Editorial

Weaving a Christian Relationship

Opinion | Editorial | John S. Shilshi | 24-Feb-2025

His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, in his book, Toward A True Kinship of Faith, wrote, “I have boundless respect for my Buddhist faith, but to see it within the context of its brother and sister religions has afforded me a vision of the grandeur and extent of what I truly believe to be the finest aspiration of the human spirit.”. Having said so, he described his relations with well-known personalities of Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, further elaborating how the principles of these religions outside his own are similar in each one’s approach to human life. He clearly explains why, in certain areas, he valued the teachings of other religions more than his own Buddhism. It is this trait that has perhaps propelled him to the pedestal of one of the most revered religious leaders of the world, also among the tallest champions of interfaith harmony.

When we come across such respect and understanding for different faiths, it makes us think how inadequate we are—that, despite being followers of Christ, we fail to appreciate and recognize the virtues of other Christian denominations, let alone faiths outside of the Christian community. In the Northeast region particularly, members of one church harbouring jealousy against the other is so prevalent that some of the good qualities and practices in the counterpart churches are never appreciated. The Bible, the cornerstone of our faith, asserts that “a tranquil heart nourishes the flesh, while envy causes the bones to decay” (Proverbs 14:30). But much as we pretend to be good Christians, rampant are our jealousies; hungry for fame and material, as we suffer acutely from spiritual poverty. In other words, for Christians in this region, the enemy is within; hence, the spirit of ecumenism is an alien culture. Therefore, despite the significant Christian presence in the region, generations have consistently found unity and synergy lacking.

It is not surprising that the RSS and its affiliates are pushing their agenda hard in the region, including in states with Christian majorities. Is it reasonable for Christians to all the time complain about this? After all, it is human nature to take advantage of cracks within groups or communities perceived as opposed to or against one's agenda. For unknown reasons, the RSS has consistently viewed Christianity with suspicion. They blame Christians for all the problems in the region, including insurgency and ethnic unrest, not willing to recognize that it was the Christians across denominations that work tirelessly to ensure peace. So, with such a background, they are well within their rights to see an opportunity in the Christian disunity. This precisely is the reason why, in the recent past, we find anti-Christian activities increasing in the region. They are keen to exploit the Christian disunity and make inroads, particularly in states where a friendly political party is in power. However, as is often the case, Christians, in addition to fostering a sense of victimhood, fail to remain united and articulate a unified response to the numerous attacks on their faith.

However, this time, we see a rare bright spot. Christian community in Arunachal Pradesh has demonstrated the essence of Christian unity. They stood up as one united community in protesting against the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 1978—a legislation considered by many as draconian, having every potential to adversely affect the harmonious co-existence in that state. Not only did the Arunachal Christian Forum-sponsored protests saw massive participation, but they were widespread and inclusive. All protest programmes were very much Christian-like, peaceful, non-aggressive, and non-confrontational, yet effective, sending a strong message that the community no longer is a pushover, but one that is prepared to stand up to protect and safeguard their rights and give peace a chance to thrive. To see this happen, therefore, is not only refreshing but reassuring, because for once the Christian community across denominations shed their denominational differences and stood together as one.

Some may ask whether this admirable show of solidarity had the desired objective achieved. The answer is straight and simple: ‘Yes.’. Because more than the response of the government of Arunachal Pradesh, this collective show of strength by the Christians has already sent a strong signal to all divisive forces. The noble intention to stand up against injustice not only against Christians but against every community in choosing a religion of their choice, as guaranteed by the Indian constitution, has been more than adequately demonstrated. Furthermore, these relatively young Christians in Arunachal have also taught valuable lessons to their senior Christian counterparts in other states where the faith has been practiced for many decades. One must note that Christianity in Arunachal saw the light of day only in the seventies as compared to many in the region.

Coming back to the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 1978, it must be said that the law being forgotten and kept on the back burner for over four decades was an indication that successive leaders at the helm recognized the egregiously divisive features of the legislation, though none, unfortunately, was bold enough to show the door to this sectarian law. Reasons why this law resurfaced are not far to seek. Therefore, it should serve as a wake-up call for every peace-loving citizen in this country and the region. Most importantly, people in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, who have had the unique distinction of experiencing indigenous harmony, should take note and remain vigilant. One hopes that the denominational unity that Arunachal Christians demonstrated this time shall be a stepping stone toward weaving a meaningful Christian relationship.

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