Good Morning,
Praise the Lord that it is Friday and Sunday is coming. With Rand McNally in hand, Alice and I are driving down to Washington, DC this morning to visit Sunita and Andy. We are planning to attend the performance of Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral in Washington, this evening. It is an early Christmas gift, to be celebrated with the givers. We are looking forward to getting a couple of days with Sunita-Sweet, and helping her to deck her halls and walls. We will be back home tomorrow evening by the Lord's grace.
The National Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in the World. It took over 100 years for its completion. According to some reports, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in Upper Manhattan is the largest Cathedral in the world. It will be open this month from end to end for the first time since its restoration following a devastating fire that damaged ancient tapestries and a 8,500-pipe organ.
One of the readings for the second Sunday in Advent is Isaiah 40. With words of incredible power the prophet, Isaiah, proclaimed the good news God's people had been waiting long to hear: Deliverance is at hand. God's people are to be brought home to Jerusalem. It is God who is doing this, as a shepherd leads his flock homeward at the end of the day. Anyone who has sung or listened to Handel's "The Messiah" will recognize that he took the opening recitatives for his majestic oratorio from this passage. The words of this Hebrew poetry are music in themselves. Yet the poem contains a panoply of references to Hebrew history and theology. The opening words of comfort also contain the promise of deliverance. The long period of incarceration in a foreign land is ending and the prisoners are to be set free. Retributive justice has been fulfilled, twice over (vs. 2). Ahead lies the yet another desert trek, but on this road travelers will encounter no wandering as did the Israelites of the Exodus long ago. Rather the high road leads straight home to Jerusalem and traveling will be easy along level ground (vs. 3-4) because this is the highway of Yahweh. This message comes direct from Yahweh and is now revealed to everyone. But there are still many questions. Is this message of comfort and deliverance trustworthy? Are the Israelites themselves to be trusted? Their loyalty has been as ephemeral as the grass and flowers of the field, which blossom today and vanish tomorrow(vs. 6-7). This is the word of the Lord, however, and it stands forever; it can be trusted eternally (vs. 8). These good tidings must be broadcast from the highest point on Mount Zion to all of Judea at the loudest possible volume: "Yahweh's glory is fully revealed in these momentous events" (vs. 9). What is about to happen is like the captain of a mighty army returning from a great victory bringing his reward with him (vs. 10). No, it is not like that so much as a gentle shepherd leading his flock home at evening carrying newborn lambs in his arms with the ewe following faithfully behind.
Please, those who live around us, join us for our television broadcast tonight at 7 PM on Time Warner Channel 4. One week from tonight, join us for the St. Petersburg Men's Ensemble at 7 PM.
Please pray fervently, interceding on my brother Potel's behalf, that he will be freed from his captivity. In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CM4TtRmn7k
Fri, 05/12/2008 - 12:39pm Hotel Taj : icon of whose India ?
Gnani Sankaran- Tamil writer, Chennai.
Watching at least four English news channels surfing from one another during the last 60 hours of terror strike made me feel a terror of another kind. The terror of assaulting one's mind and sensitivity with cameras, sound bites and non-stop blabbers. All these channels have been trying to manufacture my consent for a big lie called - Hotel Taj the icon of India.
Whose India, Whose Icon ?
It is a matter of great shame that these channels simply did not bother about the other icon that faced the first attack from terrorists - the Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus (CST) railway station. CST is the true icon of Mumbai. It is through this railway station hundreds of Indians from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Tamilnadu have poured into Mumbai over the years, transforming themselves into Mumbaikars and built the Mumbai of today along with the Marathis and Kolis
But the channels would not recognise this. Nor would they recognise the thirty odd dead bodies strewn all over the platform of CST. No Barkha dutt went there to tell us whothey were. But she was at Taj to show us the damaged furniture and reception lobby braving the guards. And the TV cameras did not go to the government run JJ hospital to find out who those 26 unidentified bodies were. Instead they were again invading the battered Taj to try in vain for a scoop shot of the dead bodies of the page 3 celebrities.
In all probability, the unidentified bodies could be those of workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh migrating to Mumbai, arriving by train at CST without cell phones and pancards to identify them. Even after 60 hours after the CST massacre, no channel has bothered to cover in detail what transpired there.
The channels conveniently failed to acknowledge that the Aam Aadmis of India surviving in Mumbai were not affected by Taj, Oberoi and Trident closing down for a couple of weeks or months. What mattered to them was the stoppage of BESTbuses and suburban trains even for one hour. But the channels were not covering that aspect of the terror attack. Such information at best merited a scroll line, while thecameras have to be dedicated for real time thriller unfolding at Taj or Nariman Bhavan.
The so called justification for the hype the channels built around heritage site Taj falling down (CST is also a heritage site), is that Hotel Taj is where the rich and the powerful of India and the globe congregate. It is a symbol or icon of power of money and politics, not India. It is the icon of the financiers and swindlers of India. The Mumbai and India were built by the Aam Aadmis who passed through CST and Taj was the oasis of peace and privacy for those who wielded power over these mass of labouring classes. Leopoldclub and Taj were the haunts of rich spoilt kids who would drive their vehicles over sleeping Aam Aadmis on the pavement, the Mafiosi of Mumbai forever financing theglitterati of Bollywood (and also the terrorists) , Political brokers and industrialists.
It is precisely because Taj is the icon of power and not people, that the terrorists chose to strike. The terrorists have understood after several efforts that the Aam Aadmi will never break down even if you bomb her markets and trains. He/she was resilient because that is the only way he/she can even survive.
Resilience was another word that annoyed the pundits of news channels and their patrons this time. What resilience, enough is enough, said Pranoy Roy's channelon the left side of the channel spectrum. Same sentiments were echoed by Arnab Goswami representing the right wing of the broadcast media whose time is now. Can Rajdeep be far behind in this game of one-upmanship over TRPs ? They allattacked resilience this time. They wanted firm action from the government in tackling terror.
The same channels celebrated resilience when bombs went off in trains and markets killing and maiming the Aam Aadmis. The resilience of the ordinary worker suited the rich business class of Mumbai since work or manufacture or film shooting did not stop. When it came to them, the rich shamelessly exhibited their lack of nerves and refused to be resilient themselves. They cry for government intervention now to protect their private spas and swimming pools and bars and restaurants, similar to the way in which Citibank,General Motors and the ilk cry for government money when their coffers are emptied by their own ideologies.
The terrorists have learnt that the ordinary Indian is unperturbed by terror. For one whose daily existence itself is a terror of government sponsored inflation and marketsponsored exclusion, pain is something he has learnt to live with. The rich of Mumbai and India Inc are facing the pain for the first time and learning about it just as the middleclasses of India learnt about violation of human rights only during emergency, a cool 28 years after independence.
And human rights were another favourite issue for the channels to whip at times of terrorism. Arnab Goswami in an animated voice wondered where were those champions of human rights now, not to be seen applauding the brave and selfless police officers who gave up their life in fighting terrorism. Well, the counter question would be where were you when such officers were violating the human rights of Aam Aadmis. Has there everbeen any 24 hour non stop coverage of violence against dalits and adivasis of this country?
This definitely was not the time to manufacture consent for the extra legal and third degree methods of interrogation of police and army but Arnabs don't miss a singleopportunity to serve their class masters, this time the jingoistic patriotism came in handy to whitewash the entire uniformed services.
The sacrifice of the commandos or the police officers who went down dying at the hands of ruthless terrorists is no doubt heart rending but in vain in a situation which needednot just bran but also brain. Israel has a point when it says the operations were misplanned resulting in the death of its nationals here.
Khakares and Salaskars would not be dead if they did not commit the mistake of traveling by the same vehicle. It is a basic lesson in management that the top brass should never travel together in crisis. The terrorists, if only they had watched the channels, would have laughed their hearts out when the Chief of the Marine commandos, an elite force, masking his face so unprofessionally in a see-through cloth, told the media that the commandos had no idea about the structure of the Hotel Taj which they were trying toliberate. But the terrorists knew the place thoroughly, he acknowledged.Is it so difficult to obtain a ground plan of Hotel Taj and discuss operation strategy thoroughly for at least one hour before entering? This is something even an event manager would first ask for, if he had to fix 25 audio systems and 50 CCtvs for a cultural event in a hotel. Would not Ratan Tata have provided a plan of his ancestral hotel to thecommandos within one hour considering the mighty apparatus at his and government's disposal? Are satelite pictures only available for terrorists and not the government agencies ? In an operation known to consume time, one more hour for preparation would have only improved the efficiency of execution.
Sacrifices become doubly tragic in unprofessional circumstances. But the Aam Aadmis always believe that terror-shooters do better planning than terrorists. And the gullible media in a jingoistic mood would not raise any question about any of these issues.
posted in: Current Issue, Misc, West India
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Fri, 05/12/2008 - 8:03am A Man from Utter Pradesh found digging pits to plant idols/bomb near a mosque in Udupi
GCIC urges police to take strong action .
Uchila (Udupi District): The police arrested a man who was found digging pits in the compound of Sayyed Arabi Jumma Masjid here early on Thursday.A person heard someone digging the ground around 1.45 a.m. The man had dug two pits in the compound of the mosque. On enquiry, the man claimed that his name was Budai.
Meanwhile, people in the neighbourhood were alerted. When they confronted Budai, he said that he was originally from Uttar Pradesh.
Budai told them that he had dug the pits to install an idol. He later changed his version and said that the pits were dug to plant bombs.
The people handed him over to the police around 4.30 a.m. Two other persons who were around when Budai was digging the pits fled from the sceneA protest meeting over the incident was held at Uchila.Remanded
posted in: Current Issue, Religion, South India
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Thu, 04/12/2008 - 7:33pm Petition in SC seeks federal agency to take on terrorists,national and International
Petition in SC seeks federal agency to take on terrorists
New Delhi : A writ petition seeking direction to the Union government to constitute a national investigating agency to combat growing incidents of terrorist violence in the country has been filed in the Supreme Court.
The petition filed by advocate Abani Kumar Sahu has submitted that existing investigating agencies like CBI, ATS squads and other intelligence concerns have failed to serve the purpose, and cited the recent mayhem in Mumbai to buttress the argument.
