Christians from all walks of life respond to Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi’s articles.
Response of Dr. Parvathy V Das (Medical Doctor)
Reaching to the Maoist, reforming them and bringing them to the mainstream seem to be a radical and profound theoretical solution to the situation, which of course is grave. But unfortunately the solutions do not entirely lie within the realms of human thinking. If it where so, then there would never have been any problems in the western economy, which many of us assume to be within ‘Christian’ solutions. Every tower of Babel crumbles down at a time when God looks down upon it and finds it to have deviated from His purpose, so is to every man made systems and organizations which now form the ‘Christendom’.
Maoism is basically militant in its theory and advocates violence as the form of liberating the oppressed in the society. Their strategy is war and unrest, to bring about revolution, and their pawns being the poor and common peasants in China, and in India, it is the Dalits. They term it the People’s War and the target is ‘political’ transformation through the mass involvement of the basic people of the society. A Maoist will not hesitate to kill his own blood brother if he is discovered as a traitor. Take note that it is political transformation that they aim at, which in the whole boils down to capturing political control of the country. The social reforms remain forgotten after the political overthrow, because if their motives were truly for the benefit of the oppressed then there would never be any one oppressed or poor in the so called Maoists nations, whereas the nation were it originated itself has overthrown it as being outdated.
Our Indian brothers of Orissa have unfortunately been entangled into the plays of these militants who have been favoring them entirely on political motives alone. Christian evangelists were also supported because the goodness of the Gospel appealed to them, but they where not convinced enough to accept Christ, save a few who have. The favor they have shown the evangelists have surely furthered the Gospel and this opening does give us an outreach to them, to go and preach to them, which we must do even if they would withdraw their support to the Christians. The Hindu outrage against the killing of the Swami was directed towards the Maoist, but since they could not touch them, the helpless Dalit converts were targeted. As a consequence to this a Hindu – Christian communal riot is very much feared imminent all over the country and we would again go through the pains of Ayodhya riots and Gujarat violence regardless the groups that are involved. Not just because the youths in Orissa are being trained by Maoist, but because we have a large majority of nominal Christians who lead their lives apart from the gospel, and so would not hesitate to take up arms apart from the gospel. Had their denominational status given them peace, there would not have been denominational violence among Christians in the state of Kerala. The situation is tense and as the Word of God has prophesied, such is the end times to come.
Looking at Dr. Vishal’s proposition to apologize for the murder and own up for them as they are ‘our children who have been misled by a mistaken ideology’, it might sound ‘godly’ and ‘gracious’ to do this and even exalt Christians for the ‘humility’. The Hindus waiting for another opportunity would hasten their second attack on Christians at this. Not only do I fear the practical consequences if this is implemented, but I take into consideration what name it would bring upon the church of Christ. Now that the world doubts that there is a connection between the Maoist killing of the Swami and the Church, do we need to confirm this false doubt by owning up? Would the Hindu’s appall at the ‘magnanimous graciousness’ of the Church in doing this act? Rather would we be throwing our pearls at pigs and dogs, to be trampled underfoot, so that they might turn around and tear us to pieces? Would this action prevent the communal riots from happening, when the Hindu militants are waiting to grab a chance to pounce upon Christian’s nation wide? Would they be able to see the godly sorrow in our ‘repentance’ or rather would they nail it in their minds that Christians are wicked and scheming. An apology from the church, Dr. Vishal claims would be a ‘shock to the nation’.
But rather it would invoke a greater negative response from Hindu’s who do not even know what true repentance is. They would rather say, at last these devils have apologized lets make them repay.
The 3rd proposal by Dr. Vishal is the one which would actually ‘shock the nation’ and would surely ‘destroy the image that Christianity has’. It sounds ghastly for the church in any way to have anything to do with a group which is out rightly anti-Christian in its ideology, leave alone obtain from the government a safe passage for this group. Having this knowledge that Maoist is a worldwide militant group and a threat to a nation’s Government wherever it is present, would it benefit the church to stand up for them, who immaterial of the church’s actions are resolute to follow the principle of violence? What consequence would this appeal of the church have on the Government’s side? Would the Government, which already does a balancing act on short-lived coalitions, take steps to guard itself or extend a hand in supporting a group whose main aim is to overthrow the government? Do we have so much towards supporting Maoists, than loving our own countrymen?
