அதிகாரிகள் இதுவரை 400க்கு மேலான சிறுமிகளையும் 183க்கும் மேலான பெண்களையும் பண்டமெண்டலிஸ்ட் சர்ச் ஆஃப் ஜீஸஸ் கிரைஸ்ட் ஒப் லேட்டர் டே செயிண்ட்ஸ் சர்ச்சிலிருந்து காப்பாற்றியுள்ளார்கள்.
Over 400 children taken from Texas polygamist ranch
Mon Apr 7, 2008 8:53pm EDT
DALLAS (Reuters) - Authorities have now removed 401 children from a remote ranch in west Texas belonging to a breakaway Mormon sect linked to jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, local media reported on Monday.
The San Angelo Standard Times reported the total number of children taken away from the ranch and quoted a Texas Child Protective Services official as saying they were removed as police and welfare officials investigate a case of possible abuse.
Scores of women have also reportedly been removed from or left the compound owned by the secretive sect.
Texas child protection authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lisa Block, a spokeswoman with the Department of Public Safety, told Reuters one person had been arrested at the compound for "interfering with the duties of a public servant" but no one has yet been arrested on charges related to the abuse probe.
"An unknown number of men remain on the compound and are not free to leave," she said.
Law enforcement officials initially swooped on the compound late last week in a remote, semi-arid region of west Texas about 120 miles northwest of San Antonio in response to a complaint of abuse by a young woman there.
They have yet to identify the woman.
It is unclear how many people have been living at the compound or precisely who is in charge. Continued...
The investigation is the latest brush the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has had with the law.
In November, the sect's spiritual leader and prophet, Warren Jeffs, was sentenced in a Utah court to 10 years to life in prison as an accomplice to rape for forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry her 19-year-old first cousin.
He is in jail in Arizona awaiting trial on similar charges for arranged marriages there.
Polygamy is outlawed everywhere in the United States but the male followers of such sects typically marry one woman officially and take the others as "spiritual wives."
This makes the women single in the eyes of the state which can entitle them and their children to various welfare benefits.
The mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Mormon faith is officially known, renounced polygamy more than a century ago and tries to distance itself from breakaway factions that still practice it.
(Reporting by Ed Stoddard in Dallas and Jim Forsyth in San Antonio, editing by Chris Wilson)
Showing posts with label கிறிஸ்துவம். Show all posts
Showing posts with label கிறிஸ்துவம். Show all posts
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
ஆபாச கிறிஸ்துவ சர்ச்சிலிருந்து 183 பெண்கள், சிறுமிகள் காப்பாற்றப்பட்டார்கள்
ஆபாச கிறிஸ்துவ சர்ச்சிலிருந்து 183 பெண்கள் காப்பாற்றப்பட்டார்கள்
Texas removes 183 women and girls from sect ranch
Sat Apr 5, 2008 11:49pm EDT
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas officials investigating a potential child abuse case said on Saturday 183 girls and women had been removed from a ranch that is home to a breakaway Mormon sect linked to jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs.
Texas Child Protective Services spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner said the 183 consisted of 137 girls and 46 women, but she could not discuss why they were taken from the ranch or whether they had left voluntarily.
Only 18 members of the group had been placed in the legal custody of the state agency, she said by telephone.
Local media reports said sect leaders had earlier refused to let authorities search the compound but local prosecutor Allison Palmer told Reuters the situation has been "defused".
"The residents have very strong feelings about their place of worship. But the authorities have managed to work through that with them in a peaceful manner it seems," Palmer told Reuters by telephone.
He said police were still conducting a search of the premises.
Investigators were looking for a young woman whose complaint sparked the raid in the first place though Palmer said there was a chance that she might be among the scores who had been removed from the compound and had not yet been identified.
Texas authorities descended on the ranch this week in response to allegations that a 50-year-old man there had married and fathered a child with an underage girl.
An official at the sheriff's department in the nearby town on Eldorado told Reuters that police were working at the compound around the clock in shifts and that everything had been "smooth." Continued...
Texas removes 183 women and girls from sect ranch
Sat Apr 5, 2008 11:49pm EDT
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas officials investigating a potential child abuse case said on Saturday 183 girls and women had been removed from a ranch that is home to a breakaway Mormon sect linked to jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs.
Texas Child Protective Services spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner said the 183 consisted of 137 girls and 46 women, but she could not discuss why they were taken from the ranch or whether they had left voluntarily.
Only 18 members of the group had been placed in the legal custody of the state agency, she said by telephone.
Local media reports said sect leaders had earlier refused to let authorities search the compound but local prosecutor Allison Palmer told Reuters the situation has been "defused".
"The residents have very strong feelings about their place of worship. But the authorities have managed to work through that with them in a peaceful manner it seems," Palmer told Reuters by telephone.
He said police were still conducting a search of the premises.
Investigators were looking for a young woman whose complaint sparked the raid in the first place though Palmer said there was a chance that she might be among the scores who had been removed from the compound and had not yet been identified.
Texas authorities descended on the ranch this week in response to allegations that a 50-year-old man there had married and fathered a child with an underage girl.
An official at the sheriff's department in the nearby town on Eldorado told Reuters that police were working at the compound around the clock in shifts and that everything had been "smooth." Continued...
Friday, April 04, 2008
நெதர்லாந்து: நான்கு, ஏழு, ஒன்பது வயது சிறுமிகளை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததற்காக கிறிஸ்துவ பாதிரியார் கைது
நெதர்லாந்து: நான்கு, ஏழு, ஒன்பது வயது சிறுமிகளை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததற்காக 60 வயது கிறிஸ்துவ பாதிரியார் கைது
Priest accused of molesting young girls
Thursday 03 April 2008
The public prosecution department has called for a 15-month jail sentence for a priest from Overburg for the possession of child pornography and attempting to molest three girls aged four, seven and nine.
The 60-year-old priest is also accused of taking 'sexual' photographs of a seven-year-old girl at a swimming pool in Kootwijk last October.
Priest accused of molesting young girls
Thursday 03 April 2008
The public prosecution department has called for a 15-month jail sentence for a priest from Overburg for the possession of child pornography and attempting to molest three girls aged four, seven and nine.
The 60-year-old priest is also accused of taking 'sexual' photographs of a seven-year-old girl at a swimming pool in Kootwijk last October.
ஒரு பெண்ணுக்கு காம தொந்தரவு தருவதாக கத்தோலிக்க பாதிரியார் மீது வழக்கு
பெண்ணை கற்பழித்ததாக கத்தோலிக்க பாதிரியார் மீது வழக்கு
Woman claims abuse by priest
Steve Horrell, stevehorrell@hotmail.com, The Edwardsville Intelligencer
04/04/2008
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An Edwardsville woman and her husband have filed a lawsuit against their former priest, claiming that he initiated an inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman and then followed her to Edwardsville when the couple moved here to try to get away.
The suit was filed in Madison County.
It alleges that Father Thomas R. Szydlik assaulted her when he was an assistant priest at Saint Vincent de Paul Church in Peoria. The couple attended the church from September, 2000, until June, 2006. The incidents are alleged to have occurred between November, 2004, and September ,2006, while Szydlik was employed by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.
The suit claims the abuse began after the woman confessed to Szydlik, in a confessional, that she and her husband were having marital problems. Szydlik, the suit claims, suggested later that he "would help her fill her desire, as confessed to him, of having more children."
At that point, Szydlik began scheming to develop an inappropriate relationship with the woman, the suit alleges. The priest was her "spiritual guide at a time when she considered . . . that her faith was the only solid thing upon which she could rely. Szydlik continuously encouraged the woman to confide in him and trust in him."
Szydlik not only used and subverted Catholic doctrines of infallibility and deference to priests and the priesthood, "but the 'intent' of God to overcome and suppress (the woman's) independent judgment." The priest used e-mail, telephone, and face-to-face confrontations to groom and intimidate the woman "into submission to his desires, never missing an opportunity to lead her into believing whatever she and Szydlik did or said was 'excused' because Szydlik was saving her very soul."
In January of 2005, the woman told her husband about the relationship, and the husband confronted Szydlik, who apologized, according to the suit. Soon after, Szydlik was reassigned to another church within the diocese.
According to the Catholic Diocese of Peoria's Web site, Szydlik was placed on leave in 2006. Calls to the diocese were not returned.
At various times during the relationship, Szydlik allegedly told the woman that he would leave the priesthood and marry her after she and her husband divorced.
In 2006, the couple moved to Edwardsville to distance themselves from his advances.
