CHRISTIAN TERRORISM

[Raguraman]

http://sarvadharma.org/Museum/murder/tripura.htm

 

Hindu Genocide in Tripura

S. Aravindan Neelakandan

 

"I came not to bring peace, but a sword" ? Jesus Christ

 

For seven-year-old Shreema, 13th Jan 2002 was a special Sunday. All through the year, the girl had awaited the dawn of this day. For, that was the day one goes out and purchases new clothes, new toys and sweets, as the next day would be Makar Sankranthi -- the harvest festival celebrated throughout India. The Singicherra Bazar was bustling with activity. Like Shreema's family there were many people looking forward to a happy Makar Sankranthi. But they didn't realise that they were violating a fatwa issued by the Baptist Church-created Christian Al-Qaeda, the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). Nor did they know that they would pay with their lives for celebrating a heathen festival of their motherland.

 

Shreema would never again celebrate Makar Sankranthi. She died, along with sixteen others, on the spot as 13 terrorists of the NLFT encircled the people shopping for the festival and fired indiscriminately1. The soldiers of Christ have done again in Tripura what they have been doing for centuries to heathens throughout the world.

 

The Baptist Church of Tripura is not just the ideological mentor of the NLFT; it also supplies the NLFT with arms and ammunition for the soldiers of the holy crusade2. Never mind that the holy war involves killing infants and torching the huts of 'heathen Hindoos'. The NLFT does all these to bring to the infidels the peace and love of Christ. So, when Nagmanlal Halam, secretary of the Noapara Baptist Church in Tripura, was arrested by the Tripura police he had rather curious tools for evangelisation, which included along with the gospel 50 gelatin sticks, 5 kg of potassium and 2 kg of sulphur and other ingredients for making explosives. Mr. Halam confessed that his activities for the saving the heathen souls involved buying and supplying explosives to the NLFT over the past two years. Another church official, Jatna Koloi, who was also arrested, admitted that he received training in guerrilla warfare at an NLFT base last year. Surely, gelatin and AK-47s have more efficiency when it comes to bringing the light of the only revealed truth to the disbelievers suffering in 'spiritual darkness'. Those who are in doubt can check it out with another great light-bearer of the other 'only true book', Osama bin Laden (that is, when and if the prophet of terror is captured).

 

The Baptist Church of Tripura was initially set up by proselytizers from New Zealand 60 years ago. Despite their efforts, even until 1980, only a few thousand people in Tripura had converted to Christianity. Then the Church used one of its most efficient and time-tested weapons of evangelisation -- creating racial and ethnic divide among the people. In the aftermath of one of the worst ethnic riots, engineered by the Church3, the NLFT was born -- but not without the midwife role of the Baptist Church. From its very inception, the NLFT has been advancing the cause of Christianity through armed persuasion. Every trace of indigenous culture is being eliminated through violent means. Every resisting group is made to bleed its way to extinction.

 

The case of Jamatya tribals provides a telling example. These tribals have strong spiritual leaders and a network of social service organisations headed by their religious leaders. These indigenous sects are neither exclusive nor expansionist. The Baptist Church has always failed miserably in its conversion efforts with regard to this well-knit community. Hence, it is no wonder that the NLFT has made Jamatya institutions and their religious leaders the targets of their attacks. In the August of 2000, religious leaders of the Jamatya community like Jaulushmoni Jamatya and Shanti Kumar Tripura were killed by the NLFT, and Jamatya families were uprooted from their homelands and made refugees. The death threats issued by the NLFT to the inmates of these institutions have already forced the closure of 11 Jamatya institutions like schools and orphanages, set up by the slain religious leaders in various parts of Tripura4. Interestingly, these tribals are not close-minded fanatics. For one thing, they do not mind teaching the theory of evolution in their schools.

