Faith Freedom International

[jihadjay]

Buddhist Mobs Attack Five Churches in Sri Lanka
Aggression Designed to Force Passage of Anti-Conversion Laws
by Sarah Page

DUBLIN, August 5 (Compass) -- Mobs attacked five churches in the southern district of Galle, Sri Lanka, on August 2. Initial information from the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (EASL) suggests the organized attack on the churches is part of the government’s plan to introduce anti-conversion legislation.

A Methodist church in Rathgama suffered an initial attack on July 27. Christians who saw the crowd of 50 Buddhist monks and a number of young people moving toward the church that morning alerted the police, who arrived on the scene in time to prevent the monks from entering the building. The monks shouted abuse at the Christians and threw stones at the church in retaliation.

The monks then issued an ultimatum to the Christians to tear down their church by Saturday, August 2. If this was not done, they would return with a force of 400 monks and burn down the church themselves. One of the monks also threatened that of a total of 18 churches in the district would be destroyed.

Police warned the monks not to resort to violence and to present themselves for an inquiry at the police station on August 2. Officers stood guard at the church over the following two days, but protection was withdrawn due to a lack of manpower.

Ten of the Buddhist monks arrived at the police station for the appointed inquiry and were warned not to resort to violence. However after leaving the police station, they headed directly to the Rathgama Methodist church and launched an attack, throwing stones and destroying pews and benches in the church. Monks beat two church workers, Mr. Mahesh and Mr. Richard Silva. The men required hospital treatment for their injuries.

A Buddhist monk armed with a shovel chased another church member, Mr. Ariyadasa, threatening to beat him to death. Ariyadasa managed to escape, but the monks later attacked his home and destroyed furniture and other possessions.

A police report was filed on the incidents, but at press time no arrests had been made.

Local Buddhist villagers expressed anger at the attacks and have shown solid support for the church. Since the attack, villagers have posted a nightly guard to watch over the property.

Several other churches in the Galle district suffered attacks on August 2, including the Assemblies of God in Thanamalwila and Lumugamvehera.

A mob led by 10 Buddhist monks attacked and beat Pastor Ranjith of Lumugamvehera on the afternoon of August 2. His sister tried to protect him and also suffered a beating. The monks threatened to attack again and kill the pastor if the Christians failed to close down the church.

In Ganemulla, Christians’ homes were attacked. Another mob led by Buddhist monks attacked the Calvary church in Hikkaduwa.

According to the EASL, the spate of attacks marks the beginning of an attempt to incite Buddhists against the Christian community. This would create an environment of religious disharmony which, in turn, would provide an excuse to introduce new anti-conversion laws in the country.

Buddhist and Hindu groups in Sri Lanka have called for the introduction of these laws for several years in an attempt to stop the growth of evangelical churches. Until recently, governments have chosen not to enact such laws.

However in November 2002, Mr. Maheshwaran, the Hindu Cultural Affairs Minister, made a visit to Tamil Nadu, one of five states in India with anti-conversion laws. On his return to Sri Lanka, Maheshwaran made a public statement vowing to introduce a bill in parliament to curb religious conversions.

In subsequent months, Maheshwaran repeated his intentions to introduce the bill to parliament. A draft bill closely modeled on the Tamil Nadu anti-conversion law has now been prepared, according to the EASL, leading to increased attacks on Christian churches in recent months.
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In support of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities in India.

LONG LIVE CHRISTIAN NAGALAND - AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN BUDDHIST COUNTRIES.

[igiveup]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3113839.stm

[jihadjay]

IGIVEUP - thank you for this article and information, and you are correct, and I have often tried to inform people that mainly Buddhist nations, and other faiths, desire to persecute Christians.

However, in Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and other areas where Christianity is strong, like many nations in Africa, you have the freedom to follow any faith you like.

Respect!
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In support of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities in India.

LONG LIVE CHRISTIAN NAGALAND - AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN BUDDHIST COUNTRIES.

[igiveup]

[Nihang]

That's very nice of Buddhist monks. They should have done this long time ago like the Japanese emperors who executed hundereds of marauding "saviors of souls" and "promisers of heaven" couple of centuries ago and that kept the menace of "soul saving" business away from their country for so long. That is the only way to deal with Christianity and Islam. Both are predators and there is a way to deal with predators . I think Sri Lankans have finally figured out that way after putting up so long with "love" and "forgiveness" of a cunning adversary.
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"Blessed, blessed is the blanket of Krishna." (Sikh Holy Book SGGS, Page 988)



"To fight the oppressor and to defend the meek" (Kashatriya Sanatan Sikh)

[igiveup]

[jihadjay]

NIHANG - is this the enlightenment of your faith or are you just a little bit unstable today?