The suit alleges that Szydlik followed them to Edwardsville and stayed here for three or four months to try to keep the relationship going. During that time, Szydlik continued to pursue the woman, according to the suit.
In May of 2006, the woman became pregnant but later had an abortion, at Szydlik's insistence, according to the suit.
The suit also names as defendants Daniel R. Jenky, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, and Monsignor Paul E. Showalter, Father Larry Surek, Monsignor William Watson and Patricia Gibson.
The couple is seeking in excess of $50,000 for each of 23 counts. They are being represented by Jacksonville attorney David E. Leefers.
©Edwardsville Intelligencer 2008
Woman claims abuse by priest
Steve Horrell, stevehorrell@hotmail.com, The Edwardsville Intelligencer
04/04/2008
Email to a friendPost a CommentPrinter-friendly
An Edwardsville woman and her husband have filed a lawsuit against their former priest, claiming that he initiated an inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman and then followed her to Edwardsville when the couple moved here to try to get away.
The suit was filed in Madison County.
It alleges that Father Thomas R. Szydlik assaulted her when he was an assistant priest at Saint Vincent de Paul Church in Peoria. The couple attended the church from September, 2000, until June, 2006. The incidents are alleged to have occurred between November, 2004, and September ,2006, while Szydlik was employed by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.
The suit claims the abuse began after the woman confessed to Szydlik, in a confessional, that she and her husband were having marital problems. Szydlik, the suit claims, suggested later that he "would help her fill her desire, as confessed to him, of having more children."
At that point, Szydlik began scheming to develop an inappropriate relationship with the woman, the suit alleges. The priest was her "spiritual guide at a time when she considered . . . that her faith was the only solid thing upon which she could rely. Szydlik continuously encouraged the woman to confide in him and trust in him."
Szydlik not only used and subverted Catholic doctrines of infallibility and deference to priests and the priesthood, "but the 'intent' of God to overcome and suppress (the woman's) independent judgment." The priest used e-mail, telephone, and face-to-face confrontations to groom and intimidate the woman "into submission to his desires, never missing an opportunity to lead her into believing whatever she and Szydlik did or said was 'excused' because Szydlik was saving her very soul."
In January of 2005, the woman told her husband about the relationship, and the husband confronted Szydlik, who apologized, according to the suit. Soon after, Szydlik was reassigned to another church within the diocese.
According to the Catholic Diocese of Peoria's Web site, Szydlik was placed on leave in 2006. Calls to the diocese were not returned.
At various times during the relationship, Szydlik allegedly told the woman that he would leave the priesthood and marry her after she and her husband divorced.
In 2006, the couple moved to Edwardsville to distance themselves from his advances.
The suit alleges that Szydlik followed them to Edwardsville and stayed here for three or four months to try to keep the relationship going. During that time, Szydlik continued to pursue the woman, according to the suit.
In May of 2006, the woman became pregnant but later had an abortion, at Szydlik's insistence, according to the suit.
The suit also names as defendants Daniel R. Jenky, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, and Monsignor Paul E. Showalter, Father Larry Surek, Monsignor William Watson and Patricia Gibson.
The couple is seeking in excess of $50,000 for each of 23 counts. They are being represented by Jacksonville attorney David E. Leefers.
©Edwardsville Intelligencer 2008
கத்தோலிக்க பாதிரியார் தனது காதலியை கட்டாய அபார்ஷன் செய்ய வைத்தற்காக வழக்கு
கத்தோலிக்க பாதிரியார் தனது காதலியை கட்டாய அபார்ஷன் செய்ய வைத்தற்காக வழக்கு
Priest accused of forcing woman to get abortion
The Associated Press
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. --The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria says one of its priests is denying allegations in a lawsuit that he forced a woman to have an abortion after she became pregnant.
Holly Force, and her husband, Christopher, are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which was filed this week in Madison County. The lawsuit names the Rev. Thomas Szydlik, who church officials say has stepped down from the ministry until the lawsuit is resolved.
Holly Force claims Szydlik began pursuing a relationship with her in 2004 while she attended a church in Peoria. The complaint states the Forces left Peoria and moved to Edwardsville to distance themselves from Szydlik.
Force alleges she had an abortion in July 2006 due to coercion by Szydlik.
Diocese Chancellor Patricia Gibson said Szydlik told Bishop Daniel Jenky in March 2005 that he had feelings for a woman, but that no vows had been broken. Szydlik asked then to be transferred to a different parish.
The diocese lists Szydlik as a priest at Immaculate Conception parish in Nauvoo. He was ordained in 2003.
In February 2006, Szydlik obtained a leave of absence and cut off contact with the diocese, Gibson said. In September 2006, Szydlik told the bishop his relationship with the woman had ended, and asked to return to active ministry.
The bishop sent him to a therapy program, and after five months, Szydlik was allowed to return to ministry under supervision.
In its statement, the diocese said it acted decisively on every occasion as information was brought forward.
Priest accused of forcing woman to get abortion
The Associated Press
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. --The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria says one of its priests is denying allegations in a lawsuit that he forced a woman to have an abortion after she became pregnant.
Holly Force, and her husband, Christopher, are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which was filed this week in Madison County. The lawsuit names the Rev. Thomas Szydlik, who church officials say has stepped down from the ministry until the lawsuit is resolved.
Holly Force claims Szydlik began pursuing a relationship with her in 2004 while she attended a church in Peoria. The complaint states the Forces left Peoria and moved to Edwardsville to distance themselves from Szydlik.
Force alleges she had an abortion in July 2006 due to coercion by Szydlik.
Diocese Chancellor Patricia Gibson said Szydlik told Bishop Daniel Jenky in March 2005 that he had feelings for a woman, but that no vows had been broken. Szydlik asked then to be transferred to a different parish.
The diocese lists Szydlik as a priest at Immaculate Conception parish in Nauvoo. He was ordained in 2003.
In February 2006, Szydlik obtained a leave of absence and cut off contact with the diocese, Gibson said. In September 2006, Szydlik told the bishop his relationship with the woman had ended, and asked to return to active ministry.
The bishop sent him to a therapy program, and after five months, Szydlik was allowed to return to ministry under supervision.
In its statement, the diocese said it acted decisively on every occasion as information was brought forward.
இரண்டு சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததற்காக ஜெஸூட் கத்தோலிக்க பாதிரியார் மீது வழக்கு
அரிஜோனாவில் இரண்டு சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததற்காக ஜெஸூட் கத்தோலிக்க பாதிரியார் மீது வழக்கு.
இதற்கு முன்பே இவர் லேக் ஜெனிவாவில் சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததற்காக தண்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்.
Priest faces new abuse charges
Thursday, April 3, 2008, 1:39 PM
By Brian Moon
Former Jesuit Priest Donald McGuire was set to appear Wednesday for an extradition hearing on charges that he sexually abused two boys in Arizona between 1998 to 2002. However, the 77 year old was admitted to the hospital for chest pains. The Arizona charge is among the latest of numerous accusations in both the U.S. and abroad. He was convicted of molesting kids in Lake Geneva in the 1960's.
Now he's under police guard while hospitalized.
"We're extremely pleased that law enforcement is finally an appropriate and aggressive stance against these particular types of criminals," said Peter Isely, Midwest Director for Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests.
McGuire has been a free man as he appeals his Wisconsin conviction. His extradition hearing, in Cook County Illinois, has been moved to Friday.
இதற்கு முன்பே இவர் லேக் ஜெனிவாவில் சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததற்காக தண்டிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்.
Priest faces new abuse charges
Thursday, April 3, 2008, 1:39 PM
By Brian Moon
Former Jesuit Priest Donald McGuire was set to appear Wednesday for an extradition hearing on charges that he sexually abused two boys in Arizona between 1998 to 2002. However, the 77 year old was admitted to the hospital for chest pains. The Arizona charge is among the latest of numerous accusations in both the U.S. and abroad. He was convicted of molesting kids in Lake Geneva in the 1960's.
Now he's under police guard while hospitalized.
"We're extremely pleased that law enforcement is finally an appropriate and aggressive stance against these particular types of criminals," said Peter Isely, Midwest Director for Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests.
