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14 posts
20-20 Vision Won’t Do
We may have a clear vision but still not be able to see the big picture unless we close our eyes and trust in redemption promised by God
Be Wary of the Stagflation of the Spirit
Dr Manmohan Singh, the former two-time Prime minister of India and an eminent economist commented on the state…
The Chowkidar Movement and Lessons We Draw
After clinching a thumping majority in the Parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed the prefix chowkidar from…
The Faith of a Communist Poet
If you were not there, what would there be If you were not there, this planet would still…
The Church and the State: An Unholy Alliance?
A huge social media storm kicked off recently as a prominent Christian convention in South India featured political…
Statues, Symbols and their Significance
The last few weeks in India were tumultuous, all because of a statue, the tallest statue in the…
It’s All Worth It
What is the worth of a man’s life? Regardless of what it may mean to others, it means…
Biblical Injunction, Gay Sex and IPC 377
To Christians who believe that Bible is the source of authority for belief and conduct, it is clear…
Self-Giving Communitarianism: Toeing the Line Beyond Nationalism and Patriotism
A wheelchair-bound man, who has been fighting for rights of the disabled, was abused at a multiplex on…
Be The Good Samaritan
The relentless and disturbing news stories about rape occurring in places we daily frequent has impacted our nation’s sense of security. We have become fearful for the safety of ourselves and our loved ones. As a mother of a daughter and a son, it’s horrifying to think that our children might not make it home from school or a movie or mall, regardless if the child is a male or female.
An Epidemiological Overview of Child Sexual Abuse, a study on child sexual abuse in India, offers following figures on the phenomenon: India is home to 19% of the world’s children. As per the 2001 census, about 440 million Indians were below 18 years of age and constituted 42% of total population. The government estimated that 40% of India’s children are susceptible to threats like homelessness, trafficking, drug abuse, forced labour, and crime. In India, every second child is exposed to some form of sexual abuse, and every fifth child faces critical forms of it. According to another study on child abuse by Ministry of Women and Child Development Government of India in 2007, India is the only nation where the number of boys abused is higher than girls.
If we are concerned about the safety of our own children and family, we should also be concerned about our neighbours.So, what can we do? Do you think the Church can play a useful role in preventing sexual violence? What could your church do? Do we know the laws that protect our children? What should we be cautious about as we respond to the issue of sexual violence? Romans 13:9—“For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Or James 2:8—“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself,’ you are doing well.” If we are concerned about the safety of our own children and family, we should also be concerned about our neighbours. How do we make our community safe? Do we give families of rape victims the same kind of support while they are grieving that we give to families of people who have died in accidents or by illness? The command to love is accompanied by actions we can do to demonstrate love.