Is Orissa heading towards a civil war? Hindus, Christians flee to camps in Orissa
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Sunday, 30 December 2007
source: The Asian Age, December 29, 2007
By Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Bhubaneswar, Dec. 29: Hundreds of Christians and Hindus, fearing post-riot backlashes, fled their homes on Saturday and took shelter in relief camps in Orissaâs trouble-torn Kandhamal district.
Speaking to this newspaper, southern range revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) Satyabrata Sahoo, who is leading the government machinery to restore peace in the area, said, "Not only the Christians, the Hindus were also seen rushing to relief camps at Brahmanigaon, Baliguda, Phirignia and Barkhama for security."
The RDC said while relief camps in Christian-dominated pockets saw a surge of Hindu refugees, the Christians flooded camps set up in Hindu majority areas. He said some camps had people from both communities.
Mr Sahoo expressed his displeasure at what he said was the "wrong portrayal" of the Kandhamal situation in a section of the media. "Some people are wrongly portraying what has happened in Kandhamal district. They should come here and see how people of both communities are living and dining together in relief camps and how they are condemning the vested interests who have been trying to sabotage peace," Mr Sahoo said. The RDC said more relief camps would be set up at the panchayat level to provide security to people.
Meanwhile, top Opposition leaders, including Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee president Jayadev Jena, Nationalist Congress Party state convenor Bijoy Mohapatra and CPI(M) state general secretary Janardan Pati, were denied entry into Kandhamal. The district administration did not allow them to visit the affected areas as it feared that their visit would further complicate the situation.
The leaders, however, alleged that they were not allowed to visit the riot-hit villages as they administration wanted to cover up its failure to maintain law and order.
Security personnel deployed in Kandhamal district on Saturday recovered the body of a 65-year-old man from Barakhama village, raising the official death toll to three. The police suspects the man was killed days ago in stone-pelting by a rioting mob.
Earlier on Tuesday, one person was killed in stone-pelting at Brahmanigaon village while another died in police firing at Barkhama village on Wednesday.
Mr Sahoo told this paper from Phulbani that the situation improved further on Saturday, although palpable tension prevailed in some villages under Baliguda police station. A few cases of arson were reported from the area, he said. "Though we have received reports of house-burning at villages like Kutikia, Saudikia, Linepalli, Temanga and Sandrigaon, they are yet to be confirmed," Mr Sahoo said, adding that additional forces were rushed to troubled and sensitive areas.
The circle inspectors of police (CIs) of Tikabali and Phiringia were suspended on charges of dereliction of duty. The Tikalbali and Phiringia police stations were torched by rioters and two official vehicles were burnt. The Khajuriapada revenue inspector was also suspended. The rioters had set the Khajuriapada revenue office on fire, destroying valuable land documents.
Meanwhile, VHP state president Bipin Bihari Rath on Saturday alleged that "a few NGOs, which have been carrying on proselytisation in Kandhamal district, have incited the riots there. Actually, those organisations were responsible for the attack on Swami Laxmananda Saraswati that led to the communal tension in the area."
01-05-2008, 10:06 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-05-2008, 10:21 AM by dhu.)
<!--QuoteBegin-Viren+Jan 5 2008, 01:46 AM-->QUOTE(Viren @ Jan 5 2008, 01:46 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Read some articles by our Ari Saja who seems to know a thing or two about this Zacharias.
Anarchist Losers Attack American College Students ? And Flunk As Usual
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No doubt this entire Zacharias clan is being given the full resources of American Evangelical movement. Papa Zacharias was apparently recruited for fodder ministry work for US soldiers during the Vietnam War.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Following that, he made the decision to become a Christian. He began preaching while still in his teens, and in 1974, shortly before the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia, he was sent there to minister to the people in the country<b>. He was also sent to Vietnam during the Vietnam War to minister to U.S. soldiers.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Strong nexus between Christian missionaries and Naxals: VHP</b>
<b>VHP meets President; demands expulsion of foreign priests</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->He claimed that more than 5,000 foreign priests, who arrived here on tourists visas, were currently living in the country with majority of them in south India.
"Christian missionaries are working like crusaders," another senior VHP leader Surendra Kumar Jain said
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Madhya Pradesh church priest held on rape charge </b>
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Tuesday, 08 January 2008
source: Times Of India, Jan 4, 2008
KATNI: A church priest was arrested for allegedly raping a woman on January 1 in the Majhgava forest area near Katni, police said.Â
The priest of the local Gayatri Nagar church was arrested and produced in the court on Friday after which he was sent to jail, Katni Suprinendent of Police (SP) Renu Shukla told reporters.
The incident occurred when the woman's husband, a truck driver, went to Indore for some work. Taking advantage of the situation, the priest Kaushik Nayak took the woman on his motor-cycle with a promise to get her a job of a nurse.
However, after reaching Majghava forest area he allegedly raped her and fled from the spot, the SP said.
The woman later narrated the incident to her husband who reported the matter to the police following which the priest was arrested<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
01-09-2008, 09:42 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-09-2008, 09:42 PM by Bharatvarsh.)
