Mazhakkinavu

Persecution and Unity of Indian Christians

The Christians especially in the Northern part of the India is going through very tough situation these days. Religions violence was seen in the very peaceful state of Kerala too in the past days. Whatever might be the reason of hatred of the Hindu brethren towards Christians, the way they have chosen to show it is truly against the law and order. The Indian government has of course fallen back in effectively running the law and order system and in securing the religious freedom of many. Considering loses of rights of the Indian Christians, nation wide and international protests are being organized by many Indian Churches and Christian organizations. This is a time to see and realize the Oneness in Christ shared by all the Christians, and the time to forget the differences that has been keeping the Churches from cooperating with each other for many centuries.

This article is some thoughts about the upcoming Peace Rally organized by the Indian Churches in Philadelphia on Oct 26th to protest against the horrible actions against Christians in India, and also in hope of a suitable response from the ‘sleeping’ Indian government against the atrocities happening. I have seen a very effective awakening in some of the Churches in Philadelphia, which were not very active in the Ecumenical Fellowship of Indian Churches in Philadelphia, in this matter, and their active participation in protesting against the issues. The participation of the Pentecostals with the Ecumenical Fellowship also needs to be mentioned.

After being the Youth Coordinator of the Ecumenical fellowship of Indian Churches in Philadelphia (EFIC), and after experiencing the difficulty in bringing the people together for a Youth Conference, I didn’t had much of a thought about the unity within the Christians in Philadelphia, and considered many as selfish ones who are functioning inside their own Church boundaries only. Contacts were made with all the parishes that were active in the EFIC, but were able to find representatives only a maximum of 5 Churches to actively participate in organizing the Youth Conference.

My impression about the Protestant/Pentecostal Churches was not that high either due to their attitude towards the Apostolic Churches. Many focuses in finding the differences and teaching them as wrong rather than preaching the true Gospel of Christ. My Pentecostal friends didn’t show much interest either even in attending the conference mentioned above after being personally invited. Also, after certain encounters with the Pentecostal fanatics, my idea of their corporation was not that high either. The issue was that while I try to respect their thoughts, mine were ridiculed! But this cannot be generalized or considered that big of an issue at times of need.

My constricted mentality had all these thoughts, opinions, and judgments about the Churches that have not seen actively participating in the organization(EFIC) I belong to, and therefore watched the sudden interest of many on this issue with suspicion. With ego, I thought that as they have not helped me, why I should participate in the Peace rally! After all, is this a Christian way of protesting against persecution? If we look in to Christ, wasn’t He silent when he was persecuted and crucified? The persecuted are silent, but we, who are living in the luxury here has the responsibility to assure our helping hands towards our suffering brethren.

I am sure that many others are thinking suspiciously as I did about the sudden appearance of many in claiming the need of unity. Many even blame it on the religions conversions going on in those states by the Christians. This can be agreed to some extent and but still not a good enough reason to support the violence, nor to agree to the silence of the Indian Government. Can I see the glass as half full and not as half empty? Can I be an optimist rather than a pessimist? It is possible, and I can read the spirit of Unity formed between the Christian pastors and priests and Churches as a calling from Christ. And as long as the propaganda of conversion and the issue of who is right and who is wrong according to Christ is not brought to the multitude, I am very happy to accept the Oneness in Christ as I always believed and to support the peace rally that is being organized. As long as the Catholics, the Orthodox, the Protestants, all can stay together in the name of Christ, and respect each other as brothers and sisters, I am willing to be a part of this new move. This can be a way for further understanding and acceptance.

Can more of us be more open minded, forget whatever we consider each other as being wrong and unite in the name of Christ? This is not a unity to say that I am right and all has to come under the doctrines and beliefs I am following, but to say that the ‘right’ in all of us is Christ? Will it be possible for all of us to effectively organize and participate in the prayers and other activities held in different regions of the world disregarding the differences and accepting each other? Will more Churches and believers come forward with one Spirit in Lord Jesus Christ? This is meant to those who have constricted mentality as I did towards accepting and appreciating the goodness seen in our midst.

Presence of God

In the introduction of the translation of the famous book ‘Confessions’ by Saint Augustine, the translator Henry Chadwick on his attempt to introduce the reader to the book says this. “In particular the Platonic School offered a wholly different treatment of the problem of evil. Three explanations were offered to mitigate the difficulty for affirming providence. First, the cosmos is a grant continuum, a great chain or hierarchy of being, descending by emanation from the highest to the lowest, from mind to matter, and in this graded series where existence itself is good, the higher the level of being the higher the goodness. Therefore ‘evil’ is not Being but a lack of it, a deficiency inherent in having placed on a lower step than higher entities. Since to exist is for a Platonist to be a ‘substance’, evil has no ‘substance’. Secondly, matter is recalcitrant to beauty and form, and pulls the soul down to external things. Matter exploits weakness in the will distorting it towards moral evil. Thirdly, evil results from the misuse of the free choice by rational beings.”