Sahu suggested that this nodal agency should collect inputs from various intelligence and investigating agencies like IB, RAW, CBI, State intelligence bureaus, besides, the anti-terrorist squads to launch a concerted action for preventing and combating the challenge posed by terrorists.
According to Sahu, during the past four years 20,000 people lost their lives to terrorist violence, which includes violence perpetrated by anti-national elements, left, right wing religous and extremists in the north-eastern region.
posted in: Current Issue, Misc, East India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 10:05pm A Dalit teenager was beaten to death in Uttar Pradesh
Rae Bareli-Utter Pradesh,3rd Dec08A Dalit teenager was beaten to death in an Uttar Pradesh village after he allegedly stole sugarcane from a field, police said Wednesday.
The incident took place in Rae Bareli district Monday evening when 14-year-old Shailendra Paswan allegedly committed the theft from the field of Ram Prasad Pathak.
"Pathak thrashed him badly and threw him on the road. Paswan was taken to hospital by his family and succumbed to injuries Tuesday night," Inspector Sanjay Maury
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 10:00pm killings and terror continue ahead of Christmas in Orissa
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13918&geo=2&size=AOrissa,by Nirmala CarvalhoA woman has been cut into pieces and thrown into the forest. Another has disappeared. Both of them had returned to the village to try to harvest rice for their families. The government is incapable of guaranteeing security. So far, no arrests have been made for the violence in recent months.
Bhubaneshwar (AsiaNews) - There is still widespread terror in the district of Kandhamal (Orissa), where for months attacks and killings have continued against the Christians. The government of Orissa is forcing Christians to return to their villages, but is not guaranteeing them any security.
In recent days, two Christian women have been killed in the district. They had returned to the village to try to harvest rice from their fields, hoping to provide food for their family.
One of them, Bimala Nayak, 52, was hacked to death with axes and thrown into the forest. Her body was found in three pieces, outside the village of Gubria. She had left the refugee camp of Nuagaon to harvest the rice from her plot of land.
The other, Lalita Digal, 45, was killed in Dodabali last November 25. She was staying in the refugee camp of K.Nuagam, and on November 21 she had left to return to the village and harvest the rice. She was staying with some Hindu friends in the village. Witnesses say that the woman was taken away from the house where she was staying. Her body has not yet been found.
Other episodes of violence have taken place in the village of Tiangia. On the night of November 25, two homes belonging to Christians were burned, as was one belonging to a Hindu who had dared to welcome Christians. On November 25 in Tiangia - the birthplace of Fr. Bernard Digal, who died months after being beaten and tortured - the authorities of the district had gathered the residents of the village, where six Christians were killed, and celebrated a "peace encounter," at which they guaranteed the return of the Christians who have fled.
The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) is accusing the local government of being unable - and perhaps unwilling - to stop the violence. Speaking to AsiaNews, Sajan George, the president of the GCIC, says that "fear still lurks in the Christian community in Kandhamal, and as Christmas approaches, they are traumatised not only by the memory of the anti-Chrsitian violence last December, but also by the failure of the administration to contain the larger scale violence unleashed upon the Kandhamal Christians after the unforturnate murder of Swami Laxamananada."
The killing of the Hindi leader of the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), which took place last August 23 on the part of a Maoist group, was the spark that ignited the pogrom against the Christians of Orissa. Sajan George says that "after three months, no arrest has been made of those responsible for the violence," although the administration is forcing the Christians who have fled - about 54,000 of them - to return to their villages. He recalls that more violence was seen against the Christian communities in recent years and in December of 2007, when three people were killed, and 13 churches and hundreds of homes belonging to Christians were burned.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 4:29pm First Christmas celebration in the Himalayam Kingdom of Nepal
The Himalyan kingdom of Nepal is all set to celebrate first ever Christmas in its long history.Gloria Deo, a world class music group is performing in the first Christmas celebration. The Hon. speaker of the Parliament will launch the christmas programmeThis year Gloria Deo have initiated a Gloria Deo World tour '08 which began at Berlin on the 15th of November, moving across Kathmandu on 6th of December and finally having its finale in the city of New Delhi on the 7th of December. This is the first of its kind international event in the city of New Delhi for the Christmas season; bringing ahead a wide range of musicians, singers, bands, prominent actors, actresses and sports stars. Gloria Deo World Tour '08 is ready to capture Delhi by storm.GCIC jointly with Gloria Deo held a concert during Christmas in the city of Bangalore
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, East India
Friday, December 5, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Brown's Daily Word & India update12-4-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the Seasons of Advent and Christmas. Praise the Lord for the Christ of Christmas. Jesus, the Savior, invaded this world, landing at the beaches of Bethlehem and changing the world and its history for ever. What if there had never been a Christmas? "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", written brilliantly by C.S. Lewis, is all about Christmas. It’s about a snow-blanketed land called “Narnia” where animals walk and talk, and the land is ruled by a wicked witch whose magic spell keeps the entire land always winter, but never Christmas. Can you think of anything worse than that? The four children in the story, named Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, discover Narnia by walking through an old English wardrobe that is a kind of secret passageway into this alternative world. Lucy is the first to discover Narnia. When Lucy first enters Narnia, she meets a fawn named Tumnus, who takes Lucy to his home for a proper tea and a little treachery. While Lucy and Tumnus are huddled in his cave, Tumnus explains that the reason it is so cold and dreary is a spell cast by the White Witch. “The White Witch? Who is she?” Asks Lucy. “Why, it is she that has got all Narnia under her thumb. It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!” Suppose we never had Christmas? What would your life be like without Christmas? Christmas represents the birth of the Christ-child. His coming changed history. For one thing, Christmas is the largest boost to our economy each year. If there had never been a Christmas, the world would be far different than it is today – in ways you may never have imagined. The early Christian communities stressed support for widows, orphans, the sick and disabled. They organized efforts to help those who were dying. They built, staffed, and paid for hospitals. In recent times, Christ’s followers have founded virtually every charitable organization on earth, including the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, World Relief, World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Food for the Hungry, and Compassion International. Without the birth of Christ, education would be very different today. Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, and almost every one of the first 123 American colleges and universities were founded by Christians, on Christian principles. If there had never been a Christmas, much of the good in this world would be missing. Much of the good you have experienced would be missing. Without Christmas none of our great Christmas memories would have happened. But without Christmas, something far worse wouldn’t have happened: Christ would not have come. Fortunately, Christ did come. In "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe", Christ comes in a different form than that which He took when He came to our world. He comes in the form of a lion, named Aslan. One of the heroes of the story, an affable little beaver named, “Mr. Beaver”, told the children, “They say Aslan is on the move – perhaps has already landed.” He told them that Aslan was not a tame lion, but that he was good. "And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something you don’t understand, but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning – either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer. So the children journey to meet Aslan at a famous landmark in Narnia called the Great Stone Table, all but Edmund." Edmund sneaks off to find his benefactor, the witch. Only this time the witch doesn’t treat him as well as she did the first time. She’s furious with him for failing to bring his brother and sisters to her, and even more furious to learn that Aslan has entered Narnia. The story climaxes with Aslan, the children, the witch, and Edmund meeting at the Stone Table. The witch reminds Aslan that, according to ancient law, all traitors belong to her and she has the right to kill them. So Aslan offers her a trade. – His life for Edmund's. In a dramatic scene, the witch has Aslan the lion tied down and shaved and put to death on the Stone Table. The children despair. All hope is gone. How could this happen? How could One so powerful have something to awful happen to him? Just before dawn, Susan and Lucy sneak back to the now-deserted Stone Table and untie the ropes around Aslan’s dead body. His body is mangled and mutilated, but a few minutes later, they can’t believe it, as life actually returns to him, and they witness his resurrection. Aslan explains that, while ancient law dictates that all traitors belong to the Witch, an even more ancient law dictates that when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in the traitor’s place, that Death will work backwards and restore the life of the innocent victim. Aslan then deals with the wicked witch, throws a huge party, and all of Narnia lives happily. Edmund, the wayward boy whose life was saved by the innocent lion, is transformed forever by the sacrifice that Aslan made for him.. Aslan brought Christmas back to Narnia. When Aslan comes into the land, the snow melts, the sun shines, and the world is delivered from the White Witch. Narnia had almost missed Christmas. This is also the author, story of C.S. Lewis’ life. Lewis wrote the story because in real life, he almost missed Christmas. When Lewis decided to follow Jesus, it was as if snow melted from his heart. He came to Christmas, and Christmas came to him. Lewis said that in Christ, he had found a “better country.” – Maybe a little town, called “Bethlehem”? His encounter with the Christ of Christmas not only changed his life, it changed his eternity. It opened a better country for him.
Have you been transformed by the Christ of Christmas? Is Christmas a season of hope, joy, and light, or is your heart frozen, unable to know the love of the Savior?
Joy to the world, The Saviour Reigns,
Brown
Wed, 03/12/2008 - 10:05pm A Dalit teenager was beaten to death in Uttar Pradesh
Rae Bareli-Utter Pradesh,3rd Dec08A Dalit teenager was beaten to death in an Uttar Pradesh village after he allegedly stole sugarcane from a field, police said Wednesday.
The incident took place in Rae Bareli district Monday evening when 14-year-old Shailendra Paswan allegedly committed the theft from the field of Ram Prasad Pathak.
"Pathak thrashed him badly and threw him on the road. Paswan was taken to hospital by his family and succumbed to injuries Tuesday night," Inspector Sanjay Maury
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 10:00pm killings and terror continue ahead of Christmas in Orissa
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13918&geo=2&size=AOrissa,by Nirmala CarvalhoA woman has been cut into pieces and thrown into the forest. Another has disappeared. Both of them had returned to the village to try to harvest rice for their families. The government is incapable of guaranteeing security. So far, no arrests have been made for the violence in recent months.
Bhubaneshwar (AsiaNews) - There is still widespread terror in the district of Kandhamal (Orissa), where for months attacks and killings have continued against the Christians. The government of Orissa is forcing Christians to return to their villages, but is not guaranteeing them any security.
In recent days, two Christian women have been killed in the district. They had returned to the village to try to harvest rice from their fields, hoping to provide food for their family.
One of them, Bimala Nayak, 52, was hacked to death with axes and thrown into the forest. Her body was found in three pieces, outside the village of Gubria. She had left the refugee camp of Nuagaon to harvest the rice from her plot of land.
