Behind Conversions

"I am a Syrian Jacobite who converted to New Life, but nobody forced me to do so. As long as I was with the mainstream church I had no personal encounter with Jesus Christ. I was a Christian only because I was born into that religion. I had many problems and many fears. I used to drink and smoke. I used to get terrible dreams. I went to a psychiatrist, but the drugs he gave me only made me feel drowsy. I found my peace after I joined New Life and accepted Jesus as my personal saviour. It was not a change of religion it was a change of heart." Similarly, there was the story of a Hindu woman who had joined a Pentecostal group to escape the agony caused by her infidel husband. Also the story of a fisherwoman who had shown the light to a family, one of whose members was infected with HIV; a mother who had to find prayers for her daughter who was suffering from terminal cancer and so on. Verghese's pastor, Gopinath, was himself a Hindu-Brahmin from Kerala, who had converted into New Life and founded its unit in Udupi.  more

Church in India:

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Mujibur Rehman on violence against minorities in India

Orissa’s religious violence is intriguing because Oriya sub-nationalism was never rooted in Hindu religion. Instead, it grew around the Oriya language. It was Lord Jagannath and his cult which defined the mainstream Oriya  religious traditions. The statement  once made by an unknown Bengali writer, “Oriya ekta bhasa naye (Oriya is not a language)” became a rallying cry for a separate state movement leading to the creation of Orissa on April 1, 1936. Madhusudhan Das, a noted barrister, led a mass political movement through his political party, Utkal Sammilani, which was independent of the Congress Party. The idea of Orissa, along with Sindh, as a separate state, was floated in a White Paper prepared by British in 1933, as a sequel to the report of the Simon Commission. Thus, Orissa is the first state to be created on the basis of a separate language and inspired state reorganisations across linguistic lines in post-independent India.

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Nation: Orange County 

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Justice B K Somashekhar Commission of Inquiry into anti Christian violence, invites statements

The public can file statements in the office of the commission or may send to:

The Secretary,
Justice B K Somashekhar Commission of Inquiry,
Balabrooie Guest House, Palace Road,
Opposite to BWSSB Office, Bangalore - 560052

or

Home Office,
Justice B K Somashekhar Commission of Inquiry,
# 175, Brindavana, 3rd E Cross, II block, III stage,
Basaveshwaranagar, Bangalore - 79

or

deputy commissioners of all districts.

Statements can also be emailed to - enquiry@jbkscol.org

more

Church in India Under Attack

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Ananta Kumar Nag - Worship and Sermon

Ananta Kr Nag conducted his worship and sermon on 22 October 2008. The theme of the worship was "Living Christ in a dying Society. The Oriya Invocation song was written by Paras Khosla. The Bhajan was written by Babu Abraham. A solidarity song in Hindi, modified out of SCM solidarity song by Sandeep, also was used. All these songs were appreciated by the evaluators. The text of the sermon was 1 Peter 4:12-17. Ananta Kumar Nag derived two points from this text: 1) Living Christ in a Lifeless Society and 2) Living Christ to Encounter the unjust power Structures. The context of the sermon was the present persecutions of Christians in Orissa. In a power point presentation numerous stills of destroyed houses and churches were shown and this added some emotional flavour to the whole worship. The community was moved by the pathetic conditions of Christians in Orissa. However, the preacher deriving strength from the lessons of the early Church, which was the background of Peter's epistle, expressed hope in the power of the resurrected Christ to make persecutions an opportunity for the further spread of the Gospel.

Ananta Kumar is an ordained minister of the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church and we hope that God will use him as a powerful instrument to continue the mission of Christ with vision.

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Church in India Under Attack: Orissa police to invoke Section 160 CrPC on nun who was raped

The Orissa police is contemplating invoking Section 160 of Criminal Procedure Code to force the allged rape victim nun to cooperate with the police, official sources said on Friday.