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Here is a man of India
He is praying to his god
His god cannot help him
This man must know about Jesus
Can you think of some ways to help him.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=51909970&size=o<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Atleast this is man is sitting calmly not hanged which scare hell out of lot of people.
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/08guest.htm
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->What made things worse in Kandhamal was the open collaboration between the Christian groups and Naxals. Among those arrested in connection with the burning down of villages inhabited by Hindus (Brahmanigaon, Jhinjiriguda, Katingia, and Godapur) were 47 Maoists. Some 20 guns have been recovered by the security forces from them.
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Offensive proselytisation
Jump to Comments
Offensive proselytisation is the problem
By Sandhya Jain, Organiser. Org
The attack over the revered Swamiji opens the Pandoraâs box of missionary activities in Kandhamal district. On the eve of Christmas day, the Christians made a decorative tent for the worship of Jesus Christ. It was forcefully built over a Hindu puja mandap, over which Hindus used to worship Goddess Durga. This misdeed of the missionaries was strongly protested by the local Hindus.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh owes the nation an apology for pandering to foreign Christian minorities to the extent of debasing Indiaâs sovereignty and national pride. In an act of shameful supplication before Mrs. Gladys Staines, widow of Australian missionary Graham Staines, who mercifully terminated her unwelcome presence in this country some years ago, Dr Singh said: âPlease be assured that we will not tolerate any efforts aimed at disturbing the communal harmony or secular fabric of our country.â
No doubt encouraged by the continued domination of the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi over the UPA government, Ms. Staines had written to the Prime Minister about the recent violence in Orissaâs Kandhamal district.
In response, Dr Singh promised the Centre would take all measures necessary to âsafeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of all sections of our society and protect their religious freedom as enshrined in the constitution.â
It is simply atrocious that the Prime Minister should elevate the widow of an alien missionary to the position of an extra-constitutional supremo, and discuss domestic affairs with her, and even make assurances on the internal affairs of the country.
It may be pertinent to recall that Graham Staines was burnt alive while sleeping in his jeep in Keonjhar district on January 23, 1999, by Vanvasis agitated over his conversion activities in the region. While the death of his two minor sons made the episode very tragic, the motivated outrage over the incident has silenced criticism of his methods and motivations for living in India. His widowsâ unwelcome missive has in that respect opened old wounds.
Instead of promising Ms. Staines that the Centre would urgently restore normalcy in the region (i.e., make it conducive for evangelism again), the Prime Minister should have ordered a Niyogi Commission type of investigation into Vanvasi animosity against evangelists who insult their gods and traditions, and seek to annihilate their cultures.
The Centre should also expose the new and aggressive political interventions being made by the church to steal the benefits of Hindu SCs and STs for converts, and thus further exploit the misled converts.
Only the naïve will believe that the dramatic 8-km trek undertaken by Kerala Chief Minister VS Achyutanandan to the Sabarimalai shrine was driven by concern for the comfort of pilgrims. It is more likely a political response to the churchâs recent political hostility to his party, and a signal to the Hindu community that he will rely upon it for survival. <b>This phenomenon, which I would call the Hinduisation of Indian secularism, has begun to creep into the polity and is a positive development. The days when political parties could gainfully brow-beat the Hindus are truly behind us.
</b>
To return to Orissa, it bears emphasising that the violence in Kandhamal district which took several lives, was triggered off by a planned Christian attack upon 83-year-old Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, who was on his way to perform a yajna at Brahmanigaon, a Christian dominated village, 150 km from district headquarters of Phulbani. Later, a 500-strong mob burnt Hindu houses and opened fire at the police station.
According to the Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai, Kandhamal and Bauddh districts were carved out of Phulbani in the last decade. There were 75,800 Christians (8.8 per cent of the population) in the composite Phulbani district in 1991, which rose to 118,200 (11.6 per cent) in 2001.
Kandhamal was carved in a manner that it encompassed almost all Christians of the old composite district. Thus, while Kandhamal has 118,000 Christians (18.2 per cent of its population), Bauddh district has only 239-odd Christians.
According to the 2001 Census, Scheduled Tribes comprise 52 per cent of the population of Kandhamal and Scheduled Castes about 19 per cent. More than 60 per cent of the Christians hail from the Pana community, which is SC, and speak the Kui language of the local Kui Vanvasis. <b>As âDalit Christiansâ are not entitled to SC reservations, the church organisations are demanding ST status for the Pana Christians. This is because the Indian Constitution failed to properly define Scheduled Tribes and the critical issue whether converts to Christianity could be classified as STs. Large-scale conversions in the north-east decided the issue by default in favour of converts.</b>
Understandably, the Vanvasi population of Kandhamal resents the demand by Pana Christians for ST status. Shri Padmanabh Behera, who resigned from the Naveen Patnaik government over this issue, is a Pana. The state governmentâs commissioner-cum-secretary of the ST and SC Development Department, Shri Taradatt, said that it is not possible to include all Kui language speakers as Scheduled Tribes.
Orissa alone received Rs. 128.95 crores of foreign funds for the activities of 1005 mainly missionary organisations there in the year 2005, according to Home Ministry figures. Mr. Graham Staines and his wife Gladys were among these missionaries whose dubious activities in the state were funded by foreign governments to serve a larger agenda.
