Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this Friday. It is going to be bright and beautiful. We are excited for this weekend. Sunita and Andy are coming home and their dear friend Meredith is also coming with them. Jessica and Tom are coming home for the weekend. Our niece Jovita ,who lives and works in Philadelphia, is also coming home. Jessica and Jovita are more than cousins. They are good friends. They went to Grove City College together and are now sharing an apartment together. All are coming for the birthday gathering tomorrow afternoon from 4-7 at the Union Center UMC Fellowship Hall, 128 Maple Drive. They are preparing much food, including many authentic Indian foods. Those of you live in the area please stop by.
Join us this evening for our Television outreach at 7 p.m. on Channel 4. As Christians we are in a battle everyday! Upon this battle depends our joy, as we engage in overcoming sin. The problem is that most Christians don’t realize that battle is a fact of life; Too many of us are asleep in the barracks rather than being active on the battlefield! C. S. Lewis wrote, “There’s no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every minute of every hour is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan.” Growing up in India I have seen many diverse and dangerous snakes. I killed a few cobras in my youthful and fearless days. My dad had shot and killed some of the very deadly snakes. It is a known fact that snakes are born with a reflex action that allows them to bite and shoot venom into a human body even after they are killed. A rattlesnake can still bite and kill a human an hour after its dead! I am reminded that Satan was dealt a deadly blow on the cross, but he still is very dangerous! That’s why it takes special weapons for this supernatural warfare! 2 Corinthians 10:4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” The devil doesn’t fear bombs, bullets, missiles and torpedoes – he only fears the supernatural weaponry given to every believer!
I came across the following story sometime ago: It was in 1854 that Pastor Dudley Tyng, at only 29 years old, was voted as the new pastor of a Philadelphia church. At first the work went well until he started to preach against the sin of slavery – at that point to church did not want to make anyone mad so they told him to shut down such silly preaching. Pastor Dudley lasted only 2 years at that large church in Philadelphia. So it was that Pastor Dudley started Bible studies at the YMCA and he began rallying husbands to come to Christ. On March 30, 1858, 5000 men gathered in the streets of Philadelphia and the first thing he said to the sea of faces before him, “I would rather this right arm were amputated close to the shoulder than to come up short of my duty to you in delivering God’s message.” It was reported in the paper the next day that over 1000 people got saved. Two weeks later Pastor Dudley was visiting a farmer as he was thrashing corn in the barn and all of the sudden Pastor Dudley’s sleeve got caught in the thrasher, which ripped his arm out of his shoulder and the main artery was severed. Four days later Pastor was just about to die and he lifted his head and said to everyone around the bed, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross, lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.” This birthed the hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers”! The rest of the song was written by a Presbyterian Pastor who was so touched by Dudley’s conviction for Christ. He wrote… “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss From victory unto victory, His army shall He lead Till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed!” Let us take this thought with us today: from our armor comes our position, power, privileges and our praise!In and through Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONPlqLTRBI0
p.s. Please note that we will be hosting the Continental Singers and Orchestra on Friday, November 14 at 7 p.m. The Continentals will be presenting DREAMER, the story of Joseph. Our oldest daughter, Janice, traveled with the Continentals in 1994, the last time that the Continentals presented DREAMER.
We will also be hosting the St. Petersburg Men's Ensemble, from Russia, on Friday, December 13 at 7 p.m.
We have chartered a bus for our annual trip to Radio City Music Hall in NYC for the Christmas Spectacular. The trip will be on Monday, December 8. We currently have a few seats left at a cost of $75 per person. This includes both transportation and the ticket to the show.
Fri, 24/10/2008 - 11:00am Malegaon blasts: Former VHP members detained
Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai, Oct 24: In another development in Malegaon blasts case, police have taken three suspects into custody from Indore, one of whom is a young woman. All the three have been brought to Mumbai for further questioning.
Involvement of a woman totally came as a shock to the officials. Pragya Jain, who has been detained, is said to be a former member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The details of other two detainees have not been disclosed yet.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Fri, 24/10/2008 - 8:57am Whither India: Qualitative change in Polity
Last six months have been most disturbing on the Indian political scene. As far as the values of integration are concerned they are being attacked very severely by terrorist-communal forces. First, we saw the series of bomb blasts, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Malegaon. It was projected by the authorities that all these acts are due to Jehadi Muslim groups that police have succeeded in cracking the network. One outcome of this was the Batla house encounter in which police, bravely killed the terrorists. It put out a version that now the terror ring has been busted and kingpins have been arrested. It is another matter that later the relevant-uncomfortable questions were raised and satisfactory answers to these were not forthcoming. On the top of this the claim that Malegaon blasts were done by SIMI proved to be false as the investigation showed the possibility of ABVP/Bajrang Dal being involved in same.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, West India
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Fri, 24/10/2008 - 8:49am Report concludes that Bangalore church fire was not because of short-circuit
BANGALORE: It is now official. The fire at St. Anthony's Church at Yadavanahalli, near Attibele, was not due to short-circuit.An inquiry by the Chief Electricity Inspectorate to Government (CEIG) has revealed that there was no electrical short-circuit in the church.
The sources in the CEIG told The Hindu that the report was submitted to the State Government on October 18.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Fri, 24/10/2008 - 7:08am Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2007/2008
http://www.acn.org.uk/shop/reports/BPAF08_Index.pdfIndex of Persecution2008 Aid to the Church in Need.Based on ACN’s Persecuted & Forgotten?:A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2007/2008IntroductionHuman rights is a buzzword in international politics. Every country must respect them and promoting them is the first duty of every government.This year (2008) marks 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. Yet little is said about religious liberty which the Declaration guarantees, and even less is said about the frequent infringement of rights which is suffered by Christians throughout the world.The state of Orissa in eastern India is a case in point. It has now erupted in a blaze of anti-Christian violence for the second time in twelve months. The litany of events is depressing: As of mid-October 2008 over a hundred people were reported either dead or missing (official Church figures put deaths at around 60) and 25,000 people were living in refugee camps, with a similar number are hiding in the jungle; impassioned mobs had destroyed more than 4,400 houses and 151 churches or chapels; and more than 18,000 people were injured. It is easy to be numbed by all these figures, but the stories that make up the statistics have the power to shock us out of our complacency, such as the attack on the pastoral centre in Kanjamindi.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, Other Countries
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Thu, 23/10/2008 - 10:06pm SISTER MINA WHO WAS RAPED AND PARADED NAKED IN THE ORISSA TO MEET THE PRESS
SISTER MINA WHO WAS RAPED AND PARADED NAKED IN THE ORISSA COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN AUGUST 2008IS TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON 24 OCTOBER 2008
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Thu, 23/10/2008 - 7:58pm 17 churches ,346 houses ,16 businesses destroyed and1100 children affected in Gajapathy
Date wise attacks in different villages carried out by radical Hindus in Gajapathy district, neighboring Kandhamal is given below1. 25.08.08 : Mukundipur - One Church and 40 houses2. 25.09.09 : Jeerango - One Church, 16 Shops and 11 houses.3. 25.08.08 : Podaguma - One Church and 32 houses4. 25.08.08 : Potar - One Church and 35 houses5. 25.08.08 : Lanjipadar - One Church and 12 houses6. 25.08.08 : Bangosahi - One Church and 25 houses7. 25.08.08 : Kamaladhio - One Church and 11 houses8. 25.08.08 : Lailai - One Church and 15 houses9. 25.08.08 : Tapongo - One Church and 25 houses10. 25.08.08 : Alajhar - One Church11. 25.08.08 : Khambarisahi - One Church12. 25.08.08 : Marloba - Two Churches and one house13. 26.08.08 : Boldaguma - One Church and 29 houses14. 26.08.08 : Naktiguma - One Church and 11 houses15. 27.08.08 : K.K. Singh - One Church and 76 houses16. 27.08.08 : Deudisahi - One Church and 23 houses
Total no. of the Churches are : 17Total nos. of Houses are : 346Total nos. of shops including one Rice mill are : 16Total Christian families attacked,injured and displaced:364Total nos of Men affected : 366Total nos of Women affected : 357Total nos of Children affected :1100(Boys-500, Girls-600)
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Brown's Daily Word 10-23-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. Rick Warren in his book "The Purpose Driven Life", makes a note that one day every one will stand before the Lord God Almighty. He will ask two questions to every one: What have you done with my Son Jesus Christ and What have you done with the talents, treasures, and time I had entrusted to you. Praise the Lord for we can serve Him on earth now by being engaged in the tasks that He has given us. We are called as co-workers with Christ. We are His ambassadors on earth.
