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Friday, January 23, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Obama: Life 'difficult' without church community
President-elect Barack Obama has been without a worship community for about a year now and it has been difficult, he says.
“Now, I've got a wonderful community of people who are praying for me every day, and they call me up and – you know, but it's not the same as going to church and the choir's going and you get a good sermon,” he said in an interview aired Sunday by ABC's "This Week".
Over the past year, Obama has been attending church sparingly and though it has been nearly two weeks since he and his family arrived in Washington, the president-elect said they still do not yet have a church to attend.
But Obama said one of the items on his list of things to do is visiting churches in the area and “seeing what’s comfortable”, preferably before his fast-approaching inauguration date.
“It is tougher as president,” said the incoming commander-in-chief.
And it is not just an issue of going to church.
“It’s an issue of going anywhere," he said.
“You don't want to subject your fellow church members, the rest of the congregation, to being magged every time you go to church,” Obama said. “And so, we're going to try to be balancing, not being disruptive to the city, but also saying we want to be part of Washington DC.”
Since Obama’s victory in November, churches in the nation’s capital have been extending invitations to him and his family, touting their African-American roots, their ties to past presidents and to Obama himself. According to reports, United Church of Christ, Methodist, nondenominational, and historic black congregations have all extended invitations to the Obamas to attend their services.
“The eclectic nature of Obama’s spiritual pilgrimage, coupled with his coming to Washington unaffiliated with a denomination, has increased the competition among congregations for the involvement of the president-elect and his family,” observed Dr Gary Scott Smith, author of 'Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W Bush'.
Whatever choice the Obamas make, it is sure to be analysed with Obama's relationship to the Rev Jeremiah Wright in mind.
Wright, who was Obama's pastor for 20 years at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, became a campaign issue after videos of him making controversial statements from the pulpit circulated on the Internet and on television.
The comments, which included “God damn America”, forced Obama to distance himself from the minister, whose comments Obama denounced as "divisive and destructive".
With only eight days remaining before his inauguration, things will certainly be picking up a lot faster for Obama. And though many Christians will be hoping that Obama finds the right church soon and makes the time to attend regularly, they are also hoping that Christ remains “a [daily] source of strength and sustenance” for Obama, as he claimed He was during the church-hosted Civil Forum on the Presidency last year.
“While Christians hope that the Obamas will worship regularly, they are equally concerned that the new president faithfully reads the Bible, seeks God’s strength and guidance through prayer, and strives to base his policies on biblical principles,” author Smith commented.
Obama is expected to be the first president since Franklin D Roosevelt to be without the counsel of the Rev Billy Graham, the man affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” and “America’s Pastor” for more than 60 years.
In comments made late last year, Graham’s youngest son, Franklin Graham, informed the media that his father’s “time and day for that (pastoring to presidents) is over.
"But he would certainly like to meet [Obama] and pray with him," the younger Graham added.
Though never partisan in his preaching, Billy Graham is a registered Democrat, according to AP.
“Now, I've got a wonderful community of people who are praying for me every day, and they call me up and – you know, but it's not the same as going to church and the choir's going and you get a good sermon,” he said in an interview aired Sunday by ABC's "This Week".
Over the past year, Obama has been attending church sparingly and though it has been nearly two weeks since he and his family arrived in Washington, the president-elect said they still do not yet have a church to attend.
But Obama said one of the items on his list of things to do is visiting churches in the area and “seeing what’s comfortable”, preferably before his fast-approaching inauguration date.
“It is tougher as president,” said the incoming commander-in-chief.
And it is not just an issue of going to church.
“It’s an issue of going anywhere," he said.
“You don't want to subject your fellow church members, the rest of the congregation, to being magged every time you go to church,” Obama said. “And so, we're going to try to be balancing, not being disruptive to the city, but also saying we want to be part of Washington DC.”
Since Obama’s victory in November, churches in the nation’s capital have been extending invitations to him and his family, touting their African-American roots, their ties to past presidents and to Obama himself. According to reports, United Church of Christ, Methodist, nondenominational, and historic black congregations have all extended invitations to the Obamas to attend their services.