India needs a blanket ban on conversions to Abrahamic faiths, especially as these are invariably funded by foreign governments.
This is borne out by the fact that historically, when Arab traders settled on the coast of Gujarat they did not indulge in proselytisation; nor did Syrian Christians in the South. It is when their co-religionists arrived as conquerors and gave the call to the embedded locals that communal disharmony became a Hindu experience.
Even more urgently, India needs to correct the error of granting reservations to converts in any category reserved for Hindus to overcome historical social stigmas or backwardness. This applies to ST quotas for Christians and OBC quotas for Muslims.
The well-funded minority evangelists must either fulfil the promises of social and economic elevation made at the time of making converts or let the converted return to their natal faiths. As neither Islam nor Christianity recognises Vanvasi identities of converts in their respective theologies, they must abjure reservations on grounds of erased identities.
Interview of a Christian Evangelist in India
- Bandyopadhyay Arindam ( ivarta blogs)
10/2/2007
The world today could have been a much better place for all of us, had we all refrained from trying to prove the superiority of our own religionâ¦â¦â¦..
This is a hypothetical interview of âFather Johnsonâ after his award by the Government of India for his exemplary work in India in enlightening the people in the path of the ONLY God. Father Johnson returned to the USA after 10 years of service, to uplift the people of India in the name of God. The interview was taken in July 2005 by a journalist in Houston, USAâ¦â¦
Welcome home Father. You have been in India for 10 years, where âour missionâ is still going on. Tell me Father, how is India?
India is a fascinating country, a land of contrasts. Modern India is the largest democracy, the budding economic superpower, with the second-largest pool of scientists and engineers in the world. India is also the only surviving ancient civilization with over one sixth of the world population. At one time, not so long ago, when Europe was in the âdark agesâ and America was not even âdiscoveredâ, India was a far advanced and developed country with a contribution of over 25% of world GDP till the 17th century and far advanced in all aspects of life, be it knowledge, philosophy, science, mathematics, arts, astronomy or navigation.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox, (1850-1919), American poet and journalist, wrote âIndia â The land of Vedas, the remarkable works contain not only religious ideas for a perfect life, but also facts which science has proved true. Electricity, radium, electronics, airship, all were known to the seers who founded the Vedas.â
Dick Teresi, American author of âLost Discoveriesâ mentioned âSome one thousand years before Aristotle, the Vedic Aryans asserted that the earth was round and circled the sunâ¦.
Two thousand years before Pythagoras, philosophers in northern India had understood that gravitation held the solar system together, and that therefore the sun, the most massive object, had to be at its centerâ¦.
Twenty-four centuries before Isaac Newton, the Hindu Rig-Veda asserted that gravitation held the universe togetherâ¦..
The Sanskrit speaking Aryans subscribed to the idea of a spherical earth in an era when the Greeks believed in a flat oneâ¦..
The Indians of the fifth century A.D. calculated the age of the earth as 4.3 billion years; scientists in 19th century England were convinced it was 100 million yearsâ¦
âDespite all its riches, history says that India never invaded any country. On the contrary, India has been repeatedly assaulted and conquered by numerous invaders and has been ruled by âforeignersâ, first the Muslims and then the British for over a thousand years. India, before the advent of the British rulers, was a rich and prosperous country.
Rev. Jabez T. Sunderland (1842-1936), Unitarian minister and reformer, wrote that ââ¦when the British first appeared on the scene, India was one of the richest countries of the world; indeed, it was her great riches that attracted the British to her shores. For 2,500 years before the British came on the scene and robbed her of her freedom, India was self-ruling and one of the most influential and illustrious nations of the world â¦..
This wealth was created by the Hindusâ vast and varied industries.
âWhat about Hinduism as a religion?
Hinduism has a deep philosophical and spiritual heritage that has repeatedly mesmerized the world including western scientists, leaders and philosophers. Despite propaganda to the contrary, Hindus, like us, believes in one Supreme God but they do so in many forms, that helps to develop personalized relations.
Hinduism is the oldest major religion in the earth with 900 million followers. Unlike monotheistic institutionalized, religions like Judaism, Islam or Christianity, it is not based on any single prophet or scripture, but allows its followers all the freedom to pursue God and Truth in their own way, while living harmoniously with all creation.We know that the Hindus are tolerant of other religions.
Recently, UNESCO pointed out that out of 128 countries where Jews lived before Israel was created, only one, India, did not persecute them and allowed them to prosper and practice Judaism in peace.
Similarly the Zoroastrians, when driven out of Persia by Islam were given shelter by the Hindus in India and still coexist in India peacefully. Very recently, the Dalai Lama, driven from Buddhist Tibet, has been accepted with open arms. Such is the ethos of Hinduism and India.
I have heard that Mark Twain once said that âIn religion all other countries are paupers; India is the only millionaireâ. I have also read Arnold Toynbeeâs writing ââ¦at the religious level, India has not been a recipient; she has been a giver. About half the total number of the living, higher religions are of Indian originâ. What do you think about it?