I recently read that including commuting time, the average American works about 50 hours a week. What studies actually show is that the percentage of people working longer hours has grown significantly over the past 10 years but at the same time those working fewer hours has grown at the same rate. This tells us a lot about what is going on in society right now including the fact that most of us who work are spending most of our waking hours working at our jobs. We are a working society. In order for us to really begin to enjoy our jobs we need to realize that our work matters to God. Sometimes we convince ourselves that all God is interested in is the spiritual and moral side of our life, whether we are saying our prayers and avoiding sin. But God is interested in every dimension, in every aspect of our life including our work. In fact, the Bible goes to great lengths to show us that God understands what it means to work. God is presented as a working God from the very beginning. In the creation history of Genesis 2 we read, "By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." Perhaps the greatest compliment God made to us was sending us a Savior who knew what it meant to work with his hands. Jesus was a carpenter who knew the constant demands of labor. Perhaps Henry Van Dyke expressed it well in his poem, "The Toiling of Felix", when he wrote: This is the gospel of labor, ring it, ye bells of the kirk! The Lord of love came down from above, to live with the men who work. This is the rose that He planted, here in thorn-crust soil: Heaven’s blest with perfect rest, but the blessing of earth is toil. Our work does matter to God and he understands the pressures we often face.Then if we really want to enjoy our work and feel content with it, we must keep our priorities straight. Dr. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, was a worldwide evangelist and missionary. He spent much of his life founding orphanages in Korea, rescuing children from death and starvation. He told of an incident that occurred one Christmas Eve when he was in Stockholm, traveling with the Korean Children’s Choir. He made a call home and talked to all the members of his family, wishing them a Merry Christmas. Finally, the youngest child got the phone. "Oh Daddy", she said. "I wish I was an orphan so I could be with you on Christmas Eve." The Apostle Paul was a tent maker. He spent many hours every day making tents in order to make money to meet his daily needs. If we were to somehow transport ourselves back to the first century and walk into Paul’s workshop and ask him, "Paul, what do you do?", what do you think he would say? "I’m a tent maker. I spend 40 or 50 hours a week making tents. On the side, I do a little preaching and some small-group work." No, I don’t really think this is the way it was. The majority of Paul’s time was spent making tents but somehow I think he would say something like, "I’ve been called by God to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. Incidentally, I make tents and I spend a good part of my day doing that." When we get down to it, our vocation as Christians is sharing Jesus with others. Studies indicate that the number one need in a job is not the money or the prestige; it is the need to feel that what we are doing is worthwhile and will make a difference. When we re-focus ourselves to see that our vocation is sharing Christ through whatever we do then how can we not make a difference in someone’s life? Once there lived a very religious man who lived in Glasgow, Scotland. He taught Sunday School, preached in outdoor meetings, and served the church in many other ways. He was a baker by trade. One day on a train he was confronted by a zealous lady passenger who asked him if he was a Christian. When he replied in the affirmative, she asked him what work he did for the Master. "I bake", he said. "Ah, I did not ask you about your trade, but what service do you give to him who redeemed you?" "Madam, I bake." She was a bit put off but persisted. "I mean how are you seeking to glorify Christ and spread his gospel?" Again his only reply was, "I bake." Another man, Johann Sebastian Bach, wrote many beautiful pieces of music. At the top of every one he wrote the words, "To the glory of God." This should be our prayer as we go about our daily work---To The Glory of God! One day a young priest complained to Mother Theresa about all the demands being put upon him and how it was taking away from his ability to serve the poor, which was his life’s passion. She responded, "Your vocation is not to serve the poor. Y our vocation is to love Jesus." It is written: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3.
In Christ,
Brownhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dca0P7w9ZQ
Praise the Lord for this new day. Rick Warren in his book "The Purpose Driven Life", makes a note that one day every one will stand before the Lord God Almighty. He will ask two questions to every one: What have you done with my Son Jesus Christ and What have you done with the talents, treasures, and time I had entrusted to you. Praise the Lord for we can serve Him on earth now by being engaged in the tasks that He has given us. We are called as co-workers with Christ. We are His ambassadors on earth.
I recently read that including commuting time, the average American works about 50 hours a week. What studies actually show is that the percentage of people working longer hours has grown significantly over the past 10 years but at the same time those working fewer hours has grown at the same rate. This tells us a lot about what is going on in society right now including the fact that most of us who work are spending most of our waking hours working at our jobs. We are a working society. In order for us to really begin to enjoy our jobs we need to realize that our work matters to God. Sometimes we convince ourselves that all God is interested in is the spiritual and moral side of our life, whether we are saying our prayers and avoiding sin. But God is interested in every dimension, in every aspect of our life including our work. In fact, the Bible goes to great lengths to show us that God understands what it means to work. God is presented as a working God from the very beginning. In the creation history of Genesis 2 we read, "By the seventh day, God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." Perhaps the greatest compliment God made to us was sending us a Savior who knew what it meant to work with his hands. Jesus was a carpenter who knew the constant demands of labor. Perhaps Henry Van Dyke expressed it well in his poem, "The Toiling of Felix", when he wrote: This is the gospel of labor, ring it, ye bells of the kirk! The Lord of love came down from above, to live with the men who work. This is the rose that He planted, here in thorn-crust soil: Heaven’s blest with perfect rest, but the blessing of earth is toil. Our work does matter to God and he understands the pressures we often face.Then if we really want to enjoy our work and feel content with it, we must keep our priorities straight. Dr. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, was a worldwide evangelist and missionary. He spent much of his life founding orphanages in Korea, rescuing children from death and starvation. He told of an incident that occurred one Christmas Eve when he was in Stockholm, traveling with the Korean Children’s Choir. He made a call home and talked to all the members of his family, wishing them a Merry Christmas. Finally, the youngest child got the phone. "Oh Daddy", she said. "I wish I was an orphan so I could be with you on Christmas Eve." The Apostle Paul was a tent maker. He spent many hours every day making tents in order to make money to meet his daily needs. If we were to somehow transport ourselves back to the first century and walk into Paul’s workshop and ask him, "Paul, what do you do?", what do you think he would say? "I’m a tent maker. I spend 40 or 50 hours a week making tents. On the side, I do a little preaching and some small-group work." No, I don’t really think this is the way it was. The majority of Paul’s time was spent making tents but somehow I think he would say something like, "I’ve been called by God to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. Incidentally, I make tents and I spend a good part of my day doing that." When we get down to it, our vocation as Christians is sharing Jesus with others. Studies indicate that the number one need in a job is not the money or the prestige; it is the need to feel that what we are doing is worthwhile and will make a difference. When we re-focus ourselves to see that our vocation is sharing Christ through whatever we do then how can we not make a difference in someone’s life? Once there lived a very religious man who lived in Glasgow, Scotland. He taught Sunday School, preached in outdoor meetings, and served the church in many other ways. He was a baker by trade. One day on a train he was confronted by a zealous lady passenger who asked him if he was a Christian. When he replied in the affirmative, she asked him what work he did for the Master. "I bake", he said. "Ah, I did not ask you about your trade, but what service do you give to him who redeemed you?" "Madam, I bake." She was a bit put off but persisted. "I mean how are you seeking to glorify Christ and spread his gospel?" Again his only reply was, "I bake." Another man, Johann Sebastian Bach, wrote many beautiful pieces of music. At the top of every one he wrote the words, "To the glory of God." This should be our prayer as we go about our daily work---To The Glory of God! One day a young priest complained to Mother Theresa about all the demands being put upon him and how it was taking away from his ability to serve the poor, which was his life’s passion. She responded, "Your vocation is not to serve the poor. Y our vocation is to love Jesus." It is written: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3.
In Christ,
Brownhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dca0P7w9ZQ
India update 10-23-08
Thu, 23/10/2008 - 11:20am Hindu group behind Malegaon, Modasa blasts: Cops
Hindu group behind Malegaon, Modasa blasts: CopsMumbai, October 22 The Maharashtra police are said to have cracked the September 29 bomb blasts in Malegaon and Modasa town in neighbouring Gujarat saying these were allegedly carried out by the Hindu Jagran Manch, an Indore-based Hindu extremist group known to have links to the BJP’s student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The key suspects are being questioned, top Maharashtra Police sources have told The Indian Express.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Thu, 23/10/2008 - 10:16am RSS flays State for 'inept' handling of Kandhamal situation
October 23, 2008BHUBANESWAR: Rastritya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) on Wednesday (22-10-08) criticised Orissa government for its inept handling of the situation following the violence that rocked Kandhamal district.Akhila Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM), the highest decision making body of RSS, passed a resolution saying both the Centre and the State government played 'patrician and dubious role' in handling the situation.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Thu, 23/10/2008 - 9:30am Upper house of Parliament adjourns after uproar over attack on Christians in Orissa
New Delhi, Oct 22 - Opposition BJP and ruling Congress members today clashed in the Rajya Sabha over the issue of attack on Christians in Orissa, leading to abrupt adjournment of the House.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 6:25pm Little Flower Church Tikamgarh ,Madhya Pradesh set on fire-GCIC demands action
Bhopal:22nd Oct,08- Some unidentified miscreants set fire a Catholic Church in Tikamgarh district in Madhya Pradesh today.171 violent incidents of attacks took place on church personnal, the institutions and worship places of the community which included violent attacks on community members as well in the state during the tenure of the present governmentThe incident came notice when the Sisters of Secret Heart nuns working in the parish went to the Church at 5.15 (22nd Oct)in the morning to open the Church they found smoke billowing out of it and immediately informed Fr. Siju John , the Assistant Parish priest of Little Flower Church, called up the police. They all set the fire off. Rev.says , "it looks that they must have set the Church in fire in the early morning".
