Manipur Christians and Election-2012 : Critical Thinking For Christians
- Vis-a-Vis Election & Repoll -

P Vannoithang Hangmi *

Nephiu Rio campaigning for NPF candidates in Manipur's Hill districts :: January 21, 2012 :: Pix - Ringo Pebam

Introduction:

The recent announcement for repoll in 177 polling stations shows that majority of the polling stations fall in the area inhabited by tribal Christians. A lady who was detected casting vote for 76 times is from Churachandpur: a place where Christians celebrated 100 years of Christianity in southern Manipur in 2010.

Based on the above two incidents, I would like to request all my Christian brothers and sisters in Manipur to rethink our Christian living. It shows that we talk a lot in the church every Sunday but no one seems to obey and walk the talk.

I would like to visit every church in Manipur and share the following few thoughts. But this is not possible. So I feel like putting those thoughts in writing and present it as an article through SANGAI EXPRESS- the largest circulated newspaper in Manipur, so that every Christian brethren and sisters in Manipur could have a glimpse over it and check-our daily Christian life.

Jesus Christ commanded us to be a "LIGHT" and "SALT"- meaning we should be witnesses to others through our Life, Deeds, Actions and Words.

Light Illuminates and Salt preserves. We no longer become light to others. We no longer preserve our Christian ethics. Sometimes our behaviours are worst than non-Christians. For Eg HIV/AIDS facts & figures in Manipur shows high in CCpur and Ukhrul Districts, which are Christian's dominant areas. It means more immorality, drug abuses, and what not among us.

To re-check our Christian life, let us consider and reason together the following three critical thinking:

Critical thinking No.1: Are We Singing Lies on Every Sunday??: Since the advent of Christianity in Manipur, most of the churches in Manipur are celebrating 25th Year Silver Jubilee, some 50th Year Golden Jubilee; some 75th Year Diamond Jubilee: and recently 100 Years of Christianity in Manipur South.

During these years, Christians are going to the church every Sunday morning: singing lots of Praises and Prayer songs.

But today, looking at the number of problems that crop up amongst the Christians, I would like to request each and every Christian brethren and sisters in Manipur to ask ourselves this question: Do I really follow what I sing every Sunday morning in the church? Do I really put into practice to all the messages that I listened every Sunday Morning & Evening Worship Services? And also in our Women and Youth Worship Services on week days.

Majority of Nagas In Manipur are Christians. So also the Kukis and other Non-Naga tribals . But why are we always at loggerheads. Because we don't walk the talk that we listen on every Sundays in the churches. Jesus Christ never told us to bark one another. But he said "Be My Witnesses". Our Life-style is the Bible that others are reading every day.

Every Sunday morning & evening, as we go to the church, I would like all the Christians in Manipur to ponder over the following statement- which I called it SINGING LIES: meaning we don't practice what we said and what we sing. We don't walk the Talk. Let's all walk the Talk.

*In Hymn No.140= we sing 'There shall be showers of Blessing' but when God send us some rains: attendances in the church are found to be very low.

*In Hymn No.26= we sing "Sweet Hour of Prayer": but we find it hard to pray even for 15-20 Minutes.

*In Hymn No. 347= we sing "I surrender all". In Hymn No.182 also we also sing: "Must I go an Empty Handed": But 100 Rupees Note looks so BIG when the offertory song is sung whereas it looks so small when you take it to the market!

(The lists are many but for lack of space, only three examples are mentioned. Hymn No. given is as per HOUBUNG LA & LADEILHEN -KBC Publication).

Critical Thinking No.2: Five Funny Things in Christian Life:

(a). Funny how much attention we give to our career growth, health improvement or physical growth. But how unconcerned we are about our Spiritual growth and maturity.

(b). Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray or preach.But don't have difficulty in thinking of things to talk about to a friend for gossiping.

(c). Funny how we believe what the newspaper/people says. But questions or, doubts what the Bible says.

