Editor,
There are two entrenched centres of power in Meghalaya, the government and the church. Of course, there are other power centres also, such as the pressure groups and mining mafias, but the government and the church are the overarching centres of authority. The government speaks daily. The church is a visible force, seen in the countless churches dotting the countryside and the lines of church goers each Sunday, but its voice is silent, outside of the Sabbath pulpit.
It takes courage to challenge centres of authority, so I admire Albert Thyrniang for his powerful article “Calling the Church Out” (Shillong Times, Feb 9, 2020). He has pointed out the failure of the church to fulfill its moral role in society. This moral role has three dimensions: religious, social and political and the three are inexplicably intertwined. The church cannot choose the first role and neglect the other two.
In Matthew 5:13, Jesus said “You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” In Meghalaya, the church has lost its savour, firstly by abandoning the poor, hungry, single mothers and destitute children, and secondly by its social apathy.
To pursue Albert Thyrniang’s theme, unless the political voice of the church is raised, it cannot be “the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid”. It must be among us. Why is the church oblivious to the poor among us? What’s more, these poor people are our fellow tribals, our fellow Christians.
The National Family Health and Family Survey, just released a month ago shows Meghalaya to be dead last in many health indices, most glaringly in the malnutrition of our children, even worse than in Bihar. Why is the church not holding the government to account for such tragic failures?
How does the church let its light shine? The Bible says it very clearly. Isaiah 58:10: Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
We celebrate Meghalaya Day, Cherry Blossom Festival, church fetes and installations and a myriad other feel-good events. But it’s a thin camouflage for the failure of the government and church to provide even basic succour for the poorest among us.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C. Kharkongor,
Via email
Facing up to the truth
Editor,
Reading Albert Thyrniang’s piece, “Calling the Church out (ST Feb 8, 2021) was a delight. The Church in Meghalaya is in comfort zone marked by occasional celebrations of this or that occasion. Some weeks ago there was a story in your newspaper about church money amounting to 4.67 crore having been defalcated from the church accounts. We were told then in January this year that the charge-sheet would be filed by the end of the month. We are yet to hear of this matter. It seems that church elders don’t want the culprits to be arrested since that would open up a can of worms. My suspicion is that the powerful voices in the Mawkhar church and there are many (some of them seasoned politicians) have tried to pull political strings so that the police drops the case for want of evidence. Knowing our compliant police anything is possible.
Has anyone heard of Meghalaya Police doing anything extraordinary? If they did would there be thousands of trucks carrying coal ply on our roads when the Government denies that there is any coal mining activity? Ask us the public and we will provide all the evidence of illegal coal mining and transportation. We see them every night and day; only the police are blind to this crime. If I were a police official I would be ashamed of my department. Most or all of these tribal police officials are church going Christians. Does the Church ever raise its voice on illegal coal mining and how it is being facilitated? Forget it! In this State there is an abominable collusion between church, state, police and everyone else down the line.
Those who wish to speak up have no one to stand with them. All are ready to stand with the powerful. Meghalaya is doomed and all these collaborators in crime will one day have to pay a heavy price. It is sad that they all have children who will one day inherit this hellish foulness and that would be the end of Christianity, of politics, of coal mining barons and of the police. They will be buried in the debris of their sins. I salute Albert Thyrniang for his Daniel like courage!
Yours etc.,
Lambok Diengdoh,
Via email