| Subject: |
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The Church can clean politics in Goa |
| Name: |
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Blaise Costabir |
| Date Posted: |
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Jul 2, 06 - 2:09 AM |
| Email: |
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blaisezm@gmail.com |
| Message: |
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THE CHURCH AND I
Recently, Mr. D. Naik, a well-known goan businessman and writer wrote an article XXXXXX in the Goan Observer DT. yyyyy. It struck me that this was India’s answer to communal and political strife. Mr. Naik, took on the religious and political bigots from his religion. He attacked their right to speak for moderate Hindus like him, he questioned their decision to say Hindus are patriotic and yet within Hindus to discriminate on the basis of caste.
This I feel is the best way to combat communal, religious and political bigots. It is the moderate forces within each religious group that has to stand up and put the bigots within that religious group in their place. It would now be very difficult for these bigots to question the credentials of Mr. Naik. Similarly, as a Christian I feel it is time the Christians took a stand and distanced themselves from religious politics. It is time the Church took a Christian look at politics to save this crumbling edifice of public morality called politics. These unscrupulous and corrupt Christian politicians also use caste and community to further their own agendas with the church acting as a silent spectator.
Calling the church a silent spectator would be too harsh. The church actually participates in making these politicians pillars of society. These corrupt politicians contribute financially to Church activities and are thus given pride of place in Church affairs. So why would you blame the youth for taking up the path of such leaders? What is the example for the youth to follow? The youth see the social acceptance of these overnight “rags to riches” successes and want to follow in their footsteps. We in turn create more corrupt leaders rather than grooming better leaders. The Church needs to break this cycle.
Mr. Naik is an individual, why do I ask the church and not Christian individuals. I say this because Christians have an advantage; we have one religious leader “THE POPE”. In India we have the Bishops who together form the “Catholic Bishops Conference of India”. So the entire community can be given direction.
What can the church do? In the recent Lok Sabba elections in South Goa, until about two weeks before the election I would not have wagered Re 1/- on the congress candidate. Then the Church stepped in, why is a mystery to me, I am happy they did. The men of the cloth began to send a message “Do not vote for communal parties” no party was named. Come results and the congress candidate was voted in by a thumping majority. That is the power of the Church. It did two things right, first, it gave its flock direction and second, it trusted its flock to decide.
I read in the media a series of protests by Catholic groups against a fictional movie “SINS”. They protest because it depicts Catholics in bad light. Are we not wasting our energies? Do real life catholic politicians who cheat, are corrupt and communal not depicting Catholics in bad light, then how come there are no protests. Maybe we have come to accept this situation as normal.
Similarly, now it is time the Church gave its flock direction, “discard, banish and evict corrupt politicians”. This message must go out at every opportunity. Then let the people decide. People know who is corrupt, people know who cheats, people know which politician is running an illegal racket. And here the media can play an important role of giving information on the politician. Together the Church and the media can play an important role in cleaning society of corrupt and communal politicians.
You can be sure this is one time when the corrupt politician will not want to face the “people’s decision”. He may get away in a judicial court as proving the illegal activities of a politician is difficult. But with the proper direction and information, the verdict of the people’s court will sound the death knell for them.
The communal side of the corrupt politician will argue that this will allow politicians of other religions to come to power. So be it, we do not want corrupt Christian politicians to be in power. Just because a Christian politician says the rosary does not give him right to Christian votes. Christian votes should be for a politician who has a Christian way of life be he a Catholic or from any other religion. This is what I meant by asking the church to shift from catholic politics to Christian politics.
The church can do it if we again consider the example available in Goa. I have lived in Mumbai, Aurangabad & Pune basically marathi speaking places, yet 90% of the services are in english. However the church in Goa has decided to safeguard konkani so while there are english masses, all children have to prepare for their first holy communion in Konkani because the church has decided that if they do not speak konkani they are not goans or Indians. Nowhere is it said that Catholics must speak konkani. The point is, if required the church can an |
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Mirsangh 
say!
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