DC debate: Attacks on pastors in AP

Attacks destroy secular fabric

Swaranjit Sen, Former Director General of Police

The recent brutal attacks on Christians in various parts of AP, resulting in the death of one and near fatal injuries to another, do not augur well with the secular fabric of the state.

The state which has almost totally overcome the seemingly insurmountable problem of Left-wing extremism, seems to be sliding into a morass of a different kind. Is the vacuum created by the absence of Naxal-Maoists providing the causeway for more sinister and lasting problems for the state?

For the present, the ‘Modic’ and ‘Talibanic’ elements seem to be quite happy sitting pretty, allowing matters to drift, without anyone making any genuine effort to bring about a synergy between them.

While there has never been any antagonism between the two leading minorities, i.e. Muslims and Christians, the restive elements belonging to the majority community have been regularly taking potshots at Christians. In addition to pastors, Christian schools, churches and gatherings have been targeted. Even Bibles have been torn and burnt.

The insensitivity of the respective governments has been very evident for over two decades. Consciousness regarding this seems to have been triggered among Christians, resulting in the formation of various fragmented Christian fronts, forums and committees. The fact that many of them came together on a common platform, cutting across doctrinal differences, is certainly a very welcome phenomena for Christians.

It seems evident that the recent protests by the Christians galvanised the police into action, resulting in the arrest of Hindu Vahini activists responsible for the brutal attack on the Baptist Pastor, Nama Moses, in Narketpally, in December 2013.

The motive, as mentioned in Deccan Chronicle dated January 22, 2014, to fight conversions is a bogie which provides a ready handle to a few Hindu fanatics to express their resentment against preaching of the Holy Bible.

The totally unprovoked fatal attack on Pastor Sanjeev on  January 10, 2014, at Vikarabad, confirms the fear that there is a sinister, planned and perhaps well-programmed effort by them to attack Christian pastors. This certainly needs to be nipped in the bud.

Coming back to the bogie of the conversion drive by a few Hindu fanatics, it is perhaps necessary to mention that the Christians too need to introspect on whether the present day preaching is giving rise to unfounded fears in the minds of others?

It has to be understood by all that conversion cannot take place simply by preaching the Bible or by offering incentives of any kind. People who make such claims or accusations are doing so for their own selfish purpose and lucrative gains. Conversions, as far as Christianity goes, can only be affected through the Power of the Holy Spirit of God, which is present among all of us.

This life-giving Spirit continuously comforts, heals, brings about peace and performs miracles.

Is the present day active propagation of Christianity aggressive and irksome to others? Does it need to be modified? Is it serving the purpose of a few evangelists who are willingly misled by the lure of money at the cost of the majority and at the cost of creating an unsavoury culture divide?

Whatever the requirement of the day, no one can justify, condone or tolerate the attacks that have been meted out to Christians by the Hindu Vahini, Bajrangdal or their kin. It is not good for the state or society and requires immediate intervention and an attitudinal change on the part of the politicians, administrators and police if they do not wish the formation of another communal tumor.

It has to be understood by all that conversion cannot take place simply by preaching the Bible or by offering incentives of any kind. People who make such claims or accusations are doing it for their own selfish purpose and lucrative gains.

Conversions as far as Christianity goes can only be affected through the Power of the Holy Spirit of God, which is present among all of us. This life-giving Spirit continuously comforts, heals, brings about peace and performs miracles.

There is more than enough evidence in the world that persecution and brutality of mankind in the past has, in fact,resulted in greater effectiveness of the Holy Spirit resulting in three fourths of the world following Christian doctrines and practices.

Next: Conversions lead to social tension

Conversions lead to social tension

B. Rajavardhan Reddy, Advocate and President, Hindu Vahini

We strongly condemn the police of Nalgonda district for dragging the name of the Hindu Vahini in the alleged incidents of attacks on Christian pastors at Narketpally and Vikarabad. Hindu Vahini has nothing to do, or is in no way connected, with the alleged incidents. Police, may be at the behest of some forces who are against the growth of Hindu Vahini, is implicating Hindu Vahini in the incidents.

The SP of Nalgonda, in his press conference, stated: “One of the accused’s parents and grandparents were converted into Christianity by the pastor and his wife. Annoyed with this, he, with his friends, attacked the pastor.” This incident is only the tip of the iceberg.

Lured, trapped conversions, conversions by exploitation of poor and weaker sections by the churches in India are practically dividing the society, the communities and even the families. At times, this has gone to the extent of ‘demands for secession’. The armed terrorist movements in Meghalaya, Mizoram etc. of Northeast India are the best examples of the ‘climax of Christian conversions’.

The history of the world is the best example to show how the Church played its role in imperial expansion and of Christianity over non-Christian nations in Europe, Africa, and also in India during the British rule.

The churches, resorting to rampant conversions by illegal  means, should realise that this ancient land believes in one God, whether it is Eshwar, Allah, Yehova or in any other name. Against this principle of oneness in God, the church wants to impose only their own God on this land. This is against the basic concept of God in this ancient nation.

Conversions into Christianity by illegal means are leading to social tensions. Unfortunately there is no control on these illegal conversions by the governments both at the state and the Centre.

Thousands of crores of money is flowing into our country for these conversion activities and no church is made accountable for these funds. These rampant conversions will lead to an unnatural change in the demography of this country, which will lead to a threat to our national and internal security.

Are the churches away from unethical activities? The church schools are forcing Hindu girl students to remove their traditional bangles and tilakum. What does it mean? Evangelists are coming into our country with tourist and business visas to instigate mass conversions.It is high time that the Union and state governments take note that these rampant conversions by illegal means are a potential threat to national integrity.

The government should take steps to control and regularise foreign funds to churches in India. There should be a controlling authority supervising the financial and other functioning of the churches. When Hindu religious institutions are made accountable to the government, why not the churches?

We caution the authorities that false implication of cases against Hindu activists will not solve the problem.

Evangelists are coming into our country with tourist and business visas to instigate mass conversions. This should be stopped. The governments, both at the states and the Centre, it appears, have not learned any lessons from the murders of Graham Stains and Swami Laxmanananda in Odisha.

About 100 years back Swami Vivekananda cautioned the nation against Christian conversions. He, in his speeches in the USA, had openly opposed the conversions in India.“

God is one, the ways to reach him may be many. This is the message of this ancient land and its civilization to the world. We appeal to all church functionaries in India to desist from this mass conversion activities by illegal means and leave the faith to individual citizens to choose and practice and make every Christian in India feel proud of being an Indian Christian.

We caution the authorities that false implication of cases against Hindu activists will not solve the problem.