The state government, which was happy with the Supreme Court which refused to order a CBI probe into the case, was surprised at the nun's media conference in Delhi where she reiterated her lack of faith in Orissa police and said she will not like to be further harassed.

According to the section 160 of CrPC, any police officer making an investigation can order a person to appear before him and the person has to follow the order.

 more

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"Pithavu" is one who ptotects and not a gender based noun

 A pithaavu is one who bestows 'arivu'(Wisdom) give shelter/protection, (abhayam) sutains (paalikkuka). Pithavu is not necessarily a father. Hebrew or Aramaic abba  also refers to father and mother.

Interfaith

See >Abba Amona (Hebrew, Jewish). Lit., "Father-Mother"

Abba 'abba' (Chaldean) (cf Hebrew 'ab, Syrian abba or abbo) Father, origin, source, transliterated in the Greek text (Mark 14:36) as 'Abba. The phrase "Abba Father" has become a title of invocation to the first person of the Trinity; in Coptic and Syriac churches, Abba (father or master) is a title of the patriarch of bishops. In the Qabbalah, 'Abba is the original principle symbolized by Kether (the Crown). >read

 

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The word “Abba,” is a transliteration. The word “Father,” is a translation. There is no English word that adequately conveys the meaning of the Aramaic word, “Abba.” This is why the translators gave us this transliteration – Abba. The word conveys a close intimacy that is reserved for parents and children. We might compare the word to dad, but this doesn’t do it justice. This (Mark 14:36) is the first use of the term in the Scripture. The next time (chronologically) it is used is in Galatians 4:6 > read

 Click here to read  from the Mercer Dictionary of the Bible

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India's space journey started from St Mary Magdelene's Church, Thumba, now a space Museum

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End of the end of history? by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta

The wheel has now turned full circle. Fukuyama hasn’t exactly become a socialist but what he stated in the October 13 issue of Newsweek in an article entitled The Fall of America, Inc. could well have been written by a firm believer in analyses of Karl Marx. An excerpt: “Globally the United States will not enjoy the hegemonic position it has occupied until now…America’s ability to shape the world through trade pacts and the IMF and World Bank will be diminished, as will (its) financial resources. And in many parts of the world, American ideas, advice and even aid will be less welcome than they are now.”

Are we witnessing the beginning of a new history now that international capitalism is going through arguably its worst-ever crisis? read itall

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Orissa Christians need to be protected as Stateless Refugees by UN

 State assisted Terrorism in Orissa: Christians left to the mercy of Communal Terrorists

The government of Orissa is closing the refugee camps and driving out thousands of Christians, without food or shelter. In the meantime, the violence continues, denounced as a genocide to the United Nations, which is being asked for immediate intervention. 

Sajan K, George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) has petitioned the United Nations over the decision by the government of Orissa to close the refugee camps in the district of Kandhamal. 

"These Orissa Christians and others to follow," he concludes, "express the desire to be termed Prima Facie Refugees and urge you, through the UNHCR to deem them so, in order that they can be covered by a legal framework to protect their human dignity from rights violations and abuse. Currently, they along with tens of thousands, are a stateless people, as the writ of the government of India does not run large in the state of Orissa.  read more

Church in India Under Attack

Relocation as an Option Read Pattas blog

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Belinda G. Praisy - Worship and Sermon October 15, 2008

Luke 8: 42b -48: "Breaking Free: Participation in God's Liberative Mission"   In concluding the sermon Belinda said:

