Posted on 09/13/2006 12:34:35 PM PDT by Mount Athos
RELIGIOUS tensions between the minority Christians and the overwhelming Hindu majority in the northern Indian city of Lucknow intensified yesterday when 16 Catholic schools in the district remained closed after an attack by extremists on the local Loretto Convent.
Some other English-language schools were also closed to express their solidarity with the besieged Catholics.
Security personnel were deployed around all missionary schools alongside civilian police to guard against any renewal of the violence of last weekend, when militants of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha reportedly attacked the convent.
BJYM supporters are said to have carried out the attack after a "seance in churches" - otherwise described as a "cult meeting" - was held at the convent, and furious Hindu militants stormed into the school buildings and destroyed property.
The militants' actions have horrified authorities, and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, has ordered a full-scale inquiry.
Loretto Convent supporters held a protest meeting yesterday at the gates to the school. Christian leaders, parents, teachers and students condemned the BJYM attack.
Father Paul Rodrigues said the manner in which the militants had attacked the chapel on the campus indicated "a larger conspiracy" behind the action.
"We are deeply concerned about the security and safety of Catholic institutions across the state," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Nothing scares people more than the Truth. They do so love the darkness.
A pox upon relgions of violence.
In general the Hindu population highly regards the Christian education system that was brought to India by the Brits--just the minority fanatical Hindus. They resent evangelization by Christians. Most Hindus who convert to Christianity are untouchables or low caste. I guess some higher caste Hindus are afraid if there are no untouchables--who will they be able to treat like dirt?
Hindi getting up in arms? Did someone kill a cow?
Loreto Convent's date with 'Lord Jesus'Here's an excerpt:
The cult is headed by Nobo Kumar Mandal, a rickshaw-puller patronised by Father Sebastian Kuzhipala, a Catholic priest based in Murshidabad. Father Sebastian and Sister Monica conducted the show at Loreto as Nobo Kumar served as the medium to bring ‘Ishu’ to ‘heal and bless’ the gathering. Nobo Kumar went around grunting and growling, making hissing sounds while 'inducing' Jesus to enter his body."It is very painful when Jesus enters his body. That is why he was writhing on the ground," explained Sister Monica.
They took the references to sacrifice and the body and the blood and portrayed it as something other than what it was.
Perhaps a little of that is happening here, I don't know.
The organization that carried out this attack is a youth arm of the BJP, which is part of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), a Fascist organization using the cover of religion just as Al Qaeda is. And like Al Qaeda, the RSS tends to be violent.
Tehy also published a booklet on how to implicate Christians (and other minorities) in false criminal cases.
Hmmm... Doesn't sound like any Catholic service I've ever heard of. I thought Catholics limited that speaking in tongues thing to Latin.
Guaranteed that you are absolutely on the mark.
Loreto Convent's date with 'Lord Jesus'
The Times of India ^ | 10 Sep, 2006 0040hrs IST | The Times of India
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1698768/posts
LUCKNOW: It’s not the kind of thing that routine school assemblies witness. On Wednesday, Lucknow’s prestigious Loreto Convent organised a date with Lord Jesus Christ that led to students fainting and horrified parents asking what the school up to?
The school principal, a dozen staff members and about 250 Class VIII to XII girls were privy to the 'special' occult session that had a medium ‘transforming’ into Christ and blessing them. A dozen students fainted and a couple needed medical attention. Most girls were either horrified or too shocked to explain the phenomenon.
Principal Sister Monica on Saturday admitted some girls fainted during the 'holy experience'. "It is not unusual to be terrified when the Lord comes before you. Even I was frightened," she said. The children were exposed to a demonstration of a little-known Chandra Cult with its headquarters in Krishnagar (West Bengal).
The cult is headed by Nobo Kumar Mandal, a rickshaw-puller patronised by Father Sebastian Kuzhipala, a Catholic priest based in Murshidabad. Father Sebastian and Sister Monica conducted the show at Loreto as Nobo Kumar served as the medium to bring ‘Ishu’ to ‘heal and bless’ the gathering. Nobo Kumar went around grunting and growling, making hissing sounds while 'inducing' Jesus to enter his body.