Platonists are followers of the Greek Philosopher Plato, and many ideas expressed in there are similar to Christianity. Here I am trying to explain these three explanations on a Christian basis, moreover with examples from real life, in the Christian life we see in the present days. What I am saying may not be acceptable to all, and may not seem very intelligent as I am only a kid and all I can claim is a high school degree, and 2 years in college as my education. This may not fulfill your wish to understand Platonism or Christianity, but it fulfills my urge to speak the word of God. Correct me if I am wrong anywhere and let me tell you that I am always willing to hear from you no matter what it is. Criticize me if needed.

The first explanation says “…from mind to matter, and in this graded series where existence itself is good, the higher the level of being the higher the goodness. Therefore ‘evil’ is not Being but a lack of it, a deficiency inherent in having placed on a lower step than higher entities. Since to exist is for a Platonist to be a ‘substance’, evil has no ‘substance’.” This idea of evil can be comprehended or reread as ‘Evil is the absence of God’. Basically evil is found in those who lack the presence of God. “I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes on me should not abide in darkness.” John 12: 46. Again ^“Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. Jesus is the way, light and life and the presence of Him in our lives are very necessary for us to reach the Father which is the final goal of the whole humanity. All those who have the presence of Jesus in mind will try to make His teachings practical in their own lives, and the importance given to the Word varies from person to person. Consider it has heat and cold, as we move further away from the source of heat, the cooler we feel. As we move further from a light source, the darker we feel. Similarly, as we move further away for Jesus Christ and His words, the more we are prone to evil. Basically evil exists where we see the absence of God and where God is not accepted. We all should have the urge to accept God in our mind and follow His words, and when we fail to do that, we move farther and farther from God and thereby commit ourselves to evil, which is the absence of God.

God has not created evil in us, but evil comes form those who wishes not to accept God. This links with the third explanation about evil, which is “free will”. It’s similar to a fruitful tree and a fruitless tree, a fruitful tree will be useful but a fruitless tree is of no use. ^“And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said to it, No man eat fruit of you hereafter for ever” Mark 11:12, 13. Jesus wants all of us to be fruitful, be filled with the fruits of Spirit which is said in the Galatians, and spread the word of God feeding those thousands who are lacking the Good News. On the other hand, those who have rejected the word of God have just become evil, residing in the darkness, in the depths. The theory is simple, the more importance you give to God, the more presence you give for God in your lives, the farther will be you from evil, or you will be closer to the God who was crucified for us.

Second theory says, “Matter is recalcitrant to beauty and form, and pulls the soul down to external things. Matter exploits weakness in the will distorting it towards moral evil.” The human mind always has the tendency to get attracted to the worldly pleasures found around us. And Jesus has given us enough words not to go behind the worldly pleasures we see in every day life as they will not take one to eternal life. The beauty, money, power and pleasure we see in the present will not last for long and therefore one who rejects that and adheres to the word of God only will be saved. People everywhere are seen attracted to the pleasures possessed by the sinful world, and often this attachment has lead to destructions. It’s the love for matter which is the cause of all the wars we see in the world. How can the war in Iraq be justified? The intention is very clear, and it was much more than capturing Saddam Hussein. The attachment to pride and power also has caused major problems to the world. Certain churches are very good examples, starting from centuries before when the church tried to convert each and everyone through force to Christianity, and the fights we see in the present world for churches, and position. All are behind positions and power, and the all are in the name of Jesus Christ. This is controversial as Jesus showed the path of suffering and sacrifice, when He Himself gave up all His powers and sacrificed in the cross. ^“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many”. Mark 10: 44. Jesus has strongly taught not to get overwhelmed with the matter we see around in the world because anything other than Christ will lead us to evil.

Third theory states that “evil results from the misuse of the free choice by rational beings.” Jesus has given us the complete freedom to choose. He will lie in the one who opens the mind for Him, when He knocks. We have to be ready to accept Jesus Christ in our lives. We are given the choice to select, as Adam and Eve was given the choice to eat the fruit or not, God said not to eat it but there were no restrictions in eating it. Like that, we can have God in our mind or we can walk through sins, it’s our free will. Jesus gave us the complete freedom. Freedom to choose what we need, we have the choice to commit sins, we have the choice to reject God, we have the choice to be with God, we have the choice to accept God too. Humans were created much superior to animals and that superiority is mainly based on the intelligence and power to think. The sources are in front of us clearly stating which is the right path, ad what all has to be done to be with God. We have the choice to accept them and follow or reject them and be a walk ourselves to death. We have the choice to love our Lord or not. He is knocking at the door, the door of our mind so that He can get in and have you with Him. He will enlighten it with the great knowledge as we see in Solomon. We as Christians have the responsibility to use this free will given by God to accept Him. And this of course is the only way to salvation.

Lets stay closer to Christ so that we will not be exposed to evil and we can dwell in the warmth of our God, we can sacrifice the matter we see because our Lord has sacrificed everything for us, and let us have our free will to accept God and not evil, and thereby be the People of God. Lord is with us, Praise Him!!!

Mr. J