The other, Lalita Digal, 45, was killed in Dodabali last November 25. She was staying in the refugee camp of K.Nuagam, and on November 21 she had left to return to the village and harvest the rice. She was staying with some Hindu friends in the village. Witnesses say that the woman was taken away from the house where she was staying. Her body has not yet been found.
Other episodes of violence have taken place in the village of Tiangia. On the night of November 25, two homes belonging to Christians were burned, as was one belonging to a Hindu who had dared to welcome Christians. On November 25 in Tiangia - the birthplace of Fr. Bernard Digal, who died months after being beaten and tortured - the authorities of the district had gathered the residents of the village, where six Christians were killed, and celebrated a "peace encounter," at which they guaranteed the return of the Christians who have fled.
The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) is accusing the local government of being unable - and perhaps unwilling - to stop the violence. Speaking to AsiaNews, Sajan George, the president of the GCIC, says that "fear still lurks in the Christian community in Kandhamal, and as Christmas approaches, they are traumatised not only by the memory of the anti-Chrsitian violence last December, but also by the failure of the administration to contain the larger scale violence unleashed upon the Kandhamal Christians after the unforturnate murder of Swami Laxamananada."
The killing of the Hindi leader of the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), which took place last August 23 on the part of a Maoist group, was the spark that ignited the pogrom against the Christians of Orissa. Sajan George says that "after three months, no arrest has been made of those responsible for the violence," although the administration is forcing the Christians who have fled - about 54,000 of them - to return to their villages. He recalls that more violence was seen against the Christian communities in recent years and in December of 2007, when three people were killed, and 13 churches and hundreds of homes belonging to Christians were burned.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 4:29pm First Christmas celebration in the Himalayam Kingdom of Nepal
The Himalyan kingdom of Nepal is all set to celebrate first ever Christmas in its long history.Gloria Deo, a world class music group is performing in the first Christmas celebration. The Hon. speaker of the Parliament will launch the christmas programmeThis year Gloria Deo have initiated a Gloria Deo World tour '08 which began at Berlin on the 15th of November, moving across Kathmandu on 6th of December and finally having its finale in the city of New Delhi on the 7th of December. This is the first of its kind international event in the city of New Delhi for the Christmas season; bringing ahead a wide range of musicians, singers, bands, prominent actors, actresses and sports stars. Gloria Deo World Tour '08 is ready to capture Delhi by storm.GCIC jointly with Gloria Deo held a concert during Christmas in the city of Bangalore
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, East India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 12:36pm Pastor attacked in Delhi
Pastor M. S Jeblin an Independent Pastor of the St. Pentecostal Capstone Church was attacked by a group of Hindutva extremists on November 30 in Gayartri colony, Baljeet Nagar in West Delhi
On November 27 Joth Ram a police constable of Anand Parbat police station along with others entered the church premises and carried out the act of vandalism by demolishing its wall and damaging the window panes. He, then, threatened Pastor Jeblin of dire consequences.
Around 11 am, on Nov 30th a group led by a person identified as D.K Singh along with four policemen barged into the damaged church using abusive language and again ordered the pastor to stop the service.
The perpetrators took away the guitar and other musical instruments, Bibles and important document of the church.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 7:14am Kandhamal violence: 10,000 people named in 746 cases
Bhubaneswar: An estimated 10,000 people have been named in 746 cases lodged during Kandhamal violence this year with 598 accused put behind the bars, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik informed the Orissa Assembly.
All these cases were being investigated and those arrested had been forwarded to court, Patnaik told the House on Monday replying to a question.
In 2007 violence, about 800 families were affected and all were given compensation, he said. The evidence of involvement of 1,453 have been obtained by the investigating officers in 127 cases, and 193 of the accused have so far been arrested, the Chief Minister said.
To another question, Patnaik said that the Government has received reports of 4,215 houses either damaged or burnt in the flare-up in 2008 which had taken place after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.
While as per the preliminary reports, 252 prayers halls and other religious places had been damaged, the detailed report was still under progress.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Tue, 02/12/2008 - 10:09am Bimala Nayak axed and buried alive in Gubira,Baliguda,Orissa
Phulbani (Orissa), Nov 28:
Mrs Bimala Nayak(52) was axed and buried alive in Gubria village,under Baliguda police station limits.She has gone from Nuagaon relief camp for harvesting standing crops in her small land holding in GuriaKandhamal administration was forcing the refugees to return to homes, GCIC had apprised the central Minister's team the apprehension of Christians living in relief camps still feel "insecure" in their villages even three months after the violence erupted on August 24.Murder of Mrs Bimala Nayak confirms the callousness of the Orissa administration
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
Praise the Lord for the Seasons of Advent and Christmas. Praise the Lord for the Christ of Christmas. Jesus, the Savior, invaded this world, landing at the beaches of Bethlehem and changing the world and its history for ever. What if there had never been a Christmas? "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", written brilliantly by C.S. Lewis, is all about Christmas. It’s about a snow-blanketed land called “Narnia” where animals walk and talk, and the land is ruled by a wicked witch whose magic spell keeps the entire land always winter, but never Christmas. Can you think of anything worse than that? The four children in the story, named Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, discover Narnia by walking through an old English wardrobe that is a kind of secret passageway into this alternative world. Lucy is the first to discover Narnia. When Lucy first enters Narnia, she meets a fawn named Tumnus, who takes Lucy to his home for a proper tea and a little treachery. While Lucy and Tumnus are huddled in his cave, Tumnus explains that the reason it is so cold and dreary is a spell cast by the White Witch. “The White Witch? Who is she?” Asks Lucy. “Why, it is she that has got all Narnia under her thumb. It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!” Suppose we never had Christmas? What would your life be like without Christmas? Christmas represents the birth of the Christ-child. His coming changed history. For one thing, Christmas is the largest boost to our economy each year. If there had never been a Christmas, the world would be far different than it is today – in ways you may never have imagined. The early Christian communities stressed support for widows, orphans, the sick and disabled. They organized efforts to help those who were dying. They built, staffed, and paid for hospitals. In recent times, Christ’s followers have founded virtually every charitable organization on earth, including the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, World Relief, World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Food for the Hungry, and Compassion International. Without the birth of Christ, education would be very different today. Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, and almost every one of the first 123 American colleges and universities were founded by Christians, on Christian principles. If there had never been a Christmas, much of the good in this world would be missing. Much of the good you have experienced would be missing. Without Christmas none of our great Christmas memories would have happened. But without Christmas, something far worse wouldn’t have happened: Christ would not have come. Fortunately, Christ did come. In "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe", Christ comes in a different form than that which He took when He came to our world. He comes in the form of a lion, named Aslan. One of the heroes of the story, an affable little beaver named, “Mr. Beaver”, told the children, “They say Aslan is on the move – perhaps has already landed.” He told them that Aslan was not a tame lion, but that he was good. "And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something you don’t understand, but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning – either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer. So the children journey to meet Aslan at a famous landmark in Narnia called the Great Stone Table, all but Edmund." Edmund sneaks off to find his benefactor, the witch. Only this time the witch doesn’t treat him as well as she did the first time. She’s furious with him for failing to bring his brother and sisters to her, and even more furious to learn that Aslan has entered Narnia. The story climaxes with Aslan, the children, the witch, and Edmund meeting at the Stone Table. The witch reminds Aslan that, according to ancient law, all traitors belong to her and she has the right to kill them. So Aslan offers her a trade. – His life for Edmund's. In a dramatic scene, the witch has Aslan the lion tied down and shaved and put to death on the Stone Table. The children despair. All hope is gone. How could this happen? How could One so powerful have something to awful happen to him? Just before dawn, Susan and Lucy sneak back to the now-deserted Stone Table and untie the ropes around Aslan’s dead body. His body is mangled and mutilated, but a few minutes later, they can’t believe it, as life actually returns to him, and they witness his resurrection. Aslan explains that, while ancient law dictates that all traitors belong to the Witch, an even more ancient law dictates that when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in the traitor’s place, that Death will work backwards and restore the life of the innocent victim. Aslan then deals with the wicked witch, throws a huge party, and all of Narnia lives happily. Edmund, the wayward boy whose life was saved by the innocent lion, is transformed forever by the sacrifice that Aslan made for him.. Aslan brought Christmas back to Narnia. When Aslan comes into the land, the snow melts, the sun shines, and the world is delivered from the White Witch. Narnia had almost missed Christmas. This is also the author, story of C.S. Lewis’ life. Lewis wrote the story because in real life, he almost missed Christmas. When Lewis decided to follow Jesus, it was as if snow melted from his heart. He came to Christmas, and Christmas came to him. Lewis said that in Christ, he had found a “better country.” – Maybe a little town, called “Bethlehem”? His encounter with the Christ of Christmas not only changed his life, it changed his eternity. It opened a better country for him.
Have you been transformed by the Christ of Christmas? Is Christmas a season of hope, joy, and light, or is your heart frozen, unable to know the love of the Savior?
Joy to the world, The Saviour Reigns,
Brown
Wed, 03/12/2008 - 10:05pm A Dalit teenager was beaten to death in Uttar Pradesh
Rae Bareli-Utter Pradesh,3rd Dec08A Dalit teenager was beaten to death in an Uttar Pradesh village after he allegedly stole sugarcane from a field, police said Wednesday.
The incident took place in Rae Bareli district Monday evening when 14-year-old Shailendra Paswan allegedly committed the theft from the field of Ram Prasad Pathak.
"Pathak thrashed him badly and threw him on the road. Paswan was taken to hospital by his family and succumbed to injuries Tuesday night," Inspector Sanjay Maury
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 10:00pm killings and terror continue ahead of Christmas in Orissa
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13918&geo=2&size=AOrissa,by Nirmala CarvalhoA woman has been cut into pieces and thrown into the forest. Another has disappeared. Both of them had returned to the village to try to harvest rice for their families. The government is incapable of guaranteeing security. So far, no arrests have been made for the violence in recent months.
Bhubaneshwar (AsiaNews) - There is still widespread terror in the district of Kandhamal (Orissa), where for months attacks and killings have continued against the Christians. The government of Orissa is forcing Christians to return to their villages, but is not guaranteeing them any security.
In recent days, two Christian women have been killed in the district. They had returned to the village to try to harvest rice from their fields, hoping to provide food for their family.
