Editor,
I read with great interest the article by Albert Thyrniang, “Do we want a living Christ” (ST April 10, 2018). It is a challenging article as it reflects on the very basis of Christianity today and the dilution of Christian values by those who claim to be church-going Christians. I was especially taken up by his courage to call a spade a spade where he mentions two retired government officials who contested and won the elections this time. The reputations of the two were well known but what is disgusting is that people still voted for them. In doing so, people are giving them another chance of now running not just their Departments but even the Government, had the Congress come to power in Meghalaya. Christ must hate this Christian hypocrisy and it is clear that he never intended his church to become a Sunday ritual while the rest of the week the same Christians would pillage the government coffers and steal what belongs to the people. It is also true that people of Meghalaya whether Christian or non-Christian have become worshippers of money and freebies. As Thyrniang mentions, this election of 2018 has seen the worst display of money power. Where did all the crores of rupees come from if not from the public treasury?
Albert Thyrniang also mentions that his write-up is not theology. I am afraid that today theologians can no longer speak the truth about their church members otherwise these church-goers would stop coming to church if challenged with the truth. In that case how will the church run without their money/donation? It takes a lot of money to maintain a church building and to run the pastorate/diocese. Without the donations of the rich it is impossible to maintain the lifestyles of pastors and priests. At least that is what the church has become today. The biggest patrons of the church are also its most corrupt members. The church has in fact destroyed the Khasi value system of, “Kamai ia ka hok” by pushing the salvation of souls to Christ and making Him the sole authority for human salvation as if humans don’t have to do anything at all for themselves to save their souls. Is this the theology that makes Christian politicians, officials and business persons so corrupt? They perhaps believe that money donated to the church will cleanse them of all sins.
No wonder Jesus Christ never built a church. He preached in all sorts of places where those who cannot afford their “Sunday best” were found looking for salvation. Today many more people needing Christ’s message are out of the church as Thyrniang says. Who will tend to them? The priests and pastors of this age certainly have no time for such social drop-outs.
Yours etc.,
AR Nongrum,
Via email
World Homeopathy Day
Editor,
Every year April 10, is celebrated universally as ‘World Homeopathy Day’- a tribute to Hahnemann, a German doctor who is the founder and father of Homeopathy. Medical doctors and patients of over 42 countries join the observance of the birth of Dr Hahnemann and the week thereafter is observed as World Homeopathy Awareness Week. The Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India and Central Council for Research in Homeopathy is organising 2-day National Convention on ‘World Homoeopathy Day’ from 10-11 April 2018 at Vigyan Bhavan, Central Secretariat, New Delhi. The theme is ‘Innovate. Evolve. Progress: Exploring Science since 40 years.’ Hahnemann is the Father of Homeopathy, of Human Pharmacology, of Nano Medicine and the Infinite Dilution concept in Chemistry.
Homoeopathy is based on principle of similia similibus curantur which means similar cures similar discovered by Dr Hahnemann was a physician of the allopathic discipline. While translating Cullen’s Materiamedica from English to Germany in 1790 he came upon the idea which was the germ of his completely new system of medicine – homoeopathy. Cullen was a professor of medicine at London University and devoted the indication of Peruvian bark and attributed its success in treatment of intermittent fever to the fact that it was bitter. Hahnemann was dissatisfied with this explanation and he himself took the medicine twice a day with four drams of good china and to his astonishment he was attacked by symptoms of chilliness, fever with thirst, flushes of the face etc. This unexpected result stirred up a new train of thoughts and he conducted many experiment on himself and other individuals with other medicines whose curative action in certain diseases had been established. Hahnemann came to the conclusion that medicines cure diseases because they can produce similar diseases in healthy individuals. Homoeopathy derives on this law.
Dr Hahnemann published his book on Homeopathy in 1796. He says “one should apply in the diseased to be treated, particularly the chronic, that the remedy which is able to stimulate another artificially produced disease, as similar as possible and the former will be healed- similia similibus – likes cure likes”
According to Hahnemann, disease is a state of disturbance in the normal or the natural vital forces of the body. Homoeopathy is , therefore , concerned with two things: (1) patient (2) the correct remedy the patient needs to cure him rapidly, gently and permanently through simple and minimum doses of as far as possible single medicine.
The World Health Organization estimates that Homeopathy is used by 500 million people worldwide, making it the second most widely used medicine in the world. In England, France, Germany and the Netherlands, Homeopathy is included in the National Health Service. India has over 70,000 board certified homeopathic physicians, hundreds of homeopathic hospitals and clinics and many homeopathic medical schools.
It is important for the public to understand the little known facts about Homeopathy. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Homeopathy cures a larger percentage of cases than any other method and is beyond all doubt safer, more economical and the most complete medical science”. Indeed homeopathy has made immense contribution in the health sector all over the world.
Yours etc.,
Dr Rilang iki Bamon
NEIAH, Shillong