McGuire has been a free man as he appeals his Wisconsin conviction. His extradition hearing, in Cook County Illinois, has been moved to Friday.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
நெல்லை பிஷப்புக்கு சரமாரி அடி, உதை - கார் உடைப்பு
செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை, பிப்ரவரி 5, 2008
நெல்லை: திருநெல்வேலி, பாளையங்கோட்டை கதீட்ரல் ஆலயத்தில் இன்று நடந்த குருமார்கள் ஆலோசனை கூட்டத்தில் சிஎஸ்ஐ பிஷப் ஜெயபால் டேவிட் சராமரியாக தாக்கப்பட்டார். அவரது கார் அடித்து நொறுக்கப்பட்டது. இது தொடர்பாக 3 பேர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர். பதட்டம் நிலவுவதால் போலீசார் குவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
நெல்லை டயோசீசன் நிர்வாகிகள் தேர்தல் தொடர்பாக ஏடிஜேசி தினகர், வேதநாயகம் அணிகளுக்கு இடையே கடும் மோதல் நடந்து வருகிறது. தேர்தல் தொடர்பாக இரு அணியினரும் பல்வேறு நீதிமன்றங்களில் மாறி மாறி வழக்கு தொடர்ந்துள்ளனர்.
இந்நிலையில் டயோசீசன் அனைத்து சேகர குருமார்கள் கூட்டம் கதீட்ரல் ஆலயத்தில் இன்று நடைபெறுவதாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இதில் கலந்து கொள்வதற்காக பிஷப் ஜெயபால் டேவிட் காலை 10.30 மணியளவில் அங்கு காரில் வந்தார்.
அப்போது சிலர் கும்பலாக திரண்டு வந்து குருமார்கள் கூட்டத்தை நடத்த பிஷப்புக்கு தகுதி இல்லை. தேர்தல் முறையாக நடத்தப்படவில்லை என்று கோஷம் எழுப்பினர். பின்னர் அவர்கள் கதீட்ரல் ஆலயத்திற்குள் நுழைந்து அங்கிருந்த சேர் மற்றும் மைக்குகளை அடித்து உடைத்தனர்.
இதை தட்டிக் கேட்ட சில பாதிரியார்களும் தாக்கப்பட்டார்கள். அப்போது அங்கிருந்த பிஷப் ஜெயபால் டேவிட்டின் அங்கியை பிடித்து இழுத்து தாக்கினர். அவரது முகத்தில் குத்து விழுந்தது. பின் பக்கம் நின்ற சிலரும் அவரை தாக்கினர். இதில் அவரது அங்கி கிழிந்தது. இந்த கலவரத்தில் ஜெயபால் டேவிட் வந்த கார் அடித்து நொறுக்கப்பட்டது. கார் டிரைவர் பாக்கியநாதனையும் அவர்கள் தாக்கினர்.
இதையடுத்து இரு அணியை சேர்ந்தவர்களும் ஓருவருக்கொருவர் தாக்கிக் கொண்டனர். இதனால் கதீட்ரல் ஆலயம் போர்களம் போல் காட்சியளித்தது. குருமார்கள் சிலர் பிஷப்பை பாதுகாப்பாக வெளியே அழைத்து வந்தனர்.
தகவல் அறிந்ததும் பாளை இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் நாகராஜன், சப்-இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் விஜயகுமார் மற்றும் போலீசார் வந்து கலவரத்தில் ஈடுபட்டவர்களை அடித்து விரட்டினர். அதன்பிறகு அனைவரும் ஆலயத்தை விட்டு வெளியேறினர். இந்த சம்பவத்தால் அங்கு பெரும் பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.
கலவரத்தில் ஈடுபட்டதாக மேலசெவலைச் சேர்ந்த செல்வராஜ், ஏமன்குளம் குணபால்ஜெசிங், முக்கூடல் பால்பாலசிங் ஆகியோரை போலீசார் கைது செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கு குருமார்கள் கூட்டம் நடந்தது. தொடர்ந்து பதற்றம் நீடித்து வருவதால் அங்கு போலீசார் குவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
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நன்றி தட்ஸ்டமில்
கருணை பொங்குதே என்று கூச்சல் மட்டும்தான் இருக்கும்போல. கருணை அப்புறம் காணாமல் போயிடும் போல.
நெல்லை: திருநெல்வேலி, பாளையங்கோட்டை கதீட்ரல் ஆலயத்தில் இன்று நடந்த குருமார்கள் ஆலோசனை கூட்டத்தில் சிஎஸ்ஐ பிஷப் ஜெயபால் டேவிட் சராமரியாக தாக்கப்பட்டார். அவரது கார் அடித்து நொறுக்கப்பட்டது. இது தொடர்பாக 3 பேர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர். பதட்டம் நிலவுவதால் போலீசார் குவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
நெல்லை டயோசீசன் நிர்வாகிகள் தேர்தல் தொடர்பாக ஏடிஜேசி தினகர், வேதநாயகம் அணிகளுக்கு இடையே கடும் மோதல் நடந்து வருகிறது. தேர்தல் தொடர்பாக இரு அணியினரும் பல்வேறு நீதிமன்றங்களில் மாறி மாறி வழக்கு தொடர்ந்துள்ளனர்.
இந்நிலையில் டயோசீசன் அனைத்து சேகர குருமார்கள் கூட்டம் கதீட்ரல் ஆலயத்தில் இன்று நடைபெறுவதாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இதில் கலந்து கொள்வதற்காக பிஷப் ஜெயபால் டேவிட் காலை 10.30 மணியளவில் அங்கு காரில் வந்தார்.
அப்போது சிலர் கும்பலாக திரண்டு வந்து குருமார்கள் கூட்டத்தை நடத்த பிஷப்புக்கு தகுதி இல்லை. தேர்தல் முறையாக நடத்தப்படவில்லை என்று கோஷம் எழுப்பினர். பின்னர் அவர்கள் கதீட்ரல் ஆலயத்திற்குள் நுழைந்து அங்கிருந்த சேர் மற்றும் மைக்குகளை அடித்து உடைத்தனர்.
இதை தட்டிக் கேட்ட சில பாதிரியார்களும் தாக்கப்பட்டார்கள். அப்போது அங்கிருந்த பிஷப் ஜெயபால் டேவிட்டின் அங்கியை பிடித்து இழுத்து தாக்கினர். அவரது முகத்தில் குத்து விழுந்தது. பின் பக்கம் நின்ற சிலரும் அவரை தாக்கினர். இதில் அவரது அங்கி கிழிந்தது. இந்த கலவரத்தில் ஜெயபால் டேவிட் வந்த கார் அடித்து நொறுக்கப்பட்டது. கார் டிரைவர் பாக்கியநாதனையும் அவர்கள் தாக்கினர்.
இதையடுத்து இரு அணியை சேர்ந்தவர்களும் ஓருவருக்கொருவர் தாக்கிக் கொண்டனர். இதனால் கதீட்ரல் ஆலயம் போர்களம் போல் காட்சியளித்தது. குருமார்கள் சிலர் பிஷப்பை பாதுகாப்பாக வெளியே அழைத்து வந்தனர்.
தகவல் அறிந்ததும் பாளை இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் நாகராஜன், சப்-இன்ஸ்பெக்டர் விஜயகுமார் மற்றும் போலீசார் வந்து கலவரத்தில் ஈடுபட்டவர்களை அடித்து விரட்டினர். அதன்பிறகு அனைவரும் ஆலயத்தை விட்டு வெளியேறினர். இந்த சம்பவத்தால் அங்கு பெரும் பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.
கலவரத்தில் ஈடுபட்டதாக மேலசெவலைச் சேர்ந்த செல்வராஜ், ஏமன்குளம் குணபால்ஜெசிங், முக்கூடல் பால்பாலசிங் ஆகியோரை போலீசார் கைது செய்தனர். பின்னர் அங்கு குருமார்கள் கூட்டம் நடந்தது. தொடர்ந்து பதற்றம் நீடித்து வருவதால் அங்கு போலீசார் குவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
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நன்றி தட்ஸ்டமில்
கருணை பொங்குதே என்று கூச்சல் மட்டும்தான் இருக்கும்போல. கருணை அப்புறம் காணாமல் போயிடும் போல.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
அட்லாண்டா பெந்தகொஸ்தே மெகாசர்ச்சில் காம விளையாட்டுகள்
அட்லாண்டா பெந்தகொஸ்தே மெகாசர்ச்சில் காம விளையாட்டுகள் நட்ந்திருக்கின்றன. அங்கு வரும் பெண்களை அந்த பாஸ்டர் வற்புறுத்தி செக்ஸ் வைத்துக்கொள்ள வைத்திருக்கிறார். அதுமட்டுமல்ல, அவரது சகோதரின் மனைவியுடனேயே உறவு வைத்துக்கொண்டு பிள்ளையும் பெற்றிருக்கிறார்.
