Zhovehu Lohe
What do I gain from indicting the apex organisation of the Church, NBCC, to which I belonged? Being a wretched sinner, who am I to judge this authority manned by men and women of God? Will there be dearth of matured and seasoned Church leaders behind the screen to advise those shepherds? Perhaps I am a busybody here.Besides, what Sashi Longkmer and Jonah Achumi shared their opinions on the recent directive of NBCC on the just supposedly concluded Statepolitical drama should have been enough dose. Nevertheless, I feelsomething amiss lest a pinch of salt is added to the curry laid by them. Yet, the motive is without malice apart from what one desires for this apex organisation to remain above any unwarranted controversy and command trust and respect in our society.
The Church praying for the crook, the righteous, the murderer, the philanthropist, the poor and the rich, the sick and the dying, the greed and the altruist, the saint and the sinner, the powerful and the powerless, the thief and the donor, the young and the aged, the present and the future, etc. So, what is wrong if NBCC prayed for NPF to stop quarrelling though the dust is apparently settled now.
Yet, not only Sashi and Jonah disagreed with the particular direction of NBCC but there may be many more though all those cannot share their observations in the media. I also do not believe that these two writers have ulterior motive against NBCC but perhaps they want NBCC not to meddle where it is not supposed to and gets its fingers burnt.
What concern they shared with us are not necessarily an invective or prattle and therefore better take it as essential reminder for future good. Besides, why few sensible individuals including Morung Express which tried to feel the pulse of the lay people on the same episode might have been, I presume, prompted by accumulated reasons including the recent undertaking of NBCC.
What I tried to understand the sentiment of those critics is the question of the degree of merit of quarrel between the two factions within NPF. The Sovima faction published their 7 points tirades against the erstwhile Hotel de Oriental faction. Although there may be some more vital reasons undisclosed, we, the onlookers have to weigh those which are given to media. I have already shared my views on these seven points in the media, and I stand by what I analysed. Those 7 points are not worth over which they should quarrel and pollute the environment, and as a matter of fact, they are all, irrespective of factions today, part and parcel and equally responsible for those allegations. We did not find the common interest to be the issue of dispute. In other words, the underlined reason for quarrel is nothing less than greed and selfish interest. That being the crust of the quarrel, the writers have right to question the organisation.
That being the scene, the directive issued by NBCC to its constituent churches to pray for NPF to stop the cockfight is read as partisan and political. The issuance of such directive is considered as ultra vires fitted with politically sycophantic enthusiasm. It is considered to be an overstepped and self-exposure of how NBCC is embodied with the tendencies of tilting towards power that be prompted by economic claustrophobia. The world of sufficiency of private assets and the lavish life styles of secular people become the cogent distractions to those who are supposed to have modest life for the sake of the Saviour.
At the same time, allow me to substantiate what Sashi Longkumer opined that leaders as “Pastors and Reverends” of the Church must not “hanker for secular offices”. This observation is not the question of envy but how the sanctity of NBCC is kept intact in the sight of man.
To be more candid, that NBCC may not be bogged down by the ailment of hypesthesia. That NBCC may not be used as the launching pad for anyone to become a member of statutory body who enjoys high perks from popular Govt. Nor should anyone who had such ambition and enjoyed such status with emoluments from the same popular Govt. be propelled to be the head or important component of manpower of NBCC. To be NBCC leader who is being guarded by earthly Police guards and an ex-NBCC leader being protected by earthly armed Police bodyguard is found to be awkward. It is embarrassing that going to be leader or ex-leader becomes the target of certain element for which life protection has to be given by mortal armed guards.
Finally, I question why NBCC has been silent on the massive and widespread persecutions of Christians in India? The Hindu fundamentalists, under the administrative protection of BJP Govt. in Delhi, have forcibly converted many Christians into Hinduism. The Churches are being ransacked, the Church buildings are being burnt, the Church properties are destroyed and stolen, the Hinduism images are being installed in Christian secular schools to desecrate Christianity and the Christians are being threatened. Even the Governor of Nagaland tried to impose Hinduism philosophy on 26.1.2015 at Raj Bhavan, Kohima on the Naga Christians. Is NBCC hesitant to displease the frontal organisations as RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal of BJP because of it being in power? I invite NBCC to call a spade spade. I call upon NBCC not to be timid, rise above materialism and show the leadership as the situations demand. May God enable NBCC to overcome the disease of timidity and evasiveness. This is my prayer.