IGIVEUP - I agree, all persecution is wrong, it doesn't matter if it is Christian, Hindu, Muslim, or whatever.

Of course during civil wars evil things will happen, but this is the dark side of human nature, however, nations should not stop people from converting to any religion they like.

I welcome Hindu temples in England and visited the Neasden Hindu Temple, and saw the beauty of Hindu art - I have also been to the Jewsih Museum in Manchester - and I have been to countless Buddhist and Shinto shrines in Japan.

Bigots are everywhere.

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In support of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities in India.

LONG LIVE CHRISTIAN NAGALAND - AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN BUDDHIST COUNTRIES.

[Spinoza]

[jihadjay]

SPINOZA - Please see my last response on the subject of atheism, and I hope I made myself much more clearer, and sorry if I offended you in anyway.

I also could have put an article on about these attacks in Sri Lanka which didn't mention Buddhists going to help Christians, and some Christian websites did omit this, you see, fundamentalists in all faiths.

I wish you well, bye!
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In support of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities in India.

LONG LIVE CHRISTIAN NAGALAND - AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN BUDDHIST COUNTRIES.

[Vaishnav]

[igiveup]

[jihadjay]

VAISHNAV - I am an Orthodox Christian, and believe me, we face similar problems in Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Albania (20% Orthodox minority), Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, Greece, and even Orthodox Christian Arabs have problems, with regards to Protestant fundamentalists, and to a lesser extent Roman Catholic fundamentalists.

Some even claim that Orthodox Christians are not Christian, I have been told this myself, I was astonished. Yet some fanatic (a minority, I must stress) Protestant groups will provide education for your children if you convert, and in parts of Romania and the above named nations, this is a serious problem.

We are not against people converting out of freedom of will, but many Orthodox Christian nations are poor because of the trauma of past history and events.

So while I am against anti-conversion laws for the individual or family - I do understand it when fundamentalists go to regions and try and bribe people to convert, I would never support this, however, it is hard to regulate, for the dominant community can then abuse the minority and keep this faith out for selfish reasons and denying freedom.

Did you know that in Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan that only Islam and Orthodox Christianity are protected because of this problem - Russia also gives protection to Buddhists and Jews.

It is a complex issue which needs a great deal of thinking.

I would like to point out that most Christian missionaries are not like this, and some work all their lives by just helping the poor or respective communities, and they are not interested in forcing anyone to convert.

The real problem is fundamentalism, and you gets these in all faiths.

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In support of Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, and other minorities in India.

LONG LIVE CHRISTIAN NAGALAND - AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN BUDDHIST COUNTRIES.

[Nihang]

[Ari]

Jihadjay, I don't condone violence but at the same time you must also admit that Christian evangelism sucks beyond belief. Sometimes it's just hard for some people to keep tolerating parasites and pests like them centuries after centuries!

Here is something to learn for you Christian fundies, you could make use of a little bit of ethics and respect to your hosts' culture and religious traditions. Please spare them the preach of how satanic and evil their ways/religions are without evedn knowing what they actually teach. If you do that, surely no one will be interested in burning your churches.


Ari
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"Only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the former." -Einstein

[Vaishnav]

[everybee]

[Nihang]

[Varanasi]

Last month in India a Hindu was sentenced to death for killing a christian missionary a few years back.

The Hindu did so because the missionary insulted Hindu culture and advocate Hindus to eat beef.

The law has dealt with the Hindu. Is there a law against the christian missionary. If not why should the chrisitian missionary get away insulting other cultures and traditions.

Should we not have laws against christian missionaries who insult other religions traditions and cultures? Should we not act against these bastards who molest children or as in history incite the Boxer Revolution.Should these liers not be tried under civil law?

Why should the christian bullshitter with his despotic god get away with crime against my race religion and culture?

Stop making wild accusations that Buddhist monks attack christian churches. The report is based in Dublin. Why not from Colombo?

Has anybody read it in Time magazine?

[Ari]

[Perro Grande]

Ari,

I've always found it deviously clever when religions build in "spreading the word" as part of their primary objective. This is especially true and effective in western "fear-based" religions, because there is the implicit eternal damnation awaiting those that don't share the faith... Talk about incentive to spread one's faith by force...

Decidedly inferior. Couldn't have said it better myself...

[Ari]

[Perro Grande]

Ari,

Good point.

To me, there is a HUGE difference between the proselytising that is done by Christians and the approach of Buddhists. The hardsell approach has always turned me off, personally. I have always found it intrusive and arrogant. I prefer the open door approach -- "when you want information, come to us and we'll gladly share with you."

Cheers!