பெந்தகொஸ்தே கண்றாவி!
இந்திய பெந்தகொஸ்தே கண்றாவிகள் தமிழ் தினசரி பத்திரிக்கைகளில் நாறடிக்கப்பட்டன. ஆனால், உலகம் முழுவதும் இதுவே நடக்கிறது...
Posted on Tue, Nov. 20, 2007
Megawoes for Ga. megachurch
Sex scandal, again
By DORIE TURNER
Associated Press
DECATUR, Ga. - The 80-year-old leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch is at the center of a sex scandal of biblical dimensions: He slept with his brother's wife and fathered a child by her.
Members of Archbishop Earl Paulk's family stood at the pulpit of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church a few Sundays ago and revealed the secret exposed by a recent court-ordered paternity test.
In truth, this is not the first - or even the second - sex scandal to engulf Paulk and the independent, charismatic church. But this time, he could be in trouble with the law for lying under oath about the affair.
The living proof of that lie is 34-year-old D.E. Paulk, who for years was known publicly as Earl Paulk's nephew.
"I am so very sorry for the collateral damage it's caused our family and the families hurt by the removing of the veil that hid our humanity and our sinfulness," said D.E. Paulk, who received the mantle of head pastor a year and a half ago.
D.E. Paulk said he did not learn the secret of his parentage until the paternity test. "I was disappointed, and I was surprised," he said.
Earl Paulk, his brother, Don, and his sister-in-law, Clariece did not return calls for comment.
A judge ordered the test at the request of the Cobb County district attorney's office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which are investigating Earl Paulk for possible perjury and false-swearing charges stemming from a lawsuit.
The archbishop, his brother and the church are being sued by former church employee Mona Brewer, who says Earl Paulk manipulated her into an affair from 1989 to 2003 by telling her it was her only path to salvation. Earl Paulk admitted to the affair in front of the church last January.
In a 2006 deposition stemming from the lawsuit, the archbishop said under oath that the only woman he had ever had sex with outside of his marriage was Brewer. But the paternity test said otherwise.
So far no charges have been filed against Earl Paulk. District Attorney Pat Head and GBI spokesman John Bankhead would not comment.
The shocking results of the paternity test are speeding up a transformation already under way in the church after more than a decade of sex scandals and lawsuits involving the Paulks, D.E. Paulk said.
"It was a necessary evil to bring us back to a God-consciousness," said the younger Paulk, explaining that the church had become too personality-driven and prone to pastor worship.
The flashy megachurch began in 1960 with just a few dozen members in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta.
Now, it is in the suburbs on a 100-acre expanse, a collection of buildings surrounding a neo-Gothic cathedral.
For years the church was at the forefront of many social movements - admitting black members in the 1960s, ordaining women, and opening its doors to gays.
At its peak in the early 1990s, it claimed about 10,000 members and 24 pastors, and was a media powerhouse. By soliciting tithes of 10 percent from each member's income, the church could build a Bible college, two schools, a worldwide TV ministry, and a $12 million sanctuary the size of a fortress.
Today, though, membership is down to about 1,500, the church has 18 pastors, mostly volunteers, and the Bible college and TV ministry have shuttered - a downturn blamed largely on complaints about the alleged sexual transgressions of the elder Paulks.
In 1992, a church member claimed she was pressured into a sexual relationship with Don Paulk. Other women also claimed they had been coerced into sex with Earl Paulk and other members of the church's administration.
The church countered with a $24 million libel suit against seven former church members. The lawsuit was later dropped.
Jan Royston, who left the church in 1992, started an online support group for former members to discuss their crushed faith and hurt feelings.
"This is a cult. And you escape from a cult," she said. "We all escaped."
These days, Earl Paulk has a much-reduced role at the cathedral, giving 10-minute lectures as part of Sunday morning worship each week. "My uncle is 100 percent guilty, but his accusers are guilty as well," D.E. Paulk said, declining to talk further about the lawsuits. *
பெந்தகொஸ்தே கண்றாவி!
இந்திய பெந்தகொஸ்தே கண்றாவிகள் தமிழ் தினசரி பத்திரிக்கைகளில் நாறடிக்கப்பட்டன. ஆனால், உலகம் முழுவதும் இதுவே நடக்கிறது...
Posted on Tue, Nov. 20, 2007
Megawoes for Ga. megachurch
Sex scandal, again
By DORIE TURNER
Associated Press
DECATUR, Ga. - The 80-year-old leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch is at the center of a sex scandal of biblical dimensions: He slept with his brother's wife and fathered a child by her.
Pastor D.E. Paulk with his wife, Brandi. His uncle, founder of his church, is really his father.
Members of Archbishop Earl Paulk's family stood at the pulpit of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church a few Sundays ago and revealed the secret exposed by a recent court-ordered paternity test.
In truth, this is not the first - or even the second - sex scandal to engulf Paulk and the independent, charismatic church. But this time, he could be in trouble with the law for lying under oath about the affair.
The living proof of that lie is 34-year-old D.E. Paulk, who for years was known publicly as Earl Paulk's nephew.
"I am so very sorry for the collateral damage it's caused our family and the families hurt by the removing of the veil that hid our humanity and our sinfulness," said D.E. Paulk, who received the mantle of head pastor a year and a half ago.
D.E. Paulk said he did not learn the secret of his parentage until the paternity test. "I was disappointed, and I was surprised," he said.
Earl Paulk, his brother, Don, and his sister-in-law, Clariece did not return calls for comment.
A judge ordered the test at the request of the Cobb County district attorney's office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which are investigating Earl Paulk for possible perjury and false-swearing charges stemming from a lawsuit.
The archbishop, his brother and the church are being sued by former church employee Mona Brewer, who says Earl Paulk manipulated her into an affair from 1989 to 2003 by telling her it was her only path to salvation. Earl Paulk admitted to the affair in front of the church last January.
In a 2006 deposition stemming from the lawsuit, the archbishop said under oath that the only woman he had ever had sex with outside of his marriage was Brewer. But the paternity test said otherwise.
So far no charges have been filed against Earl Paulk. District Attorney Pat Head and GBI spokesman John Bankhead would not comment.
The shocking results of the paternity test are speeding up a transformation already under way in the church after more than a decade of sex scandals and lawsuits involving the Paulks, D.E. Paulk said.
"It was a necessary evil to bring us back to a God-consciousness," said the younger Paulk, explaining that the church had become too personality-driven and prone to pastor worship.
The flashy megachurch began in 1960 with just a few dozen members in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta.
Now, it is in the suburbs on a 100-acre expanse, a collection of buildings surrounding a neo-Gothic cathedral.
For years the church was at the forefront of many social movements - admitting black members in the 1960s, ordaining women, and opening its doors to gays.
At its peak in the early 1990s, it claimed about 10,000 members and 24 pastors, and was a media powerhouse. By soliciting tithes of 10 percent from each member's income, the church could build a Bible college, two schools, a worldwide TV ministry, and a $12 million sanctuary the size of a fortress.
Today, though, membership is down to about 1,500, the church has 18 pastors, mostly volunteers, and the Bible college and TV ministry have shuttered - a downturn blamed largely on complaints about the alleged sexual transgressions of the elder Paulks.
In 1992, a church member claimed she was pressured into a sexual relationship with Don Paulk. Other women also claimed they had been coerced into sex with Earl Paulk and other members of the church's administration.
The church countered with a $24 million libel suit against seven former church members. The lawsuit was later dropped.
Jan Royston, who left the church in 1992, started an online support group for former members to discuss their crushed faith and hurt feelings.
"This is a cult. And you escape from a cult," she said. "We all escaped."
These days, Earl Paulk has a much-reduced role at the cathedral, giving 10-minute lectures as part of Sunday morning worship each week. "My uncle is 100 percent guilty, but his accusers are guilty as well," D.E. Paulk said, declining to talk further about the lawsuits. *
Monday, November 19, 2007
நூற்றுக்கணக்கான அலாஸ்கா பழங்குடியினரை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்த ஜெஸூட் கிறிஸ்துவ பாதிரியார்கள் 50 மில்லியன் டாலர் நஷ்ட ஈடு
நூற்றுக்கணக்கான அலாஸ்கா பழங்குடியினரை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்த ஜெஸூட் கிறிஸ்துவ பாதிரியார்கள் 50 மில்லியன் டாலர் நஷ்ட ஈடு கொடுக்கும்படி கோர்ட்டால் ஆணையிடப்பட்டுள்ளார்கள்
இந்தியாவிலும் பழங்குடியினர் மத்தியில் சேவை செய்கிறேன் என்று வரும் கிறிஸ்துவபாதிரியார்களை விசாரிக்கவேண்டும்.