The woman healed of hemorrhage  represents today's women whose mobility is controlled by patriarchal structures . She represents women who are prohibited to enter church altars, mosques and temples. She represents women suffering with illness like HIV/AIDS. She represents the Dalit and Adivasi women who are made politically voiceless. She also represents the agony, the cry, the pain, humiliation  and stigmatization of women who are forced into flesh trade because of their poverty.There is  a need to recognize the power dynamics behind the oppressive forces that keep women under bondage and  "wake up to resist and retaliate against them." She retaliated against the society by breaking the social taboos. Jesus also decides to bring her to the public view.  Her touch has shaken Jesus too. Her touch made Jesus to recognize the evil that his society had been inflicting on people in the name of religion, law and God. It was touch that could not be left unnoticed but one that should be given credit so that it will be a model for the God's community he was striving to create. Jesus recognized that resisting the oppressive forces is to do the will of God (Luke 8:21). By saying that her faith has made her well Jesus affirms that not only the woman's physical ailment was cured but that  by the woman's courageous act of faith she has sought to heal herself of the social constrictions that were imposed on her. Jesus has given full credit to her for taking a bold step to disregard the laws that bound her in the name of traditions and customs. He assures that both she and the society which she has woken up to recognize their  folly can reconcile to carry on the spread of the reign of God.

Belinda has brought out three significant ways from Jesus' attitude to the woman  by which  the community of believers can   break itself free from being oppressors: Firstly, Jesus chose to take a stand opposite to that of the patriarchal structures by acknowledging women to be co-workers in God's liberative mission which has been  the overall significance of  Luke chapter 8.  Secondly, by recognizing and acknowledging the act of the woman before the society Jesus teaches us that we should provide space for the oppressed to rise up by themselves and also must be ready to accept the change they bring. Thirdly, we should  be ready to identify ourselves with the oppressed people and stand in solidarity  with them in their struggles. This story of the woman with hemorrhage is  a radical call for the dominant oppressive society towards a "metanoia" to reverse all the structures to form the community of God.

To read it all  click  here

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Chengara's Dalit-Adivasis Call To Restore Their Fundamental Rights

Chengara's land struggle is historical. It shows that people can not really depend on government dole out for land. Political parties in connivance with the defunct industrial houses are keeping people landless. New landlessness is on the rise. Courts are being used as an excuse to evict people. The marginalized have understood this and are ready to fight till end. If the government of Kerala think it is wrong, let it come out in open and say that they oppose people's movement for land right. The government cannot use trade unions and other goons to threaten people and evict them. Life in Chengara has become miserable and any further delay will turn Chengara into another Nandigram. The situation in Chengara would become more dangerous and bloody if the government does not behave responsibly. All national and international rights bodies should take care of this note that denying people free movement is denying them right to choice and livelihood. Kerala government has failed to protect Chengara's Dalits and Adivasis right to move free from one place and other. The inhuman blockade has created unprecedented situation where children and elderly people in Chengara are suffering. Any further delay would escalate the crisis and only government of Kerala would be held responsible for this. The government must act fast and negotiate with the struggling masses of Chengara. The trade union blockade is unconstitutional and illegal and must be removed immediately as it violate the fundamental rights of the people living there who are victim of the criminal silence of the government and civil society. read it all

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Shashi Tharoor: Stop the Politics of Division

 Nehru had warned that the communalism of the majority was especially dangerous because it could present itself as nationalist. Yet, Hindu nationalism is not Indian nationalism. And it has nothing to do with genuine Hinduism either. A reader bearing a Christian name wrote to tell me that when his brother was getting married to a Hindu girl, the Hindu priest made a point of saying to him before the ceremony words to the effect of: "When I say God, I don't mean a particular God." As this reader commented: "It's at moments like that that I can't help but feel proud to be Indian and to be moved by its religiosity -- even though I'm an atheist."  more

faith and Spirituality

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D N Murthy, general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on Bajrangdal violence

You call the incidents in Karnataka as violence. A few glass panes were broken and you call that terrorism. In Karnataka not a single person was injured. What are these people talking about? It is ridiculous. Glass panes of cinema theatres are broken due to certain disputes. Can you call this terrorism? Did the Union government react in this manner? The people are just protesting against those indulging in forcible conversion. 

...............

