If at all, we are to act upon or respond to any issue or challenge that comes before us, we first need to see the matter clearly and understand the nature of the issue properly. It means, we must be able to ascertain its root causes, the factors and forces behind the issue, and where it will take us to. We also need to foresee the wanted result we want to bring about. If not, we will end up ourselves like a fire-fighter who lost his life in the flame. We appreciate for that great sacrifice and effort of the person, but if his heroic sacrifice does not serve any purpose, his sacrifice and our heartfelt appreciation mean nothing.
We want to understand things properly, because we don’t want to live and die like a fool, but we want to live the most realistic life and die for the right cause. We may or may not be able to accomplish our missions, yet what matters us most is not achievement but to see that we don’t live the wrong life or fight the wrong war. We have to see that we preach the right message.
People mayor may not appreciate our patience, because we want to let it be known that inspite of our shortcomings, we have been patient to many things. We have been disciplining and restraining ourselves so that at least we do not entangle ourselves in any fray unnecessarily. We know that some problems, although seem to be alarming, do not give much harm to the society. Such problems naturally subside by themselves in due course of time. But some problems are seemed to be very small but their effect is devastating. Such problems are threats to life. To such problems, no sensible people will remain a spectator but will take it as a challenge to the meaning of existence. Therefore, proper attention must be given to it before it is too late.
Keeping in mind the above logic, we want to give some remarks on the speeches of some Naga Church Leaders, delivered on 27th January 2007 during a Peace Rally at Kohima. Infact, we know, we ought to pay our utmost respect to these church leaders, regardless of their many flaws and shortcomings. So, we want to keep ourselves quiet overlooking everything. After all, they are also human beings and therefore, to err is human. But sad to say, at this point of time we cannot remain mum. Because, in their speeches some poisonous elements are present. Therefore, reluctantly, we have to give this Apologia against their unwise and unrestrained tongue directed towards ‘Nagalim for Christ’ and the national leaders. We know they will not be happy with us but for fear of that we cannot afford to let people’s hearts be poisoned.
Before we give our defense, we would like to candidly present ourselves before the world who we are. We do not lie but admit that we are wretched sinners, more sinful than those who spoke on that day. Indeed, we are the most unworthy people to be called Christ’s servants. Yes, our lips may be too unclean to utter the phrase ‘Nagalim for Christ’. Please understand us that way. But allow us to say this point that because of human weaknesses, don’t undermine ‘ Nagalim for Christ’ and the ‘just cause of the people’ altogether.
Now we want to call on to .pay attention “to the contents of the speeches, that how damaging were their messages to the Naga society? Don’t they know the ugliness of hatred and jealousy? If so, why did they sow such seeds in the hearts of those thousand people who came to listen to them? Is this their ‘Mission of Peace’?
Dear Reverends and Pastors, the boys and girls to whom you see as ‘Satan’s hand’ were biologically given birth by your sheep. They were taught and brought up by you in your churches and now they have joined in the national service by the call of God. They will be in your service from now onwards. These children are your sons and daughters as much as they are ours. Please don’t take them as ‘Satan’s hand’ for they are still your own children. It is true that their lifestyle had been badly marred/shaped while they were under your care. We have to re-mould their lives all over again. We cannot give guarantee for success. Therefore, kindly pray for us again. Dear Reverends, may we request you not to throw bones of enmity in between these children (national workers whom you see as Satan’s hand) and their parents (general public). Please do not deprive them their rights to have fellowship of love with their parents. Remember you are on peace mission.
We all know Reverends are holy men of God. Thank you so much for reminding us of our sins, and call for confession. We will definitely do that and have been doing it. Help us until we find complete forgiveness and justification from our Savior Jesus Christ. But know this that the national workers whom you held responsible for violence in Nagalim, and whose “works do not progress” because of sin, are also loved by God. He has been using them in saving Nagas’ rights from all tragedies. Through them, He has also raised the Naga issue from zero point to the highest level. Even if you don’t give us credit for this, we will not mind. We thank you so much for your fault-finding works and correction. But keep it in mind “hypocrisy and prejudice must be shaken of first if one is to correct others.”
Dear Reverends, teach us again how to use our tongue? I hope you must have preached ten times about tongue. Shall we read together James 3:5-7 “5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6. The tongue also is a .fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body; it corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 . . . It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison”. NIV. Now, how have you been using your tongue? Can you imagine how those thousands returned to their homes that day? Don’t you know they went home with the fire you set in their hearts? For what purpose you set that fire? Is this your way of peace prayer rally? At least, we must practice what we preach.
Again, we want to know whether you are immune to Matt 12: 36-37 “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by Your word you will be acquitted, and by your words you will he condemned.” (NIV). We think no one is licensed to speak anything he likes. Are we wrong to say this also?
