Jesus giving communion, photo frame in Pettah.
There’s been a lot of talk about violence and hate speech towards Muslims, but it’s going on against Christians too. A lot. According to RSQ, “A mob led by three Buddhist monks attacked a prayer meeting in Colombo last week, beating the pastor unconscious.. On the same day, Praise Prayer Lanka Church cancelled their service after police warned of threats against them. A week earlier, a pastor in Hambantota had a narrow escape when arsonists tried to set his house on fire.”
Anti-Christian sentiment has been around since, well, forever. There was a lot of Christian conversion with the waves of colonials and there was always tension, especially and Christian, English-speaking people became elites. That has changed with Sinhala Buddhists comprising the political elite, but the insecurity remains. While many in the business and economic/social elite are Christians, the vast majority are average or poor Sri Lankans. As is the case with anti-Muslim sentiment, ire against visible wealth and privilege is directed against the poor and vulnerable by destroying humble places of worship and attacking community priests and worshipers.
More recently, people have gotten up in arms about unethical conversions, the allegation that Christians force people to convert in order to get social support. The fact is that Christianity is an evangelical religion (unlike Buddhism or Hinduism, for the most part) but the idea that conversion is pay-to-pray is quite largely false. Christianity (and Islam) do have elements of charity which Buddhism largely lacks (with most charity being directed towards monks, not the poor) and active Christians are active among the poor, and those people do convert.
What the disputes seem to be now is part of a broader wave of Sinhala Buddhist racism whereby practicing Christianity at all is a problem worth betraying everything the Buddha taught to attack people and burn their homes and churches. It should go without saying, but I’ll repeat. This is not Buddhism at all, nor does it represent the Sinhala people. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, being married to a Catholic, should understand as well as anyone that we are mixed communities and that to have peace is to live in peace. This ongoing racism is a pox on our society, whichever way it’s directed.
The anti-Muslim sentiment has got a lot of attention, but it’s important to remember that anti-Christian sentiment (and violence) is there as well. It’s all got to stop. For the dignity of the country, the Sinhala people, and Buddhism as well.
This is what I have been saying repeatedly; anti-Christian violence has been going on for ages but has been completely under the radar as no media outlet ever picks them up. There was a time when every week we would hear of services being disrupted, houses being invaded, pastors being assaulted, and all this would only be conveyed by word of mouth to the representative churches or families. It’s despicable that this has become a status quo for Christians in the country. I’m glad that the muslim community at least got the media attention they well and truly deserved for the heinous crimes by the Buddhist monk led mob, even if their situation was not helped inspite of the media involvement. I hope that at least the threat of exposure will curb this ridiculous wave of bigotry and racism.
Kudos to breaking down the ‘conversion’ argument as well; you pretty much nailed it. Christianity is largely evangelical at its core, and denying a Christian the right to preach the gospel is akin to denying them a right to be a Christian in the first place.
Anti Christian violence is happening outside Sri Lanka too as a few days ago happened in Pakistan ain’t it? It has been happening in style there with hundreds butchered in one go. So has been in Egypt, Lebanon and the list goes on. If the Christians in those countries even dream of, let alone think of, converting a Muslim to Christianity as local Christians do with poor Buddhists and Hindus with gusto here, the entire Christian communities living in those countries would be wiped out in hours not in days. So the Buddhists and Hindus are extremely soft targets to unleash a massive conversion programmes happening in Sri Lanka right now. Let Christians try the same with local Muslims too and see how nice experience it would be.
“Christianity is largely evangelical at its core, and denying a Christian the right to preach the gospel is akin to denying them a right to be a Christian in the first place.”
I am not so sure about this. Is there is a distinction between preaching and proselytising? Proselytising upsets the status-quo and incurs the wrath of other religions, which is why I’m against this.
If a Christian engages in charity or good works and others are drawn to him through his explary behaviour – then thats fine. Knocking on doors is intrusive, annoys people and is bad manners, I think.
It’s worthwhile to note the names of these priests and their henchmen who commit these crimes, for there might still come a time in this country when they can be arrested. prosecuted and shamed. Well we can pray for it anyway.
