Thomas
NNC Member
In 2009, when I was in Mae Sot, Thailand. Mr. Bathein Win, a Kayan from Burma and a Baptist, came to me with his vehicle and called me to go to his Baptist Church on Sunday. As we were newcomers (I and a Naga youth John), we didn’t know any Christian Church in Mae Sot at that time. So, we went along with him to attend Sunday service.
The Church was sponsored by Philippian Baptist Church and preaching was in English. After the Reverend’s sermon, my friend Mr. Bathein Win took a time and told his Church members especially to the youths (boys and girls) that “after our Church service, we will go to Catholic Church again where a Karen Rev. Fr. conducts a Sunday Mass. From there we will have the Holy Communion (Lord’s Supper), since today we have no Lord’s Supper at our Church. But who is yet to Baptize cannot have the Holy Communion (Eucharist). We all are Christians though we have different Churches. It is good to know that Church or denomination is not a certificate for us to go to heaven but our faith in Jesus Christ and God the Father alone”, he said. Accordingly, after the Sunday service was over at the Baptist Church, we went to the Catholic Church again with more than ten youths of Baptist Church and attended Mass service in the Catholic Church. When the Rev. Father gave Eucharist, all the Baptist youths also had the Eucharist with the Catholic Church members as instructed by Mr. Bathein Win.
In the Baptist Church, a Philippian Reverend narrated a short story in his sermon. He said, a Christian died and his soul was brought to Heaven by Holy angels. In Heaven, he saw myriads of people in white clothes. He asked the one seems to be a Guardian; are they Catholic? The Guardian said, no. He asked again, then are they Lutheran Church members. The Guardian said, no. Are they Orthodox? He said, no. Are they Anglicans? He said, no. Are they Church of Christ, or Church of Jehovah? He said, no. Are they Methodists? He said, no. At last, he thought, they may be all of them are from the Baptist Church, as he himself was a Baptist. So, he lastly and hopefully asked him, then all of them are Baptists? But the Guardian said, no. Not one of them is as you thought. But all of them are believers in Jesus Christ and God the Father. After he was shown all these, he was sent back to the world again. When he returned back to his body, the dead body was about to be buried.
In October 2011, when I went to Malay border, on the vehicle a Karen woman (a Baptist) was telling about the Christian to the driver (an Indian from Burma). She said, the Baptist is worshiping Jesus Christ, but Catholic is worshiping the mother Mary. She doesn’t know me as a Catholic. I told her, it is not the truth, but the preaching is false and lie. If the Catholic has been worshiping the Mother Mary from the beginning and not Jesus Christ, today the world will not know Jesus is the Savior. The Protestant Church was created only in 16th century. If you said, Catholic is worshiping the Mother Mary, then who was there to preach Jesus was the son of God and Savior of mankind till 16th century, if not the Catholic Church was? The Catholic Church has been worshiping Jesus Christ and preaching to the whole world that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. Thus, the whole world had come to know that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Hence, the people of the world accepted Him as their savior and have been worshiping Him even before protestant or Baptist Church were established. From the beginning, the followers of Jesus Christ were called as Christians. (Acts 11:26) However, in the fourth century AD, the Christian Church was named as Catholic, meaning universal. The Catholic respect Mary as the Mother of Jesus Christ and ask her to pray for us or for peace of mankind. But not worshiping her. Even we ask Saints to pray for the peace of mankind not only Mary. If we have the right to ask our Reverends/pastors to pray for us, why not we have the right to ask saints who are already in Heaven to pray for us? Our discussion was very nice and she understood my points.
In Chiang Mai, Thailand, the Kachins have their Church known as Wunpawng Christian Church (WCC). (Union Christian Church). Actually, it is a Baptist Church (its Church members around 400). But the Christians from various denominations including from Catholic come to attend the Church service on Sunday. They have no problem with worshiping God together.
In August 2017, some Kachin Reverends and Pastors (12 of them, men and women) came to WCC for three months Bible training and went back to their Kachinland on 31st October 2017. Among them, some of them were more than sixty years old. The purpose of the training was to give a chance to old men, who have been giving their whole lives in the service of God, to visit a foreign land once in their lives. Among them, I have well acquaintance with Rev. ZahkungHtang from Sut Ngai village. He said house number of his village is more than two hundred. More than sixty houses are Catholic and the rest are Baptist. I asked him, did you have any problem with the Catholic? He said, “We have no problem with the Catholic. We have been praying together. Catholic Church members some time asked Baptist Reverends and pastors to come and pray for their family members. So, we went to pray for them. Even matrimony of Catholic couples is being conducted by the Baptist Reverend whenever the Catholic Father cannot reach to the village. But Marriage certificate is left to be given by the Catholic Father.”
As mentioned above, in the whole world there is no discrimination or persecution against Catholic by the Baptists. The Catholic and Baptist Churches are jointly and harmoniously preaching the Kingdom of God to the world. In this year, on October 31, 2017, the world had celebrated 500 years of Protestant foundation Day in the hope of having more understanding among the Christian Churches (Catholic and Protestant) of the world so as to become one flock with one shepherd according to Jesus said: “They will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd”. (John: 10:16).
I am sad to hear that there is discrimination among the Naga Christian Churches in so-called Nagaland and Manipur States. In this year 2017, even the dead body of a Catholic was not allowed to be buried in his own village by the Baptists in Ukhrul District, Manipur. It should not be a Christian Church persecute against another Christian Church. Our Bible says: “We should not judge one another and should not put an obstacle or a stumbling block in our brother’s way. (Rom 14:13). In Eastern Nagaland, after the formation of the so-called NSCN, Isak and Muivah started to discriminate/persecute against the Catholic Church in Heimi Region. But Late Khaplang outrageously opposed it and such discrimination was not allowed to happen in Eastern Nagaland. So also such discrimination should not be allowed in any part of Nagaland. The Naga Christian Churches should have to jointly and harmoniously preach the Kingdom of God in the whole Nagaland and any part of the world. If a Christian Church persecutes against another Christian Church; that is the work of Satan itself. The Church in the world is founded by Jesus Christ, saying: Upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it”. (Matt. 16:18). So, if a Christian Church against another Christian Church, it against Jesus Christ. Therefore, let no Christian Church go against Jesus Christ our Lord in any manner.
