By M L Satyan

Bengaluru, Jan 17, 2020: This is in response to a report titled “Love Jihad disturbs social peace: Syro-Malabar Synod” published in Matters India on January 15.

The Syro-Malabar Church, the largest Christian denomination in Kerala, seems to have blamed the Islamic State for luring scores of Christian women from the southern Indian state to be used in terror activities.

“It is a reality that ‘Love Jihad’ is happening in Kerala in a planned manner targeting Christian girls,” the Synod has asserted in its weeklong meeting. On this issue I have raised some serious questions and concerns.

If young Christian girls (who are adults) are getting converted to Islam or to any other religion for purely personal reasons, then, it is their right. They have every right to follow any religion. Who are we to say ‘NO’ to them and prevent them from getting converted?

If Christians are against their own people who want to follow other religions, then, Christians also should not accept any person who wants to get converted to Christianity. Stop ‘Evangelization’ and ‘Adult Baptism’ (especially baptizing adults from other religions).

Even today there are so many Christian denominations who give “incentives” (like groceries, household items, dresses and money etc.) to the people to attend their prayer meetings and eventually become members of their Church. This is the bitter truth. Should we call it ‘Cheat Jihad’?

The fundamental question that needs to be asked is why young Christian girls are easily lured into Islam or any other religion?” It means that their ‘Christian faith’ is weak. Who is responsible for this sad state of affairs? Should we not hold the parents and the clerical groups responsible for this? What is the type of catechism that is taught to young children and adolescents?

Still most dioceses follow the traditional method of teaching certain questions-answers, a set of important prayers and some pious songs. This method was okay for the children who attended such classes 50-60 years ago. Today this method has become meaningless for the youth. Such classes are a ‘real torture’ for the youth who look for meaningful answers for many of their unanswered questions related to their faith. In some metropolitan cities, sessions on life skills/leadership/team-building topics and picnics are conducted in the name of catechism.

I shall give a classic example of my own daughter. She is now 21 doing her final year graduation. In 2011 she attended catechism classes during summer vacation to receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Every day she used to come back home and complain to me that the classes were ‘boring’. A Seminarian and a young nun were the Instructors. My daughter observed that their attitude towards the students was not healthy. They were so immature that they were not able to give answers to many questions raised by the students.

I am just citing this as an example. There could be hundreds of examples like this. After receiving the First Holy Communion and Confirmation, my daughter never attended a single catechism class anywhere. Since she is studying in a Catholic college it is mandatory for the Catholic students to attend the annual retreat. She and her friends find that the talks given in the retreat are meaningless. She considers the homilies in the parish church as ‘sleeping doses.’ In order to fill this gap we have family discussion and prayer at home.

In this modern era, many parents in Christian families are so pious, religious and conservative that they fail to understand the aspirations of their growing children and various challenges they face. Hence many Christian youth do not consider their parents as their as role models.

Amidst growing incidences of corruption and sexual abuses among the clergy, the Christian youth do not consider the priests and nuns as their role models. Hence they look for role models outside. It is in this situation the Christian youth decide on their own to make an exodus to other religions. Neither the parents nor the clerical groups are able to strengthen the faith of the youth and retain them.

In the changing times the traditional and arranged marriages are becoming rare. In other words, young boys and girls have learnt to choose their own life partners.

Naziruddin Elamaram, the president of The Popular Front of India, an Islamic outfit pointed out to several inter-religious marriages in Kerala where Muslim girls married Hindu and Christian boys and Hindu and Christian girls have selected partners from the religions of their choice. “Such marriages cannot be termed as Love Jihad,” he asserted. His question is valid indeed.

The president of the Islamic outfit also has said, “The Church is raising such a baseless allegation at a time when the minorities including Muslims and Christians and the people of Hindu community are in a joint fight against the Fascist government at the Centre. The Church’s ‘untimely statement’ would only help divert people’s attention from the key issues affecting society”.

Considering various cases filed in the court against Cardinal George Alencherry, I strongly feel that the cardinal and his colleagues are purposely ‘diverting’ the attention of the laity from the ‘scams they are involved’ just exactly what Modi-Shah duo is doing at the national level. Probably, the ‘Love Jihad’ accusation may affect the existing relationship between Christians and Muslims.

Nero fiddled while Rome burnt. Likewise, the authorities of the Syro-Malabar Church are focusing on the ‘Love Jihad’ when the nation is burning due to protests against the NPR, NRC, CAA, manipulation of the Indian Constitution, declining economy, growing unemployment-poverty, inflation, exploitation of education, violation against students and suppression of people’s voices etc.

It is time for them to wake up, come to their real senses and respond to the burning issues of the country. That will be the true witness to Jesus Christ.

(The writer is a freelance journalist based in Bengaluru.)