Carry the Cross to follow Jesus

Malaysia protesters forced the removal of the cross on Taman Medan Church.

Churches have a right to display the cross on their buildings under the Federal Constitution and should not be forced to take it down.

“Under Article 11, all Malaysians have a right to practise their own religion and the cross is an integral and indispensable part of the Christian faith – so it comes under the rights of Malaysians under Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution,” said constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew.

He said that Article 11(1) reads that every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.

Article 11(4) reads that state law and in respect of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, Federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam, he added.

He further questioned the argument put forward by the demonstrators in Taman Medan on Sunday that the sight of the cross in a Muslim-majority area “challenged Islam” and could influence the young.

A group of 50 demonstrators had gathered outside a church in Taman Medan on Sunday to protest against a cross on the facade of the building. They had demanded for the cross to be taken down, claiming that it challenged Islam. It is understood that the cross was taken down by church authorities several hours later.

“You need strong and credible evidence to prove that hanging a cross outside a church would constitute propagation of the Christian faith to Muslims. It would be absurd to suggest that hanging a cross outside a building would amount to propagating Christianity to Muslims,” said New.

He noted also that the group should not have taken matters into their own hands.

“Even if the church should not use a shophouse as a church, the mob should not take matters into their own hands and ignore the whole legal system. They should report the matter to the relevant local authorities or file a suit in court and let the relevant public bodies decide,” he added.

Similar views were shared by Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen, who also said the church has a right to place the cross outside their building due to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

“The issue is much more one of local council, and if the church authorities have received the relevant approvals from the MBPJ, they have a legal right to put the cross on the building. It is quite misguided to say that because an area is majority-Malay Muslim, it is misguided to say that only their rights count,” said Paulsen.

He said that in any society, the rights of minorities deserved as much protection as those of the majority in an area, and cited an international example.

Malay Muslims weak?

The group claimed that putting up a cross in a Malay-majority area is a challenge to Islam and could influence young Muslims. "contended that the sight of the cross in a majority Muslim area challenged Islam and could influence younger minds."

“To force them to remove the symbol is certainly unacceptable and disrespectful to the Christian community,” Azmin was quoted telling reporters after this morning’s monthly meeting with state civil servants.

Tony Pua also said the Taman Medan issue is far from over, since the church had voluntarily agreed to take down the cross “under threat and intimidation”.

“The bigger issue is the fact that if the authorities do not act to protect the minorities in this country, the majority will just become big bullies and take similar actions against others who are just practicing what is protected by our Federal Constitution,” he said.

ISIS persecution of Ethiopian Christians

A shocking new video appearing to show at least 30 Christians being beheaded and shot by ISIS in Libya has been released.

The 29-minute video, titled 'Until It Came To Them - Clear Evidence', shows dozens of militants holding two separate groups captive, thought to be in the south and the west of the country.

At least 16 men, described by Islamic State as the 'followers of the cross from the enemy Ethiopian Church', are lined up and shot in a desert area while 12 others are filmed being forced to walk down a beach before being beheaded.

This follows another video in February of the beheading of a group of 21 Coptic Christians on the beach in Libya, though that terrain was rockier than the one shown in the latest film.

It raises fears that ISIS is consolidating its presence on the 'doorstep of Europe', as Libya is just a few hundred miles from the coast of Italy.

Ethiopia was unable to confirm its citizens were killed in the footage but condemned the 'atrocious act', a government official said.

The video shows the men at the coast wearing Guantanamo-style orange jumpsuits and being held at the neck by fighters in combats with balaclavas covering their faces. The victims inland are forced to kneel as militants dressed in combats and green masks stand behind them holding rifles.

It starts with what it called a 'history of Christian-Muslim relations', which includes scenes of militants destroying churches, graves and icons.

A masked fighter in black then brandishes a pistol as he vows to kill Christians if they do not convert.

Halal food - It's just Food!

Is it allowable for a Christian to eat halal food? I love my Malay Muslim dishes...

The word halal means “permissible” in Arabic. It refers to food, objects, or actions that are allowed in Islam. Among other things, halal meat must be killed with a sharp knife and drained of blood. No carnivorous animals, birds of prey, or meat contaminated with non-permissible substances can be used. This, in and of itself, is a healthy way of preparing meat. The problem comes when Allah’s name is pronounced over the
meat during the butchering process. Many interpret this to mean the animal was sacrificed to Allah.

If you believe that such offering is not to a God but some false idol, as such there shouldn't be any issue rite?!

Paul says, do not refrain from eating because of your conscience-your conscience should understand that you are free to enjoy God’s provision (1 Corinthians 8:30) but for the conscience of the one who provided it. If a weak brother is offering, you may lead him into sin. If an unbeliever is offering, you may be seen as tacitly endorsing the god to which it was sacrificed. Either way, it doesn’t become an issue until the other person brings it up.