But I would also like to add that everyone has a right to practice a religion. But nobody has the right to convert. If a conversion is based on an ideological acceptance of a new way of life, it is fine. But conversions in large numbers or mass conversions are deplorable. I can understand when an educated man converts. He can think and decide for himself what each religion has to offer. Why are missionaries targeting slum-dwellers and tribals? What can these people understand.  read it all 

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Valson Thampu on Communal terrorism

Terrorism must be identified not by who resorts to it, but by the nature and purpose of what is done. Our repugnance to atrocities should not depend on the religious identity of the perpetrators or their victims. It cannot be that avenging individuals or groups of a certain religious identity who resort to burning, killing, rape, destruction and spreading panic are not terrorists; whereas their counterparts in some other faith resorting to blasts and assaults are. All those who mock the rule of law belong together and have to be treated alike. To countenance terrorism of one kind is to lend legitimacy to terrorism of every other kind. read it all  

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Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Communal Violence in Orissa

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Manual scavenging violates Articles, 14, 17 and 23 of the Constitution

 "No human being should be allowed to get into sewerage and drainage lines to clear blocks, the Madras High Court said on Monday.

Passing interim orders on a public interest litigation petition, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.K.Ganguly and Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla, said if any drain was choked, it was the responsibility of the authorities to get the block cleared, using mechanical devices."Human Rights and Civil Society Sphere: Related Content

Demand for bill on communal violence

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Abhaya Sahu, President of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, arrested

Sahu has been leading the agitation against the Posco steel project ever since the MoU was signed with the South Korean steel major in 2005. 

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Evaluation Worship and Sermon by Deacon Johns Koshy, M.

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SCM Dharna in Protest Against Religious Violence in India

Student Christian Movement of India, North Tamil Nadu Region, organized a Dharna in front of the Gurkul College, Chennai, on Saturday, 11th October, 2008.to protest against the continuing violence against minorities in several Indian states.  The SCM was  denied permission by the police to conduct a  protest rally.  read>Church in India Under Attack

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Kushwant Singh on Religious conversion

To this day, Christian missionaries run the best schools, colleges and hospitals in our country. They are inexpensive and free of corruption. They get converts because of the sense of gratitude they generate. Can this be called forcible conversion? Why don’t the great champions of Hinduism look within their hearts and find out why so many are disenchanted by their pretensions of piety? Let them first set their own houses in order, purge the caste system out of Hindu society and welcome with open arms all those who wish to join them.

No one will then convert from Hinduism to another religion.

Read it all from Hindustan Times 

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October 14 - World Religious Freedom Day:SC/ST Organisations to Protest

October 14 was declared World Religious Freedom Day. it was on that day in 1956, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar converted from Hinduism to Buddhism to free the Dalits from caste oppression.

Dr. Udit Raj, Chairman of All India Confederation of SCs and STs will lead a rally on October 14 2008 in Delhi to protest against Anti-Christian Violence

read it all 
Human Rights and Civil Society

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Ways to help Orissa Christians

Want to help Orissa Christians? Here's how! click here

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BJP to promote Gomata Puja, tinned cow urine, cow-shampoos, oils and detergents

BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit has launched a "gomata puja" (cow worship) campaign, ostensibly to create awareness against cow slaughter but aimed at consolidating its Hindu votebank ahead of general elections.

In order to capture the imagination of the cow belt, the BJP is falling back on the slogans of its predecessor, the Jan Sangh. "Desh dharam ka nata hai, gau hamari mata hai (The cow is related to us, through religion and nation, as our mother)" or "Janam janam ka nata hai, gau hamari mata hai (The cow is our mother in every birth)."

The campaign, from early October, will run for a year, sources said. The party’s Gorakhpur MP, Yogi Adityanath, is playing an active role in the campaign, which will end with the worship of 10 cows at Gorakhpur. It was launched from Bahraich, which recently saw communal violence over cow slaughter.