One of them, Bimala Nayak, 52, was hacked to death with axes and thrown into the forest. Her body was found in three pieces, outside the village of Gubria. She had left the refugee camp of Nuagaon to harvest the rice from her plot of land.
The other, Lalita Digal, 45, was killed in Dodabali last November 25. She was staying in the refugee camp of K.Nuagam, and on November 21 she had left to return to the village and harvest the rice. She was staying with some Hindu friends in the village. Witnesses say that the woman was taken away from the house where she was staying. Her body has not yet been found.
Other episodes of violence have taken place in the village of Tiangia. On the night of November 25, two homes belonging to Christians were burned, as was one belonging to a Hindu who had dared to welcome Christians. On November 25 in Tiangia - the birthplace of Fr. Bernard Digal, who died months after being beaten and tortured - the authorities of the district had gathered the residents of the village, where six Christians were killed, and celebrated a "peace encounter," at which they guaranteed the return of the Christians who have fled.
The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) is accusing the local government of being unable - and perhaps unwilling - to stop the violence. Speaking to AsiaNews, Sajan George, the president of the GCIC, says that "fear still lurks in the Christian community in Kandhamal, and as Christmas approaches, they are traumatised not only by the memory of the anti-Chrsitian violence last December, but also by the failure of the administration to contain the larger scale violence unleashed upon the Kandhamal Christians after the unforturnate murder of Swami Laxamananada."
The killing of the Hindi leader of the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), which took place last August 23 on the part of a Maoist group, was the spark that ignited the pogrom against the Christians of Orissa. Sajan George says that "after three months, no arrest has been made of those responsible for the violence," although the administration is forcing the Christians who have fled - about 54,000 of them - to return to their villages. He recalls that more violence was seen against the Christian communities in recent years and in December of 2007, when three people were killed, and 13 churches and hundreds of homes belonging to Christians were burned.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 4:29pm First Christmas celebration in the Himalayam Kingdom of Nepal
The Himalyan kingdom of Nepal is all set to celebrate first ever Christmas in its long history.Gloria Deo, a world class music group is performing in the first Christmas celebration. The Hon. speaker of the Parliament will launch the christmas programmeThis year Gloria Deo have initiated a Gloria Deo World tour '08 which began at Berlin on the 15th of November, moving across Kathmandu on 6th of December and finally having its finale in the city of New Delhi on the 7th of December. This is the first of its kind international event in the city of New Delhi for the Christmas season; bringing ahead a wide range of musicians, singers, bands, prominent actors, actresses and sports stars. Gloria Deo World Tour '08 is ready to capture Delhi by storm.GCIC jointly with Gloria Deo held a concert during Christmas in the city of Bangalore
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, East India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 12:36pm Pastor attacked in Delhi
Pastor M. S Jeblin an Independent Pastor of the St. Pentecostal Capstone Church was attacked by a group of Hindutva extremists on November 30 in Gayartri colony, Baljeet Nagar in West Delhi
On November 27 Joth Ram a police constable of Anand Parbat police station along with others entered the church premises and carried out the act of vandalism by demolishing its wall and damaging the window panes. He, then, threatened Pastor Jeblin of dire consequences.
Around 11 am, on Nov 30th a group led by a person identified as D.K Singh along with four policemen barged into the damaged church using abusive language and again ordered the pastor to stop the service.
The perpetrators took away the guitar and other musical instruments, Bibles and important document of the church.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, North India
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Wed, 03/12/2008 - 7:14am Kandhamal violence: 10,000 people named in 746 cases
Bhubaneswar: An estimated 10,000 people have been named in 746 cases lodged during Kandhamal violence this year with 598 accused put behind the bars, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik informed the Orissa Assembly.
All these cases were being investigated and those arrested had been forwarded to court, Patnaik told the House on Monday replying to a question.
In 2007 violence, about 800 families were affected and all were given compensation, he said. The evidence of involvement of 1,453 have been obtained by the investigating officers in 127 cases, and 193 of the accused have so far been arrested, the Chief Minister said.
To another question, Patnaik said that the Government has received reports of 4,215 houses either damaged or burnt in the flare-up in 2008 which had taken place after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.
While as per the preliminary reports, 252 prayers halls and other religious places had been damaged, the detailed report was still under progress.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Tue, 02/12/2008 - 10:09am Bimala Nayak axed and buried alive in Gubira,Baliguda,Orissa
Phulbani (Orissa), Nov 28:
Mrs Bimala Nayak(52) was axed and buried alive in Gubria village,under Baliguda police station limits.She has gone from Nuagaon relief camp for harvesting standing crops in her small land holding in GuriaKandhamal administration was forcing the refugees to return to homes, GCIC had apprised the central Minister's team the apprehension of Christians living in relief camps still feel "insecure" in their villages even three months after the violence erupted on August 24.Murder of Mrs Bimala Nayak confirms the callousness of the Orissa administration
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Brown's Daily Word & India update12-3-08
Good morning,
It is written, " Jesus Christ in us the Hope of Glory". Jesus came to the world hopelessness with the good news of marvelous hope. He came to the world of deep darkness withe celestial and the heavenly light. Praise the Lord for the way His light shines in darkness. Darkness has not overcome or overshadowed it.
I love Christmas lights. Next week we will take our annual pilgrimage to the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, to attend the Christmas Extravaganza. I love the way the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is decorated with so many lights. Alice loves decorate the parsonage with multiple Christmas trees and a lot of lights. All of the colorful brilliant lights point out that Jesus is the Light of the world. They also remind us of the star that shone brilliantly, pointing the way to Jesus. Jesus, in Luke 21, quite freely mixes words about events that will takes place very shortly with words that seem to point much, much further into the future. In the first 24 verses of this chapter, Jesus speaks about not only wars and rumors of war in the distant future but also, more narrowly, he talks about the fall of Jerusalem, which would take place about forty years after the sermon recorded in Luke 21. Similarly, in other verses, Jesus seems on the one hand to be pointing forward to his own death and resurrection (which would happen within a week's time) yet on the other hand he talks about what looks to be the very end of the world as we know it. Sometimes Jesus talked about next week. Sometimes he talked about something that could come a thousand years later.
In Luke 21 Jesus is doing more than telling us that history will be rough. He is also trying to reassure us that despite wars, earthquakes, and disasters of all kinds, this world still belongs to God. None of those dreadful happenings need make us conclude that the gospel is false or that Jesus is not Lord after all. God still holds history in his hands, a broken history though it often is. What's more, all appearances to the contrary, the whole thing is heading the right direction. Even in verses 27-28 when Jesus described terrifying cosmic events involving the moon and the stars, even then he told the disciples that believers can hold their heads up high and rejoice. Nothing must shake our faith-given resolve that God is in charge and Jesus is coming again.
If the news headlines are all you have to judge your life by on any given day, you will almost certainly despair at times. You may throw up your hands, sit in some corner of your den, and watch the TV screen flicker with images of terrorism and rampaging violence everywhere. If that's all you can do most days then, like many other folks in society, you will find it easy to conclude that the whole world is falling apart. As long as you think that the shape of the future, and the securing of some kind of globally good outcome, are up to human beings alone, there will be no end to the excuses you could find to crumple up into a little ball of utter hopelessness.
Jesus tell us not to do that. Don't think that the future of the world is up to you or any government anywhere on earth. What secures the future, what gives us a future despite the multiple threats to our very existence that surround us all the day long, is nothing less than the promises of God through Christ Jesus the Lord. If you keep faith in Jesus, then not only will you find a motivation to keep on moving forward despite this present darkness, you will also eagerly await the Son of Man's return and will know that you will stand firm right next to that same Lord when he comes.
We begin Advent with passages that happen immediately before Jesus' death because we live in a world that does terrible things like crucifying the Son of God. Ours is a world of upheaval, of genocide, of pride, selfishness, greed, and violent acts, perpetrated on the innocent and the unsuspecting. Soon our neighborhoods will beautiful as they are decked out with lots of Christmas lights. Yet, if the world were really that pretty and serene most of the time, then this world would need no Savior. Advent begins with a frank, honest assessment of history's perils, of the present moment's terrors, and of the future's all-but certain calamities because looking directly at them is the only way to frame Advent and Christmas correctly. We would not even need Advent if the apocalyptic prophecy mentioned in Luke 21 were not our reality. Remind yourself that the darkness still swirls all around, but precisely because that is so, and not despite it, we must recall that a light shines in the darkness. It is a light which no darkness, no apocalypse, no warfare, no falling of meteors, and no holocaust can prevent from shining. Let our Christmas lights shine this season. Let us never forget Whose light it is and why this world so badly needs to see it.
" Let His Light Shine Through us".
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jKLPyfpb78
It is written, " Jesus Christ in us the Hope of Glory". Jesus came to the world hopelessness with the good news of marvelous hope. He came to the world of deep darkness withe celestial and the heavenly light. Praise the Lord for the way His light shines in darkness. Darkness has not overcome or overshadowed it.
I love Christmas lights. Next week we will take our annual pilgrimage to the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, to attend the Christmas Extravaganza. I love the way the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is decorated with so many lights. Alice loves decorate the parsonage with multiple Christmas trees and a lot of lights. All of the colorful brilliant lights point out that Jesus is the Light of the world. They also remind us of the star that shone brilliantly, pointing the way to Jesus. Jesus, in Luke 21, quite freely mixes words about events that will takes place very shortly with words that seem to point much, much further into the future. In the first 24 verses of this chapter, Jesus speaks about not only wars and rumors of war in the distant future but also, more narrowly, he talks about the fall of Jerusalem, which would take place about forty years after the sermon recorded in Luke 21. Similarly, in other verses, Jesus seems on the one hand to be pointing forward to his own death and resurrection (which would happen within a week's time) yet on the other hand he talks about what looks to be the very end of the world as we know it. Sometimes Jesus talked about next week. Sometimes he talked about something that could come a thousand years later.
In Luke 21 Jesus is doing more than telling us that history will be rough. He is also trying to reassure us that despite wars, earthquakes, and disasters of all kinds, this world still belongs to God. None of those dreadful happenings need make us conclude that the gospel is false or that Jesus is not Lord after all. God still holds history in his hands, a broken history though it often is. What's more, all appearances to the contrary, the whole thing is heading the right direction. Even in verses 27-28 when Jesus described terrifying cosmic events involving the moon and the stars, even then he told the disciples that believers can hold their heads up high and rejoice. Nothing must shake our faith-given resolve that God is in charge and Jesus is coming again.