We know India gave birth to religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Hinduism, though the predominant religion, has, to quote Aldous Huxley, ânever been a persecuting faith, have preached almost no holy wars and have refrained from that proselytizing religious imperialism which has gone hand in hand with political and economic oppression of colored people.â
What many do not know and I will not elaborate further for obvious reasons, is that there are researchers who think that the teachings of Jesus Christ have something to do with the ancient wisdom of Vedas. The Hindu concepts of âkarmaâ, and âreincarnationâ, which are part of the New Age Movement that we see today, were not unknown to Jesus.
Then Father, why do we need to convert people in India?
You see, we in the western world, have the âwhite manâs burdenâ of civilizing the rest of the world. We also have the need and desire to spread the message of Christ, since we believe that it is the ONLY way to salvation and all other nonbelievers will go to hell. The faith in Christianity is being eroded in Europe and America.
That is why our Pope on his visit to India said, âJust as in the first millennium, the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe, and in the second on that of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the third Christian millennium a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent.â
Why do you target India?
India is the right country because Hindu Indians are generally peace-loving tolerant, law abiding people who are truthful and virtuous. Indiaâs devotion to being good rather than being clever comes nearer the heart of a true civilization, said W. J. Grant, in his book, âThe spirit of Indiaâ.
The unsuspecting Indians have always welcomed everybody on their shore and still keep on doing so. You cannot say the same about a Muslim country or of communist China. You see Hindus are such naive â they go out of their way to say that âall religions are same â they all lead to Godâ. Christians and for that matter, no other religion, says that.
Where does your resource come from?
There are five major aid-giving countries, viz., USA, Germany, Britain, Italy and the Netherlands. According to the available data, in the last decade alone, foreign aid organizations received more than 2.5 billion dollars.
This is only official statistics. According to the record and report of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, the statistics about the foreign aid being received by Indian Non Government Organizations shows that 80% of it is meant only for the Christian organizations that have been buying their ways into the Indian society and converting unsuspecting people under the guise of social service.
How powerful is Christianity in India?
Oh, though we are only 2.4% of the population officially, we have a large control over the country because of our economic invasion. You see, the present leader of the main political party of India is a Roman Catholic with close contact with the Vatican. There are Christian Chief ministers in 5 out of 29 states. Because of the British rule of India, we have a large section of the leaders of India who look up to us. Believe me, we are the second largest land owners in India. We own and control 80% of the Indian media and newspapers. We overtly or covertly have alliance with key political associations. So it is very easy for us to influence the right people.
You must have a very organized system?
Yes, we do. Have you heard about the Joshua Project? It identifies and highlights the people groups of the world that have the least exposure to the Gospel and the least Christian presence and shares this information to encourage pioneer church-planting movements among every ethnic group. The Joshua Project has identified the North India Hindi belt as âthe core of the core of the coreâ because of its population density (40% of the Indian population- the states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh lies in this region); it is the religious hub of India; and it has the smallest Christian presence in India. Thus detailed plans have been drawn up to target Indiaâs 75,000 Pin Codes.The Seventh Day Adventists owes its Indian success to Canadian evangelist Ron Watts, President for the South Asian Division. When he entered India, in 1997, the Adventist Church had 225,000 members after 103 years of operations. In five years, he took it to 700,000.Some methods used include the 10-Village and the 25-Village Programs, which involve five sets of laymen, under guidance from a regular pastor, who identify 10 or 25 villages in close proximity. Once the villages were selected, the teams would approach the leaders of each village and invite them to send two leaders to a 10-day seminar at a nearby resort, at the organizationâs expense. It is before no time that the local leaders will then start working for our faith and organization. In 1998, there were seventeen 10-Village Programs and 9,337 were baptized. In 1999, forty programs were held and nearly 40,000 people baptized. Under the Christian Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Samuel Reddy, the Adventists shifted to a 50-village plan. They began baptizing at the rate of 10,000 persons per month. The US-based Maranatha Volunteers International provides buildings for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are committed to build 750 churches in 2 years in India. The Oregon based, Fjarli family have a goal to build 1000 churches at a rate of 1 per day.
How do you carry out conversion attempts?
You see the local people are so simple and naïve that they do not have any clue as what out motive or means are. We target mostly the poor, illiterate, tribal people because they are the easiest to convert. We do that by various means â we establish schools, hospitals that overtly or subtly promote our faith, we allure them with money or goods to the needy when they convert, we âstageâ miracle cures, we use our influence on the media, we use our experts in propaganda, we promote the influential people and so on. We use the money sent to us by unsuspecting religious and faithful Christians from all over the world. We have numerous NGO and AID organizations to funnel the money into the country. There are a great number of missionaries of various denominations who are working there, all literally competing for the most number of converts. The Southern Baptists alone are a group that has nearly 100,000 career missionaries in North India, all working to spread our âgood word.â
We convince the ânativesâ by our appearances and even use their own culture. A native converted person will continue to use his Hindu name so as not to alienate himself. Some of the numerous Catholic priests in Southern India dress like âsannyasisâ (monks), and call their organizations âashramasâ (hermitage). This is to make Christianity more similar to the Vedic traditions. Bharat Natyam, the classical dance of India, is also taught in the Christian schools, but with Christian symbols and meanings replacing the Vedic. This is all in the attempt to actively sway Hindus over to Christianity. The Evangelical Church of India (ECI), established in 1954, targets the slums, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, in cities and villages. Its logo depicts a cross struck deep in a lotus, the seat of Hindu divinity.