In line with this, the BJP government in Uttarakhand has decided to "procure cow urine, refine it and sell it to ayurvedic pharmacies." Other BJP-ruled states may soon follow. A stall at the BJP’s headquarters sells cow-based shampoos, oils and detergents. source  

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Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren refuses to burn the effigy of Ravana, his "kulguru"

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LifeLine: Hatred Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIDS):A serious pandemic

A serious pandemic

Vaidya Shankar

Hatred Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIDS) is probably the most serious pandemic in our world today, potentially deadlier than even AIDS. The disease may be ‘active’ or in remission, but it is extremely difficult to cleanse oneself of this affliction completely. Once infected, all the immunity mechanisms built in the human mind over the years can be rendered useless. Learning, education, value system, etc., are all laid to waste by this malady. The ceaseless ch urning of the infected mind and the burning of the heart weakens the noble human spirit and demonises it. HIDS has claimed more lives than any other calamity known to man.

LifeLine: faith and Spirituality: Hatred Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (HIDS):A serious pandemic

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Church in India Under Attack: NCCI, CBCI, EFI: TOWARDS A COMMON VISION & UNITED ACTION

In the context of the ongoing violence on Christians all across India, the National United Christian Forum (NUCF), the united platform of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) had a meeting of solidarity, shared vision and united action.

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The relief agencies (CASA, CARITAS, CRS, World Vision, EFICOR, CMAI, etc.) shall work joint mechanisms in pooling the resources for relief and rehabilitation both short term and long term in coherence with the need expressed by the Churches was one of the major decisions at the plenary. The other decisions include, that Christian Legal Association shall be the fulcrum point for all legal interventions on behalf of the Churches in India, to articulate a position paper on conversion in countering the allegations on Christians, to encourage in writing to the vernacular press on views and news on issues related to human rights and to encourage engagement of Christians with civil society. Towards the end, Mr. Shanti Bhushan, former Union Law Minister and Ms. Kamla Bhasin leading social activist addressed the gathering on the civil societies solidarity with Christians.

India's

Civil Society expresses solidarity with Christians

Church in India Under Attack

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More than religious it is socio-economic reasons that triggered Kandhamal violence

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Human Rights and Civil Society: Respect an individual's decision -- Shashi Tharoor

Let us assume, for the purposes of argument, that Christian missionaries are indeed using a variety of inducements (development assistance, healthcare, education, sanitation, even chicanery - though there is only anecdotal evidence of missionary ‘‘trickery’’) to win converts for their faith. So what? If a citizen of India feels that his faith has not helped him to find peace of mind and material fulfilment, why should he not have the option of trying a different item on the spiritual menu? Surely freedom of belief is any Indian’s fundamental right under our democratic Constitution, however ill-founded his belief might be.

And if Hindu zealots suspect that conversion was fraudulently obtained, why do they not offer counter-inducements rather than violence? Instead of destroying churches, perhaps a Hindu-financed sewage system or paathshala might reopen the blinkered eyes of the credulous.

So, let each religion do its thing, and let each Indian be free to choose. At the same time, let conversion be an issue of individual conscience and not mass delusion. I would have no difficulty in considering, in principle, the idea of a democratically-elected legislature deciding that the constitutionally-protected right to convert to another faith can only be exercised by an individual, rather than by an entire clan, tribe or village.

An end to ceremonies of mass conversion might not be a bad thing: let each individual who believes he or she has seen the light go through an individual act of conversion - one in which he or she must affirm that they know what they are giving up and what they are entering into. 

source link

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Translated Bible passage rocks Jharkhand assembly

Controversial lines in a translated version of the Bible in Jharkhand rocked the state assembly on Tuesday, leading to an assurance by the government that the book would be recalled.



Chandresh Oraon, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, moved the motion to stop work in the assembly on Tuesday and demanded a debate on the lines in the translated Bible that call for destroying tribals' places of worship.

The book in Kuduk language, one of the main tribal languages in Jharkhand, has been brought out by the Bible Society of India (BSI).