Halal food is no different. There is one God who provides for us. Claiming the name of a false god does nothing to the food physically or spiritually. But, like the Corinthians, we should always act out of love. If we are with others who believe halal food is wrong to eat, we should refrain out of concern for their conviction. If we are served food by someone who makes a point that it is halal, we should refrain as a quiet sign that we do not accept the authority of the false god to which it was dedicated. If we are in a restaurant or market or school or home that, we suspect, is serving halal food, we should eat and give thanks to the true God who provides.

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” (Matthew 15:11)

Attacks on Chrisitans in Pakistan

Suicide bombers kill 15 people outside Pakistani churches

A pair of suicide bombers attacked two churches in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday as worshippers prayed inside — killing 15 people in the latest assault against religious minorities in this increasingly fractured country, officials said.

A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, Ahsanullah Ahsan, claimed responsibility for the assault in a statement emailed to reporters, and warned, "There will be more of such attacks."

Afterward, an angry Christian mob blocked a major highway, ransacked a bus terminal and burned two people to death who they suspected of being involved in the attacks. Christian demonstrators blocked roads in other major Pakistani cities as well.

The explosions occurred in quick succession in the Christian neighborhood of Youhanabad at two churches while parishioners worshipped at Sunday morning services. The churches are about 600 meters (650 yards) apart. At least 70 people were wounded, said Zahid Pervez, the provincial director general of health, who gave the death toll.

Area hospitals filled with casualties and scenes of mourning. Shaheen Bibi's 10-year-old son Abhishak was among those killed.

"My son had gone to the church to pray for a good result in his examinations," Bibi said as she cried and struck her head against the chest of a relative. "He wanted me to sew him some new clothes if he passed his examinations."

Witnesses said the bombers targeted a crowded gate when a large group of worshippers was waiting to enter one of the churches.

Life in Pakistan is increasingly dangerous for religious minorities, especially Christians. They have been targeted by extremist Sunni Muslim militants and are also discriminated against in the wider society, where they are often limited to menial jobs like garbage collection.

U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Monday spoke up for the rights of Pakistani minorities.

"The United States stands in solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan in confronting this type of extremist violence," she said. "We support the right of every person to practice religion without fear of intimidation, death, coercion or any form of reprisal. This is a basic human right both in Pakistan and throughout the world."

Much of the country is already on edge after years of militant violence including an attack on a Peshawar school in December that killed 150 people — mostly students.

The angry crowd attacked two people they thought were connected to the attack, and burned them to death while others attacked buses in the city, said deputy inspector general of police Haider Ashraf. Two police officers who were protecting the churches were also killed in the explosions, which Ashraf confirmed were caused by suicide bombers.

A spokesman for the Punjab provincial government, Zaeem Qadri, also said it was unfortunate that the mob had killed the two suspects rather than turning them over to police. He said authorities are reinforcing security at the 481 remaining churches across the city.

Militants attacks targeting minorities have intensified recently, including attacks on a string of mosques belonging Shiite Muslims, a minority in Pakistan. In 2013, twin blasts at a church in Peshawar killed 85 people.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has his power base in Lahore and his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N, also runs the Punjab government, where his brother is chief minister. The provincial government has been accused in the past of not doing enough to protect religious minorities and fight extremist groups based in the province.

Rape of Bengal nun, Christians targeted

 Rape is India is getting worst...

No arrests in Bengal nun ‘rape’, church attack, local Christians nervous


After the alleged rape of a 71-year-old nun at a missionary school in Ranaghat in West Bengal’s Nadia district, none of the suspects has been held despite CCTV footage identifying them. Police have not been able to establish the identities of the attackers either.

Nadia SP Arnab Ghosh said they had detained eight persons and were interrogating them, refusing to reveal more.

Another senior police official said that of the eight detainees, one appeared to be part of those captured on CCTV. Photographs of the suspects have been sent to BSF outposts near the border too in order to ensure they don’t escape.

Around 12 armed men had raided the Christian missionary school in the early hours of Saturday and allegedly raped a 71-year-old nun and assaulted two others. The gang is also alleged to have desecrated the school’s chapel.

The condition of the nun who was said to have been raped is now stable.

Archbishop of Kolkata Thomas D’Souza said there was a growing sense of insecurity among the 600-odd Christian families in the area. Pointing out that the closest police station was 6 km away, he demanded that a police post be set up nearby.

About the church attack being linked to previous incidents in Delhi and Bangalore, D’Souza said, “Anything is possible. Nothing can be ruled out, but until police make some arrests, nothing can be said for sure as well.”