$50M Priest Abuse Deal Reached in Alaska
By MARY PEMBERTON – 17 hours ago
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Roman Catholic religious order has agreed to pay $50 million to more than 100 Alaska Natives who allege sexual abuse by Jesuit priests, a lawyer for the accusers said Sunday.
The settlement with the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus is the largest one yet against a Catholic religious order, said Anchorage lawyer Ken Roosa, who called it "a great day" for the 110 victims.
"These are people who were altar boys and altar servers and altar girls," Roosa said. "These are people who tried to tell their story and in many instances were beaten or told to shut up and told, 'How can you say such things about a man of God?'"
The settlement does not require the order to admit fault, Roosa said. None of the priests were ever criminally charged.
The settlement announcement is premature because some issues need to be finalized, said the Very Rev. John Whitney, provincial superior of the Society of Jesus, Oregon Province, which covers Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
"When those issues are resolved we will be available for a more complete discussion of the matter," Whitney said in a prepared statement. He described the settlement announcement as "premature and detrimental."
Roosa said issues involving the plaintiffs had been resolved. The only issues that remained were with the religious order's insurer, he said.
Roosa provided The Associated Press with an e-mail sent Friday from Dick Hansen, the lawyer representing the religious order. It reads, "This email will confirm that a settlement has been reached. ... The settlement calls for $50,000,000 to be paid to the plaintiffs/claimants in exchange for releases of all claims against the Jesuit defendants."
In the e-mail, Hansen says he's glad to "put this matter to rest." Hansen did not immediately return a call from the AP seeking comment.
The sexual abuse allegations involved 13 or 14 clerics and spanned nearly 30 years, from 1961 to 1987, Roosa said. The children's ages ranged from 5 years to teenage.
"Despite all this, no Catholic religious leader has yet to admit that problem priests were dumped in Alaska. For our clients, this settlement represents a long overdue acknowledgment of the truth of their stories of abuse, stories that until today were largely denied and belittled by apologists for the abusers," Roosa said.
The Catholic Church first was notified of the Alaska cases of abuse in 2002, Roosa said.
The cases do not include those against the Diocese of Fairbanks, which owned and managed the churches in the villages in rural Alaska where the Jesuit priests were assigned. Those 135 lawsuits have been reduced to 10. Those cases are expected to be mediated in December.
இந்தியாவிலும் பழங்குடியினர் மத்தியில் சேவை செய்கிறேன் என்று வரும் கிறிஸ்துவபாதிரியார்களை விசாரிக்கவேண்டும்.
$50M Priest Abuse Deal Reached in Alaska
By MARY PEMBERTON – 17 hours ago
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Roman Catholic religious order has agreed to pay $50 million to more than 100 Alaska Natives who allege sexual abuse by Jesuit priests, a lawyer for the accusers said Sunday.
The settlement with the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus is the largest one yet against a Catholic religious order, said Anchorage lawyer Ken Roosa, who called it "a great day" for the 110 victims.
"These are people who were altar boys and altar servers and altar girls," Roosa said. "These are people who tried to tell their story and in many instances were beaten or told to shut up and told, 'How can you say such things about a man of God?'"
The settlement does not require the order to admit fault, Roosa said. None of the priests were ever criminally charged.
The settlement announcement is premature because some issues need to be finalized, said the Very Rev. John Whitney, provincial superior of the Society of Jesus, Oregon Province, which covers Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
"When those issues are resolved we will be available for a more complete discussion of the matter," Whitney said in a prepared statement. He described the settlement announcement as "premature and detrimental."
Roosa said issues involving the plaintiffs had been resolved. The only issues that remained were with the religious order's insurer, he said.
Roosa provided The Associated Press with an e-mail sent Friday from Dick Hansen, the lawyer representing the religious order. It reads, "This email will confirm that a settlement has been reached. ... The settlement calls for $50,000,000 to be paid to the plaintiffs/claimants in exchange for releases of all claims against the Jesuit defendants."
In the e-mail, Hansen says he's glad to "put this matter to rest." Hansen did not immediately return a call from the AP seeking comment.
The sexual abuse allegations involved 13 or 14 clerics and spanned nearly 30 years, from 1961 to 1987, Roosa said. The children's ages ranged from 5 years to teenage.
"Despite all this, no Catholic religious leader has yet to admit that problem priests were dumped in Alaska. For our clients, this settlement represents a long overdue acknowledgment of the truth of their stories of abuse, stories that until today were largely denied and belittled by apologists for the abusers," Roosa said.
The Catholic Church first was notified of the Alaska cases of abuse in 2002, Roosa said.
The cases do not include those against the Diocese of Fairbanks, which owned and managed the churches in the villages in rural Alaska where the Jesuit priests were assigned. Those 135 lawsuits have been reduced to 10. Those cases are expected to be mediated in December.
Monday, November 05, 2007
பெண்களுக்கு வேலைவேண்டுமென்றால் கிறிஸ்துவராக மதம் மாறி விபசாரம் செய்யவேண்டும்
வடக்கு உகாண்டாவில் வேலை தேடி வரும் பெண்களை கட்டாயப்படுத்தி விபச்சாரத்தில் ஈடுபடுத்துவதையும், அந்த பெண்களை கட்டாயப்படுத்தி பெந்தகொஸ்தே கிறிஸ்துவர்களாக ஆக்குவதையும் கிறிஸ்துவ உதவி அமைப்புகள் செய்துவருகின்றன என்று மனித உரிமை அமைப்பு அறிக்கை ஒன்று தெரிவிக்கிறது.
Uganda: Sex for Jobs, Forced Conversion in North
The Monitor (Kampala)
29 October 2007
Posted to the web 28 October 2007
Yasiin Mugerwa, Emmanuel Gyezaho & Samuel O. Egadu
Kampala/Gulu
WOMEN in northern Uganda are forced into sex and are often coaxed into joining the Born Again Christian faith by staff of high profile international aid agencies largely in exchange for jobs, a new human rights report has revealed.
The report also tells of a "divide and rule" policy allegedly employed by the largely foreign-run agencies over their Ugandan employees.
The shocking findings are contained in a report presented to Parliament by the Human Rights Focus titled; "Fostering the Transition in Acholiland: From War to Peace, from Camps to Home.
Assessing the working conditions of Ugandan employees working for international NGOs in northern Uganda, the report says the process of acquiring a job at the numerous NGOs in the region is unfair, exploitative and abusive.
"Personal or family connections, corruption and sexual exploitation were reported to frequently be part of the recruitment and hiring," the 55-page report reads in part. "There is a surplus of qualified potential INGO employees and it's not common to receive 100 applications for one INGO national staff position."
Although the report curiously does not name any of the aid agencies, its findings are largely based on witness accounts gathered between May and August 2007.
The new report comes five months after MPs from the Acholi sub-region launched investigations into INGO activities in the region. The MPs said many NGOs were using the plight of the people of northern Uganda to get wealthy and have engaged in various human rights' abuses.
Although it is still not clear how many NGOs are operating in northern Uganda, in Gulu alone, the hub of the region, there are 38 NGOs fully operational. But there are a total of 500 NGOs in northern Uganda, including the NGOs.
The report said half of the Ugandans working with the NGOs interviewed refused to have their names written down, insisting on confidentiality. But they were more than candid in their responses, as it turns out.
The report reveals that some evangelical Christian INGOs have reportedly gone so far to demand that employees get "'saved"- that is, convert to born-again Christianity- if they are to work there, and fire those who do not.
"There was even a case reported where one INGO demanded that their employees marry within the church to retain their jobs. Another demanded that employees regularly go for Christian fellowship meetings when not working," the report reads.
An anonymous staff employee quoted in the report added; "The whites do these things purposely so as to contain everything under their control and achieve their desires, and also to impose their authority and to leave the national staff confused."
The findings of this report have been corroborated by local authorities, especially in Gulu District who said they have received numerous complaints of reported abuse of employee's rights. "We have heard of cases of sexual harassment of female employees and homosexuality by their bosses in exchange for employment. However, people fear to report these cases for fear of losing their jobs," said Mr Richard Todwong, the special presidential assistant for northern Uganda.
Mr Todwong told Daily Monitor on Friday that most of these NGOs employ their family members. "As you are aware the government has been screening some of them who have been misappropriating funds they receive from donors," he said. "If they don't stop, we shall deregister them as simple as that. We can't allow the continued exploitation of our people."