The translated version reportedly says: "Destroy the trees and Sarna (tribals' worship places)."

"BSI has done a criminal act by publishing such derogatory remarks in the translated Bible. This is a conspiracy against the tribal society. Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi said: "We admit the fault. Wrong translation of Bible has been done by BSI.

"The state government will recall the translated version of the book and take suitable action against the publisher," he added.

A deep resentment is prevailing among the tribal scholars on the issue.

Tribal scholars demanded suitable action against the publishers. "The Christian missionaries have no right to hurt the sentiment of the tribal people. The issue could take a volatile shape if such things take place," said Karma Oraon, a tribal scholar.

On Monday, 11 tribals were arrested in Ranchi for trying to burn the copies of the Bible.

Less than a year back, another book published by the society had  insulted a local freedom fighter.

 DNA India

Christianaggression.org

Bible Society apologizes

Inter-textual

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Fundamentalism in India: License to rape and kill people?

Singhal justifies violence against Christians

Ayodhya, Oct 05: VHP president Ashok Singhal on Sunday justified the violence against Christians in Orissa and threatened there will be more attacks in the state. "What Hindu organisations including VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS are doing in Orissa is all legal and is the reaction of the murder of VHP leader Laxmananand Saraswati who was like Jesus Christ to us", he said. Singhal was addressing a hurriedly called press conference in Karsewak Puram, the VHP headquarters in Ayodhya. Read Zee News Bureau Report

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Medha Patkar welcomes Tata's Singur Pull out

 Ethics Reader

 Left targets Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.

CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose e said, “We have never seen any governor interfering in government affairs, mediating in political dialogues and writing to industrialists. He should do his own work.”  more 

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Tehelka Report on Nanavati Commission

Manufacturing A Conspiracy

The Nanavati Commission Report is based on untenable theories and statements of bribed witnesses. In a painstaking investigation, ASHISH KHETAN rebuts the report and uncovers the deliberate and malicious subversion of the truth by the state

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Human Rights and Civil Society 

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Two Muslims to be honoured with Kabir Puraskar for saving Hindus from mob attack

Changemakers: While Abdul Gani Abdullabhai Qureishi, resident of Vadodara in Gujarat, saved two Hindu families from a rioting mob in 2006, Ghulam Ahmed Bhat from Jammu and Kashmir protected lives of several Kashmiri Pandits in a terror strike in 1997.The Kabir Puraskar is a national award instituted by the central government in recognition of acts of physical or moral courage displayed by a member of a caste, community or ethnic group in saving the lives and properties of members of another caste, community or ethnic group during caste, community or ethnic violence.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs.50,000.  more

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Christian Dharna at Jantar Mantar and Peace March to Gandhi Samadhi

Church in India Under Attack

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Church in India Under Attack: Christians Protest rally in Tamenglong

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Thich Nhat Hanh visits India

Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced Tick-Naught-Han) is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. During the war in Vietnam, he worked tirelessly for reconciliation between North and South Vietnam. His lifelong efforts to generate peace moved Martin Luther King, Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He lives in exile in a small community in France where he teaches, writes, gardens, and works to help refugees worldwide. He has conducted many mindfulness retreats in Europe and North America helping veterans, children, environmentalists, psychotherapists, artists and many thousands of individuals seeking peace in their hearts, and in their world.  more


Order of Interbeing 

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Evaluation Worship and Sermon by Abraham Thomas

To Read Click here

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Gandhi Jayanti 2008: Gandhi’s Hinduism was a religion of humanity

October 2, 2008, 139th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhiji

Jagmohan ( former governor of J&K and a former Union ministe), writes on Gandhiji's religion, in The Asian Age:

On Gandhi’s birthday, instead of going round the Mahatma’s Samadhi and attending prayer meetings ritualistically, the ruling elite will do well to think how a strong and healthy India could be built on its spiritual traditions and how Hinduism, as viewed by Gandhiji, could be used to refertilise and revitalise that tradition. Dr S. Radhakrishnan, in connection with his study of religion, posed three questions to Mahatma Gandhi: "What is your religion? How are you led to it? What is its bearing on social life?"