"It is very painful when Jesus enters his body. That is why he was writhing on the ground," explained Sister Monica.
During the ritual, Nobo started shuddering and collapsed. "I thought he was dead and I also passed out," said a student.
"It looked like he had a massive heart attack...we all were so scared," said another student.
From the newspaper:
Readerspeak: Spare the non-believers
I was shocked to read the story. Did the school inform and take the permission of the parents before subjecting the children to such a bizarre ritual? The education department should investigate and punish the principal and the school for perpetuating this act on minor children.
Priya
New Delhi
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It is really amusing to see that even modern, educated India is still plagued with such superstitions.
A Pal
India
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Such incidents bring a bad name to the Christians. This needs an investigation and action from the authorities and the Church.
Eric Pinto
Goa
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The government should take quick action to curb such practices.
Jadulal
USA
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Thanks for brining this out in public. I am from Lucknow and held Loreto Convent in high esteem till I read this news. This orthodox practice in an educational institution is disgusting to the core.
Ashutosh
USA
The school principal should be prosecuted for her irresponsible act.
Vikrant
Ireland
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This stupid convent should be forced to shut down.
Aditya Simha
USA
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The government must pass a law to regulate the Christian missionary/ educational institutions. I had similar terrible experiences as a student at Carmel.
Siddhart
Bangalore
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How can a school do this?
Prasad
USA
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I wonder how Pope will justify such acts being carried out by the so called missionaries. Government must take strict action to ensure that our children are not harassed like this in future.
Sumesh
Korea
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I am shocked that a reputable institute can do something like this. The school should have taken the permission of the parents before indulging in such an act. Parents trust the school authorities and therefore they must behave responsible.
Jyotsna
Singapore
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This is absolute nonsense in the name of Jesus. It must be stopped immediately.
XYZ
India
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It is shocking to learn that young children are exposed to these deplorable rituals even in prestigious schools. The incident exposes the real intention of convent schools. In the name of spreading education, they want to spread the religion by hook or by crook. All the students were minors and hence it was the responsibility of the school authorities to inform the parents about any such plan in advance. The principal's statement, "Jesus will never bless those who don't believe', exposes her religious intolerance and real intentions. The likes of Sister Monica must spare the 'non-believers' from such ordeals (holy experiences) which frighten even the strong believers like her. This is the most blatant abuse of religious freedom.
Anurag Bajpai
Australia
==
This experience was not Jesus. I personally have had Jesus come into my life and it doesn't hurt. He only comes into your life if you ask him, not by force.
Christana Morelock
America
It is all a hoax. The people, whether Christians or others, should not believe it.
Achilles
Pune
==
In the past, such experiences were always scoffed by the missionaries as superstitions.
Ranjan
Pune
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In an age when education is all about technology and empirical sciences, where even subjects like astrology are looking for ways and means to be more pragmatic, should we take teaching of such occult lessons, that too in schools, lightly? What could be the purpose behind exposing young, impressionable minds to such eerie, supernatural antics? Education is never without a purpose. It could be enjoyable, playful or matter of fact, but the aim is to convey a message based on earlier developments and preparing groundwork for further learning. This incident could be only the tip of the iceberg. Our education department should be on alert and investigate if school premises are being used for such blatant impositions of cult education.
Chhutki C
Faridabad
Something surely entered his body but it definitely wasn't Jesus.
BTW, the story is now down to less than a dozen "Catholic school girls" and involves pulling the blinds on some windows, not "shutting down the schools".
People in India make a good living inventing stories for the popular tabloid press.
Hindu fanatical facists can be as violent and radical as the Muslim ones and quite a few Indian trolls who post here and call themselves conservative can be said to sympathise with them.
But unlike the Muslim ones, the militant Hindus are well and truely a minority and apart from a small core base in India and among expat Indian groups in America they are a minority and lack support in mainstream India.
To clarify it
'Apart from support among expat Indian groups in America ,they are a minority and lack support in mainstream India'
Should be noted among some expat Indian groups in America and not all of them.
Should be noted among some expat Indian groups in America and not all of them.
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