Is the so called caste system in India an advantage?
The âCaste-ism in Indiaâ is a boon to us. Though Varna or caste was once an essential part of the culture, based on occupation and vocational skills, which kept the civilization going for over 5000 years, caste-ism is a degenerated socio-political system now that has been declared illegal. However it is one big weapon against Hinduism. We have learnt from the colonial British that it is very easy to divide the population on the basis of caste and religion based politics and we use it to our own interest to the maximum. We join the anti-Hindu forces and help to keep the stigma of caste-ism alive for our own benefit. We target the âuntouchablesâ (the unprivileged people, that has so marvelously crafted to be a result of the Hindu religion and not the social system) and convert them in the lure of âliberatingâ them. However I must confess that we maintain their âuntouchabilityâ by not allowing them to mix with the general Christians, maintaining separate entry to churches and even giving them separate churches and cemeteries.
We also use opportunities that God gives us. During natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and the recent Tsunami, taking advantage of the need, we were able to convert successfully entire low caste villages in Tamil Nadu to Christianity with the lure of money and aid.
How successful are you in your conversion attempts.
Oh we are doing a good job. The Northeast Indian states like Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur, have witnessed a surge of nearly 200% in their Christian population in the past 25 years. Their grasp is so strong now that practicing Hinduism is forbidden in some areas. Hindus can no longer do worship or âpujaâ in the open because of our influence. In another northeast state, Tripura, where there were no Christians at the time of Indiaâs independence, 55 years ago, there are now over 120,000 today. The figures are even more striking in Arunachal Pradesh, where there were only 1710 Christians in 1961, but over 1 million today, along with over 780 churches. In the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, churches are coming-up every day in far flung villages and there is an attempt to set-up one near Tirupati, the world famous Hindu temple. Many of the North-East separatist movements, such as the Mizo or the Bodos, are not only Christian dominated, but also sometimes function with the covert backing of the missionaries. Christian Nagaland terrorists have been killing non-Christians for decades on end. More than 20,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam and Manipur in the past two decades. We understand that there are some social problems that crept up â the northeast states are the highest in India in terms of drugs and AIDS related problem â but we accept that as âcasualties of warâ âthat should not deter us from our goal.
Do you face any resistance?
Of course we do. But we brand any resistance as âHindu fundamentalism or militancyâ and the media and our favorite leaders take care of the rest. We have set the mind of the unsuspecting population in a way, that whenever any of our people are harassed, attacked or killed, from any reason including their own faults, the blame automatically goes to these so called âHindu fundamentalistâ and even though almost all of these instances are later proved to have nothing to do with these Hindu groups, the initial hue and cry that is raised makes sure the memories persist in the mind of the populace and the sympathy stays with us. There are instances when nuns have been proved to be raped by Christians, but the blames continues to stay with the Hindus.
Is there any legal barrier?
Yes there are some rules and laws that sometimes impair our activities. The Indian Supreme Court had declared that: âThe right to propagate religion does not mean the right to convert⦠Conversion done under allurement, use of force and fraud in which the poverty or ignorance of the individual is taken advantage of, is not only undemocratic but also unconstitutionalâ¦Respect for all religions is the foundation of secularism whereas the seeds of conversion lie in religious intolerance.â. Anti conversion laws have been passed in various states. But as I said, we have our ways.
Sometimes the law does get us though. We had some instances where members of our faith have been convicted with resultant imprisonment or expulsion. As in churches all over the world, some clergymen have been penalized for cases of sexual exploitation, including pedophilia. But that does not deter us from our goal and our almighty Lord takes care of our soul.
How satisfied are you with the progress of the missions?
It is really satisfying. We find enormous pleasure in converting the Hindu âpagansâ. However I wish we could do more. I wish I could say like St Francis Xavier, during the Goa Inquisition in 1560, âWhen I have finished baptizing the people, I order them to destroy the huts in which they keep their idols; and I have them break the statues of their idols into tiny pieces, since they are now Christians. I could never come to an end describing to you the great consolation which fills my soul when I see idols being destroyed by the hands of those who had been idolaters.â
Thank you, Father for your time and honesty.
Thank you, my son. God bless you.
