{"id":"1794070052218-news-segment","slug":"pakistan-astronaut-joins-china-space-mission","title":"Pakistan Astronaut Joins China Space Mission","summary":"India had atheistic/non-theistic schools of thought by the 6th century BCE; Charvaka/Lokayata rejected gods and the Vedas, and some orthodox Hindu schools such as Samkhya and early Mimamsa reject a personal creator god. Charvaka is usually classified as heterodox, not one of the six orthodox schools.","publishedAt":"2026-11-07T16:47:32.218Z","channel":{"id":"news","name":"Oncast News","language":"en"},"show":"The World","verification":{"status":"verified","leadVerdict":"TRUE","notes":"TRUE: India had atheistic/non-theistic schools of thought by the 6th century BCE; Charvaka/Lokayata rejected gods and the Vedas, and some orthodox Hindu schools such as Samkhya and early Mimamsa reject a personal creator god. Charvaka is usually classified as heterodox, not one of the six orthodox schools.\nSource: [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduatheism), [opendoubt.com](https://opendoubt.com/hinduism) (https://x.com/IndianGeostrat/status/2119107917979021374)","claims":[{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"India had atheistic/non-theistic schools of thought by the 6th century BCE; Charvaka/Lokayata rejected gods and the Vedas, and some orthodox Hindu schools such as Samkhya and early Mimamsa reject a personal creator god. Charvaka is usually classified as heterodox, not one of the six orthodox schools.","sourceName":"[wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduatheism), [opendoubt.com](https://opendoubt.com/hinduism)","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/IndianGeostrat/status/2119107917979021374","claim":"Atheism is a fully recognized school of thought within Hinduism, originating in India by the 6th century BCE, long before the Western world. Therefore, opposing atheistic traditions contradicts the very spirit of Hinduism. https://t.co/D4ez0w4iZV https://t.co/OqenJ7qDCV","author":"Indian Geostrat (@IndianGeostrat)"}]},"sources":[{"url":"https://x.com/IndianGeostrat/status/2119107917979021374","name":"[wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduatheism), [opendoubt.com](https://opendoubt.com/hinduism)","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"Indian Geostrat (@IndianGeostrat)"}],"url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1794070052218-news-segment-pakistan-astronaut-joins-china-space-mission","listenUrl":"https://oncast.fm/c/news","attribution":{"publisher":"Oncast","site":"https://oncast.fm","url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1794070052218-news-segment-pakistan-astronaut-joins-china-space-mission","cite":"Cite https://oncast.fm/story/1794070052218-news-segment-pakistan-astronaut-joins-china-space-mission and the original source links. Fact-check by Oncast (oncast.fm)."},"hostsSaid":[{"host":"Bella","text":"Al Jazeera English is reporting that a Pakistani astronaut is about to fly on China’s next space station mission."},{"host":"Brian","text":"That’s a bigger deal than it sounds."},{"host":"Bella","text":"It’s one astronaut, Brian. Pakistan and China have been getting closer for years."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Exactly. China is building its own orbit club, and it’s handing out seats to its allies."},{"host":"Bella","text":"One seat on a mission isn’t a strategic shift. It’s science and training."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Science? China’s station isn’t just for experiments. It’s a diplomatic tool."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Every space program has dual-use potential. The US does the same with partners."},{"host":"Brian","text":"The difference is China is setting the rules in that orbit now."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Setting the rules? It has one station, not a blockade."},{"host":"Brian","text":"It’s not a blockade. It’s a gateway. Pakistan gets access it can’t build alone."},{"host":"Bella","text":"So Beijing becomes indispensable. I get that."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Then why are you acting like this is just a nice human-interest story?"},{"host":"Bella","text":"Because for a Pakistani kid watching, it IS a nice human-interest story. A countryman in space."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Both can be true. But the geopolitics matter more right now."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Maybe to you. To me, it’s a milestone, not a new space race."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Not a new space race? China is training astronauts from Pakistan, maybe soon more. That is how influence works."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Influence, yes. Military takeover, no. Let’s keep the scale right."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Fine. But Washington should pay attention."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Washington should pay attention to a lot of things. This one isn’t top of the list."},{"host":"Brian","text":"I’ll give you that. But it’s on the list."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Okay. Moving on."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Speaking of South Asia and belief, a post from Indian Geostrat on X makes a historical point about India."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Go on."},{"host":"Brian","text":"The post says atheism is a fully recognized school of thought within Hinduism, originating in India by the sixth century BCE, long before the Western world."},{"host":"Bella","text":"That’s true. India had atheistic and non-theistic schools back then."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Then it goes further: “opposing atheistic traditions contradicts the very spirit of Hinduism.”"},{"host":"Bella","text":"One correction: the best-known atheist school, Charvaka, is usually classified as heterodox, not one of the six orthodox schools. But the broader point stands."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Here’s where I push back. Using ancient history to win modern political arguments is tricky."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Why? The history is real. If someone claims India has always been one religious tradition, that’s false."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Because modern India’s debates are about nationalism and identity, not sixth-century philosophers."},{"host":"Bella","text":"But that history matters. It complicates the story that being Indian means one specific faith."},{"host":"Brian","text":"So now we’re doing theology on a war show?"},{"host":"Bella","text":"You brought the post."},{"host":"Brian","text":"I did. But it’s a useful reminder: India’s tradition is more diverse than the loudest voices claim."},{"host":"Bella","text":"That’s exactly the point. And that’s why I like it."},{"host":"Brian","text":"Okay, I accept the history. Just don’t make me recite the Vedas."},{"host":"Bella","text":"Not on air. History keeps the present honest."}]}