Having said that, I think Jack makes a good point. Certain modes of evangelization can be pretty obnoxious and sometimes downright exploitative. Religious zealotry is often infectious, and potentially dangerous, in a multi-religious society.
Also indi, your statement about Buddhism and charity seems quite odd to me. As far as I know, there is plenty of charity in Buddhism, and there are plenty of Buddhist charities. A case might be made that religiously motivated charity isn’t really charity at all, but that’s a whole different argument.
all these cuase the christian fathers who came here with bible in one hand and arrack bottle in other. they ruins our culture, and life style and also killed people and child who refused to change there religion….
then rob the whole country’s wealth, they rob all sinhala lands and sold them to christians and tamils and muslims. so
you guys crapping about some small beating against some HORA pastor,, who sells jesus.
NOT FARE@@
The violence of course is reprehensible.
I hear it has been under reported because people affected are afraid that if they go public it may create enough of a stir to bring the anti-conversion bill back.
Agreed, religious people need to keep their religions to themselves. I don’t see why any religion needs to be evangelical, keep your beliefs to yourself otherwise expect scrutiny and ridicule (based on rationality) for nonsense such as the creationist myth, flying arahats or sacred cows. No violence though.
Shame the christian fathers didn’t leave any grammar behind for you. Why don’t you sinhala buddhist patriots ever understand that someone else’s wrongs does not excuse your own? Maybe you should learn a bit about Buddhism?
Until a substantial percent of the population understand that all religions are out-right lies and that it doesn’t really matter the percentage of your religious group bc they are lies in the first place, these things will continue.
Christianity came here with invaders, if we just wish that Buddhists will be all cool with that and will embrace the christian conversions that is been too much wishful.
Many things were brought by the invaders — Sinhalese too are invaders — including electricity and the railroads. We don’t ponder whether we’re embracing the invaders every time we switch on a light bulb or get on a train, do we? If all religions are a lie, then the GoSL should distance itself from all religions instead of perpetuating the lie by favouring one religion.
If Buddhists are not cool with “invading” Christianity, why is it that they are only attacking Evangelical churches, and not the mainstream Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations which were in fact the religions of the Portuguese and British invaders? Isn’t the truth of it that Evangelical Christianity is eroding the control and power of petty Buddhist clergy in rural and emergent middle-class communities, and this is making the Buddhist clergy angry and insecure?
It is the job of the natives to decide the good and bad of things invaders force down upon them. When natives have the control back they will naturally react differently to things “they” perceive as a threat and not. Agree that government should be secular, but it is not all that bad as you make it sound. Except for a stupid sentence that government should protect Buddhism(that sentence should go) our constitution doesn’t favor Buddhism. For an under-developed multi ethinic country (specially given the centuries of invasion we had to face) we are doing fine. There are a lot to improve, there are a lot for us to do but bashing Sinhalese as hate mongers that can’t live with any one else at every opportunity you get will not help. Sri Lanka has very very few hate crimes relative to the diverse nature of country, fact.
Agree, religions hate to loose control they have on society, so the first enemy becomes the other religions that are actually growing. So yes insecurity has a lot to do with it, the same insecurity that makes you attack Sinhalese, Buddhists and Sri Lankans at every opportunity you get. Sri Lankans(lead by Sinhalese) managed to stand against centuries of invasions and preserve themselves. Some just hate them for standing up and not going down like Philippines, Indonesia or Peru.
“It is the job of the natives to decide the good and bad of things invaders force down upon them.”
My point exactly, in response to your suggestion that the reaction to Christianity is because it was brought here by invaders. The invaders have gone, and like so many other things that we have retained, foreign religions too have been adopted.
” Agree that government should be secular, but it is not all that bad as you make it sound. “
Me? Wasn’t it you that said all religions are lies? If that is so, why is the GoSL supporting a lie?
“Except for a stupid sentence that government should protect Buddhism(that sentence should go) our constitution doesn’t favor Buddhism.”
