The president of the Jaiñtia National Council (JNC), Sambormi Lyngdoh, on Saturday February 28, held a press conference to clarify the statement made by Hindu BJP member Sunil Deodhar, who targeted Christianity during a speech in the Khasi Hills.
“While we acknowledge his speech, we must explain what Christianity truly is: it is a connection to Christ, a unity in Him. When discussing Christianity, we cannot confuse the issues; it is fundamentally spiritual and centered around Jesus Christ, whom we, as Christians, believe in. According to the Gospel of John 3:16, ‘For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life.’
Christianity is not about the earthly kingdom but rather the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we want to send a clear message: attempting to convert someone to a religion by force is entirely wrong. As Christians, we believe that God is love, and coercion contradicts the teachings of Jesus Christ. God, the creator of this world, has given us free will; no one should force us. We Christians respect all religions in India, and we expect the same respect in return. A country is defined by its land and boundaries, but when we speak of Christianity, we refer to the soul. Just because we are Christians does not mean we are not Indians. Who are we then? You cannot persecute us, nor should you treat us as threats to this world. Jesus did not send an army; he sent preachers. As I mentioned earlier, God sent Jesus to the world, not to a specific country. Thus, we are part of the world and, yes, part of India. You cannot reject us simply because we are Christians.
I am delivering my speech in English so that all Hindu and Muslim brothers can understand my message clearly. In India, we are governed by the same laws, the same constitution, and we share the same rights.
If we look back to the early days, right after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the first group to face persecution were the Jews who did not believe in him. To truly understand Christianity, we must refer to the Bible, as it contains the precise words of God. Before the advent of Christianity, we were known as disciples, and being a Christian was particularly illegal for Jews. According to Acts 5:38-39, it advises: ‘Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.’
This scripture indicates that during that time, there were only about 300 to 400 Christians. It suggests that if Jesus is merely a man, we should let him be, but if he is indeed from God, opposing him means opposing God himself. What I want to convey is that when you oppose us, you are not just opposing us but also opposing God. In matters of belief, we must respect one another; we cannot define someone else’s faith. For instance, if I am eating an apple, others cannot truly describe its taste just by watching me. In Christianity, we believe, we experience, and we feel it. Those who do not believe in Christianity will not grasp this. I want to address organizations like the Hindu, RSS and others: we are Christians, and we are Indians.
In the early days, when persecution against Christianity was rampant, one of the apostles, Paul, who authored a third of the New Testament, was on his way to persecute Christians when he encountered Jesus. Jesus asked him, ‘Oh Paul, why are you persecuting me?’ Thus, to persecute Christians is to persecute Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Therefore, I urge you to respect us, allow us to live in peace, and refrain from dividing us, the indigenous tribes, by faith, because ultimately, every faith and religion seeks God.
As Christians, we are distinct because we believe in our unity with God through Jesus Christ. You cannot enter heaven without accepting Christ, our Savior and Lord, which sets us apart from others.
This is the message I convey as the leader of the Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) and as a Christian. Many leaders among us are not Christians, but what unites us is the foundation of our tribe and our land, not religion. When discussing our country, we should aim for unity not through a single religion, but by respecting one another. The rights of Hindus are the same as ours; let us respect each other and live in peace, as Christianity promotes peace.
We do not oppose any religion. This is the message I wish to share with all Hindu organizations that may be misleading the country by targeting Christianity. Think twice, for you are not just opposing us, but perhaps opposing God, as the scriptures indicate. We have no right to fight; what we learn from Christianity is to sacrifice for our beliefs. When Jesus was arrested, one of his disciples attempted to fight back, but Jesus said that this is not the way, for His kingdom is not of this world. He taught us to love one another, even our enemies.
Lastly, we are governed by the same laws in this country; how can we harbor hatred towards one another? This is my message, and I urge all media outlets to share it so that all religious communities can understand that Christianity is not a threat to the world” JNC President stated.