Nadia District Magistrate P B Salim denied there had been any request for security by school authorities. “Police intervention had been sought for a problem which was immediately looked into. But there was no requisition to provide security personnel,” he said.

Christians of the area who came to the school to express solidary on Sunday said they were nervous. Leena D Rozario, a senior member of the area’s parish committee, said their children studied in the same school and could be the next target.

Ranaghat — about 200 km from Kolkata — has a large concentration of Christians, mostly converts from Hinduism.

“There are so many unanswered questions. Why would the offenders, after looting the money, go on to vandalise the church or rape a septuagenarian nun? And when the men can be identified on CCTV, why have there been no arrests?” said Rozario.

Herod Mullick, state working president of the Bangiya Christiya Pariseba (state forum of all Christian denominations, east and northeast partner of All India Christian Council), said the attack appeared part of a trend. “It is evident that the attackers had a motive other than robbing the place. There are similarities to incidents in Delhi and Bangalore,” he said.

Actor Locket Chatterjee, who recently joined the BJP, and leader of Opposition, the CPM’s Suryakanta Mishra, were not allowed to enter the church premises, with police saying they did not have the required permission.

An angry parish priest, Suraj Biswas, said they wouldn’t allow any politician in. “If they want to express solidarity, they should come without a party flag. There will be a candlelight march tomorrow and on Wednesday, a rally of members from several minority communities, at Esplanade,” he said.

BJP district president Kalyan Kumar Nandi said fingers shouldn’t be pointed at the party for the attack. “We demand the strictest punishment for whoever responsible irrespective of their political affiliation. If need be, a CBI probe should be held. Some leaders are trying to portray it as a deed of the BJP and RSS. I want to tell them that there are a huge number of Christians living peacefully in places like Goa and Chhattisgarh.”

National Institute for Gender Justice chairperson Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, who visited the attacked church, said she would be giving a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “How can so many persons enter the place and no patrolling car notice it? The state police is not capable of an inquiry. I would recommend an inquiry by a central agency,” she said.

The attack is reported to have lasted over three hours, from 1:30 am to about 5 am. According to sources, the gang first ransacked the school office before breaking into the convent.

Christian doing Good (Spread the Gospel), Mother Teresa

 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

India parliament disrupted over Mother Teresa 

The Rajya Sabha was briefly adjourned on Thursday after opposition members denounced comments by the leader of a Hindu group who said Roman Catholic missionary Mother Teresa had tried to convert people to Christianity.

Religious conversion has become a highly emotive issue in India recently, with debate whipped up by some supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who see multi-faith Indian as a Hindu-first nation.

Members of the upper house criticised Mohan Bhagwat, head of the country's most powerful Hindu organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who recently said Mother Teresa helped the poor to make them "obligated so that they become Christian".

Political opponents of Modi and his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which the RSS supports, said right-wing Hindu groups were fanning religious tension in a country where violence between members of different religion has been common for decades.

"First, they're trying to de-iconize Mahatma Gandhi," said P. Rajeev, a member of parliament belonging to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), referring to comments by a BJP lawmaker that described Gandhi's Hindu-nationalist assassin as a patriot.

"Now, they are trying to de-iconize Mother Teresa," Rajeev said.

There has been no major religious violence since Modi came to power in May. But at least seven Christian institutions have been vandalised or have reported arson or theft in recent weeks.

On Wednesday, the government pledged to increase security at hundreds of churches in New Delhi.

Bhagwat's comments came days after Modi made a long-awaited speech on religious tolerance, vowing to protect all minorities.

Sunil Lucas, a communication director for the Archdiocese of Calcutta (Kolkata), told Reuters it was "terrible" that Bhagwat's comments came so soon after Modi's assurances.

Mother Teresa "acted in faith and responded to the call of Jesus, but the outcome was social good and uplift of people," Lucas said.

This week, senior BJP member Meenakshi Lekhi sought to distance her party from the controversy, telling reporters the government had nothing to do with Bhagwat said.

However, Lekhi also defended the comments, saying Mother Teresa herself had said her job was to spread Christianity, the Indian Express newspaper reported.

Mother Teresa, who was born in Macedonia and became an Indian citizen, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work in the slums of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal.

In the last year, the RSS has been working to expand its base in West Bengal, stoking tension by asserting the superiority of Hinduism over Christianity and Islam.

Pray for Christians around the World

As news of 21 Egyptian Christians kidnapped and beheaded along the beach of Libya, my heart sink deep with despair. Senseless killing by these terrorist - ISIS!

http://www.religiousfreedomcoalition.org/2015/02/19/21-egypt-christians-praised-christ-before-beheadings/

There is a price to be Christian, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 2 SAMUEL 24:24


"We stand convicted and convinced that terror and intolerance cannot, and will not, extinguish the light of God's grace, truth and love," said Rev. Rodriguez, president of The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, who is part of the call for Christians to remember and honor the 21 Egyptian Coptic martyrs.