If the news headlines are all you have to judge your life by on any given day, you will almost certainly despair at times. You may throw up your hands, sit in some corner of your den, and watch the TV screen flicker with images of terrorism and rampaging violence everywhere. If that's all you can do most days then, like many other folks in society, you will find it easy to conclude that the whole world is falling apart. As long as you think that the shape of the future, and the securing of some kind of globally good outcome, are up to human beings alone, there will be no end to the excuses you could find to crumple up into a little ball of utter hopelessness.
Jesus tell us not to do that. Don't think that the future of the world is up to you or any government anywhere on earth. What secures the future, what gives us a future despite the multiple threats to our very existence that surround us all the day long, is nothing less than the promises of God through Christ Jesus the Lord. If you keep faith in Jesus, then not only will you find a motivation to keep on moving forward despite this present darkness, you will also eagerly await the Son of Man's return and will know that you will stand firm right next to that same Lord when he comes.
We begin Advent with passages that happen immediately before Jesus' death because we live in a world that does terrible things like crucifying the Son of God. Ours is a world of upheaval, of genocide, of pride, selfishness, greed, and violent acts, perpetrated on the innocent and the unsuspecting. Soon our neighborhoods will beautiful as they are decked out with lots of Christmas lights. Yet, if the world were really that pretty and serene most of the time, then this world would need no Savior. Advent begins with a frank, honest assessment of history's perils, of the present moment's terrors, and of the future's all-but certain calamities because looking directly at them is the only way to frame Advent and Christmas correctly. We would not even need Advent if the apocalyptic prophecy mentioned in Luke 21 were not our reality. Remind yourself that the darkness still swirls all around, but precisely because that is so, and not despite it, we must recall that a light shines in the darkness. It is a light which no darkness, no apocalypse, no warfare, no falling of meteors, and no holocaust can prevent from shining. Let our Christmas lights shine this season. Let us never forget Whose light it is and why this world so badly needs to see it.
" Let His Light Shine Through us".
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jKLPyfpb78
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Brown's Daily Word & India update12-2-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent. Praise the Lord for His Promise. Praise the Lord for His power with which He delivers what He promises. I love the season of Advent and Christmas. This is the season of great anticipation. This is the season of beauty and blessing.
This is our time when we celebrate the arrival, the coming, the advent, of Jesus, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer, the long-awaited Messiah. In Luke 23, Jesus tells his disciples that they must always be watching, wide-eyed, poised, ready for action. Jesus talks about paying close attention to the world around us. He says in verse 34, “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.”
Dissipation means wasting what you have, or using that which you have for silly things. God has given all of us so much.
Drunkenness: Jesus also warns his followers against getting drunk. The danger is that we can be so consumed with all our selfish desires that we cannot see the things going on around us. We become so inward-focused that the world around us becomes hazy and unfocused — we become drunk, consumed with ourselves.
Jesus wants us to pay attention, to be watchful. We cannot do that when we’re on the fast-track to success, when we have purchased our one-way, non-stop ticket to our dreams.
Anxieties of life: There are so many things to worry about. Many of these worries are, or seem to be, quite important. However, the trouble with anxiety is that it can become so consuming that it takes over our ability to pay attention to the present, to the world that’s happening all around us. The anxieties of life turn our eyes to the dreamy future, and close us off from what God is doing right now.
So, those are the three things Jesus warns his disciples against: dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. If the point is that those things cloud our vision, that they are ways of distracting us from the present, then what is it that we are supposed to be looking for? If Jesus is so concerned about our vision, about our ability to watch and wait, the question I have is what are we waiting for? What are we waiting to see?
We are looking for Jesus, waiting to see Him in our lives. We are waiting for the second advent, the time when Jesus will come again. That is the point of our season of Advent, and it is why we read the New Testament Texts regarding the end of the world. We celebrate the first Advent, and anticipate the second when our Savior will come again.
Immanuel, God with us. As we wait for Jesus to return, I always come back to this title for Jesus. He is Immanuel, God with us. After the resurrection Jesus came to his followers and they did not recognize him. He came to two of his followers as a stranger on a road to Emmaus. He appeared as a gardener to Mary outside the tomb. He came to his disciples gathered in a room, and he appeared with wounds. You know the story. Thomas did not believe, so Jesus showed him that his body, his hands and his side, still bore the marks of his death.
Jesus appeared with wounds. Immanuel, God with us, is still among us, but He may not look like we expect Him to. We learn this from the stories of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. When we think of a resurrected Jesus, the last thing we would ever consider is that somehow his body would still bear the marks of death, the marks of suffering, open wounds. Yet that is the gospel story; that’s how he comes to us, with the wounds of suffering.
In a sermon to some of the most powerful people in the United States, including the president, Bono, the lead singer of U2, said this:
God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.
Alice and I have been blessed beyond belief with four beautiful daughters who love Jesus . They have been blessed with hearts of compassion for the poor, for the lost, for the least, and for the last. They challenge me in my walk with Jesus. The Lord uses them to provoke me to love Him with great devotion , worship Him with passion, give to Him with extravagant generosity, witness for Him with grace and serve Him with gladness.
In an interview with Mother Theresa, a reporter asked her how she found the strength and hope to work day after day in the middle of so much suffering. Mother Theresa replied, "One day a long time ago I went to nurse a woman with leprosy. Her body was covered with sores. So, I began the slow work of tending to the sores, up and down her arms. And when I reached her hand, I saw a sore in the middle of her hand that looked like it went though. And I thought to myself, My Lord has holes in his hands. Then I prayed, “Lord, is this you?”
In Christ the wounded Healer,
Brown
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent. Praise the Lord for His Promise. Praise the Lord for His power with which He delivers what He promises. I love the season of Advent and Christmas. This is the season of great anticipation. This is the season of beauty and blessing.
This is our time when we celebrate the arrival, the coming, the advent, of Jesus, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer, the long-awaited Messiah. In Luke 23, Jesus tells his disciples that they must always be watching, wide-eyed, poised, ready for action. Jesus talks about paying close attention to the world around us. He says in verse 34, “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.”
Dissipation means wasting what you have, or using that which you have for silly things. God has given all of us so much.
Drunkenness: Jesus also warns his followers against getting drunk. The danger is that we can be so consumed with all our selfish desires that we cannot see the things going on around us. We become so inward-focused that the world around us becomes hazy and unfocused — we become drunk, consumed with ourselves.
Jesus wants us to pay attention, to be watchful. We cannot do that when we’re on the fast-track to success, when we have purchased our one-way, non-stop ticket to our dreams.
Anxieties of life: There are so many things to worry about. Many of these worries are, or seem to be, quite important. However, the trouble with anxiety is that it can become so consuming that it takes over our ability to pay attention to the present, to the world that’s happening all around us. The anxieties of life turn our eyes to the dreamy future, and close us off from what God is doing right now.
So, those are the three things Jesus warns his disciples against: dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. If the point is that those things cloud our vision, that they are ways of distracting us from the present, then what is it that we are supposed to be looking for? If Jesus is so concerned about our vision, about our ability to watch and wait, the question I have is what are we waiting for? What are we waiting to see?
We are looking for Jesus, waiting to see Him in our lives. We are waiting for the second advent, the time when Jesus will come again. That is the point of our season of Advent, and it is why we read the New Testament Texts regarding the end of the world. We celebrate the first Advent, and anticipate the second when our Savior will come again.
Immanuel, God with us. As we wait for Jesus to return, I always come back to this title for Jesus. He is Immanuel, God with us. After the resurrection Jesus came to his followers and they did not recognize him. He came to two of his followers as a stranger on a road to Emmaus. He appeared as a gardener to Mary outside the tomb. He came to his disciples gathered in a room, and he appeared with wounds. You know the story. Thomas did not believe, so Jesus showed him that his body, his hands and his side, still bore the marks of his death.
Jesus appeared with wounds. Immanuel, God with us, is still among us, but He may not look like we expect Him to. We learn this from the stories of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. When we think of a resurrected Jesus, the last thing we would ever consider is that somehow his body would still bear the marks of death, the marks of suffering, open wounds. Yet that is the gospel story; that’s how he comes to us, with the wounds of suffering.
In a sermon to some of the most powerful people in the United States, including the president, Bono, the lead singer of U2, said this:
God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.
Alice and I have been blessed beyond belief with four beautiful daughters who love Jesus . They have been blessed with hearts of compassion for the poor, for the lost, for the least, and for the last. They challenge me in my walk with Jesus. The Lord uses them to provoke me to love Him with great devotion , worship Him with passion, give to Him with extravagant generosity, witness for Him with grace and serve Him with gladness.
In an interview with Mother Theresa, a reporter asked her how she found the strength and hope to work day after day in the middle of so much suffering. Mother Theresa replied, "One day a long time ago I went to nurse a woman with leprosy. Her body was covered with sores. So, I began the slow work of tending to the sores, up and down her arms. And when I reached her hand, I saw a sore in the middle of her hand that looked like it went though. And I thought to myself, My Lord has holes in his hands. Then I prayed, “Lord, is this you?”
In Christ the wounded Healer,
Brown
Brown's Daily Word & India update12-2-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent. Praise the Lord for His Promise. Praise the Lord for His power with which He delivers what He promises. I love the season of Advent and Christmas. This is the season of great anticipation. This is the season of beauty and blessing.
This is our time when we celebrate the arrival, the coming, the advent, of Jesus, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer, the long-awaited Messiah. In Luke 23, Jesus tells his disciples that they must always be watching, wide-eyed, poised, ready for action. Jesus talks about paying close attention to the world around us. He says in verse 34, “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.”
Dissipation means wasting what you have, or using that which you have for silly things. God has given all of us so much.
Drunkenness: Jesus also warns his followers against getting drunk. The danger is that we can be so consumed with all our selfish desires that we cannot see the things going on around us. We become so inward-focused that the world around us becomes hazy and unfocused — we become drunk, consumed with ourselves.
Jesus wants us to pay attention, to be watchful. We cannot do that when we’re on the fast-track to success, when we have purchased our one-way, non-stop ticket to our dreams.