As already pointed out to you (several times now) our constitution has historically favoured both Buddhists and Sinhalese and, more to the point, even when there was no technical favouritism, the constitution and the law were ignored by the GoSL and the majority Sinhalese, just as they are doing now in failing to implement the 13th and failing to protect minorities.
“There are a lot to improve, there are a lot for us to do but bashing Sinhalese as hate mongers that can’t live with any one else at every opportunity you get will not help.”
I’m afraid it doesn’t help to call a spade a fork either. And my pointing these things out to you was in response to your feigned ignorance of the difficulties minorities are are facing today as a result of majority xenophobia and insecurity. pointing out facts isn’t bashing, so rather than whining about it, why not grow up and try to understand whats going on around you.
“Sri Lanka has very very few hate crimes relative to the diverse nature of country, fact.”
Really? We have had over a 100,000 dead due to hate in this country; we have had 30 years of war, thanks to hate. You seem to brush this off as insignificant. It is this attitude that concerns the minorities and make us worry that you have learned nothing from your mistakes.
“the same insecurity that makes you attack Sinhalese, Buddhists and Sri Lankans at every opportunity you get.”
It is your own insecurity that makes you believe that pointing out the truth constitutes an attack. It does not. Instead of complaining that you’re under attack, try and understand that the mistrust of the majority by the minority is due to the continuing atmosphere of hatred and persecution that is prevalent in SL.
“Some just hate them for standing up and not going down like Philippines, Indonesia or Peru.”
Lol trust me, no one hates us for surviving. It’s not like we kicked out the invaders. They left when it suited them.
No it wasn’t your point. You were trying to equal colonial time religious persecution to trains. My point is invasions and civil wars can create mistrust between communities but by and large Sri Lanka is a safe place to practice your religion.
“As already pointed out to you (several times now) our constitution has historically favoured both Buddhists and Sinhalese.”
No, only such clause in our constitution is that state should protect Buddhism but our constitution does NOT(will even capital letter make you understand this?) cite any state religion and certainly doesn’t cite anything in favor of Sinhalese. Facts are appreciated without your visible hate against Buddhism and Sinhalese. And since you want to pick each little imperfection of my country here is a list you might not like to look at.
1) US presidents give their oath with the bible in hand.
2) US dollar bills has this sentense, “In god we trust”.
3) Norway only removed their state religion from constitution in 2012, decades after us.
4) In UK senior church bishops can debate in house of lords which is part of the parliament.
5) UK parliament is opened with prayers to the god.
I’m listing above things only to show that imperfections are there even in such advanced countries and such an imperfection or two cannot be taken as persecution against minorities.
“GoSL and the majority Sinhalese, just as they are doing now in failing to implement the 13th and failing to protect minorities.”
13th amendment is not an absolute requirement (many countries does not have such provisions for minorities) and minorities in Sri Lanka are doing pretty fine. There are more minorities living with Sinhalese than living away from Sinhalese. A fact racists like you always fail to counter.
You need to read about hate crimes. People died in war, not because people were stabbed for their skin color like in some parts of the world.
“It is your own insecurity that makes you believe that pointing out the truth constitutes an attack. It does not. Instead of complaining that you’re under attack, try and understand that the mistrust of the majority by the minority is due to the continuing atmosphere of hatred and persecution that is prevalent in SL.”
Aren’t you the one who run around claiming under attack but in reality can’t produce any facts? You keep repeating persecution but apart from one or two isolated incidents we don’t have hate crimes here. Isolated incidents happen even in advanced countries that you worship.
“Lol trust me, no one hates us for surviving. It’s not like we kicked out the invaders. They left when it suited them.”
Lol how can there be no haters when you exhibit all the traits?
Here are some facts to point out that Sri Lanka and Sinhalese are not as bad as racists like you try to make it as,
1 Sri Lanka is one of the few countries on earth where all major four religions have a sizable percentage of following. Most countries have maximum 3.
