From Our Correspondent
JOWAI, Feb 28: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) on Saturday issued a rebuttal following remarks by BJP leader Sunil Deodhar targeting Christianity during a speech in the Khasi Hills.
JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh stated that Christianity is a spiritual faith centered on Jesus Christ and is not about any earthly kingdom. Quoting John 3:16, he said the faith teaches love, unity, and the promise of eternal life. He further clarified that forced religious conversion is wrong, as Christian teachings respect the free will given to human beings.
“Being Christians does not make us any less Indian,” Lyngdoh asserted, adding that Christians respect all religions in India and expect the same in return. He stressed that all citizens are governed by the same Constitution and enjoy equal rights, and should not be treated as a threat to the nation.
Referring to the historical persecution of Christians, Lyngdoh cited Acts 5:38–39 to underline that faith cannot be suppressed if it is from God. He noted that opposing Christians for their beliefs amounts to opposing their faith in God and called for mutual respect among all communities. Lyngdoh also recalled the conversion of the Apostle Paul, who was once a persecutor of the faith, as an example of spiritual transformation. He appealed to organisations such as the RSS and other Hindu groups to allow Christians to live in peace and to refrain from dividing indigenous tribes along religious lines.
He concluded by stating that national unity should be built on mutual respect rather than the dominance of a single religion, reiterating that Christianity promotes peace and is not a threat to the country.