However, some of the INGO's contested the findings of the report. "It might be true in other organizations, but for us in World Vision, we recruit people based on merit, whether someone is saved or not. I am a Catholic," said Mr Fortunate Sewankando the World Vision communication and advocacy officer.
Ms Jessica Huber of the Norwegian Refugee Council declined to comment saying she had no authorisation to do so. "My country director is out," Ms Huber said. Several other organizations that Daily Monitor approached to comment on the report declined saying they had not yet seen or received a copy of the report.
The report adds that with the opening of Gulu University in 2003, the number of graduates who expect to find work in the INGO sector has grown constantly, a fact that allows the INGOs to "fire employees with impunity, subject workers to harsh demands and poor conditions and remain impervious to work dissatisfaction since there is always another graduate eager to take up the job."
Quoting one INGO national employee, the report said foreigners tend to practice 'divide and rule' over their employees by bringing certain national staff close and favouring them, then using them to spy on other national staff.
"Some of the harshest criticism is reserved for that high ranking male national staff who uses their positions, especially during hiring, to demand for sexual favours from women and money from men.," the report said.
It adds: "Sexual abuse and corruption during the hiring process are widely remarked upon [mentioned] at the larger INGOs, religious and secular alike. Sexual harassment at the hands of the national male bosses is almost a necessary step females have to go through to get a job, especially as a volunteer."
Mr Michael Otim the executive director, INGO Forum Gulu District said his office had received and tried to mediate few cases where employers have abused the rights of their employees.
Uganda: Sex for Jobs, Forced Conversion in North
The Monitor (Kampala)
29 October 2007
Posted to the web 28 October 2007
Yasiin Mugerwa, Emmanuel Gyezaho & Samuel O. Egadu
Kampala/Gulu
WOMEN in northern Uganda are forced into sex and are often coaxed into joining the Born Again Christian faith by staff of high profile international aid agencies largely in exchange for jobs, a new human rights report has revealed.
The report also tells of a "divide and rule" policy allegedly employed by the largely foreign-run agencies over their Ugandan employees.
The shocking findings are contained in a report presented to Parliament by the Human Rights Focus titled; "Fostering the Transition in Acholiland: From War to Peace, from Camps to Home.
Assessing the working conditions of Ugandan employees working for international NGOs in northern Uganda, the report says the process of acquiring a job at the numerous NGOs in the region is unfair, exploitative and abusive.
"Personal or family connections, corruption and sexual exploitation were reported to frequently be part of the recruitment and hiring," the 55-page report reads in part. "There is a surplus of qualified potential INGO employees and it's not common to receive 100 applications for one INGO national staff position."
Although the report curiously does not name any of the aid agencies, its findings are largely based on witness accounts gathered between May and August 2007.
The new report comes five months after MPs from the Acholi sub-region launched investigations into INGO activities in the region. The MPs said many NGOs were using the plight of the people of northern Uganda to get wealthy and have engaged in various human rights' abuses.
Although it is still not clear how many NGOs are operating in northern Uganda, in Gulu alone, the hub of the region, there are 38 NGOs fully operational. But there are a total of 500 NGOs in northern Uganda, including the NGOs.
The report said half of the Ugandans working with the NGOs interviewed refused to have their names written down, insisting on confidentiality. But they were more than candid in their responses, as it turns out.
The report reveals that some evangelical Christian INGOs have reportedly gone so far to demand that employees get "'saved"- that is, convert to born-again Christianity- if they are to work there, and fire those who do not.
"There was even a case reported where one INGO demanded that their employees marry within the church to retain their jobs. Another demanded that employees regularly go for Christian fellowship meetings when not working," the report reads.
An anonymous staff employee quoted in the report added; "The whites do these things purposely so as to contain everything under their control and achieve their desires, and also to impose their authority and to leave the national staff confused."
The findings of this report have been corroborated by local authorities, especially in Gulu District who said they have received numerous complaints of reported abuse of employee's rights. "We have heard of cases of sexual harassment of female employees and homosexuality by their bosses in exchange for employment. However, people fear to report these cases for fear of losing their jobs," said Mr Richard Todwong, the special presidential assistant for northern Uganda.
Mr Todwong told Daily Monitor on Friday that most of these NGOs employ their family members. "As you are aware the government has been screening some of them who have been misappropriating funds they receive from donors," he said. "If they don't stop, we shall deregister them as simple as that. We can't allow the continued exploitation of our people."
However, some of the INGO's contested the findings of the report. "It might be true in other organizations, but for us in World Vision, we recruit people based on merit, whether someone is saved or not. I am a Catholic," said Mr Fortunate Sewankando the World Vision communication and advocacy officer.
Ms Jessica Huber of the Norwegian Refugee Council declined to comment saying she had no authorisation to do so. "My country director is out," Ms Huber said. Several other organizations that Daily Monitor approached to comment on the report declined saying they had not yet seen or received a copy of the report.
The report adds that with the opening of Gulu University in 2003, the number of graduates who expect to find work in the INGO sector has grown constantly, a fact that allows the INGOs to "fire employees with impunity, subject workers to harsh demands and poor conditions and remain impervious to work dissatisfaction since there is always another graduate eager to take up the job."
Quoting one INGO national employee, the report said foreigners tend to practice 'divide and rule' over their employees by bringing certain national staff close and favouring them, then using them to spy on other national staff.
"Some of the harshest criticism is reserved for that high ranking male national staff who uses their positions, especially during hiring, to demand for sexual favours from women and money from men.," the report said.
It adds: "Sexual abuse and corruption during the hiring process are widely remarked upon [mentioned] at the larger INGOs, religious and secular alike. Sexual harassment at the hands of the national male bosses is almost a necessary step females have to go through to get a job, especially as a volunteer."
Mr Michael Otim the executive director, INGO Forum Gulu District said his office had received and tried to mediate few cases where employers have abused the rights of their employees.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
கிறிஸ்துவத்தால் தென்னமெரிக்காவில் எய்ட்ஸ் வேகமாக பரவுகிறது
தென் அமெரிக்காவில் வெகுவேகமாக எய்ட்ஸ் பரவுவதற்கு கிறிஸ்துவமே காரணம் என்ற் ஐ.நா குறை கூறியுள்ளது.
ஆணுரை அணிவதை கத்தோலிக்க கிறிஸ்துவம் தடைசெய்வதால், ஏராளமானவர்கள் ஆணுரை கிடைக்காததாலும், ஆணுரை அணிய தடை இருப்பதாலும், பாதுகாப்பற்ற செக்ஸ் காரணமாக ஏராளமானவர்கள் எய்ட்ஸ நோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட போப்பாண்டவர் காரணமாகியுள்ளார் என்று கூறியுள்ளனர்
Catholic condom ban helping AIDS spread in Latam: U.N.
Tue Oct 23, 2:31 AM ET
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The rapid spread in Latin America of the virus that causes AIDS is made worse by the Roman Catholic Church's stand against using condoms, a U.N. official said on Monday.
Some 1.7 million people across Latin America are infected with the HIV virus or full-blown AIDS, and the epidemic is spreading swiftly with up to 410,000 new cases in 2006, up from as many as 320,000 new cases in 2004, according the UN AIDS program, UNAIDS.
"In Latin America the use of condoms has been demonized, but if they were used in every relation I guarantee the epidemic would be resolved in the region," said Alberto Stella, the UNAIDS Coordinator for Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
The Catholic Church, which holds sway in Latin America despite the rise in evangelical churches, opposes all forms of contraception and instead promotes abstinence as a way to avoid spreading AIDS.
"The fact young people start to be sexually active between 15 and 19 without sex education contributes to the spreading of the virus, as well as the fact that the evidence shows abstinence is not working," Stella told Reuters.
Latin America is home to nearly half the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, but the Church's position on premarital sex and contraception often clashes with modern values. Brazil, the region's largest Catholic nation, regularly distributes free condoms to try and bring down HIV infection rates.
ஆணுரை அணிவதை கத்தோலிக்க கிறிஸ்துவம் தடைசெய்வதால், ஏராளமானவர்கள் ஆணுரை கிடைக்காததாலும், ஆணுரை அணிய தடை இருப்பதாலும், பாதுகாப்பற்ற செக்ஸ் காரணமாக ஏராளமானவர்கள் எய்ட்ஸ நோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட போப்பாண்டவர் காரணமாகியுள்ளார் என்று கூறியுள்ளனர்
Catholic condom ban helping AIDS spread in Latam: U.N.