(d). Funny how hard it is for people to learn simple Gospel well enough to tell others. But how simple it is for the same people to understand and repeat backbiting.

(e). Funny how we find it very hard to read a Chapter in the Bible. But how easy it is to read a number of comics, magazines, Novels & Newspaper word by word.

Critical Thinking No.3: Paradigm Shift on the concept of SIN:

We consider Stealing, Killing, Drinking, and Gambling, Fornication etc, as SIN. But as we grow Maturity in our Christian life, our concept of SIN needs re-thinking. Let's consider the following:

(a). One Writer wrote: "There are worse crimes than Burning the Bible. And one of them is not reading the Bible".Pastor Stanley Jones said: "If we collect all the unread Bibles of the Christians; we may not need to print Bibles for some years". Mahatma Gandhi said: The reading of New Testament Bible has given me "COMFORT "and "BOUNDLESS JOY". His Favourite verse in the Bible was the Sermon on the Mount: one of which states as "Blessed are the Peace –makers; for they shall be called the children of God". Now the question is: If a Non-Christian find Comfort and Joy by reading the Bible, What about we Christians?

Gandhi continue saying: "If all Christians live accordingly as the Bible says; then India would have already become a Christian country long ago".

(b). One Christian Writer said: WHAT IS SIN? Evangelizing the Evangelized. Blessing the Blessed. Converting the converted. Baptizing the Baptized. Comforting the Comforted. But NEGLECTING THE NEGLECTTED. This is SIN.

In my opinion, this is very true in our context. Instead of making strategy for telling the good news to others who have not yet heard about it: our churches are busy in conducting camps, Seminars, crusades, conferences, etc again and again for those who have already known about it. Our Church Leaders are busy with Leadership crises, denominational- factionalism, Church re-planting within the church, and what not.

Today's Christianity is not much different from the Jewish religion of Christ's days. We can only follow what our leaders preach and not what they practice. We the Leaders are hard on people but soft on ourselves. We are after Titles and Positions. We are more anxious about the numerical growth of our congregations than the spiritual health of the members. We consider rituals and traditions more important than realities and truth.

We will be displeased with believers who don't pay tithes; but we will not motivate them for social work and charity. Let's Think out of the Box. Instead of busying ourselves with flash photography, video-shooting, and decoration inside the church: It is time to think about orphan and vulnerable children, widows, and poorest of the poor groups- who are members of the church.

We proclaimed that youths are the Pillars of the Nation. But we find that majority of our church do not have separate budgets for investment on youth capital. We want growth in our Church budgets but we don't want to invest on building the career of our youths; so that they become meaningful and responsible citizens of not only the church but for our Nation also.

Conclusion:

I am not trying to be a pessimist. Nor am I criticizing any one. But I am just sharing what I experiences during my last 4 years work as Youth President and another 3 years as Secretary of a Local Church. To conclude for today and in order to know our role as Christian; I would like to quote some few lines from the words of St. Francis of Assisi. Lord, make us an instrument of Your Peace! Where there is hatred, we will show his Love. Where there is injury, we will never judge. Where there is striving, we will speak his peace.

Where there is blindness, we will pray for sight.

Where there is Darkness, we will shine his Light. Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease, when we are instruments of your peace. (Note : Words may not in order as in the Original)

Lastly but not the least: If 12 Disciples of Jesus Christ who believed, follow, and practiced what Jesu commanded them and become Witnesses to the whole world: Christians in Manipur can also become witnesses of Justice and Righteouness if we all Walk the Talk.

In fact, the single biggest problem we have in Christianity today is that we listen to people telling us what to do- and we even tell others what to do – and then we walk out of our church buildings or Bible studies and do nothing. It does not matter what we know. The proof of what we know is in what we do. Jesus said: we would be known by our fruit: (Mat.12:33), which means that people can tell who we really are on the inside by what we produce with our lives and by our mind.