2 Despite that we don’t have any major religious violence.
3 We don’t have any violent racist groups similar to neo-nazi groups else where.
4 Tamil is a national language in Sri Lanka when in India it is not so in state level.
5 Sri Lanka is country where a form of Muslims law has been allowed even when Muslims are not the majority. So called best democracies does not have such provisions for Muslims.
6 Sri Lanka is country with a provincial power sharing model.
7 You are able to go on bashing Sri Lankans publicly under your real name without any physical(or at least cyber) threats.
Can you counter these with actual facts? I bet no, you will resort to your usually fact-less Sinhala bashing and jump between retarded logic such as trains and light bulbs.
This is frustrating, I need to defend Sri Lanka from racists like Blacker but my replies get spammed I think.
Perhaps the moderator is saving you from embarrassing yourself further. You should thank him instead of whining.
Nah, those who defend chauvinists should be countered.
My point exactly about your “defending” lol.
lol I only defend Sri Lanka from exaggerated unfair allegations without any proof bc it affects all of us Sri Lankans. I will certainly defend Sri Lanka when Blacker says GoSL engaged in genocide of Tamils bc that is exaggeration and lacks any concrete proof. On the other hand Blacker will defend anything anti-Sri Lankan as long as it satisfies his inherent hate.
Lol, your fantasies are quite amusing, not to mention your view of yourself as some sort of national defender. Pity it’s only via the keyboard, now that the war is over.
“exaggerated unfair allegations without any proof”
Everything that I have alleged, I have backed up with proof. And each time you “ran away” or whined that you comments were blocked.
“I will certainly defend Sri Lanka when Blacker says GoSL engaged in genocide of Tamils bc that is exaggeration”
The only genocide I pointed to were the pogroms. Perhaps you are ignorant of the definition of genocide (as you are about most other things discussed here), so let me quote it for you:
…any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
— Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Article II
You will find that the pogroms in SL (including Black July) fall under the category of genocide because they targeted and killed Tamils (“members of the group”) solely because they were Tamils (“members of the group”). The pogroms caused “serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group” (the Tamils), solely because they were “members of the group” (Tamils). The pogroms “deliberately inflicted on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole (as a community in SL) or in part (as a community in an area of SL).”
So three of the five areas defined as genocide in IHL have been fulfilled by the GoSL at the time and the members of the Sinhalese community who participated in the pogroms and/or did not prevent it.
In another thread you had addressed some questions to Sach, but he/she didn’t bother to respond, so I will do so here:
“56 language policy and university standardization and wrong but you better explain your take on the constitution (that is something even our pathetic socialists are not claiming). Didn’t we fix the above two mistakes?”
As has already been explained to you, the failsafes of the pre-Republican constitution (minority recourse to Privy Council appeal) to avoid prejudicial majoritarianism legislation was removed in the first Republican constitution of 1972, and hasn’t been replaced yet. That is what Sach is referring to. It has been pointed out many times, but I guess you didn’t notice. While Tamil has been raised to an official language via the 13A, it hasn’t been implemented very well. So, no, the problems haven’t been fixed.
“If we our going to justify each secessionist movement with each and every imperfection a country has all countries in this world should be broken apart by now.”
Don’t worry about each and every secessionist movement; you barely understand our one.
“You have to understand that in 1948 Sri Lanka was a brand new country with a governance system given by the british. Do you expect us to be perfect in a decade after centuries of alien rule?”
No, I never expect perfection, especially not from Sri Lankans, but what I do expect is for injustice to be put right after sixty years of independence. How much longer do we need?
“I don’t know whether they feared but did it happen? is there even a sign like that?”
It is because you don’t know that you’re being told. Yes, it was attempted via Sinhala Only, colonisation of the NE, etc. It was the separatist/nationalist Tamil movement that largely stopped that attempt.
“These are plain wrong, I hope there is a way to punish all who were responsible but we have to acknowledge that it is not possible.”
If you can’t punish ALL, why not try to punish SOME? Is it better to punish NONE because you can’t punish ALL? Sixty years after WW2, Nazi war criminals are still being caught and punished. Has there been ANY attempt in the last 30 years to find those guilty of Black July? Is there any attempt today?