They have poured kerosene or some other inflammable substance to set the door of the Church to fire. The carpet near to the Church also got fire and burnt partially. However, before it spreads to other parts of the Church it was put off . A delegation lead by Fr. Siji called on the district collector. An FIR has been lodged with the police.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, Central India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 4:49pm Betikola church files Defamation suit in Orissa
Orissa-
Executive Body members of the Betikola Church Council filed a Defamation suit for Rs.50 crore against Ashok Sahu, President of Hindu Jagran Samukhya(allies of VHP) in the Sr.Divisional Civil Judge at Cuttack and also in S.D.J.M. Court Court of of Bhubaneswar .The executive members consist of Mr. Bikram Pradhan, Ajit Kumar Pradhan, Helina Mallick, Kamalini Nayak, Kumudini Digal, Sulata Nayak and Mahadeb. The libel suit in its prayer, pleaded that Mr. Ashok Sahu's has caused "irreparable damage to the image of the Church and its Council, It also said that the fabricated document has lowered the prestige and reputation of the Council."In a related development.during the protest rally here on Tuesday, VHP State General Secretary, Mr Gouri Prasad Rath, also threatened to file defamation against some Christian leaders for making false allegations and tarnishing the image of Orissa and India in the World. Mr Gouri Prasad Rath, VHP State General Secretary ,reacting to Nun’s rape case said that "No such incident has actually happened"
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 2:02pm Supreme Court of India rejects plea for CBI inquiry into rape of nun in Orissa
New Delhi, Oct 22 - The Supreme Court today declined to hand over to CBI the investigation into the alleged rape of a nun during the on-going communal violence in Orissa."At this stage we do not think that handing over the investigation into the case from the state police to the CBI is in the interest of the victim as well as in the interest of justice. We think that the victim will cooperate with the state police," a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and P M Panchal rejected the petition filed by Archbishop Raphel Cheenath of Cuttack seeking a CBI inquiry into the rape and humiliation of a Christian Nun.
Hindu group behind Malegaon, Modasa blasts: CopsMumbai, October 22 The Maharashtra police are said to have cracked the September 29 bomb blasts in Malegaon and Modasa town in neighbouring Gujarat saying these were allegedly carried out by the Hindu Jagran Manch, an Indore-based Hindu extremist group known to have links to the BJP’s student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The key suspects are being questioned, top Maharashtra Police sources have told The Indian Express.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Thu, 23/10/2008 - 10:16am RSS flays State for 'inept' handling of Kandhamal situation
October 23, 2008BHUBANESWAR: Rastritya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) on Wednesday (22-10-08) criticised Orissa government for its inept handling of the situation following the violence that rocked Kandhamal district.Akhila Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (ABKM), the highest decision making body of RSS, passed a resolution saying both the Centre and the State government played 'patrician and dubious role' in handling the situation.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Thu, 23/10/2008 - 9:30am Upper house of Parliament adjourns after uproar over attack on Christians in Orissa
New Delhi, Oct 22 - Opposition BJP and ruling Congress members today clashed in the Rajya Sabha over the issue of attack on Christians in Orissa, leading to abrupt adjournment of the House.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 6:25pm Little Flower Church Tikamgarh ,Madhya Pradesh set on fire-GCIC demands action
Bhopal:22nd Oct,08- Some unidentified miscreants set fire a Catholic Church in Tikamgarh district in Madhya Pradesh today.171 violent incidents of attacks took place on church personnal, the institutions and worship places of the community which included violent attacks on community members as well in the state during the tenure of the present governmentThe incident came notice when the Sisters of Secret Heart nuns working in the parish went to the Church at 5.15 (22nd Oct)in the morning to open the Church they found smoke billowing out of it and immediately informed Fr. Siju John , the Assistant Parish priest of Little Flower Church, called up the police. They all set the fire off. Rev.says , "it looks that they must have set the Church in fire in the early morning".
They have poured kerosene or some other inflammable substance to set the door of the Church to fire. The carpet near to the Church also got fire and burnt partially. However, before it spreads to other parts of the Church it was put off . A delegation lead by Fr. Siji called on the district collector. An FIR has been lodged with the police.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, Central India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Wed, 22/10/2008 - 4:49pm Betikola church files Defamation suit in Orissa
Orissa-
Executive Body members of the Betikola Church Council filed a Defamation suit for Rs.50 crore against Ashok Sahu, President of Hindu Jagran Samukhya(allies of VHP) in the Sr.Divisional Civil Judge at Cuttack and also in S.D.J.M. Court Court of of Bhubaneswar .The executive members consist of Mr. Bikram Pradhan, Ajit Kumar Pradhan, Helina Mallick, Kamalini Nayak, Kumudini Digal, Sulata Nayak and Mahadeb. The libel suit in its prayer, pleaded that Mr. Ashok Sahu's has caused "irreparable damage to the image of the Church and its Council, It also said that the fabricated document has lowered the prestige and reputation of the Council."In a related development.during the protest rally here on Tuesday, VHP State General Secretary, Mr Gouri Prasad Rath, also threatened to file defamation against some Christian leaders for making false allegations and tarnishing the image of Orissa and India in the World. Mr Gouri Prasad Rath, VHP State General Secretary ,reacting to Nun’s rape case said that "No such incident has actually happened"
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 2:02pm Supreme Court of India rejects plea for CBI inquiry into rape of nun in Orissa
New Delhi, Oct 22 - The Supreme Court today declined to hand over to CBI the investigation into the alleged rape of a nun during the on-going communal violence in Orissa."At this stage we do not think that handing over the investigation into the case from the state police to the CBI is in the interest of the victim as well as in the interest of justice. We think that the victim will cooperate with the state police," a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and P M Panchal rejected the petition filed by Archbishop Raphel Cheenath of Cuttack seeking a CBI inquiry into the rape and humiliation of a Christian Nun.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Brown's Daily Word & India update10-22-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord that we are saved to serve. We are called to offer the Grace of Jesus to a very needy world. I have been blessed by the Lord in so many ways. I praise the Lord for His extravagant love, steadfastness, and great faithfulness. My family is planning a reception for me in honor of my 60th birthday this coming Saturday, October 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. at our Union Center United Methodist Church, 128 Maple Drive, Endicott. Those of you who live in the vicinity , please stop by.
I have been involved in the ministry of our Lord in one form or the other over the last 44 years. It has been a great thrill and a great blessing. One of the greatest blessings is to be involved in weddings. We are called to offer grace and hope in Christ our Lord.
I have been privileged to go to the Biblical Village of Cana in Galilee several times, where Jesus our Lord performed His first miracle. MSNBC reported on an archaeological dig in Cana, Israel in 2004. The article read: “Among the roots of ancient olive trees, archaeologists have found pieces of large stone jars of the type the Gospel says Jesus used when he turned water into wine at a Jewish wedding in the Galilee village of Cana. They believe these could have been the same kind of vessels the Bible says Jesus used in his first miracle, and that the site where they were found could be the location of biblical Cana. Israeli archaeologist Yardena Alexander believes that this Arab town was built near the ancient village. The jar pieces date to the Roman period, when Jesus traveled in the Galilee.” I make a note to this archeological dig to say that the story of the first miracle of Jesus at the wedding in Cana is firmly rooted in the real world. It is grounded in history. History is “His story.” This wedding and miracle are inextricably connected to what God is doing in the world. It is linked to what God did in the beginning of world and what he will do at the end of the world, as we shall see. It is interesting that Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding. What is even more interesting is the nature of the miracle he performed. Jesus began his ministry with a miracle in a nondescript remote town of Galilee, and he performed the miracle in such a way as not to bring attention to himself. No one actually saw him do anything. If a pastor brought a bottle of wine to a wedding it might cause a stir, but Jesus not only turned water into wine, he made a lot of it, and after the guests already had too much to drink. As John tells the story, he says that there were six stone jars containing 20-30 gallons each. Average that out to 25 gallons, and multiply it by six, and you have 150 gallons of wine. That’s a lot of wine, and this is not some sort of grape juice, otherwise the master of the banquet would not have pronounced it the “best” wine. We think it is strange that he provided the wine after the people had already had too much to drink. They had drunk all the wine that was available. The master of the banquet said to the bridegroom, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now” (John 2:10). The word the NIV translates as saying, “had too much to drink,” is the Greek word methusko (meqskw), which literally means “to get drunk.” Most people served their best wine first and waited until the guests had become too inebriated to realize they were serving a cheaper wine, but the wine Jesus made was superior. It was the best wine, and was served after everyone had too much to drink already. It is not that Jesus is promoting drunkenness, but he is doing what he always does, giving his gifts extravagantly and in abundance. Another wedding, more glorious and more wonderful than anything we have ever known, is yet to come. Jesus hinted at it at the Last Supper when he said, “I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). The fulfillment of Christ’s promises to marry his bride will take place not just in a garden paradise, but in the full paradise of God’s kingdom, at the fulfillment of all things, at the end of the age. The writer of Revelation puts it like this: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ Then the angel said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”’” (Revelation 19:6-9). Now it becomes clear why Jesus began his ministry with a miracle at a wedding. Human history began with a wedding in the Garden of Eden. The bride of Christ, His people, the church, was established at the saving death of our Savior, as the wine of his blood was poured out for his people. At the end of the age, this wedding will be consummated at the wedding feast of the Lamb. Here is the greatest of all miracles and mysteries. Here is the plan of God which he began in the Garden of Eden, a wedding made possible in the garden where Jesus was crucified and consummated in Paradise at the coming of Christ at the end of the age. Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic who was paralyzed in a diving accident as a teenager, talked about her wedding day. She said, “I felt awkward as my girlfriends strained to shift my paralyzed body into a cumbersome wedding gown. No amount of corseting and binding my body gave me a perfect shape. The dress just didn’t fit well. Then, as I was wheeling into the church, I glanced down and noticed that I’d accidentally run over the hem of my dress, leaving a greasy tire mark. My paralyzed hands couldn’t hold the bouquet of daisies that lay off-center on my lap. And my chair, though decorated for the wedding, was still a big, clunky gray machine with belts, gears, and ball bearings. I certainly didn’t feel like the picture-perfect bride in a bridal magazine. I inched my chair closer to the last pew to catch a glimpse of Ken in front. There he was, standing tall and stately in his formal attire. I saw him looking for me, craning his neck to look up the aisle. My face flushed, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to be with him. I had seen my beloved. The love in Ken’s face had washed away all my feelings of unworthiness. I was his pure and perfect bride. How easy it is for us to think that we’re utterly unlovely — especially to someone as lovely as Christ. But he loves us with the bright eyes of a Bridegroom’s love and cannot wait for the day we are united with him forever.” We, unattractive, frightened, paralyzed and imperfect, yet wild with hope, come to the wedding feast of the Lamb. We feel inadequate and unworthy, yet our eyes are fixed on Christ. We are overwhelmed with emotion as we know that we are loved and accepted just as we are, and that the wedding will bring about a transformation. The blood and water that flowed from his side has released us from our bondage, healed our brokenness and cleansed us from our sin. We become the Bride of Christ, not just in theory or potentially, but in reality. There, together with him and all the redeemed, we will taste the new wine of the kingdom. The writer of Revelation proclaimed, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelation 21:2-5).