We also want to know, your status or authority. It seems you have the authority to nullify Jesus’ warning in Man 5:22 “... and whosoever shall say to his brother. Raca, shall be in danger of the council: bill whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire”. (KJV). Can you remember how you spoke against the national leaders that day? Allow us to quote your words, “Satan’s hand” “. . . man itself should he call Satan, or there is another Satan as such.” You can scold us like anything but with sense please. The Apostle Paul also scolded the Corinthians like anything, but you know how he addressed them, and how he concluded with salutations and benedictions. In his letters to the Corinthians, we found the most beautiful benedictions of the Bible. Can you see the differences between you and the Apostle Paul? Let us also recalled the lives of Peter and Paul who suffered much in the hands of the heathen Roman Government. But did they revile them or curse them or term them as “Satan’s Rule “? Can you open your Bible and read Rom 13: 1-5 and 1 Pet 2: 13-17 and make out the differences between your preaching and theirs? Wonderful and daring preachers, it will be wise on your part if you exercise your authority with limits within the Bible.
According to your presentation you have labored 50 years for peace. We appreciate you so much for that although you cannot succeed. But allow us to ask you some more questions. How come that you hold NSCN and Khaplang’s group as the prime factor of your failure? Khap1ang group is not yet even 20 years old, NSCN is not yet 30 years old. Whereas, you said, you have been working so hard for the last 50 years. What hindered you to solve the problem before the emergence of NCSN? Would you please stoop down and dig deeper to get-hold of the root cause of the problem, instead of blaming the two groups? What made you state this “all these concerted effort had met with disdain from the leaders of the underground groups, and had gone in futility? Remember, prescribing wrong medicines for hundred times and years will not solve the sickness. Rather it will make the problem more complicated.
History is very clear to all serious investigators. All the national workers were in support of NBCC Peace Committee, our people were also in support of the NBCC Peace Committee, many international communities were also in support of the NBCC Peace Committee and even the Indian nation was also in support of the NBCC Peace Committee. That is why the first cease-fire was brought about. Thank you so much for that. We hope you should also value and thank the people who supported you. But the big question to be answered by the Committee is “how did they use those wonderful supports and the opportunity?” We would like to quote the proverb recounted by our Collective Leadership “Morning shows the day but the end is counted.” You have started very well but can your tell us where have you ended up? Would you like to accept that the termination of the problem lies in the “honorable solution” which is acceptable to both the Nagas and India? Had there not been Accords like 16 points Agreement, Shillong Accord etc in our history, there would not have been so much bloodshed among us. There would not have been NSCN also. Know this for sure that like late A. Z. Phizo, Mr. Isak and Muivah may die any time, but the issue will not die with them. Can you understand that? If so why are you trying to blame to particular groups and personalities?
At last but not the least, we want to argue with you on your diatribe against the use of “Nagalim for Christ.” Now it is very clear that there is a big difference between your understanding of “Nagalim for Christ” and that of ours. For you, it is only a slogan but for us it is a principle. Know that there is immeasurable gap between a slogan on one side and a principle on the other. We will not elaborate it today. If it were a mere slogan as you think, we would have put it into dustbin long time ago.
You have said to us to stop using “Nagalim for Christ” for killings. We don’t use it for killings as you accused us. We agree, this phrase “Nagalim for Christ” must be used with all its purity. Nevertheless, don’t expect all Bible users are pure and godly. But what kind of future do you see without “Nagalim for Christ”? As for us we cannot imagine a bright future without “Nagalim for Christ.” Without it, we can only see darkness and doom. Didn’t you read the ‘”Dark Age of the Church” in history? The Holy Bible is a sacred book of God. The church fathers wanted to maintain the sanctity and holiness of the Bible at the highest degree. We think that was the motive that prompted the church fathers to ban all lay people to use Bible. It seemed they gave a strong edict that except the ordained priests, no person is licensed to possess or touch or read the Bible. They did it in good intention. But their good intention made the living Book a death book. They imprisoned the Bible in their closets for about 500 years. In these long years, thousands of souls were deprived of the blessings of the Bible. Alas! All the families of the world lived without the Bible for five hundred years. It was during these years, the Muslims prospered, but the Church died. Had there not been the monks, there would not have been the Bible today. Don’t you know that history? How dangerous was the action of those church fathers who could not see beyond their good intention? But praise God, who sent his servants, man like Martin Luther to release the Bible from the bondage of those so-called holy fathers. Bible was made available to every body irrespective of holy man or sinful man.
Dear Reverends, because of our inability to be holy like you, don’t preach to strike off “Nagalim for Christ” from our lives. But let al1 people, irrespective of young and old, hear the message that the Church is for Christ, the earth is for Christ, the world is for Christ, my life is for Christ, my family is for Christ, my people is for Christ, my country is for Christ, and my Nagalim is for Christ. Let this message rings throughout the length and breath of the 1and. Let every body carry it in their hearts. For there is power in this word “For Christ.” Because of this message, “Nagalim for Christ” many lives have been saved, many have been forgiven, and many lives have been made right, many have been inspired to sacrifice their lives for others, so on and so forth. Is this not great? If our lives direction is not towards ‘for Christ’, then can you show us another direction?
Yes, many people have misused this phrase many times. In the same way, many people have misused the Bible also. For that reason will you also ask us to stop using the Holy Bible? Will you also say not to come to your Church? Will you also ask us to strike off our names from the Church membership? Please, be realistic.
Thank you for your patience. May God bless you.
Rev. Seksim Kasar
General Secretary, CNC
Issued through: MIP/GPRN