Tue Oct 23, 2:31 AM ET
TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The rapid spread in Latin America of the virus that causes AIDS is made worse by the Roman Catholic Church's stand against using condoms, a U.N. official said on Monday.
Some 1.7 million people across Latin America are infected with the HIV virus or full-blown AIDS, and the epidemic is spreading swiftly with up to 410,000 new cases in 2006, up from as many as 320,000 new cases in 2004, according the UN AIDS program, UNAIDS.
"In Latin America the use of condoms has been demonized, but if they were used in every relation I guarantee the epidemic would be resolved in the region," said Alberto Stella, the UNAIDS Coordinator for Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
The Catholic Church, which holds sway in Latin America despite the rise in evangelical churches, opposes all forms of contraception and instead promotes abstinence as a way to avoid spreading AIDS.
"The fact young people start to be sexually active between 15 and 19 without sex education contributes to the spreading of the virus, as well as the fact that the evidence shows abstinence is not working," Stella told Reuters.
Latin America is home to nearly half the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, but the Church's position on premarital sex and contraception often clashes with modern values. Brazil, the region's largest Catholic nation, regularly distributes free condoms to try and bring down HIV infection rates.
Monday, October 22, 2007
கேவலமான கிறிஸ்துவ பாதிரிகள்.
ரோட் ஐலண்ட் மாநிலத்தில் மட்டும் 1971இலிருந்து 2007வரைக்கும் 125 கிறிஸ்துவ பாதிரிகள் பாலுறவு பலாத்கார குற்றம் சாட்டப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
இதில் 95 பாதிரிகள் குழந்தைகளை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததாக குற்றம் சாட்டப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
New R.I. report raises questions on clergy abuse
Diocese says vague cases behind rise; AG concerned
Ann Hagan Webb (right) of Wellesley, who is a sexual abuse survivor, spoke yesterday during a press conference in Providence held by BishopAccountability.org. (STEW MILNE FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | October 20, 2007
Between 1971 and 2007, 125 priests in Rhode Island were accused of sexual assault or sexual misconduct, including 95 accused of child molestation or sexual assault of a minor, according to a court document filed by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.
That number is higher than the 56 priests that Tobin's predecessor, Bishop Robert E. Mulvee, reported in 2004 as having been accused of sexual abuse of a minor between 1950 and 2002.
The diocese said yesterday that the discrepancy is because the number reported three years ago included only credible allegations, while the number in the more recent court filing included an unspecified number of allegations that were "vague, anonymous, withdrawn, or ultimately found to be false." The diocese also said the higher number, which it said was adjusted to 85 after a careful document review, also includes allegations made after 2002, when a large number of alleged victims came forward as the clergy sexual abuse crisis erupted nationally.
But Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch expressed concern about the previously unreported cases and said he intended to look into the matter.
BishopAccountability.org, a victim advocacy organization that maintains an electronic archive of abuse scandal documents, discovered the document in a court file and released it yesterday. The organization said it has calculated that more than 10 percent of Rhode Island priests have been accused of abuse since 1950, which could give the tiny state the highest rate of abuse allegations in the nation. By contrast, 4 percent of priests nationally and about 7 percent of priests in Boston were accused of abuse between 1950 and 2002.
The exact rate of alleged abuse in Rhode Island, the most Catholic state in the nation, is not possible to determine, because the diocese has not said how many priests served there since 1971 and has not revised Mulvee's figure of 56 accused priests since 1950 to reflect the new data contained in the court document.
Yesterday, victims' advocates called on federal or state officials in Rhode Island to launch an investigation into the conduct of the Providence Diocese, which includes the entire state. They said Rhode Island prosecutors have not conducted as thorough an investigation of the local church as have law enforcement officials in Boston, Philadelphia, and Manchester, N.H.
"The Providence Diocese is sitting on secrets of crime, and they don't have a right to these secrets anymore," said Anne Barrett Doyle, codirector of BishopAccountability.org. "This diocese is surely keeping secrets of men who are molesting today, and the diocese has such clout in Rhode Island that the only hope is going to be a prosecutor seeing it as his moral obligation to find out what secrets they're keeping."Continued...
இதில் 95 பாதிரிகள் குழந்தைகளை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்ததாக குற்றம் சாட்டப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
New R.I. report raises questions on clergy abuse
Diocese says vague cases behind rise; AG concerned
Ann Hagan Webb (right) of Wellesley, who is a sexual abuse survivor, spoke yesterday during a press conference in Providence held by BishopAccountability.org. (STEW MILNE FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | October 20, 2007
Between 1971 and 2007, 125 priests in Rhode Island were accused of sexual assault or sexual misconduct, including 95 accused of child molestation or sexual assault of a minor, according to a court document filed by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.
That number is higher than the 56 priests that Tobin's predecessor, Bishop Robert E. Mulvee, reported in 2004 as having been accused of sexual abuse of a minor between 1950 and 2002.
The diocese said yesterday that the discrepancy is because the number reported three years ago included only credible allegations, while the number in the more recent court filing included an unspecified number of allegations that were "vague, anonymous, withdrawn, or ultimately found to be false." The diocese also said the higher number, which it said was adjusted to 85 after a careful document review, also includes allegations made after 2002, when a large number of alleged victims came forward as the clergy sexual abuse crisis erupted nationally.
But Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch expressed concern about the previously unreported cases and said he intended to look into the matter.
BishopAccountability.org, a victim advocacy organization that maintains an electronic archive of abuse scandal documents, discovered the document in a court file and released it yesterday. The organization said it has calculated that more than 10 percent of Rhode Island priests have been accused of abuse since 1950, which could give the tiny state the highest rate of abuse allegations in the nation. By contrast, 4 percent of priests nationally and about 7 percent of priests in Boston were accused of abuse between 1950 and 2002.
The exact rate of alleged abuse in Rhode Island, the most Catholic state in the nation, is not possible to determine, because the diocese has not said how many priests served there since 1971 and has not revised Mulvee's figure of 56 accused priests since 1950 to reflect the new data contained in the court document.
Yesterday, victims' advocates called on federal or state officials in Rhode Island to launch an investigation into the conduct of the Providence Diocese, which includes the entire state. They said Rhode Island prosecutors have not conducted as thorough an investigation of the local church as have law enforcement officials in Boston, Philadelphia, and Manchester, N.H.
"The Providence Diocese is sitting on secrets of crime, and they don't have a right to these secrets anymore," said Anne Barrett Doyle, codirector of BishopAccountability.org. "This diocese is surely keeping secrets of men who are molesting today, and the diocese has such clout in Rhode Island that the only hope is going to be a prosecutor seeing it as his moral obligation to find out what secrets they're keeping."Continued...
Sunday, October 21, 2007
மதபோதகர் மீது திருச்சபை பாலியல் குற்றச்சாட்டு
சமையல் செய்யும் பெண்ணுடன் தொடர்பு : மதபோதகர் மீது திருச்சபை குற்றச்சாட்டு
கிருஷ்ணகிரி: சமையல் செய்யும் பெண்ணுடன் பாலியல் தொடர்பு வைத்துள்ளதாக கிருஷ்ணகிரி மதபோதகர் மீது திருச்சபை நிர்வாகிகள் குற்றம் சாட்டியுள்ளனர்.
கிருஷ்ணகிரி பெங்களுரூ ரோடு கலெக்டர் பங்களா அருகே ஐ.இ.எல்.சி., நுõற்றாண்டு திருச்சபை உள்ளது. அதில், கிருஷ்ணகிரியை சேர்ந்த 172 குடும்பத்தினர் உறுப்பினராக உள்ளனர். இந்த சர்ச் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள இல்லத்தில் ஊனமுற்ற குழந்தைகள் 50 பேர் தங்கி படிக்கின்றனர். திருச்சபை நிர்வாகத்தை மதபோதகர் கவனித்து வருகிறார்.
வேலுõர் மாவட்டம் ஆம்பூரை சேர்ந்த அலெக்சாண்டர், 1991 முதல் இச்திருச்சபையில் மதபோதகராக இருந்து வருகிறார். அவருக்கு திருச்சபை சார்பில் மாத சம்பளமாக ரூ.11 ஆயிரத்து 500 வழங்கப்படுகிறது. திருச்சபையில் நடக்கும் வாராந்திர ஜெப கூட்டங்களுக்கு மதபோதகர் தலைமை வகிக்க வேண்டும். மூன்று மாதத்துக்கு ஒரு முறை சபை உறுப்பினர்களது குடும்பங்களை சந்திக்க வேண்டும். இந்த நிலையில், சர்ச் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள ஊனமுற்றோர் இல்லத்தில் சமையல் வேலை செய்து வரும் பெண்ணிடம் மதபோதகர் அலெக்சாண்டர் பாலியல் தொடர்பு வைத்துள்ளதாக பரபரப்பு குற்றச்சாட்டை திருச்சபை நிர்வாகிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.