Anxieties of life: There are so many things to worry about. Many of these worries are, or seem to be, quite important. However, the trouble with anxiety is that it can become so consuming that it takes over our ability to pay attention to the present, to the world that’s happening all around us. The anxieties of life turn our eyes to the dreamy future, and close us off from what God is doing right now.
So, those are the three things Jesus warns his disciples against: dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. If the point is that those things cloud our vision, that they are ways of distracting us from the present, then what is it that we are supposed to be looking for? If Jesus is so concerned about our vision, about our ability to watch and wait, the question I have is what are we waiting for? What are we waiting to see?
We are looking for Jesus, waiting to see Him in our lives. We are waiting for the second advent, the time when Jesus will come again. That is the point of our season of Advent, and it is why we read the New Testament Texts regarding the end of the world. We celebrate the first Advent, and anticipate the second when our Savior will come again.
Immanuel, God with us. As we wait for Jesus to return, I always come back to this title for Jesus. He is Immanuel, God with us. After the resurrection Jesus came to his followers and they did not recognize him. He came to two of his followers as a stranger on a road to Emmaus. He appeared as a gardener to Mary outside the tomb. He came to his disciples gathered in a room, and he appeared with wounds. You know the story. Thomas did not believe, so Jesus showed him that his body, his hands and his side, still bore the marks of his death.
Jesus appeared with wounds. Immanuel, God with us, is still among us, but He may not look like we expect Him to. We learn this from the stories of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. When we think of a resurrected Jesus, the last thing we would ever consider is that somehow his body would still bear the marks of death, the marks of suffering, open wounds. Yet that is the gospel story; that’s how he comes to us, with the wounds of suffering.
In a sermon to some of the most powerful people in the United States, including the president, Bono, the lead singer of U2, said this:
God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.
Alice and I have been blessed beyond belief with four beautiful daughters who love Jesus . They have been blessed with hearts of compassion for the poor, for the lost, for the least, and for the last. They challenge me in my walk with Jesus. The Lord uses them to provoke me to love Him with great devotion , worship Him with passion, give to Him with extravagant generosity, witness for Him with grace and serve Him with gladness.
In an interview with Mother Theresa, a reporter asked her how she found the strength and hope to work day after day in the middle of so much suffering. Mother Theresa replied, "One day a long time ago I went to nurse a woman with leprosy. Her body was covered with sores. So, I began the slow work of tending to the sores, up and down her arms. And when I reached her hand, I saw a sore in the middle of her hand that looked like it went though. And I thought to myself, My Lord has holes in his hands. Then I prayed, “Lord, is this you?”
In Christ the wounded Healer,
Brown
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent. Praise the Lord for His Promise. Praise the Lord for His power with which He delivers what He promises. I love the season of Advent and Christmas. This is the season of great anticipation. This is the season of beauty and blessing.
This is our time when we celebrate the arrival, the coming, the advent, of Jesus, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer, the long-awaited Messiah. In Luke 23, Jesus tells his disciples that they must always be watching, wide-eyed, poised, ready for action. Jesus talks about paying close attention to the world around us. He says in verse 34, “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.”
Dissipation means wasting what you have, or using that which you have for silly things. God has given all of us so much.
Drunkenness: Jesus also warns his followers against getting drunk. The danger is that we can be so consumed with all our selfish desires that we cannot see the things going on around us. We become so inward-focused that the world around us becomes hazy and unfocused — we become drunk, consumed with ourselves.
Jesus wants us to pay attention, to be watchful. We cannot do that when we’re on the fast-track to success, when we have purchased our one-way, non-stop ticket to our dreams.
Anxieties of life: There are so many things to worry about. Many of these worries are, or seem to be, quite important. However, the trouble with anxiety is that it can become so consuming that it takes over our ability to pay attention to the present, to the world that’s happening all around us. The anxieties of life turn our eyes to the dreamy future, and close us off from what God is doing right now.
So, those are the three things Jesus warns his disciples against: dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. If the point is that those things cloud our vision, that they are ways of distracting us from the present, then what is it that we are supposed to be looking for? If Jesus is so concerned about our vision, about our ability to watch and wait, the question I have is what are we waiting for? What are we waiting to see?
We are looking for Jesus, waiting to see Him in our lives. We are waiting for the second advent, the time when Jesus will come again. That is the point of our season of Advent, and it is why we read the New Testament Texts regarding the end of the world. We celebrate the first Advent, and anticipate the second when our Savior will come again.
Immanuel, God with us. As we wait for Jesus to return, I always come back to this title for Jesus. He is Immanuel, God with us. After the resurrection Jesus came to his followers and they did not recognize him. He came to two of his followers as a stranger on a road to Emmaus. He appeared as a gardener to Mary outside the tomb. He came to his disciples gathered in a room, and he appeared with wounds. You know the story. Thomas did not believe, so Jesus showed him that his body, his hands and his side, still bore the marks of his death.
Jesus appeared with wounds. Immanuel, God with us, is still among us, but He may not look like we expect Him to. We learn this from the stories of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. When we think of a resurrected Jesus, the last thing we would ever consider is that somehow his body would still bear the marks of death, the marks of suffering, open wounds. Yet that is the gospel story; that’s how he comes to us, with the wounds of suffering.
In a sermon to some of the most powerful people in the United States, including the president, Bono, the lead singer of U2, said this:
God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.
Alice and I have been blessed beyond belief with four beautiful daughters who love Jesus . They have been blessed with hearts of compassion for the poor, for the lost, for the least, and for the last. They challenge me in my walk with Jesus. The Lord uses them to provoke me to love Him with great devotion , worship Him with passion, give to Him with extravagant generosity, witness for Him with grace and serve Him with gladness.
In an interview with Mother Theresa, a reporter asked her how she found the strength and hope to work day after day in the middle of so much suffering. Mother Theresa replied, "One day a long time ago I went to nurse a woman with leprosy. Her body was covered with sores. So, I began the slow work of tending to the sores, up and down her arms. And when I reached her hand, I saw a sore in the middle of her hand that looked like it went though. And I thought to myself, My Lord has holes in his hands. Then I prayed, “Lord, is this you?”
In Christ the wounded Healer,
Brown
Monday, December 1, 2008
Brown's Daily Word & India update12-1-08
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent, where we are again watching for the coming of the Christ into our world. The Gospel reading for Yesterday, the First Sunday in Advent, was taken from Mark 13. When Mark writes his short, powerful story of Jesus’ life, he devotes two chapters to the return of the Messiah to this earth. Mark sandwiches this two-chapter discourse between Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the end of the last week in Jesus’ life. It is as though Jesus knew his time was about finished for his earthly ministry, and he is reassuring his disciples that regardless of how things look in the next few days, or months, or years, that the Messiah of God, the Christ, will return again to this earth to finish the work he has begun.
In this passage, Jesus makes his point clearly. First, he points out that there are signs pointing to the coming — the advent — of the Messiah — and that when we see the signs we know that the Messiah is near, right at the gate, the outside door:
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.
Then, Jesus reminds the disciples that they are to watch, and gives them a real life example of the kind of watching for the master’s return that he expects: “It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.” – Mark 13:29, 34
The servant who is assigned to keep watch is watching for the master’s return. Why? The master has already been there, he has already established his power and authority, he has already assigned his servants the roles they are to play. Why do they need to watch for his return? Why does one servant have the sole duty of watching at the gate, the outer door? It is because first century homes did not have video surveillance, doorbells, or other devices to alert the homeowner inside of approaching guests, the doorkeeper stood at the door. The doorkeeper’s job was to monitor the door, open it for welcomed guests, and secure it against un-welcomed intruders.
The doorkeeper is referred to in Psalm 84:10 where the psalmists says –
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
The position of doorkeeper was a servant’s job, not a privileged position. Unlike the doormen in the famous hotels or apartments of New York City, the doorkeeper was not particularly rewarded for his work — but he was expected to do his job.
After both of the Isaiah passages that Jesus quoted, God shows up and vindicates his people. In Isaiah 14:1 -
The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob. – Isaiah 14:1
The point is, when things are at their worst for the people of God, God is not far away — God is at the door, close by, about to appear, again. Just as he did in the Old Testament, just as he did in the ministry of Jesus, God is coming and we are to watch for him, watch at the gate so we can open the door and admit him without delay.
Often, when the master of the house was gone activity at the house slowed down. The servants went about their chores, but it was a good time to paint, and take care of other routine maintenance, and there were still herds to be looked after, and household business to attend to. But when the master returned, he returned to a house ready to come alive again, ready to throw a party to tell all the neighbors that he was home, and ready to celebrate his homecoming.
Stories like that of the prodigal son, while not exactly the same, illustrate that point. The homecoming of a son, even a wayward one, was cause for celebration. Even more so the homecoming of the master was reason to rejoice! Plans were made, food was purchased, cooks were busy, invitations were sent out — it was a banquet for all who would come. Stories like the parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24) are examples of this kind of celebration. Invitations were sent, and when those invited did not come, the master sent his servants to find those who would come because the feast was in full swing and nothing could stop it, not even ungrateful guests.
But there is another coming of the Christ, another way he comes to us again. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus has given John messages for the churches. The seven churches also represent the people of God. Then Jesus says to all of the churches, representing all of the people of God, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with hiim, and he with me.” – Rev 3:20 Jesus is at the door, knocking. But where is the doorkeeper? Why is no one watching? Why doesn’t anyone hear his voice? Why don’t we have the banquet ready? Why have the invitations not been sent?
That is what Advent is about. . . Watching at the gate, looking for Jesus. We are not to get so distracted by all of the things in our busy lives that we fail to keep looking, hoping, waiting, and watching. Just as he came in the form of a baby 2,000 years ago to a nation who was not looking for a messiah, so he comes today, in human form again. He is present with his people — the church, coming home to his great creation. He will keep coming again, in and through the church, if we let him in, if we hear his voice, if we open the door, and if we watch at the gate.
The words of John the Revelator ring in our ears and resonate in our hearts –"Amen, come, Lord Jesus!"
It has been a wonderful Thanksgiving Season. Keep in mind that a thankful heart opens the door to Advent and Christmas. Only if our heart is truly grateful to our Lord for all that He is, all that He does, and all that He gives us can we be ready to meet and greet the Emmanuel of Christmas. He is God with us, and for that we should be truly grateful.