 

The greatest challenge to the Bible inspired mission of the NLFT comes from the Sangh Parivar's Banbasi Kalyan Kendra. The dedicated life workers of RSS have started empowering the tribals by running many educational institutions which while empowering them through imparting secular technical education also retain their tribal cultural and spiritual identity. Rather than making them disown their roots, the Kendra made the tribals feel proud of their culture. It even conducts national level tribal sports festivals. If the NLFT is to carve out a kingdom for Christ out of the secular republic of India, it has to make sure that the Kendra activities are stopped at all costs. In July 2000, armed NLFT militants torched a residential school and students hostel run by the Seva Mission in the remote Ananda Bazar area of North Tripura5. They had also taken hostage four RSS life workers. These RSS workers were all in their sixties. The crime committed by these old men was that they had dared to run educational institutions for tribals while preserving the tribals' culture. Later, all four were killed by the NLFT.

 

The NLFT has been an active partner of the Baptist Church in winning converts to the Christian creed. They have killed tribal priests to threaten communities and effect mass conversions. But those tactics have obviously backfired. In 2001 alone, the NLFT killed more than 20 Hindus who refused to 'accept the love of Christ'. They also torched to death a Hindu family sleeping in a hut6. In 2001, community chiefs and religious heads of 19 tribes formed the 'Tribal Culture Protection Committee' to counter the threat posed by the NLFT7. Despite the NLFT taking all possible steps to enforce conversions, the conversions are still slow. Frustrated, the NLFT has now begun an all out war against Hindu tribals. They have issued fatwas against infidel activities. These fatwas prohibit people from celebrating festivals like Durga Pooja and Makar Sankranthi, listening to Indian music, watching Indian TV channels and films, and prohibit women from wearing bangles or sporting bindis, etc. Just a year before the NLFT started all these atrocities in India, the Southern Baptist Church of the United States of America had given a clarion call to bring the light of the gospel to ?millions of Hindus and Jews lost in the darkness? of their religions8.

 

Shreema, the seven-year-old girl from Tripura, died with bullets pumped into her tender body. Her crime was that she violated the Christian fatwa which prohibited her from celebrating an Indian festival. She was not just a victim of barbaric terrorism but she is also a martyr for Indian culture, a culture that has preserved thousands of tribal customs from barbaric persecution. Yet, she will not make it to the glossy covers of the weekly magazines of English speaking Indian media. Unsubstantiated, fabricated stories of Hindu fundamentalists (an oxymoron) killing Christian priests have been making their headlines. However, these fabrications have their use. They do help in the covering up of such acts of Christian love like killing in cold blood a seven-year-old girl or burning a family to death.

 

References:

1. 16 shot dead by NLFT in Tripura ? PTI, January 13, 2002.

2. Church backing Tripura rebels ? BBC, April 18, 2000.

3. India's North-East Resurgence: Ethnicity, Insurgency and Governance, Development by B.G. Vargheese, 1996, p.175.

4. Militants raid Hindu Ashram ? The Telegraph, December 5, 2000.

5. NLFT curb on Hindu institutions ? The Telegraph, September 14, 2000.

6. Three killed by Tripura rebels ? BBC, April 14, 2000.

7. Tribals unite against conversions in Tripura, Syed Zarir Hussain, www.rediff.com/news/2001/aug/02trip.htm

8. Southern Baptists target Hindus, Julia Lieblich, The Associated Press, October 21, 1999.

 

About S. Aravindan Neelakandan: Aravindan is 31 years old and interested in the philosophy of science. He is working as Computer Programmer at S.T. Hindu College, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. A post-graduate in Economics, Aravindan has been actively involved in NGO activities related to rural women/youth empowerment. He has a special interest in studying missionary strategies and conversion tactics. Aravindan's philosophical inclinations are not yet concretized but are towards monism and pantheism, and he strongly holds that the idea of Personal God will inevitably lead to violence.

[madhav]

very good article! dhanyawad raghuraman ji.

 

the ancient wisdom is that one has to use a thorn to take out a thorn stuck in the foot. so, i think the world needs xians as long as there is Islam. however, they cannot help in bharat.

 

one good thing about xians, i think, is that

they could come to table to resolve isssues by rational discussion. this is impossible with the muslims.

 

muslims hardly discuss/debate rationally.

what is your opinion please?

 

[Raguraman]

Most Christians are good people.

