Subject: In first reconversion in MP, VHP to ‘purify’ 160 Christians today- Oct.11,07 Indian Express story
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:19:54 -0700
Indian Express story
Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:06:51 -0700
Subject: In first reconversion in MP, VHP to ‘purify’ 160 Christians today - Milind Ghatwai
DEWAS (MP), OCTOBER 10: In the first “reconversion ceremony” in Madhya Pradesh, as many as 160 Christians will be “returned to the Hindu fold”tomorrow by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Shree Sampraday Seva Samiti.
The Sampraday is identified with Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj whose followers protested at airports after he was denied permission to board aplane with his mace.
Hard News Jagran Newspaper Confirming this,VHP Dewas district secretary Nandkishore Dwivedi told The Indian Express that 160 Christians will be “purified” amid “rituals” and “chanting of hymns” at the Chimnabai Girls Higher Secondary School in Dewas town’s Meera Bawdi locality. Converts from Gujarat and Maharashtra along with those from two tribal-dominated talukas of Dewas district “will return to the Hindufold” at a day-long ceremony that will begin with “a three-hour purification process”, the first such ceremony in the state. Even in Jhabua district, where Hindu organizations accused Christians of converting tribals in large numbers, no “reconversion” ceremony ever took place.
“We haven’t forced anyone. They have all agreed to return to their original faith willingly and have given us affidavits,” Dwivedi said. He said locals were “scared to convert”, so the organisers “decided to bring converts from Gujarat and Maharashtra” as well. Followers of Narendracharya said that in the last 18 months he had
brought back to the Hindu fold some 26,000 families who had “strayed to other religions”.
Posters announcing the “reconversion” have come up all over Dewas, forcing police to take precautionary measures. There’s already tension in town with the function organizers alleging that several posters were torn last night. They have even lodged complaints with the police. Sampraday’s MP unit chief Rajendra Garud warned that if more posters were torn, followers would be forced to act like they did when the Swami was not allowed to board a plane with his mace.
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3 comments:
Does this mean the converted lose their salvation? Should these people have just died instead of converting back?
The people turned to Christ and they were born again. A person born again cannot die. The forced conversion is like the case of a bride forced into fornication by a wicked king of this world.
Sometimes we are forced to work in companies that sometimes go against our views on issues. We are in the same boat as these, albeit a less turbulent one. What we can do is pray for a way out.
Now Will/Should the bridegroom forgive her? I think our groom will. There is therefore no condemnation.
We are weak in flesh. These people may have changed the outer appearance but the inner light of Jesus will still burn in those who truly believed. The one believed just to avail some things would have jumped into the next boat anyway.
Now about these people dying, I don't know if I am ready to die for my faith honestly. But I do believe Sola Fide, sola gratia, sola scriptura, Solus Christus, Soli Deo gloria. So I believe God will give strength in whichever situation gives him glory.
The good news is the bridegroom is coming soon to rescue his bride and take her up to his mansion in glory. Let us pray they the lights in hearts are kept burning.
Forgive me if I am wrong.
It is sad to hear such news, but this is not new in India especially north India, It is good that it is made public now. These kinds of news should give us the energy and drive to pray fervantly and united for our country India.
Psalm 2 comes to mind verse 4 says the Lord who sits on the throne shall laugh.
holinsol brings to light some very good points and I agree.
It is rather sad to see that largest democracy in the world has to force people in doing anything against one's freewill.
We must pray for the leaders in those places to truly embrace democracy. More importantly for our brothers and sisters who have to undergo this public humiliation so that they are still steadfast in their true faith that they know "the special realtionship" between the individual and the Maker.
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