“The eclectic nature of Obama’s spiritual pilgrimage, coupled with his coming to Washington unaffiliated with a denomination, has increased the competition among congregations for the involvement of the president-elect and his family,” observed Dr Gary Scott Smith, author of 'Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W Bush'.
Whatever choice the Obamas make, it is sure to be analysed with Obama's relationship to the Rev Jeremiah Wright in mind.
Wright, who was Obama's pastor for 20 years at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, became a campaign issue after videos of him making controversial statements from the pulpit circulated on the Internet and on television.
The comments, which included “God damn America”, forced Obama to distance himself from the minister, whose comments Obama denounced as "divisive and destructive".
With only eight days remaining before his inauguration, things will certainly be picking up a lot faster for Obama. And though many Christians will be hoping that Obama finds the right church soon and makes the time to attend regularly, they are also hoping that Christ remains “a [daily] source of strength and sustenance” for Obama, as he claimed He was during the church-hosted Civil Forum on the Presidency last year.
“While Christians hope that the Obamas will worship regularly, they are equally concerned that the new president faithfully reads the Bible, seeks God’s strength and guidance through prayer, and strives to base his policies on biblical principles,” author Smith commented.
Obama is expected to be the first president since Franklin D Roosevelt to be without the counsel of the Rev Billy Graham, the man affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” and “America’s Pastor” for more than 60 years.
In comments made late last year, Graham’s youngest son, Franklin Graham, informed the media that his father’s “time and day for that (pastoring to presidents) is over.
"But he would certainly like to meet [Obama] and pray with him," the younger Graham added.
Though never partisan in his preaching, Billy Graham is a registered Democrat, according to AP.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
FIACONA Condemns Destruction of Churches and Demands Withdrawal of Show Cause Notices to Christian Institutions in Karnataka
Press Release :09-18-08:
The Orissa violence against Christians was an immense blow to democracy, to human rights, and to secularism. Nuns were gang raped, priests were killed, scores of churches were burnt, thousands of homes were torched, and more than 60,000 Christians fled to the jungles to save their lives from Hindu radicals allegedly the VHP, Bajrang Dal, and other saffron outfits. To protest for these unthinkable and barbaric acts of violence perpetrated against Christians in Orissa, to protest the unimaginable massacre and share the insurmountable grief of Christians in Orissa, to protest the naked violation of human rights and purposeful trampling of the Christian faith in Orissa, all Christian educational institutions across India had called for a day of closure on Friday, August 29, 2008. Over 45,000 Christian institutions run by various Christian organizations had remained closed to register their protest.
The Karnataka government on a petition filed by the VHP has issued show-cause notices to Christian educational institutions asking them to explain why did they close for one day. Karnataka primary and secondary education minister, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri had said that there is no need for Christian educational institutions to protest against something that happened in Orissa. He further said that the government was considering "strict" action against the institutions that "violated the law" by closing down. Rev Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, said the decision by the schools to observe closure was “within the parameters of law”. Mr. Abraham Mammen the National Vice President of FIACONA said.” This is selective victimization of Christians as VHP calls for Bandh at their whims and fancies and no action is ever taken against closing institutions.”
FIACONA is shocked to note that how can show-cause notices be served to Christian schools when their protest was not politicizing but educational in nature. Rev. Bernard Malik, President of FIACONA said, “Is imbibing the goodness of peaceful coexistence and religious harmony not education? Is recognizing and respecting the rights of other human beings not education? Is teaching against violence and the supreme qualities of non-violence (Ahimsa) in the land of the Mahatma not education? Why should not Christian educational institutions register their protest to educate their students about non-violence, religious harmony and peaceful coexistence? Why should not schools educate the fundamentals of human rights by giving the example of the Orissa violence against Christians as a gross and naked violation of human rights? How can such a peaceful protest by educational institutions where education of the highest values of human existence is thus imparted be issued show-cause notices? Is protesting for religious tolerance, love and harmony not education?" Christian educational institutions have been playing a noble role in the Indian society since hundreds of years. It is because Christian educational institutions impart exceptional education for the ultimate benefit of humankind that the outstanding achievements of its students have been well documented in Indian history. FIACONA is also deeply grieved about the deteriorating situation in Karnataka. Churches are denigrated, desecrated and destroyed. Priests and pastors are assaulted, humiliated and beaten. Christians are insulted, victimized and persecuted even by police. The Hindu radicals allegedly by the VHP and other saffron outfits perpetrate these abhorred, despicable and appalling acts of violence against peace-loving Christians. The police and the State machinery are being used to strike fear amongst Christians. The police is becoming like the religious police of Saudi Arabia with zero tolerance for non-Hindus and Dalits. The Christian community is being enveloped in a dark and brooding atmosphere of fear, insecurity and uncertainty.