It was great to have Laureen and Jessy with us for Thanksgiving Day. We had 17 gathered around the Thanksgiving table. We truly give thanks to our loving Lord for all of the blessings He bestows upon us. Sunita and Andy arrived on Friday, just moments before Tom came. We had a full house - full of love, laughter, and joy. We missed having Janice, Jeremy, Micah, and Simeon, but we connected with them by telephone a few times over the week. Micah was talking about how she loves the beach! They spent Thanksgiving with some of their very good friends, and then went shopping at Downtown Crossing on Friday, taking the kids out by 6 AM.
May Jesus Christ be praised,
Brown
Mon, 01/12/2008 - 9:26am Pastor. Srinivas Naik beaten by VHP activists in Devarakonda, Telangana, A.P.
On 25th November 2008, night Pastor. Srinivas Naik had a film show (Karunamayudu) in D.N.T Hostel at Devarakonda, Telangana, AP., with the permission from the hostel warden. After the film show, when the team members were about to leave the place, some persons claimed to be VHP members stopped the van. The perpetrators dragged the team members out of the vehicle and started attacking them. The team members were severely beaten up and vandalised their vehicles . They also tried to set fire the van, but the police arrived and stopped them. The police arrested the team members, Rev. K. Srinivas Naik (General Secretary of GBBM), Purushotham (driver of the van), K. Raju and Naresh. The team members were arrested and sent to remand and bail was not granted. The VHP activists involved in the assaulted of the team members were not arrested
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Mon, 01/12/2008 - 7:45am Maoist’ posters put up in capital of Orissa against VHP
BHUBANESWAR: The city police were on their toes on Sunday when posters allegedly belonging to banned left wing extremist outfit CPI (Maoist) were detected on walls and culverts in a few residential areas of the city.
These posters threatened those who would support Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) with dire consequences. “Everybody in the country has the right to practise and preach their own religion. Nobody should come to obstruct the process,” the poster said. “Advisories and warnings” were written in Oriya language.
Posters were found in Rental Colony, Jagannath Vihar and Khandagiri area, city police said here.
Commissioner of Police Bijay Sharma said, “we have taken the matter very seriously. Seven posters have been seized. A formal case has been registered. Investigations are on to verify authenticity of the posters.”
Last year the literature of CPI (Maoist) was found from the premises of Orissa High Court in Cuttack sending the police administration into a tizzy. Posters were also found in front of Ravenshaw University.
Although intelligence agencies have long been indicating that naxalite groups were strengthening base in urban areas, the issue has never been taken seriously. This was the first such occasion when posters purportedly bearing characteristic Maoist literature were found in Bhubaneswar.
Nayagarh, a district headquarter town, was reportedly raided by Maoist cadres early this year. It had marked first invasion of naxalite outfit into any coastal district.
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, East India
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Sun, 30/11/2008 - 3:36pm Home Minister of India Shivraj Patil resigns-Chidambaram appointed
New Delhi, Nov 30 - Home Minister Shivraj Patil resigned today, taking moral responsibility for the failure to prevent terror attacks such as the one in Mumbai.After being subject to severe criticism at last night's Congress Working Comittee (CWC) meeting, Patil met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning and submitted his resignation.Mr chidambaran will hold charges of home
Political sources said that 74-year-old Patil has been of the view that the Congress party and the government should not suffer because of the terror attacks and that is why he had taken this decision.
They felt that Patil did not want officers of his Ministry to be made scapegoats. After so much criticism about his failure
posted in: Current Issue, Secular, North India
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Sun, 30/11/2008 - 11:41am Church blasts: Four acquitted 12 get life imprisonment
Bangalore:The 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court on Saturday awarded death sentence to 11 members of the banned Deendar Anjuman Chennabasaveswar,an Islamic organisation, and sentenced 12 other members to life imprisonment, for bomb blasts in several churches in Karnataka in 2000.
The 23 belong to a sect called Deendar Channabasaveshwara Anjuman founded by Moulana Siddique in 1924 in Gulbarga district in North Karnataka.
A special court headed by S M Shivanagoudar pronounced death and life imprisonment sentences after eight years of hearing the case.
Shivanagoudar said though no one was killed during these blasts, the attacks amounted to anti-national activities.
The Karnataka police told the special court that though the sect was started apparently for establishing religious equality, there was a hidden agenda of "jehad" to attain Islamisation of India. The court was hearing cases related to the serial bomb blasts in churches in Karnataka in 2000. It convicted 23 members of the banned organisation while acquitting four others. The accused were found guilty of carrying out blasts in the churches in Hubli, Wadi (Gulbarga) and Bangalore.
After the death of sect founder Moulana Siddique in April 1952, his eldest son Zia-Ul-Hasan became head of the sect and is now settled in Mardan, Pakistan, with his family, the police said.
The death sentence was awarded to Mohmad Ibrahim (40), a resident of Bangalore, Abdul Rehman Sait (50), Chikkaballapur, Amanath Husain Mulla (58), Sayed Muneeruddin Mulla (40), Hubli, Shaikh Hasham Ali (30), Hyderabad, Mohammad Sharfuddin (37), Mohmad Akhil Ahmed (29), Sayad Abbas Ali (28), and Mohammed Khalid Choudary (32), Ijahar Baig (32) all Hyderabad and Hasnu Zama (55), Nuzvid in Andhra Pradesh.
The following were awarded life Imprisonment - Mohammad D Farook Ali (30), a resident of Hyderabad, Mohammad Siddiqi (45), Chikkaballapur, Abdul Habeeb (48), Tirvoor AP, Shamsu Zama (49), Nuzvid AP, Shaik Fardin Vali (45) Movva AP, Sayed Abdul Khadar Zilani (36), Nuzvid AP, Mohammad Giyasuddin (35), Huzurnagar AP, Meerasab Koujalagi (49), Batakurki, Rish Hiremath (40), Hubli, Mohmad Husain (45), Mumbai, Basheer Ahmed (52), Sangli Basha (45), both Kokatanoor in Karnataka.
‘Waging war’
Those who were acquitted: Mohmad Riyazuddin (30), a resident of Kodad in AP, Mohmad Zafer (23), Hyderabad, Ismail Akki (35), Gadag, Ameer Hamza (58), Basava Kalyana.
They were charged with the offences like waging war against India, sedition, causing disturbance to the communal harmony, causing mischief by fire in the places of worship, transporting and causing of explosions and endangering human life and conspiracy to perpetrate the above offenses.
In Pakistan
Five others including the main accused are currently in Pakistan. They would be tried only after their extradition. Two of the accused were killed on the spot while another was injured while transporting the explosives on July 9, 2000.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Sun, 30/11/2008 - 11:31am Archbishop contrasts treatment of Hindus in Britain with Orissa Christians
Monday, 17 November 2008,
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, on the eve of his visit to one of England's renowned Hindu temple, contrasted the "organized attacks" on Christians in Orissa with the treatment of Hindus in Britain.
He said the violence on Orissa Christians, most of them the poorest of society, "is truly shocking".
"Rather than improve, the situation in Orissa seems to have deteriorated and, indeed, to have spread to several other states, such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. I understand that more than 50 Christians have been killed, and many tens of thousands have become refugees," he said in the letter to the Moderators of the Church of North India and the Church of South India.
He noted that India risks losing its place as "an international beacon" if the violence continues.
"In this country we seek to maintain positive and respectful relationships for the good of society with Hindu communities and organizations who are a minority," he said.
The head of the Church of England also voiced his concern over re-conversions stating, "Inappropriate pressure to reconvert is as unacceptable as inappropriate pressure to convert."
The Archbishop on Saturday visited the Shri Venkateshwara (Balaji) temple, what he described as a sign of friendship and hope. He also planted an olive tree on a 'Christian Hill' at the temple premises.
Williams in his letter praised the achievements of India and said t was not only the world's largest democracy but also a model for "rich religious diversity, and respect between most of the major faiths of the world"."Yet, your Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has condemned what is happening as a 'national shame' and asserted that 'Christianity is part of our national heritage'. I too feel that if a small minority community (less than three percent of the population) continue as the target of attacks - attacks which often seem to be organized - then India will have lost its place as an international beacon," he said
He urged the central government to render justice and protection to the minorities, particularly those affected by the violence in Orissa.
Praise the Lord for the season of Advent, where we are again watching for the coming of the Christ into our world. The Gospel reading for Yesterday, the First Sunday in Advent, was taken from Mark 13. When Mark writes his short, powerful story of Jesus’ life, he devotes two chapters to the return of the Messiah to this earth. Mark sandwiches this two-chapter discourse between Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the end of the last week in Jesus’ life. It is as though Jesus knew his time was about finished for his earthly ministry, and he is reassuring his disciples that regardless of how things look in the next few days, or months, or years, that the Messiah of God, the Christ, will return again to this earth to finish the work he has begun.
In this passage, Jesus makes his point clearly. First, he points out that there are signs pointing to the coming — the advent — of the Messiah — and that when we see the signs we know that the Messiah is near, right at the gate, the outside door:
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.
Then, Jesus reminds the disciples that they are to watch, and gives them a real life example of the kind of watching for the master’s return that he expects: “It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.” – Mark 13:29, 34
The servant who is assigned to keep watch is watching for the master’s return. Why? The master has already been there, he has already established his power and authority, he has already assigned his servants the roles they are to play. Why do they need to watch for his return? Why does one servant have the sole duty of watching at the gate, the outer door? It is because first century homes did not have video surveillance, doorbells, or other devices to alert the homeowner inside of approaching guests, the doorkeeper stood at the door. The doorkeeper’s job was to monitor the door, open it for welcomed guests, and secure it against un-welcomed intruders.
The doorkeeper is referred to in Psalm 84:10 where the psalmists says –
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
The position of doorkeeper was a servant’s job, not a privileged position. Unlike the doormen in the famous hotels or apartments of New York City, the doorkeeper was not particularly rewarded for his work — but he was expected to do his job.
After both of the Isaiah passages that Jesus quoted, God shows up and vindicates his people. In Isaiah 14:1 -
The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob. – Isaiah 14:1
The point is, when things are at their worst for the people of God, God is not far away — God is at the door, close by, about to appear, again. Just as he did in the Old Testament, just as he did in the ministry of Jesus, God is coming and we are to watch for him, watch at the gate so we can open the door and admit him without delay.
