To FABC MEMBERS
16th May 2019 in Bangkok
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB
Dear Friends,
Peace of Christ.
This is a painful talk.
Painful because we have gathered here after the death of
innocent people, killed inside the church in Sri Lanka. Our prayers and
fellowship are with the Christians families. This talk is painful because we
belong to a faith tradition, that preaches NOT vengeance but forgiveness and
reconciliation.
We never condoning the heinous crime against humanity, are
called to emulate Christ who on the Cross amidst his grotesque suffering could
call out “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do”.
It is painful.
It is painful to know that Easter became Good Friday for our
brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka on that fateful day. We sit at the graves of
Holy Saturday and waiting for the streaks of hope of resurrection amidst the
silence of the graves.
Until that happens the pain persists in the dawn, in the
noon and through the pestering pain of the survivors, the relatives wading
through this heart wrenching tragedy. Words fail in these paralyzing moments of
darkness. A catastrophic tragedy reminding us of the cry of Rachel: A voice is
heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and
refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Increasingly persecuted community – Christians
As international groups have pointed out, Christians have
become the most persecuted religious group in the world. In the Middle East, in
China, in India, in Sri Lanka, in Egypt, in Libya and other places Christians
have become the scapegoats. In many Middle Eastern Countries the once
flourishing Christian communities have disappeared. Too many innocents lost
their lives and their blood cries out.
The Challenging Task to the Shepherds of Asia.
We need to be people of Hope, especially those of us who are
Shepherds. We cannot allow ourselves to be gripped by fear and paralysis. These
are the moments the Shepherds need to walk through the way of the Cross – never
losing the hope of a better tomorrow – not only for our people but those who
fell victim to evil.
As Shepherds, we are called upon to be hope generating
agents. Remember the Psalm 23. This is a Shepherd’s song. It is dark
everywhere. With faith and hope let us sing with the psalmist: “Even if we walk
through the Valley of Death, You will guide us”.
Road Ahead – Preaching Peace, promoting Reconciliation
The first task is to preach peace – not vengeance. I come
from a country where religious extremism saw violence and tears of the
thousands. When Pope Francis visited Myanmar, he left a mandate “Do not repay
hatred with hatred. Be an instrument of peace”. Let us remember violence begets
more violence. Killing begets more killing. And eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth is an outdated mandate. Remember Gandhi who said “an eye for an eye makes
the whole world blind.” Christ road-map is different “Love your enemies and
pray for those who persecute you.” These words may look unkind and painful at
the present situation. But that is the way of Cross.
Violence is for the weak. Non-Violence and forgiveness is possible
only for those who are strong morally and spiritually. This sensibility needs
to be nurtured among our people. The Church, in the words of Francis of Assisi,
needs to become an instrument of peace praying “where there is hatred, let me
sow love.”
At this juncture, Christians face four threats to their life
and dignity:
1. Nationalism:
This phenomenon, often cited as a backlash to unfettered
globalization is a fast spreading danger. Nationalism is defined as
“loyalty and devotion to a nation, especially a sense of national
consciousness “exalting one nation above all others and placing primary
emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other
nations or supranational groups.” The danger in many countries of Asia is
a warped sense of victimhood of the majority community: “the minority complex
of the majority community”. Both in Myanmar and Sri Lanka and in India, groups
that celebrate their victimhood are becoming mainstreams. The minorities become
the scapegoats. Rene Girard the philosopher has treated the violence against
the minorities as the process of “scapegoating.”
Historically, nationalism has been used to define and
explain everything from radical political and militaristic movements like
Nazism to strong protectionist policies controlling modern foreign policy and
economy. Nationalism, in its extreme forms, has led to genocide, the Holocaust,
and more specifically, the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia in 1990s and elsewhere.
Many of us come from countries where the toxic lava of
nationalism and hatred is in full flow. In India, self-professed “Hindu
nationalist” Narendra Modi has been elected with a robust verdict.
Violence against Christians and church personnel is becoming a norm. Even in
Europe and US nationalistic politicians are on the rise. Over concerns for
economic wellbeing, Britain announced its exit from the European Union in 2016,
dubbed “Brexit.” Even in the most wealthy country like US white
nationalism is threatening Jews and African Americans.
2. Terrorism: What is Terrorism?
In the last five years, Christians have shed blood in Asia
and the Middle East by suicide bombing. Terrorism has been described variously
as a tactic and strategy, a crime and a holy duty, as well as a justified
reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. But the killing of
Christians is connected to the global conflicts in the near east, an increasing
identification of Christians with the western political and economic interests.