Whether support the Maoist or not, I hope we do not forget the ones whom we really need to be supporting. 50,000 have become homeless, fatherless and widowed. And they are of our flock. Courageously resolute to suffer for Christ and loose everything, choosing to run to the jungles, rather than go back to the ungodliness they left. They are the ones who need to be embraced. Where were we when the nun was raped and displayed in the public? In the comfort of our homes, far away from the site, as watchers in the gallery. Where are we still? The CPI (Marxist) women’s wing was required to teach us that she needed support. And why are our brethren in the jungles? Because we did not open a home to shelter them. We have sat in the gallery and vulgarly watched our brethren struggle, yet some one so renowned has propounded an age old Hindu theory of supporting another offender over the other. The only proposal as peace making efforts providing for the Dalits is the same old reservation issue. The provision for the real sufferers has been left to the last and it is age old laundry being displayed again.
Very few, numbered in digits have ventured into the field where the happenings are occurring. Where is the encouragement we ought to provide them, which Paul even in his chains shared to all his brethren who were suffering? Aren’t we to be co-sufferers with them or have accosted our self to Hindu mind, that these are ‘Dalit’ Christians? As much as they have been kept away from our schools are we doing the same thing by keeping away from their suffering? It is our failure to do the right things in the right time that have caused them to take refuge in militant hands, who might seem to them a better savior currently, than the complacent church.
Would a mother leave an infant by the street af
ter giving birth to it? The church has accountability to support these spiritual babes in the time, by providing needs as well as encouragement. Over the more, laud them for having taken their stand to remain Christians, in spite be it the jungle or the fire. I would have appreciated if Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi had appealed to Christians to go to the jungles and bring the ones of our fold back to our homes, to provide shelter to the shelter less and care for the fatherless and the widows of the body of Christ. They are the ones who first belonged to us and have proved their faith, and in this they have gone beyond us in the race. They are the ones, who are tired and discouraged, who are in need of our embrace. Would we be ready to do this or would we fear the sword of the Hindus? Would we provide them our homes even if it means that our sturdy mansions are bombed down, as there villages and shacks were burned down? The church does have a ‘unique opportunity’ here. Our campaign must be to spread the message that vengeance is not ours, but the Lords. It is to the ones in the jungles again that we need to go, to laud them, to tell them to rejoice and to rejoice with them for they have been counted worthy of this suffering. Let’s stop naming them Dalits, with the lowliness they have left, but see them in the light of the gospel, seated at the right hand of Christ. Let us not stop our teaching, but further the gospel by forgiving those who torched our houses and looted everything. Let’s teach and learn ourselves to love them who are enemies. That would shock the nation.
The church’s opportunity to ‘reform and educate’ and embrace the Marxist, as expounded by Dr. Vishal seems to be a great effort in making peace. But my brethren are in want, and far be it from me that I ignore them for worldly peace. For Christ himself did not come to bring peace upon this world, but fire and division (Luke 12:50). Lets not forget it when the word exorts us not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? (2corinthians 6:14 -16). Maoist do not kill ‘on anyone’s behalf’, rather they kill on the behalf of their militant ideology. They are not innocent lambs gone astray, but sure footed warriors dedicated to the cause of rebellion for which they would ‘risk the gallows’. It is gullible to think that they, having rejected Hinduism, are ‘looking for a new faith’. They are clever enough to change according to the region, to support Christians and persecute the same in another nation. What assurance do we have that they will not turn against Christians, if the Christian youth decline to take up arms as the Maoist instructs? If Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi could foresee a glorious result to his hypothetical solution, what about the otherwise? Finally, let the Hindu come and chop our head off, let the Maoist come and eat us alive, are we courageous enough to suffer for the persecuted ones?
{moscomment}