Often, when the master of the house was gone activity at the house slowed down. The servants went about their chores, but it was a good time to paint, and take care of other routine maintenance, and there were still herds to be looked after, and household business to attend to. But when the master returned, he returned to a house ready to come alive again, ready to throw a party to tell all the neighbors that he was home, and ready to celebrate his homecoming.
Stories like that of the prodigal son, while not exactly the same, illustrate that point. The homecoming of a son, even a wayward one, was cause for celebration. Even more so the homecoming of the master was reason to rejoice! Plans were made, food was purchased, cooks were busy, invitations were sent out — it was a banquet for all who would come. Stories like the parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24) are examples of this kind of celebration. Invitations were sent, and when those invited did not come, the master sent his servants to find those who would come because the feast was in full swing and nothing could stop it, not even ungrateful guests.
But there is another coming of the Christ, another way he comes to us again. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus has given John messages for the churches. The seven churches also represent the people of God. Then Jesus says to all of the churches, representing all of the people of God, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with hiim, and he with me.” – Rev 3:20 Jesus is at the door, knocking. But where is the doorkeeper? Why is no one watching? Why doesn’t anyone hear his voice? Why don’t we have the banquet ready? Why have the invitations not been sent?
That is what Advent is about. . . Watching at the gate, looking for Jesus. We are not to get so distracted by all of the things in our busy lives that we fail to keep looking, hoping, waiting, and watching. Just as he came in the form of a baby 2,000 years ago to a nation who was not looking for a messiah, so he comes today, in human form again. He is present with his people — the church, coming home to his great creation. He will keep coming again, in and through the church, if we let him in, if we hear his voice, if we open the door, and if we watch at the gate.
The words of John the Revelator ring in our ears and resonate in our hearts –"Amen, come, Lord Jesus!"
It has been a wonderful Thanksgiving Season. Keep in mind that a thankful heart opens the door to Advent and Christmas. Only if our heart is truly grateful to our Lord for all that He is, all that He does, and all that He gives us can we be ready to meet and greet the Emmanuel of Christmas. He is God with us, and for that we should be truly grateful.
It was great to have Laureen and Jessy with us for Thanksgiving Day. We had 17 gathered around the Thanksgiving table. We truly give thanks to our loving Lord for all of the blessings He bestows upon us. Sunita and Andy arrived on Friday, just moments before Tom came. We had a full house - full of love, laughter, and joy. We missed having Janice, Jeremy, Micah, and Simeon, but we connected with them by telephone a few times over the week. Micah was talking about how she loves the beach! They spent Thanksgiving with some of their very good friends, and then went shopping at Downtown Crossing on Friday, taking the kids out by 6 AM.
May Jesus Christ be praised,
Brown
Mon, 01/12/2008 - 9:26am Pastor. Srinivas Naik beaten by VHP activists in Devarakonda, Telangana, A.P.
On 25th November 2008, night Pastor. Srinivas Naik had a film show (Karunamayudu) in D.N.T Hostel at Devarakonda, Telangana, AP., with the permission from the hostel warden. After the film show, when the team members were about to leave the place, some persons claimed to be VHP members stopped the van. The perpetrators dragged the team members out of the vehicle and started attacking them. The team members were severely beaten up and vandalised their vehicles . They also tried to set fire the van, but the police arrived and stopped them. The police arrested the team members, Rev. K. Srinivas Naik (General Secretary of GBBM), Purushotham (driver of the van), K. Raju and Naresh. The team members were arrested and sent to remand and bail was not granted. The VHP activists involved in the assaulted of the team members were not arrested
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
newsman's blog add new comment
Mon, 01/12/2008 - 7:45am Maoist’ posters put up in capital of Orissa against VHP
BHUBANESWAR: The city police were on their toes on Sunday when posters allegedly belonging to banned left wing extremist outfit CPI (Maoist) were detected on walls and culverts in a few residential areas of the city.
These posters threatened those who would support Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) with dire consequences. “Everybody in the country has the right to practise and preach their own religion. Nobody should come to obstruct the process,” the poster said. “Advisories and warnings” were written in Oriya language.
Posters were found in Rental Colony, Jagannath Vihar and Khandagiri area, city police said here.
Commissioner of Police Bijay Sharma said, “we have taken the matter very seriously. Seven posters have been seized. A formal case has been registered. Investigations are on to verify authenticity of the posters.”
Last year the literature of CPI (Maoist) was found from the premises of Orissa High Court in Cuttack sending the police administration into a tizzy. Posters were also found in front of Ravenshaw University.
Although intelligence agencies have long been indicating that naxalite groups were strengthening base in urban areas, the issue has never been taken seriously. This was the first such occasion when posters purportedly bearing characteristic Maoist literature were found in Bhubaneswar.
Nayagarh, a district headquarter town, was reportedly raided by Maoist cadres early this year. It had marked first invasion of naxalite outfit into any coastal district.
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, East India
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Sun, 30/11/2008 - 3:36pm Home Minister of India Shivraj Patil resigns-Chidambaram appointed
New Delhi, Nov 30 - Home Minister Shivraj Patil resigned today, taking moral responsibility for the failure to prevent terror attacks such as the one in Mumbai.After being subject to severe criticism at last night's Congress Working Comittee (CWC) meeting, Patil met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning and submitted his resignation.Mr chidambaran will hold charges of home
Political sources said that 74-year-old Patil has been of the view that the Congress party and the government should not suffer because of the terror attacks and that is why he had taken this decision.
They felt that Patil did not want officers of his Ministry to be made scapegoats. After so much criticism about his failure
posted in: Current Issue, Secular, North India
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Sun, 30/11/2008 - 11:41am Church blasts: Four acquitted 12 get life imprisonment
Bangalore:The 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court on Saturday awarded death sentence to 11 members of the banned Deendar Anjuman Chennabasaveswar,an Islamic organisation, and sentenced 12 other members to life imprisonment, for bomb blasts in several churches in Karnataka in 2000.
The 23 belong to a sect called Deendar Channabasaveshwara Anjuman founded by Moulana Siddique in 1924 in Gulbarga district in North Karnataka.
A special court headed by S M Shivanagoudar pronounced death and life imprisonment sentences after eight years of hearing the case.
Shivanagoudar said though no one was killed during these blasts, the attacks amounted to anti-national activities.
The Karnataka police told the special court that though the sect was started apparently for establishing religious equality, there was a hidden agenda of "jehad" to attain Islamisation of India. The court was hearing cases related to the serial bomb blasts in churches in Karnataka in 2000. It convicted 23 members of the banned organisation while acquitting four others. The accused were found guilty of carrying out blasts in the churches in Hubli, Wadi (Gulbarga) and Bangalore.
After the death of sect founder Moulana Siddique in April 1952, his eldest son Zia-Ul-Hasan became head of the sect and is now settled in Mardan, Pakistan, with his family, the police said.
The death sentence was awarded to Mohmad Ibrahim (40), a resident of Bangalore, Abdul Rehman Sait (50), Chikkaballapur, Amanath Husain Mulla (58), Sayed Muneeruddin Mulla (40), Hubli, Shaikh Hasham Ali (30), Hyderabad, Mohammad Sharfuddin (37), Mohmad Akhil Ahmed (29), Sayad Abbas Ali (28), and Mohammed Khalid Choudary (32), Ijahar Baig (32) all Hyderabad and Hasnu Zama (55), Nuzvid in Andhra Pradesh.
The following were awarded life Imprisonment - Mohammad D Farook Ali (30), a resident of Hyderabad, Mohammad Siddiqi (45), Chikkaballapur, Abdul Habeeb (48), Tirvoor AP, Shamsu Zama (49), Nuzvid AP, Shaik Fardin Vali (45) Movva AP, Sayed Abdul Khadar Zilani (36), Nuzvid AP, Mohammad Giyasuddin (35), Huzurnagar AP, Meerasab Koujalagi (49), Batakurki, Rish Hiremath (40), Hubli, Mohmad Husain (45), Mumbai, Basheer Ahmed (52), Sangli Basha (45), both Kokatanoor in Karnataka.
‘Waging war’
Those who were acquitted: Mohmad Riyazuddin (30), a resident of Kodad in AP, Mohmad Zafer (23), Hyderabad, Ismail Akki (35), Gadag, Ameer Hamza (58), Basava Kalyana.
They were charged with the offences like waging war against India, sedition, causing disturbance to the communal harmony, causing mischief by fire in the places of worship, transporting and causing of explosions and endangering human life and conspiracy to perpetrate the above offenses.
In Pakistan
Five others including the main accused are currently in Pakistan. They would be tried only after their extradition. Two of the accused were killed on the spot while another was injured while transporting the explosives on July 9, 2000.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Sun, 30/11/2008 - 11:31am Archbishop contrasts treatment of Hindus in Britain with Orissa Christians
Monday, 17 November 2008,
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, on the eve of his visit to one of England's renowned Hindu temple, contrasted the "organized attacks" on Christians in Orissa with the treatment of Hindus in Britain.
He said the violence on Orissa Christians, most of them the poorest of society, "is truly shocking".
"Rather than improve, the situation in Orissa seems to have deteriorated and, indeed, to have spread to several other states, such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. I understand that more than 50 Christians have been killed, and many tens of thousands have become refugees," he said in the letter to the Moderators of the Church of North India and the Church of South India.
He noted that India risks losing its place as "an international beacon" if the violence continues.
"In this country we seek to maintain positive and respectful relationships for the good of society with Hindu communities and organizations who are a minority," he said.
The head of the Church of England also voiced his concern over re-conversions stating, "Inappropriate pressure to reconvert is as unacceptable as inappropriate pressure to convert."
The Archbishop on Saturday visited the Shri Venkateshwara (Balaji) temple, what he described as a sign of friendship and hope. He also planted an olive tree on a 'Christian Hill' at the temple premises.
Williams in his letter praised the achievements of India and said t was not only the world's largest democracy but also a model for "rich religious diversity, and respect between most of the major faiths of the world"."Yet, your Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has condemned what is happening as a 'national shame' and asserted that 'Christianity is part of our national heritage'. I too feel that if a small minority community (less than three percent of the population) continue as the target of attacks - attacks which often seem to be organized - then India will have lost its place as an international beacon," he said
He urged the central government to render justice and protection to the minorities, particularly those affected by the violence in Orissa.
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