
The US India Political Action Committee, an advocacy organisation of the Indian American community, has also released a statement in reaction to Aslan’s provocative offering.
“CNN story on Hindu rites and cannibalism is completely baseless. Most Hindus are vegetarians and uphold non-violence,” the statement reads.
“With multiple reports of hate-fuelled attacks against people of Indian origin from across the US, the show characterizes Hinduism as cannibalistic, which is a bizarre way of looking at the third largest religion in the world.”
“We are very disappointed. This is an issue that is of deep concern to the Indian American community evidenced by the large number of calls/emails we have received,” USINPAC Chairman Sanjay Puri adds.
“In a charged environment a show like this can create a perception about Indian Americans which could make them more vulnerable to further attacks.”
The show, which will air again on Sunday evening in the US, is set to next explore a doomsday prophet located in Hawaii.