The Best is yet to be in and because of Christ,
Brown
Wed, 22/10/2008 - 2:02pm Supreme Court of India rejects plea for CBI inquiry into rape of nun in Orissa
New Delhi, Oct 22 - The Supreme Court today declined to hand over to CBI the investigation into the alleged rape of a nun during the on-going communal violence in Orissa."At this stage we do not think that handing over the investigation into the case from the state police to the CBI is in the interest of the victim as well as in the interest of justice. We think that the victim will cooperate with the state police," a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and P M Panchal rejected the petition filed by Archbishop Raphel Cheenath of Cuttack seeking a CBI inquiry into the rape and humiliation of a Christian Nun.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 11:12am Christians boycott Justice Panigrahi & Mohapatra commissions of Inquiry
Global council of Indian christians(GCIC) join Archbishop Cheenath-call for transperancy and instill trust
1. With respect to the communal violence that began in Kandhamal district of the state of Orissa in December, 2007 the state government has appointed the Justice BasudevPanigrahi Commission of Inquiry. Similarly, with respect to the communal violence that flared up in August 2008 in different parts of Orissa, which continues unabated, the state government has appointed the Justice S.C. MohapatraCommission of Inquiry.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 8:52am Christian body slams Orissa's secular policy
October 21, 2008Bhubaneswar, Oct 21 (IANS) A Christian body Tuesday slammed the Orissa government for refusing monetary compensation to re-build the churches demolished in the recent sectarian violence.Reacting to the affidavit filed by Orissa Monday in the Supreme Court, the Global Council of Indian Christians said the partisan attitude of the government was vividly indicative from it.
The government affidavit, saying monetary compensation to any religious institution was against its secular policy, comes after Cuttack Archbishop Raphel Cheenath filed a petition in the apex court seeking Rs.30 million as compensation to rebuild the churches demolished in the sectarian violence in the Kandhamal district.'The Churches are the places of worship, where people from all religion go and pray,' Sajan K. George, president of the Christian council, said in a release.'The state government has said the monetary compensation to any religious institution is against its secular policy. But the budget of the state law department shows items, such as temple establishment, performance of festivals, grants to temple administration etc,' George said.He said the government had spent nearly Rs.40 million alone under the head of upkeep of temples, budgeted around Rs.50 million.'Another valid document shows speech by the finance minister this year in the Orissa legislative assembly, in which he mentioned about the allotment of Rs.5 crore (five million) for a temple development,' he said.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 22/10/2008 - 8:02am Peoples Union for Civil Liberties enquiry report on the Mangalore attack
Enquiry Report On The Attack On The Adoration Monastery, Milagres, Mangalore
PEOPLES TRIBUNAL ENQUIRY
Conducted at the instance of the
Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, South KanaraAnd
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Tue, 21/10/2008 - 9:52pm RSS,VHP demand ban of conversions
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20081027&fname=Conversions+%28F%29&sid=5A resolution demanding a ban on religious conversion was passed by functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the conclusion of its three-day national executive meeting. The meeting ignored the forced conversions to Hinduism by its cadre, conversion of western christians by new age gurus and sathvis
The three-day annual meeting concluded at Vishakapatnam on October 19 and about 350 functionaries from 40 sister organisations of the RSS,including VHP,Bajrang Dal attended the meet.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Tue, 21/10/2008 - 9:42pm Radicals attack catholic seminarians in Karnataka
Kodagu-KarnatakaVishwa Hindu Parishad on Oct 19th assaulted 4 trainees of theCatholic Indian Mission Society (IMS) at Gonikopa in Kodagu Dist,Karnataka.
Praise the Lord that we are saved to serve. We are called to offer the Grace of Jesus to a very needy world. I have been blessed by the Lord in so many ways. I praise the Lord for His extravagant love, steadfastness, and great faithfulness. My family is planning a reception for me in honor of my 60th birthday this coming Saturday, October 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. at our Union Center United Methodist Church, 128 Maple Drive, Endicott. Those of you who live in the vicinity , please stop by.
I have been involved in the ministry of our Lord in one form or the other over the last 44 years. It has been a great thrill and a great blessing. One of the greatest blessings is to be involved in weddings. We are called to offer grace and hope in Christ our Lord.
I have been privileged to go to the Biblical Village of Cana in Galilee several times, where Jesus our Lord performed His first miracle. MSNBC reported on an archaeological dig in Cana, Israel in 2004. The article read: “Among the roots of ancient olive trees, archaeologists have found pieces of large stone jars of the type the Gospel says Jesus used when he turned water into wine at a Jewish wedding in the Galilee village of Cana. They believe these could have been the same kind of vessels the Bible says Jesus used in his first miracle, and that the site where they were found could be the location of biblical Cana. Israeli archaeologist Yardena Alexander believes that this Arab town was built near the ancient village. The jar pieces date to the Roman period, when Jesus traveled in the Galilee.” I make a note to this archeological dig to say that the story of the first miracle of Jesus at the wedding in Cana is firmly rooted in the real world. It is grounded in history. History is “His story.” This wedding and miracle are inextricably connected to what God is doing in the world. It is linked to what God did in the beginning of world and what he will do at the end of the world, as we shall see. It is interesting that Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding. What is even more interesting is the nature of the miracle he performed. Jesus began his ministry with a miracle in a nondescript remote town of Galilee, and he performed the miracle in such a way as not to bring attention to himself. No one actually saw him do anything. If a pastor brought a bottle of wine to a wedding it might cause a stir, but Jesus not only turned water into wine, he made a lot of it, and after the guests already had too much to drink. As John tells the story, he says that there were six stone jars containing 20-30 gallons each. Average that out to 25 gallons, and multiply it by six, and you have 150 gallons of wine. That’s a lot of wine, and this is not some sort of grape juice, otherwise the master of the banquet would not have pronounced it the “best” wine. We think it is strange that he provided the wine after the people had already had too much to drink. They had drunk all the wine that was available. The master of the banquet said to the bridegroom, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now” (John 2:10). The word the NIV translates as saying, “had too much to drink,” is the Greek word methusko (meqskw), which literally means “to get drunk.” Most people served their best wine first and waited until the guests had become too inebriated to realize they were serving a cheaper wine, but the wine Jesus made was superior. It was the best wine, and was served after everyone had too much to drink already. It is not that Jesus is promoting drunkenness, but he is doing what he always does, giving his gifts extravagantly and in abundance. Another wedding, more glorious and more wonderful than anything we have ever known, is yet to come. Jesus hinted at it at the Last Supper when he said, “I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29). The fulfillment of Christ’s promises to marry his bride will take place not just in a garden paradise, but in the full paradise of God’s kingdom, at the fulfillment of all things, at the end of the age. The writer of Revelation puts it like this: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ Then the angel said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!”’” (Revelation 19:6-9). Now it becomes clear why Jesus began his ministry with a miracle at a wedding. Human history began with a wedding in the Garden of Eden. The bride of Christ, His people, the church, was established at the saving death of our Savior, as the wine of his blood was poured out for his people. At the end of the age, this wedding will be consummated at the wedding feast of the Lamb. Here is the greatest of all miracles and mysteries. Here is the plan of God which he began in the Garden of Eden, a wedding made possible in the garden where Jesus was crucified and consummated in Paradise at the coming of Christ at the end of the age. Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic who was paralyzed in a diving accident as a teenager, talked about her wedding day. She said, “I felt awkward as my girlfriends strained to shift my paralyzed body into a cumbersome wedding gown. No amount of corseting and binding my body gave me a perfect shape. The dress just didn’t fit well. Then, as I was wheeling into the church, I glanced down and noticed that I’d accidentally run over the hem of my dress, leaving a greasy tire mark. My paralyzed hands couldn’t hold the bouquet of daisies that lay off-center on my lap. And my chair, though decorated for the wedding, was still a big, clunky gray machine with belts, gears, and ball bearings. I certainly didn’t feel like the picture-perfect bride in a bridal magazine. I inched my chair closer to the last pew to catch a glimpse of Ken in front. There he was, standing tall and stately in his formal attire. I saw him looking for me, craning his neck to look up the aisle. My face flushed, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to be with him. I had seen my beloved. The love in Ken’s face had washed away all my feelings of unworthiness. I was his pure and perfect bride. How easy it is for us to think that we’re utterly unlovely — especially to someone as lovely as Christ. But he loves us with the bright eyes of a Bridegroom’s love and cannot wait for the day we are united with him forever.” We, unattractive, frightened, paralyzed and imperfect, yet wild with hope, come to the wedding feast of the Lamb. We feel inadequate and unworthy, yet our eyes are fixed on Christ. We are overwhelmed with emotion as we know that we are loved and accepted just as we are, and that the wedding will bring about a transformation. The blood and water that flowed from his side has released us from our bondage, healed our brokenness and cleansed us from our sin. We become the Bride of Christ, not just in theory or potentially, but in reality. There, together with him and all the redeemed, we will taste the new wine of the kingdom. The writer of Revelation proclaimed, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelation 21:2-5).
