SMS Updates
Get Free SMS Updates:
|
Christian Crusade Watch
|
Conversion bid by armed men resented |
|
SILCHAR, June 22 – Bhuvan Pahar, one of the most holy places in south Assam, particularly in Barak Valley, 38 km from Silchar town, has come under the threat of miscreants. Gun-totting members of a newly formed militant group, named Manmasi National Christian Army, comprising 15 rebels, has been forcing the residents of Bhuban Pahar under the threat of gun to convert to Christianity.
This information was forwarded to Sonai Police which along with the 5th Assam Rifles conducted a search operation which led to the arrest of 13 miscreants, including their commander-in-chief. Two SBBL guns and a country-made pistol along with sufficient quantity of ammunition were seized from their possession. All the miscreants were handed over to Sonai Police for further investigation.
This group of miscreants, dressed in black with a red cross on their back, along with arms, enter from Tipaimukh through Barak river by boat and mount Bhuvan Pahar. They threatened and asked the Hindu people of Tezpur village, including the priest of this famous Hindu temple, to convert into Christianity.
The problem there began when some Hmar miscreants stated themselves to be members of Manmasi National Christian Army and had started putting pressure on the Hindu residents of Bhuvan Pahar to become Christians. The local residents also said that Manmasi National Christian Army cadres had painted cross symbol on the walls of the temples with their blood.
Sources said, the pressure from the Hmar militants began at least two months back when the Congress, led by Lalthanhwala, acquired power in the neighboring State of Mizoram.
At least seven to eight Hmar youths were frequently visiting Bhuvan Pahar, which had nearly 700 Hindu people as well as eight Hindu temples. These Hmar youths approached with gun in one hand and the Bible in the other.
Sources said that the Hmar youths had a meeting with the villagers in Tezpur village on the Bhuvan Pahar and distributed Bible among the villagers. They had even built up a church in Tezpur village.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar, priest of Naga mandir on Bhuvan Pahar, told VHP members that he was forced by the Hmars to show them the tracks on the Pahar at gunpoint. Further, the Hmars posted a flag, a tabloid and a Holy Cross on the wall of one of the temples bearing date May 29, 2009.
VHP leaders were shown the video footage containing the Hindu temples which had blood-stained Holy Cross symbol. A local resident of the area said that pilgrims from various parts of the country had been visiting Bhuvan Pahar since 1816, but now Christians were forcing the Hindus to convert. These Hmar youths come from Mizoram and they have powerful patrons behind them. The VHP had asked the administration to arrange for security of the Hindu temples, priests as well as the Hindu residents there. http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=jun2309/State3 |
|
|
Students protest as Christian missionary school suspends teacher for singing National Anthem |
|
source: TimesOfIndia, 2 Feb 2009 BHOPAL: Protesting against the alleged insult to the National Anthem in a missionary school in the Govindpura area of the city, Ahkhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers today created ruckus in the school by indulging in violence, police said. The ABVP workers staged a demonstration before the school for allegedly insulting the National Anthem during the Republic Day function on January 26.
As the ABVP activists indulged in ransacking the school property, police cane-charged them to disperse from the spot and arrested nearly 15 of its workers, Bhopal Superintendent of Police (SP) Jaideep Prasad said.
Police also arrested the school Principal, Thomas Malancheruvilla on the issue of allegedly disrespecting the National Anthem, the SP said.
Earlier, Vishwa Hindu Parishad's joint publicity chief, Devendra Singh Rawat alleged at a press conference that on the Republic Day after the National Flag hoisting at the Saint Thomas Convent School, the school's Physical Training Instructor (PTI) Arvind Prakash Gupta started singing the National Anthem as was the custom.
However, the school principal allegedly prevented him from doing so and insisted that he should sing the school prayer.
But Gupta did not stop in between and sang the National Song completely following which the principal announced his suspension from job from the dais itself, Rawat said in the presence of Gupta.