“and we should not allow our guilt as a excuse for tamil nationalists to demand whatever they want and actually expect to get it.
Your guilt is because of the lack of justice. If we had punished the guilty, we won’t have to feel guilty. And as long as you deny the victims justice, they will be justified in their demands. If you want to remove legitimacy from their demands, you must give them the justice they are due. When you don’t pay your dues, you will get demands.
“National prosperity and security should not be compromised ever.”
Sinhalese Buddhist xenophobia and chauvinism is the biggest threat to both national prosperity and security. It spawned a 30-year war that killed over 100,000 and set the country back billions in lost economic prosperity. Geographical unity isn’t a requirement of national security, and it wasn’t the separatist demand that was the threat to national security, but the violence resorted to when diplomacy was dismissed by the state. Today, the right-wing Buddhist movement is the biggest threat to national security and stability, yet the GoSL ignores it at best and supports it at worst, so who is compromising our security and prosperity?
“And it would be a lot easier if we stick to the subject which is what secretary of defense said. Extremism within minorities will attract more extremism from the majority. I’m not defending that but it happened throughout history and it will in the future.z”
IF the DefSec actually said that, he’s talking rubbish. In SL it was Sinhalese extremism that led to Tamil extremism, and today we will have to see if the current Buddhist extremism will lead to Muslim extremism. There isn’t a single example of the reverse. Can you or the DefSec give me one example of it?
ROFL , your fantasies are quite amusing, not to mention your view of yourself as some sort of national defender. Pity it’s only via the keyboard, now that the war is over.
“exaggerated unfair allegations without any proof”
Everything that I have alleged, I have backed up with proof. And each time you “ran away” or whined that you comments were blocked.
“I will certainly defend Sri Lanka when Blacker says GoSL engaged in genocide of Tamils bc that is exaggeration”
The only genocide I pointed to were the pogroms. Perhaps you are ignorant of the definition of genocide (as you are about most other things discussed here), so let me quote it for you:
…any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:
(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
— Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Article II
You will find that the pogroms in SL (including Black July) fall under the category of genocide because they targeted and killed Tamils (“members of the group”) solely because they were Tamils (“members of the group”). The pogroms caused “serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group” (the Tamils), solely because they were “members of the group” (Tamils). The pogroms “deliberately inflicted on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole (as a community in SL) or in part (as a community in an area of SL).”
So three of the five areas defined as genocide in IHL have been fulfilled by the GoSL at the time and the members of the Sinhalese community who participated in the pogroms and/or did not prevent it.
In another thread you had addressed some questions to Sach, but he/she didn’t bother to respond, so I will do so here:
“56 language policy and university standardization and wrong but you better explain your take on the constitution (that is something even our pathetic socialists are not claiming). Didn’t we fix the above two mistakes?”
As has already been explained to you, the failsafes of the pre-Republican constitution (minority recourse to Privy Council appeal) to avoid prejudicial majoritarianism legislation was removed in the first Republican constitution of 1972, and hasn’t been replaced yet. That is what Sach is referring to. It has been pointed out many times, but I guess you didn’t notice. While Tamil has been raised to an official language via the 13A, it hasn’t been implemented very well. So, no, the problems haven’t been fixed.
“If we our going to justify each secessionist movement with each and every imperfection a country has all countries in this world should be broken apart by now.”
Don’t worry about each and every secessionist movement; you barely understand our one.
“You have to understand that in 1948 Sri Lanka was a brand new country with a governance system given by the british. Do you expect us to be perfect in a decade after centuries of alien rule?”
No, I never expect perfection, especially not from Sri Lankans, but what I do expect is for injustice to be put right after sixty years of independence. How much longer do we need?
“I don’t know whether they feared but did it happen? is there even a sign like that?”
It is because you don’t know that you’re being told. Yes, it was attempted via Sinhala Only, colonisation of the NE, etc. It was the separatist/nationalist Tamil movement that largely stopped that attempt.