The Best is yet to be in and because of Christ,
Brown
Wed, 22/10/2008 - 2:02pm Supreme Court of India rejects plea for CBI inquiry into rape of nun in Orissa
New Delhi, Oct 22 - The Supreme Court today declined to hand over to CBI the investigation into the alleged rape of a nun during the on-going communal violence in Orissa."At this stage we do not think that handing over the investigation into the case from the state police to the CBI is in the interest of the victim as well as in the interest of justice. We think that the victim will cooperate with the state police," a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and P M Panchal rejected the petition filed by Archbishop Raphel Cheenath of Cuttack seeking a CBI inquiry into the rape and humiliation of a Christian Nun.
posted in: Current Issue, , East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Wed, 22/10/2008 - 11:12am Christians boycott Justice Panigrahi & Mohapatra commissions of Inquiry
Global council of Indian christians(GCIC) join Archbishop Cheenath-call for transperancy and instill trust
1. With respect to the communal violence that began in Kandhamal district of the state of Orissa in December, 2007 the state government has appointed the Justice BasudevPanigrahi Commission of Inquiry. Similarly, with respect to the communal violence that flared up in August 2008 in different parts of Orissa, which continues unabated, the state government has appointed the Justice S.C. MohapatraCommission of Inquiry.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Wed, 22/10/2008 - 8:52am Christian body slams Orissa's secular policy
October 21, 2008Bhubaneswar, Oct 21 (IANS) A Christian body Tuesday slammed the Orissa government for refusing monetary compensation to re-build the churches demolished in the recent sectarian violence.Reacting to the affidavit filed by Orissa Monday in the Supreme Court, the Global Council of Indian Christians said the partisan attitude of the government was vividly indicative from it.
The government affidavit, saying monetary compensation to any religious institution was against its secular policy, comes after Cuttack Archbishop Raphel Cheenath filed a petition in the apex court seeking Rs.30 million as compensation to rebuild the churches demolished in the sectarian violence in the Kandhamal district.'The Churches are the places of worship, where people from all religion go and pray,' Sajan K. George, president of the Christian council, said in a release.'The state government has said the monetary compensation to any religious institution is against its secular policy. But the budget of the state law department shows items, such as temple establishment, performance of festivals, grants to temple administration etc,' George said.He said the government had spent nearly Rs.40 million alone under the head of upkeep of temples, budgeted around Rs.50 million.'Another valid document shows speech by the finance minister this year in the Orissa legislative assembly, in which he mentioned about the allotment of Rs.5 crore (five million) for a temple development,' he said.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Wed, 22/10/2008 - 8:02am Peoples Union for Civil Liberties enquiry report on the Mangalore attack
Enquiry Report On The Attack On The Adoration Monastery, Milagres, Mangalore
PEOPLES TRIBUNAL ENQUIRY
Conducted at the instance of the
Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, South KanaraAnd
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Tue, 21/10/2008 - 9:52pm RSS,VHP demand ban of conversions
http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20081027&fname=Conversions+%28F%29&sid=5A resolution demanding a ban on religious conversion was passed by functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the conclusion of its three-day national executive meeting. The meeting ignored the forced conversions to Hinduism by its cadre, conversion of western christians by new age gurus and sathvis
The three-day annual meeting concluded at Vishakapatnam on October 19 and about 350 functionaries from 40 sister organisations of the RSS,including VHP,Bajrang Dal attended the meet.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Tue, 21/10/2008 - 9:42pm Radicals attack catholic seminarians in Karnataka
Kodagu-KarnatakaVishwa Hindu Parishad on Oct 19th assaulted 4 trainees of theCatholic Indian Mission Society (IMS) at Gonikopa in Kodagu Dist,Karnataka.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Brown's Daily Word & India update10-21-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for He is mighty and merciful. We live in a broken world. Our Lord God still loves the world. There is so much beauty and splendor in the world. This world is also filled with gross injustice . We long for justice and fairness. The Bible declares the Jesus is coming again as the Righteous Judge. “He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). We will be on trial for how we have used our lives and whether our relationship with Jesus Christ was real or hypocrisy. We will not be standing before an earthly judge who is subjective, biased, yields to pressure, or is ill-tempered, but the Judge of all the universe who “judges with justice” (Revelation 19:11). Yet, all the more reason to take the final judgment seriously, because this is a sobering truth. The Apostle’s Creed states that we believe Jesus Christ: “will come again to judge the living and the dead.” The Bible says, “For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:30-31). The Bible says, “God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35). It also says that, “God does not judge by external appearance” (Galatians 2:6). His judgment is absolutely fair. In one of Michelangelo’s powerful paintings, which are so rich with emotion, there is a man at the last Judgment who is being dragged down to hell by demons. He has a hand over one eye and in the other eye there is a look of alarmed awareness of personal failure and exposure. Looking at the painting, you see that he understood, but too late. In fact, he knew the truth all along, but ignored it, denied it, postponed it. William Sloane Coffin says, “Hell is truth seen too late.” I believe that at the judgment there will be the kind of alarming comprehension which will fully recognize the truth and the fairness of God’s judgment. We will agree with the truth and fairness of God’s evaluation of our lives. The judgment, for many, will bring one great regret: they ignored and refused the grace of God and lived their lives for themselves. Karl Barth, the great theologian says, “Whether the achievement of a man’s life is great or small, significant or insignificant, he will one day stand before his eternal judge, and everything that he has done and performed will be no more than a mole hill, and then he will have nothing better to do than hope for something he has not earned: not for a crown, but quite simply for gracious judgment which he has not deserved. That is the only thing that will count then, achievement or not.” So it would be more accurate to say that the judgment is MORE than fair. For if we belong to Christ, we will not receive what we deserve, but something far better — a gift of grace. The Bible says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:8-12). All will be judged — the living and dead, great and small, rich and poor, good and bad, church member and pagan, genius and mentally challenged. No one will avoid the judgment, and God will fully take all things into account. Nothing will be passed over. Jesus said, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open” (Luke 8:17). For those without Christ, nothing will be hidden of all the things they have done wrong. It will be there for all to see. But on the other hand, for those who have received Christ into their lives and experienced his forgiveness, nothing good they have done will be hidden, it will be shown to all. It will be a full judgment. It will be a time when the first will be last and the last will be first. I am so glad I don’t have to be God and figure all this out. What will he do when there is someone who has never heard of Christ who is standing next to someone who has had the advantage of the church all their lives? What will he do about those who do not have the capacity to fully understand? I don’t know, but I know who God is. He is fair. He judges justly. He takes all things into account and weighs all the evidence. Whatever he does will be completely fair and equitable. Most people think of it as being a simple matter of going either to heaven or hell. What many people do not understand is that there will be degrees of reward and punishment. Jesus said, “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:47-48). If you have been given great privileges then you are accountable in ways that other people are not. “But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). It is a full judgment because not only will every thing we do be taken into account, but every thought, every motive, every intention. Listen to the fullness of the judgment as described in the book of Hebrews: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13). The Bible says, “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). It is a full judgment because not only will punishment be handed out, but rewards will be given. This is time of rewarding those who do well, as well as punishing those who do wrong. Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:1). The Bible says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). The judgment will be final. There are no second chances. There are no reincarnations where some people get to come back and try it again. But you can do something now. You can make a mid-course correction. You have the opportunity to give your life to God and begin to live for him productively, but the day will come when your opportunities will be over. You will think your last thought; you will sing your last song; you will make your last decision; you will take your last breath. Time will be no more. The Bible says that “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus said, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). All of us were created to live forever, and there is nothing we can do to change that. We will live forever, either with God or without him. We cannot change the fact that we will live forever, but we can change where we will spend forever. The Bible says, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10). Little wonder Paul said, “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). But this is a response of love, not fear. We read in the book of Matthew: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (Matthew 25:31-33). The final judgment is a time of great blessing for those who know Christ and faithfully live for him. It is a home going and a time of reward. According to a recent USA Today poll, the top five things people put off until the last minute are: House chores/yard work: 47%; holiday gift shopping: 43%; making doctor/dentist appointments: 35%; calling relatives: 31%; changing oil in the car: 29%. I think there is one thing the people taking the poll missed: putting off getting our lives right with God. Somehow we think this is something we can put off until another time, a later time — perhaps the last minute, and yet this is the most important decision we will ever make. It is possible to put it off until there is no more time. But why give God the leftovers of our lives? Why not give all the time we have left? Why not do it now?
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9jiqS-74g
Tue, 21/10/2008 - 8:34am The Hindu Right fears not conversions but equitable society-Dr Udit Raj
RIGHT-WING HINDUS never had any issue with Christians or with conversion when it came to using — and exploiting — Christian institutions. They have had no problem in availing Christian medical facilities. No abhorrence has been evinced toward convent schools, where the so-called upper castes were taught the English that got them jobs abroad and enabled them to articulate their views at global forums. That changed around 1998, when the BJP came to power.
posted in: Current Issue, Morality, North India
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 10:57pm Sister Emmanuelle, France's 'Mother Teresa,' dies aged 99
PARIS (20th October) — Sister Emmanuelle, France's answer to Mother Teresa, who has died aged 99 was an unorthodox nun who spent 20 years helping the poor in a Cairo slum before returning to France to defend the homeless.The diminutive Roman Catholic nun, whose real name was Madeleine Cinquin, was best known in France for her frequent appearances on television to campaign passionately for the poor and homeless.She came to media attention with her work with some of the world's poorest people, the residents of the Ezbet El-Nakhl slum in Cairo who eke out their living by scavenging in the garbage produced in the giant city.
posted in: Current Issue, Religion, Other Countries
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 10:35pm Christian believer killed in priest's Noida complex in Delhi
New Delhi-20th Oct-08A 25-year-old Christian believer was killed by unidentified assailants in the residential compound of a priest here, police said Oct 19th.