 

But one cannot trust these missionaries. They are more sophisticated than Islamic terrorists. Given a chance Christian missionaries will do what Islamic terrorists do. I think one solution is to wake up secular minded Christians of the world. As for the missionaries, no use callng them for a talk. They will think of using this talk between Hindus and Christians as yet another opportunity to convert heathen Hindoos. Nothing more.

 

As for Hindus the only way to counter such aggressive Christianity is to prove that "Jesus is the only way" is absurd even according to new testament and old testament.

 

Can anyone find anything that proves the absurdity of "only way" from NT and OT.

[madhav]

>>As for the missionaries, no use callng them for a talk. <<

 

yes. but i have debated with some xians and preachers who knock at the door or you meet them any where. none have answered my questions to them satisfactorily, nor they have won a single point of their debate. all glory to my guru.

 

the youg xian generation is mostly rational.

they would agree our points when we answer their questions.

one xian educated young man said me,

"more i know the eastern religions more i like them."

we had talked more than two hours in friendly mood.

he was an atheist, but liked hinduism when he heard from me

about it.

 

[theist]

Many scholars say that verse is an interpolation. Others understand it in a more esoteric way. Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me" That's the verse forgot where it is.

 

That statement is actually accurate, but not as most CHRISTians hear it.

 

You cannot separate the way( bhakti) from the bhakta (Christ).

 

Concerning that group they sound like terrorists not Christians. We have similar groups in America. They use the Bible and Christian symbols while advancing their racist hatred. I suppose you would think they are Christians also due to their symbols.

 

The thing is what I see being promoted by some here is the same thing under Hindu symbols. Same game.

 

Vaisnavas should transcend all these terroristic polytheistic hodge-podge groups instead of siding with the one that flies a banner similar to their own. If you want to become a vaisnava you will have to let go of your mundane religious concepts and affiliations. Hindu Christian Muslim Buddist etc. are all just temporary material designations. Your Hindutva appears to be just more of the same.

 

Sectariarn wars are always going to going on. When they become violent or oppressive then a secular govt. must step in but not in favor of one group over the other.

 

[madhav]

>>Vaisnavas should transcend all these terroristic polytheistic hodge-podge groups << - theist

 

are you a dedicated vaishnav?

[theist]

Why do you ask?

[madhav]

i am a human being

talking with another human being.

 

i can relate better if i know more about the other.

 

one is free to ask,

and one is free to answer or not answer.

 

[theist]

Ok. here is how I see it. Everyone is in essence a vaisnava. A realized vaisnava is a soul awakened to its constitutional position as servant of the Supreme Person.

 

Others are materialists laboring under various false designations. When they start to awaken to reality they may see themselves as Christians Muslims Hindus etc. At this level they may be seen to quarrel amongst themselves over whose religion is the true one etc. That is materialism on the human platform, which is above the animal position because they are at least conscious enough that there is God. But it is still not transcendental life.

 

As for me I am in the materialistic category with an eye to something higher, that's all. So I see vaisnavism as the goal but as yet am not an awakened or dedicated vaisnava.

[Guest guest]

He also said "I came not to bring peace, but a sword" It is a dangerous situation for India. Having failed miserable in other lands the church is targeting India (in more ways than one.

 

You had the Mother Theresa leading up the conversion attempts yet its not common knowledge that in order to keep non profit staus in India orphanages, hospitals, schools, etc. must be built. Queen Isabella was up for cannonization as well (the grand poobah of the Spanish inquistition) this is the mind set. Is no one concerned?

Such a dark day in human consciousness if Hinduism is annihilated due to sucessful conversion attempts.

 

Dharma

[Guest guest]

At least it may very well protect the world from conversion to Islam. Still its alot like Godzilla vs King Kong.

 

Pick your monster.

 

Dharma

[Raguraman]

Dear Theist,

NLFT are CHRISTIAN TERRORISTS. end of story. You may interpret "I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me" the way you want. What is important is how Christians view its meaning. Catholic church has been using violent means as a tool to spread Christianity. Can you say they are not Christians. NLFT is supported ideologically and with raw materials for making bombs by Baptist church. How can you say they are not Christians ? The fact is they are doing what Christians have always been doing for all these centuries.