Gandhi replied the first question thus: "My religion is Hinduism which, for me, is the religion of humanity and includes the best of all religions known to me." In response to the second question, Gandhi said: "I take it that the present tense in this question has been purposely used, instead of the past. I am led to my religion through truth and non-violence. I often describe my religion as religion of truth. Of late, instead of saying ‘God is Truth’, I have been saying ‘Truth is God’. We are all sparks of Truth. The sum total of these sparks is indescribable, as yet unknown Truth, which is God. I am daily led nearer to it by constant prayer."

To the third question, Gandhi replied: "The bearing of this religion on social life is, or has to be, seen in one’s daily social contact. To be true to such religion, one has to lose oneself in continuous and continuing service of all in life. Realisation of Truth is impossible without a complete merging of oneself in and identification with this limitless ocean of life. Hence, for me, there is no escape from social service; there is no happiness on earth beyond or apart from it. In this scheme, there is nothing low, nothing high. For all is one, though we seem to be many."  more

Changemakers: Gandhi’s Hinduism was a religion of humanity

 Sarvodaya: The Phoenix Settlement of Gandhiji in Durban

Gandhi Jayanti Observance at the UN

Homo Hereticus: Gandhi's quips

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Gandhi Jayanti 2008: “Alternative Nobel" recognizes Gandhian vision of Sarvodaya

Four  shares Award:Apart from the Nagai Gandhian couple (together considered as one recipient), three others — Amy Goodman (US), Asha Hagi (Somalia) and Monika Hauser (Germany) have also been chosen for the award, which will be presented on December 8. 

The   award  recognizes life long work dedicated to realising in practice the Gandhian vision of social justice and sustainable human development.”  -- the Sarvodaya 

Krishnammal (82) and Sankaralingam Jagannathan (96) , well known Gandhian couple in Nagapattinam receive the award for their life long efforts to promote social justice through their non-profit organisation Land for the Tillers’ Freedom (Lafti) which strive for the upliftment of dalits by providing them land and employement.

Krishnnamal Jagannathan is a recipient of the Padma Shri and the Opus Prize 2008 given by Seattle University.

She started Lafti at Kuthur in Nagapattinam district in 1981.

Sankaralingam Jagannathan was an active participant of Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement. Read it all

Changemakers: Gandhi Jayanti 2008: “Alternative Nobel" recognizes Gandhian vision of Sarvodaya

The Right Livelihood Award, recognised as the world’s premier award for personal courage and social transformation, was established in 1980. Out of a total of 128 awardees so far, from 56 countries, 10 were from India. It may be noted that Krishnammal was also chosen for the prestigious Opus Prize 2008, an international award from Seattle University.

 A communication from Marianne Andersson of ‘Right Livelihood Award Foundation’, Sweden which distributes the award, states that the award was being given for realising the Gandhian vision of social justice and sustainable human development.  more

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Jinu John's Worship and Sermon

Jinu John conducted his Evaluation worship and sermon on 24th September, 2008. The text for the Sermon was Mark 14: 22-26.  with the theme, "Eucharist as the exhortation of Christ's socio Political Mission." There was a skit to introduce the theme. The preacher analyzed the text by using socio political method of hermeneutics. Usually Eucharist has been explained as ritual of salvation or a memory of Jesus' martyrdom. For the preacher the Jesus' Eucharist is a socio-political act. In the Eucharist Service the Church is supposed to witness to the socio-political mission of Jesus. The Greek word artos (bread) refers to a celebration of resources. Bread symbolizes the toil and sufferings of people working in the field. By lifting the bread and uttering "This is my body," Jesus is recognizing the sweat and toil of people. Jesus is "giving thanks" (eucharist) for the work of the laborers in the field.    more...>

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