Attacking Christians also brings immense publicity for terrorists. The world
has not taken seriously the silent genocide of Christians.
3. Religious Extremism
Some years ago, Professor Samuel Huntington wrote a
provocative book: The Clash of Civilizations implying that the western
Christian civilization will be at loggerheads with Islamic civilization
impacting peace and development in the world. He proposed a hypothesis that
people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of
conflict in the post-Cold War world. The events of the last two decades seem to
prove his prediction. Violence in the name of religion is growing.
Terrorist acts done in the name of religion, typically aim
to enforce a system of belief, viewpoint or opinion. The validity and scope of
religious terrorism is limited to an individual’s view or a group’s view or
interpretation of that belief system’s teachings. There are some researchers
however, who argue that religion should be considered only one incidental
factor and that such terrorism is primarily geopolitical.
What has happened in Middle East and Afghanistan in the last
four decades is growing into international threat to small communities. With
the spread of social media, terrorists have found safe spaces to spread their
mission of hatred. In recent years religious riots in India, the slaughter of
innocent Muslims at prayer by a white Nationalist in New Zealand, Muslim
suicide bombers killing Christians in Sri Lanka have all made religion seem
valueless and brought disgrace upon organized religion’s reputation.
What is missing is the vigorous condemnation of the fringe
groups by the silent majority. God tells us that such activity must not be
covered up or sanitized by believers. It must be vigorously and publicly
condemned since it undermines the very ability of religion to influence people
to live according to God’s directives. Now, people presume that religious
people can do dastardly things.
A threatening example is ISIL (ISIS)
This group claimed responsibility for the Sri Lankan Easter
attack. Thought to be wiped out in Middle East, the Sri Lankan attack
demonstrated its growing influence in Asia and Africa.
ISIS aimed to create an Islamic state called a caliphate
across Iraq, Syria and beyond. The group was implementing Sharia Law, rooted in
eighth-century Islam, to establish a society that mirrors the region’s ancient
past.
ISIS is known for killing dozens of people at a time and
carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts. ISIS uses modern
tools like social media to promote reactionary politics and religious
fundamentalism.
Terrorism is not a poor man’s game
The jihadi bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday are the
latest reminder that terrorism is not driven by deprivation or ignorance. As
with the 2016 cafe attack on foreigners in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the slaughter of
churchgoers and hotel guests in Sri Lanka was carried out by educated Islamists
from wealthy families. Two of the eight Sri Lankan suicide bombers were sons of
one of the country’s wealthiest businessmen. Several of the attackers had the
means to study abroad.
Terrorists are neither poor nor do they represent the
interests of the poor. The interests of the West and its handling of the Middle
East crisis continue to be the root cause of spread of disaffection and dastardly
acts.
The past role of the West in supporting dark forces
Most of those who indulge in violence in the name of Islam
are those inspired by an ultra conservative movement: Wahhabism. According to
many authors, aided by the oil price boom, Saudi actively promoted these ultra
conservative Islam, to various parts of the world.
But the oil price boom was not the only factor contributing
to Wahhabism’s rapid spread. The so called Islamic terrorism did not start with
the some Muslims. The export of this jihad-fostering ideology was also promoted
by the United States and its allies to stem, for example, the threat from
Soviet communism: The painful role of some rich western countries in the modern
day terrorism is well documented. The CIA, according to the author Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. (the nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy), “nurtured
violent jihadism as a Cold War weapon”. Targeting terrorists and their networks
brings only temporary success—but the long-term strategy needs to focus on discrediting
these ideologies that attract attackers.[1]
We need to understand innocent Christians are sacrificed
because of the last five decades of geostrategic conflicts between the Islamic
countries and the West. More such violence cannot be ruled out. The very name
Christian has become a liability. Western Societies have the capacity to
protect themselves. But Asian countries and African countries especially the
Christians will bear the brunt of violence. We appeal to all nations – solve
your geostrategic conflicts. Live and let live Asian Christians.
Response to Religious Violence
The West has not understood Islam. While western countries
manipulated orthodox regimes like Saudi for cheap oil, in the bargain allowing
the ultra conservative merciless Wahhabism to spread to every corner of the
earth.
The role of Saudi needs to be isolated from Islamic
communities and countries. There are 47 Muslim dominated countries and more
than a quarter of them are at peace with multiculturalism.
Terrorists and religious extremists gain when stereotyping
of a whole religion for the crime of a few. We need to take notice Islamic
terrorists have killed more Muslims than any other community.
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