 

On the other hand Hindus are merely trying to protect themselves from aggressors of Christian community. This is the reason that DHARMA is on the side of HINDUS and I WILL support HINDUS for this reason. There is no sectarianism here.

[madhav]

>>As for me I am in the materialistic category with an eye to something higher, that's all. So I see vaisnavism as the goal but as yet am not an awakened or dedicated vaisnava. <<

 

thank you dear vaishnav!

 

>>Everyone is in essence a vaisnava. A realized vaisnava is a soul awakened to its constitutional position as servant of the Supreme Person <<

 

it is good of you that you think that way. i assume you also act accordingly in your day to day life.

 

now if you tell a shivite or an advaiti or a muslim or a xian that he is a vaishnav, he would not agree to it. every one has his ego. knowing this false ego helps to guess how one thinks and will behave.

 

not understanding others' ego can put one in trouble.

suppose you give cow's dung or urine to a muslim

he would not like it. a hindu would not mind it.

when a xian dies, and you tell his relatives to burn the body, they would not like it.

 

[Tarun]

When the American becomes too much luxurious, they'll not be able to defend their country.

Then it will be finished.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. (japa) Now England is finished. There are aristocrat type statues now rolling on the ground. Who takes care? Their, their Lennon? Lennon, John Lennon and George Harrison, they are purchasing big, big palaces. (japa)

Hari-sauri: All the aristocracy, they just go out to work like anyone else.

Prabhupada: The lords are roaming on the street. I have seen many lords. They're ordinary.... Even they haven't got car. The Queen also, just like ordinary, common man. Royal family.

Ramesvara: One day America will be poor like that also.

Prabhupada: Yes. Luxury leads to poverty. When the American becomes too much luxurious, they'll not be able to defend their country. Then it will be finished.

Ramesvara: That is the fear even now, that America has lost their fighting spirit against the Communists.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes, yes. Yes. Vietnam. It is proof. When the Vietnam is attacked, American soldiers, they began to fly, flee away, became afraid. Naturally. They were not soldiers. They have no fighting spirit. By force they have been made soldiers. Let them take to Krsna consciousness. America will be saved. (japa)

[s.P. Morning Walk, June 11, 1976, Los Angeles]

 

The atomic bomb is already there, and as

soon as the next war breaks out, all their

skyscrapers and everything else will be finished

 

We therefore invite the most intelligent men in the world to understand this Krsna conscious philosophy and try to distribute it all over the world. We have now come to these African countries, and I invite all intelligent Africans to come and understand this philosophy and distribute it. You are trying to develop yourselves, so please develop spiritually, for spiritual development is sound development. Don't imitate the Americans and Europeans, who are living like cats and dogs. Such civilizations built on the consciousness of sense gratification cannot stand. The atomic bomb is already there, and as soon as the next war breaks out, all their skyscrapers and everything else will be finished. Try to understand this from the real viewpoint of human life, the spiritual viewpoint. This is what this Krsna consciousness movement is about. We therefore request you to try to understand this philosophy. Thank you very much.

[s.S.R. Chapter 7 Exploring Spiritual Frontier]

[Guest guest]

Thank you for enlightening other readers on the plight of the Tripuri tribal hindus & other Hindus in the State of Tripura. It is a shame that a "Peace-loving" religion, like Christianity, is being used to target the "heathens", in the hope of bringing them "everlasting peace, joy & a place in Heaven".

I am a Tripuri Hindu, and though I was educated in a missionary school & college, I never could imagine how fanatical some religious leaders could be. It was only later, when I actually met some so-called "Servants of Christ", who told me that I should convert, that I woke up.They told me I would become a better person- to which I asked.."Am I evil now? Do you mean to say that all our forefathers were evil or sinners, since they had not converted? Are you not even proud or aware of our rich history & culture of the past, where all religions existed in perfect harmony?"

They naturally had no answer- as violence, whether in the form of terrorism or religion, can never be used to achieve long-term stability, development & peace.

God bless us all and save this world!

 

P Deb Burman