"Conrad Dominic Xavier was butchered to death by the assailants, who barged inside the residence compound of the priest in the early hours of Saturday night," Senior Superintendent of Police R.K. Chaturvedi said.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 10:01pm Hindu outfit swears reconstruction of houses and churches destroyed
Bhubaneswar (Orissa) : RSS backed Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram on Sunday announced to protest strongly against reconstruction of churches in Kandhamal destroyed by VHP and its allies .
The RSS’s tribal affairs body however came down heavily on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s move to contribute for the reconstruction of churches.“Certainly, we would protest, if anyone construct or reconstruct churches on the lands of Kandhas,” VKA State general secretary Dr Laxmikant Das said at a Press Conference here.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 4:32pm Taliban kill Christian aid worker in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban gunmen on a motorbike killed a Christian aid worker in the Afghan capital on Monday, and the militant group said it had targeted the woman because she was proselytizing.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, Other Countries
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 3:01pm State Governor Recommends Dismissal of Navin Pattnaik
State Governor Recommends Dismissal of Navin Pattnaik, CM of Orissa on Communal Violence Issue and related reports1.The Governor of Orissa Mr. Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare in his detailed confidential report to the Center mainly on Kandhamal has recommended for immediate dismissal of the Chief Minister of Orissa due the utter sheer negligence and incapability of his Govt. to play its judicious impartial neutral role to quickly control the violence and to protect minorities in the State. The continued planned attacks were made only on one particular Community, the UPA Government in the Centre has not taken any action against this, and hence the Navin Patnaik Government continues to function, according toSenior journalist and former MP Kuldip Nayar, writing in the Sunday Times International dated 19th October and also leading papers in Orissa. In an article titled "Massacre of Christians: Orissa's Navin is no better than Gujarat's Modi". He has also commented UPA's stand in this regard as "mysterious".
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Praise the Lord for this new day. Praise the Lord for He is mighty and merciful. We live in a broken world. Our Lord God still loves the world. There is so much beauty and splendor in the world. This world is also filled with gross injustice . We long for justice and fairness. The Bible declares the Jesus is coming again as the Righteous Judge. “He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). We will be on trial for how we have used our lives and whether our relationship with Jesus Christ was real or hypocrisy. We will not be standing before an earthly judge who is subjective, biased, yields to pressure, or is ill-tempered, but the Judge of all the universe who “judges with justice” (Revelation 19:11). Yet, all the more reason to take the final judgment seriously, because this is a sobering truth. The Apostle’s Creed states that we believe Jesus Christ: “will come again to judge the living and the dead.” The Bible says, “For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:30-31). The Bible says, “God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (Acts 10:34-35). It also says that, “God does not judge by external appearance” (Galatians 2:6). His judgment is absolutely fair. In one of Michelangelo’s powerful paintings, which are so rich with emotion, there is a man at the last Judgment who is being dragged down to hell by demons. He has a hand over one eye and in the other eye there is a look of alarmed awareness of personal failure and exposure. Looking at the painting, you see that he understood, but too late. In fact, he knew the truth all along, but ignored it, denied it, postponed it. William Sloane Coffin says, “Hell is truth seen too late.” I believe that at the judgment there will be the kind of alarming comprehension which will fully recognize the truth and the fairness of God’s judgment. We will agree with the truth and fairness of God’s evaluation of our lives. The judgment, for many, will bring one great regret: they ignored and refused the grace of God and lived their lives for themselves. Karl Barth, the great theologian says, “Whether the achievement of a man’s life is great or small, significant or insignificant, he will one day stand before his eternal judge, and everything that he has done and performed will be no more than a mole hill, and then he will have nothing better to do than hope for something he has not earned: not for a crown, but quite simply for gracious judgment which he has not deserved. That is the only thing that will count then, achievement or not.” So it would be more accurate to say that the judgment is MORE than fair. For if we belong to Christ, we will not receive what we deserve, but something far better — a gift of grace. The Bible says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:8-12). All will be judged — the living and dead, great and small, rich and poor, good and bad, church member and pagan, genius and mentally challenged. No one will avoid the judgment, and God will fully take all things into account. Nothing will be passed over. Jesus said, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open” (Luke 8:17). For those without Christ, nothing will be hidden of all the things they have done wrong. It will be there for all to see. But on the other hand, for those who have received Christ into their lives and experienced his forgiveness, nothing good they have done will be hidden, it will be shown to all. It will be a full judgment. It will be a time when the first will be last and the last will be first. I am so glad I don’t have to be God and figure all this out. What will he do when there is someone who has never heard of Christ who is standing next to someone who has had the advantage of the church all their lives? What will he do about those who do not have the capacity to fully understand? I don’t know, but I know who God is. He is fair. He judges justly. He takes all things into account and weighs all the evidence. Whatever he does will be completely fair and equitable. Most people think of it as being a simple matter of going either to heaven or hell. What many people do not understand is that there will be degrees of reward and punishment. Jesus said, “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:47-48). If you have been given great privileges then you are accountable in ways that other people are not. “But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). It is a full judgment because not only will every thing we do be taken into account, but every thought, every motive, every intention. Listen to the fullness of the judgment as described in the book of Hebrews: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:12-13). The Bible says, “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). It is a full judgment because not only will punishment be handed out, but rewards will be given. This is time of rewarding those who do well, as well as punishing those who do wrong. Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:1). The Bible says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). The judgment will be final. There are no second chances. There are no reincarnations where some people get to come back and try it again. But you can do something now. You can make a mid-course correction. You have the opportunity to give your life to God and begin to live for him productively, but the day will come when your opportunities will be over. You will think your last thought; you will sing your last song; you will make your last decision; you will take your last breath. Time will be no more. The Bible says that “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus said, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). All of us were created to live forever, and there is nothing we can do to change that. We will live forever, either with God or without him. We cannot change the fact that we will live forever, but we can change where we will spend forever. The Bible says, “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10). Little wonder Paul said, “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). But this is a response of love, not fear. We read in the book of Matthew: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (Matthew 25:31-33). The final judgment is a time of great blessing for those who know Christ and faithfully live for him. It is a home going and a time of reward. According to a recent USA Today poll, the top five things people put off until the last minute are: House chores/yard work: 47%; holiday gift shopping: 43%; making doctor/dentist appointments: 35%; calling relatives: 31%; changing oil in the car: 29%. I think there is one thing the people taking the poll missed: putting off getting our lives right with God. Somehow we think this is something we can put off until another time, a later time — perhaps the last minute, and yet this is the most important decision we will ever make. It is possible to put it off until there is no more time. But why give God the leftovers of our lives? Why not give all the time we have left? Why not do it now?
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9jiqS-74g
Tue, 21/10/2008 - 8:34am The Hindu Right fears not conversions but equitable society-Dr Udit Raj
RIGHT-WING HINDUS never had any issue with Christians or with conversion when it came to using — and exploiting — Christian institutions. They have had no problem in availing Christian medical facilities. No abhorrence has been evinced toward convent schools, where the so-called upper castes were taught the English that got them jobs abroad and enabled them to articulate their views at global forums. That changed around 1998, when the BJP came to power.
posted in: Current Issue, Morality, North India
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 10:57pm Sister Emmanuelle, France's 'Mother Teresa,' dies aged 99
PARIS (20th October) — Sister Emmanuelle, France's answer to Mother Teresa, who has died aged 99 was an unorthodox nun who spent 20 years helping the poor in a Cairo slum before returning to France to defend the homeless.The diminutive Roman Catholic nun, whose real name was Madeleine Cinquin, was best known in France for her frequent appearances on television to campaign passionately for the poor and homeless.She came to media attention with her work with some of the world's poorest people, the residents of the Ezbet El-Nakhl slum in Cairo who eke out their living by scavenging in the garbage produced in the giant city.
posted in: Current Issue, Religion, Other Countries
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 10:35pm Christian believer killed in priest's Noida complex in Delhi
New Delhi-20th Oct-08A 25-year-old Christian believer was killed by unidentified assailants in the residential compound of a priest here, police said Oct 19th.
"Conrad Dominic Xavier was butchered to death by the assailants, who barged inside the residence compound of the priest in the early hours of Saturday night," Senior Superintendent of Police R.K. Chaturvedi said.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 10:01pm Hindu outfit swears reconstruction of houses and churches destroyed
Bhubaneswar (Orissa) : RSS backed Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram on Sunday announced to protest strongly against reconstruction of churches in Kandhamal destroyed by VHP and its allies .
