N Kakuto Chishi
Akuluto Town
Editorial cartoons are satires. It must and should depict the ills of our society, be it in politics or religion, social or in individual lives. The kind of outburst or intolerant view of churches and its associates reflects the kind of theology that is very much depicted in this graffiti. Frankly, study of theology is no different from any other university subjects. A study of theology is not only about _'Divine Calling or Soul Saving Ministries'_ but it is also in pursuit for jobs and degrees that gets paid accordingly. Aren't theologians drawing salaries, getting vehicles, quarters, perks or incentives such as defrayment of water, electricity and phone bills, etc like any other Government Departments or Pvt Ltd Companies?
Theologians teach or rather preach Bible in the same way secular educationists teach them polity, economy, history, etc. Most Theologians claim to represent a church which is a total fallacy. The church belongs to the believers who contributes and sustains it. On the contrary, theologians are only trustees and should remain one. In Acts Chapter 13 Verse 47, the Bible says that God had commanded the disciples to be a light for the Gentiles (non-jews) so that salvation may be brought to the ends of the earth. Ephesians Chapter 3 Verse 6 says that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise in Jesus Christ. I hope our theologians are following this, or else it may be something like our way or the highway. Such attitude and mindset cannot take anyone of us anywhere near the gates of heaven. Gagging or limiting the Media - the fourth pillar of free society is the worst injustice one can do to harm our society. If this graffiti matter is put to vote, assumably, the end result would be 90/10. It's an existential fact.
Just because a handful few happened to be from a good family and academic background doesn't qualify them to be repulsive and arbitrary. Rather theologians should desist from meddling in secular issues such as NLPT, Political Peace Talks, Clean Election Campaign, accepting unaccounted offerings and tithes, all these and more have been an eye sore to the honest believers and more so none of these have borne any positive results. While NDPP, the Naga regional political party propped up their candidate for the recently concluded MP Election, fellow Christians and brethrens were all out thrashing Nagaland BJP which had committed no offense. Please be reminded that Nagaland BJP supporters are no less Christians than any other political party supporters.
As much as politics doesn't belong to anybody, so also is religion. Nobody should claim the custody of propriety in an egalitarian society, lest one can throw a stone at Stephen.
"To be a Christian is easy but to live a Christian life is an everyday challenge."