The Orissa violence against Christians was an immense blow to democracy, to human rights, and to secularism. Nuns were gang raped, priests were killed, scores of churches were burnt, thousands of homes were torched, and more than 60,000 Christians fled to the jungles to save their lives from Hindu radicals allegedly the VHP, Bajrang Dal, and other saffron outfits. To protest for these unthinkable and barbaric acts of violence perpetrated against Christians in Orissa, to protest the unimaginable massacre and share the insurmountable grief of Christians in Orissa, to protest the naked violation of human rights and purposeful trampling of the Christian faith in Orissa, all Christian educational institutions across India had called for a day of closure on Friday, August 29, 2008. Over 45,000 Christian institutions run by various Christian organizations had remained closed to register their protest.
The Karnataka government on a petition filed by the VHP has issued show-cause notices to Christian educational institutions asking them to explain why did they close for one day. Karnataka primary and secondary education minister, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri had said that there is no need for Christian educational institutions to protest against something that happened in Orissa. He further said that the government was considering "strict" action against the institutions that "violated the law" by closing down. Rev Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, said the decision by the schools to observe closure was “within the parameters of law”. Mr. Abraham Mammen the National Vice President of FIACONA said.” This is selective victimization of Christians as VHP calls for Bandh at their whims and fancies and no action is ever taken against closing institutions.”
FIACONA is shocked to note that how can show-cause notices be served to Christian schools when their protest was not politicizing but educational in nature. Rev. Bernard Malik, President of FIACONA said, “Is imbibing the goodness of peaceful coexistence and religious harmony not education? Is recognizing and respecting the rights of other human beings not education? Is teaching against violence and the supreme qualities of non-violence (Ahimsa) in the land of the Mahatma not education? Why should not Christian educational institutions register their protest to educate their students about non-violence, religious harmony and peaceful coexistence? Why should not schools educate the fundamentals of human rights by giving the example of the Orissa violence against Christians as a gross and naked violation of human rights? How can such a peaceful protest by educational institutions where education of the highest values of human existence is thus imparted be issued show-cause notices? Is protesting for religious tolerance, love and harmony not education?" Christian educational institutions have been playing a noble role in the Indian society since hundreds of years. It is because Christian educational institutions impart exceptional education for the ultimate benefit of humankind that the outstanding achievements of its students have been well documented in Indian history. FIACONA is also deeply grieved about the deteriorating situation in Karnataka. Churches are denigrated, desecrated and destroyed. Priests and pastors are assaulted, humiliated and beaten. Christians are insulted, victimized and persecuted even by police. The Hindu radicals allegedly by the VHP and other saffron outfits perpetrate these abhorred, despicable and appalling acts of violence against peace-loving Christians. The police and the State machinery are being used to strike fear amongst Christians. The police is becoming like the religious police of Saudi Arabia with zero tolerance for non-Hindus and Dalits. The Christian community is being enveloped in a dark and brooding atmosphere of fear, insecurity and uncertainty.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
AOICF - Who are we?
Alpha & Omega International Christian Fellowship is a Dallas based fellowship since June 2003. Every Sunday, morning worship is from 10:00am - 12:00pm and evening prayer meeting is from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. This fellowship is in Malayalam (South Indian language) with worship songs and testimonies in English as well. All believers in Jesus Christ are invited to join us and be blessed. Please visit our website http://www.aoicfellowship.org/ to know more about us. You can send your prayer requests and also write to us at info@aoicfellowship.com anytime. Please give us about 24 hrs to reply back.May the good Lord guide and protect you always.God bless you.
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