"We hope leaders around the world will join us in honoring those who have lost their lives, praying for those suffering, and repudiating all acts of terror," added Rodriguez, who represents more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals throughout the world, in a statement released by the leaders.

May You grant them PEACE...

Reconciliation is an effort right from the Top

We pray to God for World Peace, to love thye Neighbour but every time a bomb goes off... the tension resurfaced. The problem is self preservation, everyone wants to out live the other; But can we coexist? Of course!

Pope Francis Adds a Personal Touch to Eid Al-Fitr Greetings

Pope Francis is pressing ahead with his efforts to strengthen ties between Muslims and Catholics. In his personal message for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that comes at the end of Ramadan, the Pope touched upon the theme of “Promoting Mutual Respect Through Education.” I find this particularly exciting because it speaks to the effort that I and other Muslims have been involved in the Twin Cities through the Islamic Resource Group (IRG) and other organizations. The IRG’s mission is to build bridges of understanding through education, one very similar to the Pope's call.

The Pope’s renewed call for dialogue is another opportunity for the Catholic community to take the dialogue with Muslims to the next level and I am confident that the Catholic leadership will find the IRG and several other Muslim organizations willing partners in this effort to promote mutual respect through education.

Eid Mubarak to all who are celebrating.

Below is the text of Pope Francis’s message to Muslims worldwide:
To Muslims throughout the World

It gives me great pleasure to greet you as you celebrate ‘Id al-Fitr, so concluding the month of Ramadan, dedicated mainly to fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

It is a tradition by now that, on this occasion, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue sends you a message of good wishes, together with a proposed theme for common reflection. This year, the first of my Pontificate, I have decided to sign this traditional message myself and to send it to you, dear friends, as an expression of esteem and friendship for all Muslims, especially those who are religious leaders.

As you all know, when the Cardinals elected me as Bishop of Rome and Universal Pastor of the Catholic Church, I chose the name of  “Francis”, a very famous saint who loved God and every human being deeply, to the point of being called “universal brother”. He loved, helped and served the needy, the sick and the poor; he also cared greatly for creation.

I am aware that family and social dimensions enjoy a particular prominence for Muslims during this period, and it is worth noting that there are certain parallels in each of these areas with Christian faith and practice.

This year, the theme on which I would like to reflect with you and with all who will read this message is one that concerns both Muslims and Christians: Promoting Mutual Respect through Education.

This year’s theme is intended to underline the importance of education in the way we understand each other, built upon the foundation of mutual respect. “Respect” means an attitude of kindness towards people for whom we have consideration and esteem. “Mutual” means that this is not a one-way process, but something shared by both sides.

What we are called to respect in each person is first of all his life, his physical integrity, his dignity and the rights deriving from that dignity, his reputation, his property, his ethnic and cultural identity, his ideas and his political choices. We are therefore called to think, speak and write respectfully of the other, not only in his presence, but always and everywhere, avoiding unfair criticism or defamation. Families, schools, religious teaching and all forms of media have a role to play in achieving this goal.

Turning to mutual respect in interreligious relations, especially between Christians and Muslims, we are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings, its symbols, its values. Particular respect is due to religious leaders and to places of worship. How painful are attacks on one or other of these!

It is clear that, when we show respect for the religion of our neighbours or when we offer them our good wishes on the occasion of a religious celebration, we simply seek to share their joy, without making reference to the content of their religious convictions.

Regarding the education of Muslim and Christian youth, we have to bring up our young people to think and speak respectfully of other religions and their followers, and to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions and practices.

We all know that mutual respect is fundamental in any human relationship, especially among people who profess religious belief. In this way, sincere and lasting friendship can grow.

When I received the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on 22 March 2013, I said: “It is not possible to establish true links with God, while ignoring other people. Hence it is important to intensify dialogue among the various religions, and I am thinking particularly of dialogue with Islam. At the Mass marking the beginning of my ministry, I greatly appreciated the presence of so many civil and religious leaders from the Islamic world.” With these words, I wished to emphasize once more the great importance of dialogue and cooperation among believers, in particular Christians and Muslims, and the need for it to be enhanced.

With these sentiments, I reiterate my hope that all Christians and Muslims may be true promoters of mutual respect and friendship, in particular through education.

Finally, I send you my prayerful good wishes, that your lives may glorify the Almighty and give joy to those around you.

Happy Feast to you all!
From the Vatican, 10 July 2013