Epilogue
âChristianity offers nothing that is not already available somewhere in the many forms of Hinduism. Hinduism never rejected the teachings of Jesus. Those who have converted either agreed with a gun pressed at their skulls as in Goa, or because it provided an escape from caste tyranny, as well as a guaranteed professional advancement. Through its Vedic legacy, Hinduism respects all faiths. It clearly states that God is one, but has many forms. The Christian message must sound preposterous: that God is indeed one, but has only one recognized form, his son. The âsavagesâ of India were sophisticated - so sophisticated that the imperialist mixture of church and state in Europe could not grasp such sophisticationâ¦.â
(Paul William Roberts, author of, âEmpire of the Soul: Some journeys in Indiaâ)
Offensive proselytisation @ http://indiaview.wordpress.com/2008/01/06/...roselytisation/
How to destroy a people in godâs name @ http://www.india-forum.com/essay/138/1/How...e-in-god?s-name
Hitlerâs Christianity @ http://www.nobeliefs.com/Hitler1.htm
Christianized Sikhs @ .
www.sikhsangat.org/news/publish/asia/Sikh_and_Destroy_12012007.shtml
Entry Filed under: Christian Missionaries, Conversion Methods, Hinduism, World News. .http://indiasecular.wordpress.com/2007/10/07/interview-of-anevangelist/
Wow Acharyaji, it's frightening to see an evangelist talk about conversion operations in such a matter of fact manner.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->...This is to make Christianity more similar to the Vedic traditions. Bharat Natyam, the classical dance of India, is also taught in the Christian schools, but with Christian symbols and meanings replacing the Vedic. This is all in the attempt to actively sway Hindus over to Christianity. The Evangelical Church of India (ECI), established in 1954, targets the slums, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, in cities and villages. Its logo depicts a cross struck deep in a lotus, the seat of Hindu divinity..<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Seeing this and recalling from the various documentaries and books I have read on christianity's origins really confirms for me that these people really did snuff out local religions by usurping their symbols and conciding their "holy" days with the local ones.
It's like history repeating itself all over again. I would like to think that this time though due to the availabilty of, and free flow of information we can push back this attack.
It is a hypothetical interview. What the "Father" is saying here is 100% true, though..
http://www.dailypio neer.com/ indexn12. asp?main_ variable= BHUBANESWAR&file_name=bhub5% 2Etxt&counter_img= 5
<b>Kandhamal strife not communal, argue intellectuals</b>
Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneswar
The Kandhamal violence was not communal but a case of caste conflict among tribals. Only Missionaries and some political parties have termed the issue as communal, said speakers at a seminar on 'Why Kandhamal is Burning,' organised by Pragyan Prabaha on Monday.
Quoting the State's Chief Secretary and Home Secretary, they said the number of churches was increasing on a fast pace in the district, which was the main reason for conversions. Kandhamal and Boudh districts were carved out of the old Phulbani district more than a decade back. <b>There were 75,800 Christians ( 8.8 per cent of the population) in the composite Phulbani district in 1991, which rose to 1,18,200 (11.6 per cent) in 2001</b>. Kandhamal was carved out in a manner that it encompassed almost all Christians of the undivided district. Thus, while Kandhamal has 1,18,000 Christians ( 18.2 per cent of its population), Boudh has only 239, they argued.
Former Sambalpur University Vice-Chancellor Pradip Chandra Tripathy, writer Bhagirathi Mahasuar, VHP State president Bipin Bihari Rath, educationist Indulata Das, Gangandhar Nanda and Bibhuti Bhusan Patnaik were among those who spoke at the seminar. They said according to the 2001 Census, ST comprised 52 per cent of the population of Kandhamal and SC about 19 per cent. More than 60 per cent of the Christians hail from the Pana community, an SC community, and speak the Kui language of the local Kui Vanvasis.
As Dalit Christians are not entitled to SC reservations, the church organisations are demanding ST status for Pana Christians. This is the result the Indian Constitution's failure to properly define Scheduled Tribes and the critical issue whether converts to Christianity could be classified as STs, they observed.
<b>Local factors led to Kandhamal violence</b>
Ram Madhav
http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/08guest.htm
Orissa violence - Disturbing Questions
04/01/2008 16:13:58 GSK Menon
The Orissa violence has received much attention in the press & TV. It has been reported by all Press agencies that there are around 900 odd Churches in Kandhmal area, yes 900, which appears to be a phenomenal number ! If all the 900 Churches are doing humanitarian and social work, that area should like paradise now, but the pictures we see on TV do not indicate anything like that. Then what are 900 odd churches doing there ? Certain disturbing questions arise.
1) What is the cost for constructing 900 odd churches ? Even if we put a very low price tag of Rs.10 - 15 lakhs, it comes to an astounding figure !
2) Where did all this money come from ?
3) Have these funds come from foreign sources or from local ones ?
4) Are all these funds routed through banking channels or is it through Havala ?
5) Next, take the manpower requirement - one Padre for each church means nine hundred Padres. What about their assistants, even two assistants will make it 1800 employees. What about their salary ? Obviously these churches are not doing business, then who is footing the salaries ?
6) How many vehicles have been deployed by these churches ?
7) What is the total cost for these, even if we compute 1 vehicle for every two churches, that too is a big amount. ?
8) What about fuel/driver/maintenance ? Where is the money coming from ?
9) It appears from the Press reports that the top hierarchy of the Church is being run by Keralite priests. How and why did the Orissa government permit people from outside the state to come and disturb the social fabric of Kandhmal ?
10) How many foreign Missionaries are functioning apart from Keralites ?
11) Which are the foreign nationalities in maximum in Orissa ?
12) Why is the state government permitting these alien nationals to disturb the peace and harmony of Orissa ?
13) Why are foreign Missionaries interested in Orissa ? Orissa is the key place in our Missile Program. All missile installations, key testing facilities and monitoring bases are located there.