A complaint has been registered against the school in the Govindpura Police Station in this regard, he added. |
|
Undercover missions can't justify breaking laws |
|
Source: Lariat Online (Baylor University), Jan 28, 2009 Undercover missions are an irresponsible means to spread Christianity. This type of mission work has created an ethical quandary that evangelicals are at a loss to justify. While the mission of seeking out unsaved souls is an admirable one, it is dangerous to do so in a country where Christian evangelism is illegal. When a missionary goes to work in one of these places, they not only endanger themselves, but converts as well. In the summer of 2007, China expelled more than 100 missionaries in a secret operation that was the largest expulsion campaign of foreign missionaries in over half a century, according to Christian Newswire. These missionaries were lucky. China is one of the more forgiving countries when it comes to illegal missionary activity. Missionaries in Islamic countries face a greater risk. The two Baylor alumnae and other members of Now International, who were arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001, is one example of the persecution undercover missionaries may face. A year later, three missionaries were killed in Yemen by an Islamic militant. The Yemen government eventually executed the convicted murderer, but there still exist countless Islamic radicals who view Christian missionaries as attempting to eradicate Islam and shame the culture. Christians have been attempting to secretly convert people since The Crusades, but that doesn't make it ethical, especially in the modern world where diplomacy is pivotal in ensuring peace among nations. Undercover missionaries break laws, above all else. Laws are created to instill order within society and ensure that individuals' beliefs do not put the greater population in danger. One's Christian values and morals, as noble as they may be, do not justify blatant disobedience of a country's laws. Undoubtedly, missionaries go with a pure purpose, and usually the belief that sharing Christianity overrides all else. From a logical angle, personal beliefs, i.e. a religion, should never be allowed to trump the law. Guerrilla-style evangelism is no exception. The murkier of issues are ethical in nature. By disobeying local law and disregarding a country's culture, missionaries endanger the lives of those they successfully convert. The Barnabas Fund, a Christian persecution watchdog, recently reported that inflated figures citing the amount of Muslim converts to Christianity have increased danger for converts and Westerners in Islamic countries. Muslims in these countries have used such figures to incite public outrage against the Christian evangelical movement. For safety purposes, secret missionaries often enter a country under the guise of a profession such as a teacher or medical aid worker and are forced to live by false pretenses. Jesus never lied, according to the Bible. Missionaries who preach Jesus Christ's ultimate message of truth, while simultaneously sidestepping laws and cultural values, send the wrong message. Before crossing cultural and legal boundaries to harvest unsaved souls, Christian missionaries should evaluate what message they are conveying, and rethink what Jesus truly meant when he said in Matthew 4:19, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Would He have been so reckless in today's world? Liz Foreman is a junior international studies and journalism major from Beaumont and the assistant city editor of The Baylor Lariat. |
|
US priests 'in $800,000 theft' |
|
source: BBC news, 22 January 2009 Two Roman Catholic priests have been accused of stealing $800,000 (£577,000)from the collection plate of their church in the US state of Florida. They allegedly planned to spend the money on property, holidays and gambling. One of the priests, Fr John Skehan, 81, abandoned his not guilty plea, but Fr Francis Guinan, 66, denies the charges. US law - the statute of limitations - prevents the priests being charged with thefts that occurred before 2001. But the auditors say that up to $8m might have disappeared over a period of 20 years. It could be the biggest embezzlement case to affect the Catholic Church in the United States. One of the priests - Fr John Skehan - abandoned his not guilty plea just before his trial began and admitted stealing money given by parishioners at St Vincent Ferrer Church, in West Palm Beach. His lawyer Scott Richardson said Fr Skehan admitted stealing more than $100,000 "but not close to $800,000". The priests allegedly hid the money in the church ceiling and opened offshore accounts. Fr Skehan - who has been given the honorific title "Monsignor" - served at the church for 40 years. He admitted spending stolen money on gambling in Las Vegas and a collection of rare coins. However, Mr Richardson said Fr Skehan denied claims that he had spent money on expensive houses. 'Well-supported' Fr Skehan's colleague at St Vincent Ferrer Church, Fr Francis Guinan, has been accused of using his share of the embezzled money to support a mistress and take her on expensive holidays. The authorities claim Fr Guinan had an "intimate" relationship with a former church book-keeper and spent much of the money on her.  Father Francis Guinan denies any involvement in the theft | Fr Guinan denies the charges and will go on trial next month. Fr Guinan's lawyer, Richard Barlow, said: "Just because both priests worked at the same church and one pleads guilty, it doesn't mean my guy is guilty." Mr Richardson said: "Fr Skehan accepted responsibility for his actions by virtue of his guilty plea", adding: "he has the support of many people, many of whom will speak on his behalf". He could be sent to jail for as long as 31 years. Both priests were originally from Ireland. Fr Skehan comes from Johnstown in County Kilkenny and Fr Guinan from Birr in County Offaly. Fr Skehan was arrested at Palm Beach International Airport in September 2006 on his return from Ireland. Both the priests left the United States after the Church received a tip-off in a letter, and began an investigation into the accounts at St Vincent's, and what they called "alleged improprieties". |
|
3 held for forceful conversion |
|
5 Jan 2009, 0147 hrs IST, TNN Bangalore: Tension prevailed for some time near HAL airport police station after a group of people approached the police and handed
over three persons, who allegedly tried to convert others into a particular religion.
The three persons, including a couple, were later arrested by the police on charges of proselytism. Books and pamphlets used in the activity were also recovered from them. Two other persons who worked with the three are absconding.
The arrested persons are Rama Reddy (26) from Nanjareddy Colony, who came from Andhra Pradesh, Micoh Barbosa (35) and his wife Asmira Barbosa. Police said the crowd brought them from Murugeshpalya, where they allegedly tried to perform a conversion.
Micoh Barbaras is a native of Karwar and resident of Rajanakunte. The three were arrested on a complaint filed by Prabhod Kumar Das from Murageshpalya. He works in a private company.
According to police, the three visited Das' house for the past one week and persuaded him to change his religion. Das is a native of Orissa. Police said they also gave books and other reading material to Das.
On Sunday, the three came to Das' house while he was with a relative. Then Das went out and called some people from the colony and asked the three about their intention, after which the three spilled the beans.
In the complaint, Das stated that the accused were involved in "denigration of Hindu gods". The complaint also stated that the three persons promised him money and a job if he agreed to convert.
The three are in custody and will be taken to a court on Monday. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3934749.cms |
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 1 of 2 |
|