The RSS’s tribal affairs body however came down heavily on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s move to contribute for the reconstruction of churches.“Certainly, we would protest, if anyone construct or reconstruct churches on the lands of Kandhas,” VKA State general secretary Dr Laxmikant Das said at a Press Conference here.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 4:32pm Taliban kill Christian aid worker in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Taliban gunmen on a motorbike killed a Christian aid worker in the Afghan capital on Monday, and the militant group said it had targeted the woman because she was proselytizing.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, Other Countries
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Mon, 20/10/2008 - 3:01pm State Governor Recommends Dismissal of Navin Pattnaik
State Governor Recommends Dismissal of Navin Pattnaik, CM of Orissa on Communal Violence Issue and related reports1.The Governor of Orissa Mr. Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare in his detailed confidential report to the Center mainly on Kandhamal has recommended for immediate dismissal of the Chief Minister of Orissa due the utter sheer negligence and incapability of his Govt. to play its judicious impartial neutral role to quickly control the violence and to protect minorities in the State. The continued planned attacks were made only on one particular Community, the UPA Government in the Centre has not taken any action against this, and hence the Navin Patnaik Government continues to function, according toSenior journalist and former MP Kuldip Nayar, writing in the Sunday Times International dated 19th October and also leading papers in Orissa. In an article titled "Massacre of Christians: Orissa's Navin is no better than Gujarat's Modi". He has also commented UPA's stand in this regard as "mysterious".
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Monday, October 20, 2008
Brown's Daily Word 10-20-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this new day. I trust you had a blessed weekend of rest and renewal through worship, witness and fellowship. One of the readings for yesterday was taken from Exodus 33, where the LORD said to Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." To understand what this means, we need to look at the phrase "My Presence" and at the word "rest". "My Presence": The actual word in the Hebrew language is "face." So the LORD's promise to Moses is, "My Face will go with you." In the Bible it is the face that identifies a person. Furthermore, a face reveals a person's emotions, moods, and dispositions. A "hard" face, for instance, indicates hatred, defiance, ruthlessness. A "shining" face is evidence of joy. A "shamed" face points to defeat, frustration, humiliation. "A "flaming" face is one convulsed by terror. An "evil" face is a face marked by distress and anxiety. A "fallen" face stems from very strong anger or displeasure. To make a person's face "sweet" is to seek his favor. The phrase "to hide one's face" means to show disgust or displeasure. And, "to turn away the face" is to reject. Conversely, "to raise the face" of another is to show favor, respect, and acceptance. When it comes to God, His Face stands for His whole being, character, and attributes. All that God is – eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty, wise, just, good, compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness and rebellion and sin (Ex 34:6,7) – is represented by His Face. Also, all that God does – creation, providence, redemption – is represented by His Face. The Face of God stands for all the fullness of His being and ways. The Face of God shows that He loves us in Christ. "My Face will go with you." Moses, of all people, realized the awesomeness of this. Among the children of Israel the presence of God was represented by a "pillar of cloud" or "pillar of fire" (33:9; 13:21). It was that presence which led Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground, and it was that same presence which drowned Pharaoh and his army. It was the glory of that presence which made the face of Moses so radiant that all the people were afraid to come near him (34:30). It was a presence both awesome and terrifying at the same time. Don't forget what God said: "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live" (vs 20). "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." The Face of God means rest. The Biblical word "rest" does not mean an afternoon nap. It does not mean an arm chair at the end of a long day. It does not mean a lawn chair on a sunny Summer afternoon. It does not mean a hot-tub or Jacuzzi after an hour of vigorous exercise. Rest means shalom, peace from enemies, security, a state of well-being, When it comes right down to it, "rest" points to victory and salvation in Christ, for only then can the people of God have shalom, well-being, comfort, security. In saying, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest", God was showing Himself to be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin (34:6,7). The Face of God in the midst of His people is a sign of His grace, favor, good-will. The absence of God's face instead, means His curse, displeasure, and anger. "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." During this week, will the Face of God be with us? During this week, will we strive for a closer walk with God? During this week may we all experience shalom, well-being, comfort, security.
In Christ,
Brown
Lawns & God
GOD: St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the USA? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
ST. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers weeds and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it, sometimes twice a week.
GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS: No, sir -- just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS: Yes, sir.
GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stoke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn theyfall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.
ST. FRANCIS: You'd better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
GOD: And where do they get this mulch?
ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
ST. CATHERINE: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about ...
GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
Praise the Lord for this new day. I trust you had a blessed weekend of rest and renewal through worship, witness and fellowship. One of the readings for yesterday was taken from Exodus 33, where the LORD said to Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." To understand what this means, we need to look at the phrase "My Presence" and at the word "rest". "My Presence": The actual word in the Hebrew language is "face." So the LORD's promise to Moses is, "My Face will go with you." In the Bible it is the face that identifies a person. Furthermore, a face reveals a person's emotions, moods, and dispositions. A "hard" face, for instance, indicates hatred, defiance, ruthlessness. A "shining" face is evidence of joy. A "shamed" face points to defeat, frustration, humiliation. "A "flaming" face is one convulsed by terror. An "evil" face is a face marked by distress and anxiety. A "fallen" face stems from very strong anger or displeasure. To make a person's face "sweet" is to seek his favor. The phrase "to hide one's face" means to show disgust or displeasure. And, "to turn away the face" is to reject. Conversely, "to raise the face" of another is to show favor, respect, and acceptance. When it comes to God, His Face stands for His whole being, character, and attributes. All that God is – eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty, wise, just, good, compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness and rebellion and sin (Ex 34:6,7) – is represented by His Face. Also, all that God does – creation, providence, redemption – is represented by His Face. The Face of God stands for all the fullness of His being and ways. The Face of God shows that He loves us in Christ. "My Face will go with you." Moses, of all people, realized the awesomeness of this. Among the children of Israel the presence of God was represented by a "pillar of cloud" or "pillar of fire" (33:9; 13:21). It was that presence which led Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground, and it was that same presence which drowned Pharaoh and his army. It was the glory of that presence which made the face of Moses so radiant that all the people were afraid to come near him (34:30). It was a presence both awesome and terrifying at the same time. Don't forget what God said: "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live" (vs 20). "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." The Face of God means rest. The Biblical word "rest" does not mean an afternoon nap. It does not mean an arm chair at the end of a long day. It does not mean a lawn chair on a sunny Summer afternoon. It does not mean a hot-tub or Jacuzzi after an hour of vigorous exercise. Rest means shalom, peace from enemies, security, a state of well-being, When it comes right down to it, "rest" points to victory and salvation in Christ, for only then can the people of God have shalom, well-being, comfort, security. In saying, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest", God was showing Himself to be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin (34:6,7). The Face of God in the midst of His people is a sign of His grace, favor, good-will. The absence of God's face instead, means His curse, displeasure, and anger. "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." During this week, will the Face of God be with us? During this week, will we strive for a closer walk with God? During this week may we all experience shalom, well-being, comfort, security.
In Christ,
Brown
Lawns & God
GOD: St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the USA? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
ST. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers weeds and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it, sometimes twice a week.
GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS: No, sir -- just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS: Yes, sir.
GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stoke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn theyfall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.
ST. FRANCIS: You'd better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
GOD: And where do they get this mulch?
ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
ST. CATHERINE: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about ...
GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
India update 10-20-08
Sunday, October 19, 2008
I, The Convert
My conversion was not a change of religion; it was a change of heart
Anand Mahadevan
I was born a Brahmin and am the grandson of a priest whom I dearly loved. I am educated and my current professional standing indicates that I am reasonably intelligent. I am also affluent and my income would put me distinctly in the upper middle class bracket. I guess that would make me high-caste, rich and smart. In other words, I am not a tribal, or poor or dim-witted. And yet, I chose to become a follower of Jesus Christ. The world would call me a convert to Christianity. I have no problems with that, though I see my faith more as a relationship with God through Jesus Christ than as a religion. And for the record, I can truthfully claim that no one financially induced or threatened or deceived me into converting to Christianity. I am fiercely proud of my national identity as an Indian and I am completely at peace with my cultural identity as a Hindu. I retain the name my parents gave me. My wife, who also shares my faith, continues to go by her Hindu name. We have two children and we have given both distinctly Hindu names. In fact, many of my colleagues and acquaintances who may happen to read this column are likely to be surprised. They have no inkling about my faith, for I generally don't go about announcing it. But if someone does ask me the reason behind the joy and hope that is everpresent in my life, I am always delighted to share it with them. I write this piece to make one point—that my conversion was not a change of religion but a change of heart. To explain this, I need to go back to my childhood in Chennai, similar to that of so many other Tamil Brahmin boys like me. My grandfather, every bit the virtuous priest, had enormous influence over me. I absolutely adored him and as a toddler, always clung to him. He too loved me to a fault. There was no wish of mine that he would not rush to fulfil. But even in my early, formative years I was unable to relate to the religion he fervently practiced. Later, in my school days, I once spent my summer holidays with him in Trichy. Memories of dawn walks with him, for the ritualistic dip in the Cauvery river, cow in tow, are still fresh in my memory. I learnt many shlokas, some of which I still remember. But I never understood any of it and none of it helped me connect with God. When I was 19, a Christian friend with whom I used to play cricket invited me to his house for prayer. If he had invited me to a pub, or party, I would have gone too. At his home, he and his sister prayed for me. It was a simple yet delightful conversation with God that lasted all of five minutes. I don't remember it verbatim, but they articulated a prayer of blessing on my life, future, career and family. It was a simple affair—no miracles, no angels visiting. All they did was utter a deep human cry out to the creator God and His only son Jesus Christ. When they said Amen, I felt in my heart a desire to follow Jesus. It was a faith encounter with God that I shall not even attempt to understand, rationalise or explain. I simply accept it. It is my faith. It is what I choose to believe. That evening I did not change my religion, for in reality I had none. Hinduism was my identity, not my religion. It still is. The Christianity I acquired that evening is not a religion. On the contrary, it is an intensely intimate relationship with Jesus. Over the past fifteen years, I have come to know this Jesus even closer. I know Him as the pure and sinless Son of a Holy God. And I know Him as a dear friend to whom I pray and talk to every day—about my career, my dreams, successes, failures, finances and even my sexuality. If I read a good book, watch a good movie (Rock On is terrific, mate), or eat a good meal at a new restaurant, I would naturally tell my friends about it.In Jesus, I have discovered a truly amazing friend, guide, leader, saviour and God. How can I not tell all my friends about Him? And if anyone does listen and he too comes to believe in Jesus, I am delighted. The world would call it a conversion; I call it a change of heart, like mine. But I would never force anyone to listen to me, leave alone financially induce, coerce or con him into believing. That to me is pointless and against the very grain of my faith. But I do have a constitutional right to practice my faith and to preach it without deception, force or bribery. It pains to see such basic rights of mankind being cruelly violated every day in this great Hindu nation. God bless India.