“These are plain wrong, I hope there is a way to punish all who were responsible but we have to acknowledge that it is not possible.”
If you can’t punish ALL, why not try to punish SOME? Is it better to punish NONE because you can’t punish ALL? Sixty years after WW2, Nazi war criminals are still being caught and punished. Has there been ANY attempt in the last 30 years to find those guilty of Black July? Is there any attempt today?
“and we should not allow our guilt as a excuse for tamil nationalists to demand whatever they want and actually expect to get it.
Your guilt is because of the lack of justice. If we had punished the guilty, we won’t have to feel guilty. And as long as you deny the victims justice, they will be justified in their demands. If you want to remove legitimacy from their demands, you must give them the justice they are due. When you don’t pay your dues, you will get demands.
“National prosperity and security should not be compromised ever.”
Sinhalese Buddhist xenophobia and chauvinism is the biggest threat to both national prosperity and security. It spawned a 30-year war that killed over 100,000 and set the country back billions in lost economic prosperity. Geographical unity isn’t a requirement of national security, and it wasn’t the separatist demand that was the threat to national security, but the violence resorted to when diplomacy was dismissed by the state. Today, the right-wing Buddhist movement is the biggest threat to national security and stability, yet the GoSL ignores it at best and supports it at worst, so who is compromising our security and prosperity?
“And it would be a lot easier if we stick to the subject which is what secretary of defense said. Extremism within minorities will attract more extremism from the majority. I’m not defending that but it happened throughout history and it will in the future.z”
IF the DefSec actually said that, he’s talking rubbish. In SL it was Sinhalese extremism that led to Tamil extremism, and today we will have to see if the current Buddhist extremism will lead to Muslim extremism. There isn’t a single example of the reverse. Can you or the DefSec give me one example of it?
What sort of desperation can possibly make you equate riots to genocide? Your findings about genocide are all impressive but don’t you think your points alone will make even the Iraq invasion a genocide? That’s bc you are leaving out the most important thing in your logic which is “any of the following acts committed with INTENT to destroy a ethnic group”. So no, riots alone doesn’t fulfill the theory of a Tamil genocide in SL.
Some answers to your questions, will be short.
Democratically elected governments have a right to change constitutions. Do you suggest to keep what was given by a undemocratic colonial rule? No basic rights of the minorities were taken away in 1972 constitution. You must understand the difference between rights and privileges.
colonization of NE? You sound like it is out of scope of GoSL.
“SOME” cannot be punished for 1983 riots bc there is no practical way to proceed with a judicial procedure now. And there are other instances where justice haven’t been delivered to non minority victims,
Did anyone get punished for the JVP crackdown?
Did any LTTE member get punished after the end of war?
Does that suggest a oppression of sinhalese? Don’t mix up bad governance with genocide just bc it is convenient for you.
The ethnic problem is not such a simple equation as you think to blame all wrong on one party. Both camps did it’s share of mistakes and even the colonial British you worship had a hand in this problem who always undermined the majority and privileged all sorts of minorites. But all mistakes of sinhalese cannot be blamed on the British rule just like the tamil nationalists need of a separate tamil nation, getting encouraged by the creation of Israel and then deciding SL is suitable is not a mistake of the Sinhalese.
Is Sri Lanka perfect? no. Does we have our share of intolerance? yes. Are we so far behind developed nations in this aspect? yes. But is Sri Lanka a hellhole for minorities to live in like chauvinists and their supporters claim? no.
1) Sri Lanka is one of only two countries where Tamil is an official national language. Even India is not.
2) Sri Lanka is one of the few countries that have allowed Muslim law in-spite of Muslims not been a majority.
3) Sri Lankan constitution does NOT cite any official religion.
4) Sri Lanka is one of the few countries where each major religion constitute a sizable percentage.
5) We don’t have any majority violent racist groups.
All are facts. Unlike your repeated claim of Sinhalese been xenophobes without any facts to back it up.
As for the example you needed 83 riots were in response to the bomb attack by LTTE that killed 13 in the Army. Pathetic of the Sinhalese but that doesn’t change the cause.