14) Which country is suspicious and concerned about our Missile program ? Apart from Pakistan it is Australia. The Australians are very wary of our Missile program. What better way than to flood the place with Missionaries or are they spies ?
15) In the guise of social work free access is there everywhere, you can meet anyone, go to any place. How easy to stroll around sensitive installations and collect sensitive data !
16) Alternatively, are the local Evangelists doubling up as spies and sending sensitive information abroad ?
17) Or, was the violence generated by the local Missionaries to extort more funds by creating a sympathy wave in the name of riots ?
18) Has the Income Tax Department/Enforcement Directorate any idea as to how much money is pouring in and from what sources and who is receiving them ?
These are very disturbing questions and there should be a public enquiry.
http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HkPage.aspx...EID=5270&SKIN=B
Devilish debate on end for Church of England
Thu Jan 10, 7:13 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - Eyebrows were raised in the House of Commons on Thursday when a motion calling for the Church of England to be disestablished was listed with the number 666, symbol of the AntiChrist.
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"This number is supposed to be the mark of the Devil. It looks as though God or the Devil have been moving in mysterious ways," said Bob Russell, a Liberal Democrat MP among those proposing the motion for debate.
"What is even stranger is that this motion was tabled last night when MPs were debating blasphemy," he added.
The motion calls for an end to the formal link between Church and State in England -- embodied in the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is both head of state and head of the Church of England.
The number 666 is referred to in the Book of Revelations in the Bible: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred, three score and six."
"It is is incredible that a motion like this should have, by chance, acquired this significant number," said Russell.
Under the rules of the House of Commons the motion by backbenchers has little chance of actually being debated in parliament.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Eyebrows were raised in the House of Commons on Thursday when a motion calling for the Church of England to be disestablished was listed with the number 666, symbol of the AntiChrist<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My aunt took 666 in her telephone no, because there was no taker for this number in UK.
She gets kick because people had to dial her number <!--emo& --><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Does anyone know why they are seeking to destablish the Church? What does that mean for the Church? Less power/influence?
http://www.dailypioneer.com/ indexn12. asp?main_ variable= BHUBANESWAR&file_name=bhub2%2Etxt&counter_img=2
<b>'Conversions not out of choice'</b>
Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneswar
Appearing before the team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday, Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati said that not a single person was converted to Christianity out of his choice. "They always adopt a means of allurement and fear to force and persuade innocent people to change religion," he said, adding that he was prepared for an open debate on this issue with any one.
Saraswati appeared before the Commission to record his statement. He further said conversion was going on rampantly in tribal areas.
He further alleged that there has been large scale forgery of tribal certificates. "Most of the converted Christians forged Kui tribal certificates to get jobs," he said, adding that an inquiry could only expose the rackets behind it.
He further said foreign funds also were diverted for the cause of conversion. "A mechanism should be evolved to regulate flow of foreign funds to NGOs," he demanded.
Asked why he did not return to his Chakapada Ashram in Kandhamal, he said as tension continued he preferred not to go the Ashram at this point. "If I return the miscreants who want to create disturbances will take mileage out of it. Later, they will try to squarely blame me," he said.
He demanded that an inquiry should be ordered to find out who were behind the attack on him. "I have been attacked nearly eight times. But no one has yet been arrested," said an emotionally- charged Lakshmanananda.
Later, a delegation led by general secretary of BJP Vinay Katiyar met the Swamiji and held a detailed discussion with him on the Kandhamal turmoil. Speaking to reporters, Katiyar said the attack on the Swamiji should be condemned. "I would raise this issue on the floor of the Parliament," he said, adding that Congress MP RK Nayak should be squarely blamed for all this. "He has been involved in conversion activities," Katiyar alleged, adding that action should initiated against him.
SP of NHRC Mukesh Singh said he has already recorded the statements of 20 people. "The team will submit the final report within 15 days," he said.
<b>Kandha Janajati Surakhya Manch</b>
The recent spurt of violence has its immediate cause in the unprovoked and preplanned attack on Swami Laxananada Saraswati on the 24th December 2007.
Nevertheless, before that the situation in the whole of Kandhamal district was surcharged with contempt against the converted âPanaâ Christians, who are guided by the Missionary Churches. Kandhamal District is overwhelmingly dominated by the tribal inhabitations who speak Kui dialect. There were small pockets of âPanaâ people who are scheduled castes but their percentage in 1950 census was very negligible as compared to that of the Kandha STs.
The Missionary Churches had selected the district from British days for full conversion of its population. The Kandha tribals are characteristically very proud of their Hindu traditions and culture, though poor and uneducated. On the other hand, the âPanaâ SCc were vulnerable to the allurement of money, English education, employment assurance, foreign tours, etc. by the Missionaries, a section of whom got converted to Christianity. <b>The Church using the converted Christians like Radhakanta Nayak, IAS (Retd.), John Nayak, IPS (Retd.), Isaac Behera, IAS and many others started grabbing the cultivable land belonging to the Kandha families and in the name of land disputes convert them under duress. </b>
Large number of âPanaâ SCs also started coming from adjacent districts and got settled in Kandhamal with an ulterior motive to out number the reticent Kandha tribals. Now since 2002, there has been a concerted effort to notify the âPanaâ caste capable of speaking Kui dialect, including those converted to Christianity as Scheduled Tribe under Article 342 of the Constitution by manipulating a Presidential notification in this regard. This move would greatly harm the socio-economic and political interests of the genuine tribal population of the State as a whole.