(Anand Mahadevan is the editor of Outlook Business.)
Sun, 19/10/2008 - 8:21am Paswan for CBI probe into Orissa violence
New Delhi, Oct 18- Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said he would lead a delegation of eminent persons from all communities to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon to demand a CBI probe into the recent incidents in Orissa.The minister, after meeting a delegation of prominent Christian leaders, described the violence against the community members as an attack on the basic tenets of the constitution and demanded that leaders of "terror" should be arrested without any further delay.
Alleging that law and order machinery has totally failed in the BJD-BJP ruled state, Paswan assured the delegation that he will see to it that the "naked dance of communalism" is stopped and the law of the land is implemented there.
Earlier, the delegation in its meeting with Paswan alleged that Christians returning to their homes are being caught and lynched by VHP and Bajrang Dal cadres in Orissa and several of them have been forcibly reconverted.
Alleging complete breakdown of law and order in the state, the leaders expressed serious concern over the attacks on the community members.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Sat, 18/10/2008 - 9:03pm ‘Maoists cannot be hired’-Revolutionary Writers Association
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Sat, 18/10/2008 - 6:32pm Christians of Orissa appeal to UN as "stateless citizens"
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13518&size=A10/18/2008 14:50INDIAChristians of Orissa appeal to UN as "stateless citizens"by Nirmala Carvalho
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Sat, 18/10/2008 - 5:34pm Orissa updates-144 lifted ,christians feel insecure
Phulbani-OrissaThe judicial commission probing the violence in Orissa's Kandhamal today made a field visit to the riot-hit district setting the investigation process in motionJustice S C Mohapatra heading the one-man commission, visited the ashram at Jalespeta where VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four associates were gunned down on August 23 which triggered the largescale violence in the district and elsewhere in the state.
Soon after arrival here last night, Justice Mohapatra held a meeting with senior officials including District Collector Kishan Kumar and Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar, the sources said.
During his four-day tour of the district, the panel head is scheduled to visit Saraswati's ashram at Chakapada, where the VHP leader's samadhi is situated, tomorrow.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Sat, 18/10/2008 - 4:54pm Mysterious death in Orissa
Yesterday ,a highly decomposed body was found in the base of a mountain Goddess Kali Temple area in Ranthalei village of Anugul Dist . The body was identified as of Mr. Pratap Nayak(45) of same village who was missing since 12.10.08. His head was found to be shaved and the body found with hands amputated. He belongs to Kandha tribe and was staying in the village. This has created tension in that community. Police could not establish reason behind the murder . The villagers allege that he has been sacrificed in the altar Hindu Goddess Kali temple.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
I, The Convert
My conversion was not a change of religion; it was a change of heart
Anand Mahadevan
I was born a Brahmin and am the grandson of a priest whom I dearly loved. I am educated and my current professional standing indicates that I am reasonably intelligent. I am also affluent and my income would put me distinctly in the upper middle class bracket. I guess that would make me high-caste, rich and smart. In other words, I am not a tribal, or poor or dim-witted. And yet, I chose to become a follower of Jesus Christ. The world would call me a convert to Christianity. I have no problems with that, though I see my faith more as a relationship with God through Jesus Christ than as a religion. And for the record, I can truthfully claim that no one financially induced or threatened or deceived me into converting to Christianity. I am fiercely proud of my national identity as an Indian and I am completely at peace with my cultural identity as a Hindu. I retain the name my parents gave me. My wife, who also shares my faith, continues to go by her Hindu name. We have two children and we have given both distinctly Hindu names. In fact, many of my colleagues and acquaintances who may happen to read this column are likely to be surprised. They have no inkling about my faith, for I generally don't go about announcing it. But if someone does ask me the reason behind the joy and hope that is everpresent in my life, I am always delighted to share it with them. I write this piece to make one point—that my conversion was not a change of religion but a change of heart. To explain this, I need to go back to my childhood in Chennai, similar to that of so many other Tamil Brahmin boys like me. My grandfather, every bit the virtuous priest, had enormous influence over me. I absolutely adored him and as a toddler, always clung to him. He too loved me to a fault. There was no wish of mine that he would not rush to fulfil. But even in my early, formative years I was unable to relate to the religion he fervently practiced. Later, in my school days, I once spent my summer holidays with him in Trichy. Memories of dawn walks with him, for the ritualistic dip in the Cauvery river, cow in tow, are still fresh in my memory. I learnt many shlokas, some of which I still remember. But I never understood any of it and none of it helped me connect with God. When I was 19, a Christian friend with whom I used to play cricket invited me to his house for prayer. If he had invited me to a pub, or party, I would have gone too. At his home, he and his sister prayed for me. It was a simple yet delightful conversation with God that lasted all of five minutes. I don't remember it verbatim, but they articulated a prayer of blessing on my life, future, career and family. It was a simple affair—no miracles, no angels visiting. All they did was utter a deep human cry out to the creator God and His only son Jesus Christ. When they said Amen, I felt in my heart a desire to follow Jesus. It was a faith encounter with God that I shall not even attempt to understand, rationalise or explain. I simply accept it. It is my faith. It is what I choose to believe. That evening I did not change my religion, for in reality I had none. Hinduism was my identity, not my religion. It still is. The Christianity I acquired that evening is not a religion. On the contrary, it is an intensely intimate relationship with Jesus. Over the past fifteen years, I have come to know this Jesus even closer. I know Him as the pure and sinless Son of a Holy God. And I know Him as a dear friend to whom I pray and talk to every day—about my career, my dreams, successes, failures, finances and even my sexuality. If I read a good book, watch a good movie (Rock On is terrific, mate), or eat a good meal at a new restaurant, I would naturally tell my friends about it.In Jesus, I have discovered a truly amazing friend, guide, leader, saviour and God. How can I not tell all my friends about Him? And if anyone does listen and he too comes to believe in Jesus, I am delighted. The world would call it a conversion; I call it a change of heart, like mine. But I would never force anyone to listen to me, leave alone financially induce, coerce or con him into believing. That to me is pointless and against the very grain of my faith. But I do have a constitutional right to practice my faith and to preach it without deception, force or bribery. It pains to see such basic rights of mankind being cruelly violated every day in this great Hindu nation. God bless India.
(Anand Mahadevan is the editor of Outlook Business.)
Sun, 19/10/2008 - 8:21am Paswan for CBI probe into Orissa violence
New Delhi, Oct 18- Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said he would lead a delegation of eminent persons from all communities to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon to demand a CBI probe into the recent incidents in Orissa.The minister, after meeting a delegation of prominent Christian leaders, described the violence against the community members as an attack on the basic tenets of the constitution and demanded that leaders of "terror" should be arrested without any further delay.
Alleging that law and order machinery has totally failed in the BJD-BJP ruled state, Paswan assured the delegation that he will see to it that the "naked dance of communalism" is stopped and the law of the land is implemented there.
Earlier, the delegation in its meeting with Paswan alleged that Christians returning to their homes are being caught and lynched by VHP and Bajrang Dal cadres in Orissa and several of them have been forcibly reconverted.
Alleging complete breakdown of law and order in the state, the leaders expressed serious concern over the attacks on the community members.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Sat, 18/10/2008 - 9:03pm ‘Maoists cannot be hired’-Revolutionary Writers Association
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
newsman's blog add new comment
Sat, 18/10/2008 - 6:32pm Christians of Orissa appeal to UN as "stateless citizens"
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13518&size=A10/18/2008 14:50INDIAChristians of Orissa appeal to UN as "stateless citizens"by Nirmala Carvalho
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Sat, 18/10/2008 - 5:34pm Orissa updates-144 lifted ,christians feel insecure
Phulbani-OrissaThe judicial commission probing the violence in Orissa's Kandhamal today made a field visit to the riot-hit district setting the investigation process in motionJustice S C Mohapatra heading the one-man commission, visited the ashram at Jalespeta where VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four associates were gunned down on August 23 which triggered the largescale violence in the district and elsewhere in the state.
Soon after arrival here last night, Justice Mohapatra held a meeting with senior officials including District Collector Kishan Kumar and Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar, the sources said.
During his four-day tour of the district, the panel head is scheduled to visit Saraswati's ashram at Chakapada, where the VHP leader's samadhi is situated, tomorrow.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
Sat, 18/10/2008 - 4:54pm Mysterious death in Orissa
Yesterday ,a highly decomposed body was found in the base of a mountain Goddess Kali Temple area in Ranthalei village of Anugul Dist . The body was identified as of Mr. Pratap Nayak(45) of same village who was missing since 12.10.08. His head was found to be shaved and the body found with hands amputated. He belongs to Kandha tribe and was staying in the village. This has created tension in that community. Police could not establish reason behind the murder . The villagers allege that he has been sacrificed in the altar Hindu Goddess Kali temple.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
read more newsman's blog add new comment
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