Indeed, I withheld myself from talking on this topic for quite some time as mine is just layman’s view. Whereas, I wonder whether this slogan of ‘Nagaland for Christ’ and its relevance in our land was ever debated particularly by the Church leaders and the Naga theologians though they may or may not be responsible for initially coining the slogan. No doubt I feel incompetent to rock the issue and yet I have the urge to question the relevance of the retention of the slogan vis-a-vis the contemporary Nagaland Christian world.
John 15:16 says ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you... says the Lord Jesus Christ. This verse tells us that it was not the Nagas who firstly sought for Christ and chosen Him as the Lord and Saviour. While the Nagas had primitive life and headhunting was part of it, God, out of His grace, sent His Baptist missionary from America in the person of E.W. Clark and his wife Lucy along with their associate Godhula from Assam to inform the Nagas about the Good News and invite the Nagas saying that God has chosen us to be His followers 144 years ago. Thus, the people of Molungkimong converted into Christianity 75 years prior to India’s Independence. During 75 years, the Good News was spread to other Naga areas. Yet, it took some 23 years to reach the first few converts in Chakhesang region, just for instance.
Had the advent of Christianity been later or as late as after India’s Independence, in my belief, by today, majority of the Nagas might have embraced Indian faiths as Hinduism or Islam. In such situation, the classless Naga society would have been religiously compartmented whereby the probable result is anybody’s guess. God Jehovah so loved the Nagas that He had chosen Nagas in His own time so that the Nagas serve Him alone and be saved by our faith in Jesus Christ under stress and strain.
Now, in their enthusiasm those Nagas who initiated the evolvement of the slogan ‘Nagaland for Christ’ perhaps had the grand philosophy that Nagaland had to be a land of Christians. The slogan meant for Nagaland to be a substantial sourcing centre for missionaries for the Gospel. The slogan meant that maximum manpower of missionaries would be produced. The slogan meant that under any circumstances that the Nagas of Nagaland will not worship any other god except the Living God Jehovah. Had we been committed, determined and humble in our promise made to God, we would have indeed become unique today. Had we fulfilled the promise as per the slogan, Nagaland would have become a model worth quoting in India. Unfortunately, it is the reverse.
Meanwhile, without nitpick, it is imperative for us to very, very briefly introspect whether our existing ground realities are fulfilling the dream of those planners and our life styles commensurate the slogan fondly and regularly used by mostly some of the NNPGs.
Firstly, no doubt the Nagas have certain unique features in respect of our political background and our culture and tradition. Yet, apart from political, other communities too have their own uniqueness. Whereas, the internal bickering, the ego clash, the unforgiving benchmark, the vehement justifications of wrong philosophies and the ferocious politics of segregation have overshadowed the uniqueness of the Nagas. In other words, the fragmentation of the Naga National political front has desecrated and defaced the foundation established by capable team of pioneers with great sacrifices under the original banner NNC. How many of our brothers were murdered in the name of ‘Nagaland for Christ’? How many were harassed, tortured and extorted in the name of ‘Nagaland for Christ’? Are all these detrimental and self-infringing characteristics glorifying Christ? Are these the investments made for propagation of the Gospel?
Secondly, look at the performances of the present day State Government. The Governor of Nagaland Sri. B.P. Acharya has been very vocal on miss-governance. His unbridled vitriolic attack on the ‘greed’ of those who are at the helm of public welfare and branding Naga society being ‘plagued by corruption’ are indicative enough of how chaotic is the governance. The government is run by elected representatives and bureaucrats who are all Christians and mostly baptized members. Mizoram Govt. terminated the services of its employees on account of corruption. Is there any disciplinary rule in Nagaland? Are the disciplinary rules for protection of the crooks? Or none of the Govt. servants ever indulged in corruption or when the rule is used, hardly few will be spared and there can be shortage of manpower for governance and hence the impediment. Does the kind of governance befit Christian ethics? Is the way the responsible team of politicians and bureaucrats managing the affairs of the people of Nagaland commensurate the slogan ‘Nagaland for Christ’?
Thirdly, once again I admit that I am the most wretched sinner of all and I feel unfit to talk on the integrity of the Church. Also, what do I gain if the image of the Church is unjustly tarnished? Yet, I feel it is time to call a spade spade if we are for reformation. In favour of the given topic, it is pertinent to introspect the integrity of our Churches. I am sure all are not of same, but how many Churches are united and cohesive? Are syndicates in control of the Churches? Are the meek and humble but not moneyed who were the pioneers of the Church at its struggling nascent stage being forgotten, sidelined and replaced by the rich and status studded lot? It appears at times a Church undergoes high stake Church politics of typical standard. Typical in the sense of believers’ conflict of which the undercurrent is stronger than the smoke so produced by the conflict between two arch rival politicians. Are our Churches being decorated with factionalism, parochialism, regionalism, favouritism, nepotism and party-ism? One irritating activity is that there had been instances of the Church project foundation stones or the Church completed projects being laid or inaugurated by those rich and powerful whose active memberships were already terminated by their respective Churches or fit for such terminations if a Church honestly and rationally uses the given yardstick? In such events, can we call it dedication or desecration? What about Church policies? Are some of our Churches tussling between the principles of physical and material developments versus spiritual development? Will the Church remain mute when the Name of Christ Jesus is abused, usurped and misused in the name of the slogan? Fourthly, what about the common man including myself? The above three categories are below the mark. Are we better than others mentioned above? Are the common man in Nagaland innocent? No. The general public may be ignorant of many vital issues but we are equally cunning, myopic and dishonest. By outward appearance we are looked simple but within is complex. Our total being and characteristics are made of elements of greed and glutton alone. We are gullible, malleable and too melt-able at the flick of currency note and we become breathless at the sight of wad of the same.
Nagaland is just 15 months away from the next Assembly elections. Gossips have begun now about probable candidates. What dominates the interactions is ‘He is capable but has no money, he is not that capable but he has money’. Thus, in advance we have already decided to surrender our birthright and legal right to whoever, may be a contractor, a Govt. employee either in service or retiree having purchasing power. We do not talk about the integrity, the calibre and the dynamism of an aspirant candidate. Even on the spur of the moment, any aspirant who is financially poor is discarded in favour of the moneyed. What the restless movers have begun now in each Assembly constituency is frantically looking for a rich man of any category to be the candidate. Hence, corruption is ignited here. Not by anybody from anywhere else but here at the Ward of that town, at the colony of that Village, here in the tea stall, here inside the bus/Tata Sumo we casually initiate corruption. We, the common man, often than not speak against corruption in the governance without realizing that we are the ones who taught those in power how to be corrupt. Is this mentality suiting to the slogan ‘Nagaland for Christ’?
Despite of the above, shall we still claim that all those activities are for Christ? We know that our way of life, I am the worst, our activities and our attitude are found unsuitable to the slogan. The total scenario in Nagaland is a complete negation to ‘Nagaland for Christ’; the Sodom-Gomorrah situation cannot be for Christ.
In the light of above, in my opinion the slogan may have to be reversed so as to avert embarrassment and also to avoid committing one sin upon another. If the slogan is to be retained, we have to improve the situation which becomes befitting for it. How bad have we become, Christ Jesus is gracious enough to reform, transform and rescue us from such mess. So be it ‘Christ for Nagaland’.
Z. Lohe