In 1983, the first Church came into existence in Katingia village.<b> Initially the Church distributes medicines, clothes, food articles, alcohol drinks and then money to the poor and uneducated villagers. Later they demolish their place of worship called âDharani Penuâ. One fine morning they are all told that they have all become Christians</b>.
Thatched houses are built on government land/ village land and named as churches. The Christian Missionaries are systematically grabbing the lands belonging to the local Kandha tribe in spite of High Court orders to the contrary.
Until date, 22 acres in Barakhoma, 7 acres in Kelapada, 5 acres in Gresinga under Udayagiri Block, besides many in other parts of the district, are under illegal possession of the Church and the Christians, which actually belong to the Tribes.
Since 1983, a large population has been converted to Christianity taking advantage of their illiteracy, extreme poverty, deprivation of medical facility and basics like communication, drinking water etc. In order to curb conversion by bribery, allurements, fraud and cheating the State Legislature has enacted a law in 1967. Not a single conversion has the support of the provisions of the said Act.
Now and then, the Church priests have played with the simplicity and innocence of the tribal population to win over the tribals for conversion. <b>The Missionaries operate also through many NGOs as front organisations. The World Vision is chief among those</b>. Many schools with financial aid from the government operate where tribal children are compelled to read Bible. Preferential treatment on basis of religion is meted in the hostels and schools in matters of tuition fees.
Ranganatha Mishra Committee report had suggested the extension of reservation facilities even to the converted Christians that sparked spontaneous reaction among the scheduled tribes in the district. False Caste / Tribe certificates were issued to the converted Christians for getting government employment from the reservation quota, which was protested, by the genuine SCs and STs. <b>Therefore, the simmering discontent against conversion, land grabbing by the Churches and contempt against the conspiracy to extend reservation facility to the undeserving converted Christians under tutelage of converted âPanaâs like Radhakanta Nayak had already prepared the stage for the volcano to erupt which was ignited by the developments in Brahmanigaon on the eve of Christmas</b>.
The local Church had decided this year, to celebrate the Christmas on the same altar where Hindus celebrate Durgapuja in Brahmanigaon. There was large scale protest and reaction among the Hindu villagers and the local Superintendent of Police interefered to assuage the tension and suggested to build a separate structure for X-mass celebration maintaining reasonable distance from the Puja mandap. In reaction, on 23 December 2007, the converted Christians set one Hotel and three shops to fire at Brahmanigaon in the very presence of the SP and the District Magistrate. The same morning, they started construction of their pandal on the plot which was protested by the Hindus. <b>On 24 December Swamiji was on his way to Brahmanigaon, when at Darsingbadi a village with almost 100% converted Christians about 200 armed assailants attacked Swamiji.
</b>
The injured Swamiji along with his injured PSO and driver went to the nearest Daringbadi PS seeking protection. By that time about 2000 supported of Swamiji had gathered near the PS. Soon after departure of the Swamiji for medical aid, the Police lathicharged the supporters of Swamiji at Daringbadi. This action of the Police was utterly uncalled for and highly provocative to the Kandha people.
In order to protest against the conspiracy to reschedule the Kui speaking âPanaâ as scheduled tribe, there was a call for Bundh on 25 December for which the protestors had already started putting logs on the roads etc. from midnight in the area. Shri Lambodar Kanhar and party were attacked by the converted Christians helped by Police at Surudukumpa in the evening on 24 December 2007. There was lot of tension spreading like bonfire whole over the district. On 25 December 2007 at Jaleswarpada the Kui Sanskrutika Parishad had a prefixed meeting. <b>But the Christians attacked the Kanyashrama and torched two dwelling houses. There was mass scale stoning on the peaceful protestors by the Christians who had gathered in the Church premises as preplanned. One Khageswar Mullick was lynched to death by the Christians by hitting with stones as he was left behind by the protestors</b>.
<b>On 27 December, there was large scale arson on Hindu pockets in Brahmanigaon with the help of armed Maoists. </b>In the carnage, the SP of Gajapati District and a constable were severely injured. The anti-riot CRPF personnel could arrest Maoists and seized more than 20 guns, AK â 47 Rifles and crude bombs from the arrested persons. <b>One thing is at least proved that there was plan to commit violence on the eve of X-Mass with the direct collusion with the armed Maoists and provoke the tribals by attacking and killing the Swamijee. </b>
<b>By putting, many Churches made of thatch and mud walls, unto fire, blame and defame India and the Hindus in the international circle. This will not only tarnish the secular image of India abroad but also help in attracting lots of fund from foreign countries. Finally, it would also benefit by terrorizing the tribals conversion among them as it is done in the North-East India.</b>
vsk,orissa
A-16,Kharavel nagar,Bhubaneswar
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