இது குறித்து திருச்சபை தலைவர் தங்கராஜ், செயலாளர் ஏசையன், பொருளாளர் சாமுவேல் சாலமன் ஆகியோர் கூறியதாவது: பணியில் சேர்ந்ததில் இருந்தே மதபோதகர் அலெக்சாண்டர் சபை மக்கள் விரும்பும் வகையில் பணியாற்றவில்லை. சர்ச் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள ஊனமுற்றோர் இல்லத்தை தன் வசமாக்கி விட்டார். ஊனமுற்ற குழந்தைகளுக்கு கிடைக்கும் பணத்தில் ஒரு பகுதியை எடுத்துக் கொள்கிறார். பூட்ஸ் காலால் ஊனமுற்ற சிறு குழந்தைகளை உதைத்து சித்ரவதை செய்து வருகிறார். அவரிடம் நடந்த சம்பவம் குறித்து கேள்வி கேட்டால், அவருக்கு ஆதரவாக உள்ள உறுப்பினர்களை வைத்து பதில் கொடுக்கிறார். எதிர்த்து கேட்பவர்களை சபையை விட்டும் வெளியேற்றுகிறார். மூன்று மணி நேரம் மதபோதகர் இல்லத்தையும், சமையல் அறையையும் பூட்டி வைத்து, சமையல் செய்யும் சாந்தி என்ற பெண்ணுடன் தனியாக இருக்கிறார். இந்த மாதிரி சம்பவம் ஊனமுற்ற காப்பாளர் மற்றும் துணை காப்பாளருக்கு தெரிந்தே நடக்கிறது. இந்த தகவல் தெரிந்ததும் சபை உறுப்பினர்கள், இளைஞர்கள், பெண்கள் கோபமடைந்துள்ளனர். 80 குடும்பத்தினர் கையெழுத்திட்டு, எங்களிடம் புகார் அளித்துள்ளனர். திருச்சபை நிர்வாகிகள் புகாரின் மீது விசாரணை நடத்தி, மதபோதகரின் அழைப்பை திரும்ப பெற்றுக்கொள்வது என தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றியுள்ளோம். புகார் குறித்து விவாதிக்க இன்று (20ம் தேதி) சபை கூட்ட அழைப்பு சுற்றறிக்கை, நிர்வாகிகளால் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டு மதபோதகரின் கையெழுத்தை கேட்டோம். அவர் கையெழுத்து போட மறுத்ததால், கூட்டம் நடக்கவில்லை. முறைகேடு மற்றும் பாலியல் குற்றச்சாட்டுக்கு ஆளான மதபோதகர் சபையை விட்டு வெளியேறாவிட்டால், நாங்கள் சர்ச் முன் தீக்குளிக்கவும் தயாராக உள்ளோம்.இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.
மதபோதகர் அலெக்சாண்டர் கூறுகையில்,"கருத்து வேறுபாடு உள்ள சில சபை உறுப்பினர்கள், அவதுõறான செய்தியை பரப்பி வருகின்றனர். அவை அனைத்தும் உண்மையற்றவை. எனது உடல் நிலை சரியில்லாததால், திருச்சபை செயலரிடம் விடுப்பு மனுவை அளித்துள்ளேன். உடல்நிலை சரியானவுடன் திருச்சபை கூட்டத்தை கூட்டி அனைத்து குற்றச்சாட்டுகளையும் விவாதிப்பேன்' என்றார்.
நன்றி தினமலர்
கிருஷ்ணகிரி: சமையல் செய்யும் பெண்ணுடன் பாலியல் தொடர்பு வைத்துள்ளதாக கிருஷ்ணகிரி மதபோதகர் மீது திருச்சபை நிர்வாகிகள் குற்றம் சாட்டியுள்ளனர்.
கிருஷ்ணகிரி பெங்களுரூ ரோடு கலெக்டர் பங்களா அருகே ஐ.இ.எல்.சி., நுõற்றாண்டு திருச்சபை உள்ளது. அதில், கிருஷ்ணகிரியை சேர்ந்த 172 குடும்பத்தினர் உறுப்பினராக உள்ளனர். இந்த சர்ச் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள இல்லத்தில் ஊனமுற்ற குழந்தைகள் 50 பேர் தங்கி படிக்கின்றனர். திருச்சபை நிர்வாகத்தை மதபோதகர் கவனித்து வருகிறார்.
வேலுõர் மாவட்டம் ஆம்பூரை சேர்ந்த அலெக்சாண்டர், 1991 முதல் இச்திருச்சபையில் மதபோதகராக இருந்து வருகிறார். அவருக்கு திருச்சபை சார்பில் மாத சம்பளமாக ரூ.11 ஆயிரத்து 500 வழங்கப்படுகிறது. திருச்சபையில் நடக்கும் வாராந்திர ஜெப கூட்டங்களுக்கு மதபோதகர் தலைமை வகிக்க வேண்டும். மூன்று மாதத்துக்கு ஒரு முறை சபை உறுப்பினர்களது குடும்பங்களை சந்திக்க வேண்டும். இந்த நிலையில், சர்ச் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள ஊனமுற்றோர் இல்லத்தில் சமையல் வேலை செய்து வரும் பெண்ணிடம் மதபோதகர் அலெக்சாண்டர் பாலியல் தொடர்பு வைத்துள்ளதாக பரபரப்பு குற்றச்சாட்டை திருச்சபை நிர்வாகிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.
இது குறித்து திருச்சபை தலைவர் தங்கராஜ், செயலாளர் ஏசையன், பொருளாளர் சாமுவேல் சாலமன் ஆகியோர் கூறியதாவது: பணியில் சேர்ந்ததில் இருந்தே மதபோதகர் அலெக்சாண்டர் சபை மக்கள் விரும்பும் வகையில் பணியாற்றவில்லை. சர்ச் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள ஊனமுற்றோர் இல்லத்தை தன் வசமாக்கி விட்டார். ஊனமுற்ற குழந்தைகளுக்கு கிடைக்கும் பணத்தில் ஒரு பகுதியை எடுத்துக் கொள்கிறார். பூட்ஸ் காலால் ஊனமுற்ற சிறு குழந்தைகளை உதைத்து சித்ரவதை செய்து வருகிறார். அவரிடம் நடந்த சம்பவம் குறித்து கேள்வி கேட்டால், அவருக்கு ஆதரவாக உள்ள உறுப்பினர்களை வைத்து பதில் கொடுக்கிறார். எதிர்த்து கேட்பவர்களை சபையை விட்டும் வெளியேற்றுகிறார். மூன்று மணி நேரம் மதபோதகர் இல்லத்தையும், சமையல் அறையையும் பூட்டி வைத்து, சமையல் செய்யும் சாந்தி என்ற பெண்ணுடன் தனியாக இருக்கிறார். இந்த மாதிரி சம்பவம் ஊனமுற்ற காப்பாளர் மற்றும் துணை காப்பாளருக்கு தெரிந்தே நடக்கிறது. இந்த தகவல் தெரிந்ததும் சபை உறுப்பினர்கள், இளைஞர்கள், பெண்கள் கோபமடைந்துள்ளனர். 80 குடும்பத்தினர் கையெழுத்திட்டு, எங்களிடம் புகார் அளித்துள்ளனர். திருச்சபை நிர்வாகிகள் புகாரின் மீது விசாரணை நடத்தி, மதபோதகரின் அழைப்பை திரும்ப பெற்றுக்கொள்வது என தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றியுள்ளோம். புகார் குறித்து விவாதிக்க இன்று (20ம் தேதி) சபை கூட்ட அழைப்பு சுற்றறிக்கை, நிர்வாகிகளால் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டு மதபோதகரின் கையெழுத்தை கேட்டோம். அவர் கையெழுத்து போட மறுத்ததால், கூட்டம் நடக்கவில்லை. முறைகேடு மற்றும் பாலியல் குற்றச்சாட்டுக்கு ஆளான மதபோதகர் சபையை விட்டு வெளியேறாவிட்டால், நாங்கள் சர்ச் முன் தீக்குளிக்கவும் தயாராக உள்ளோம்.இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.
மதபோதகர் அலெக்சாண்டர் கூறுகையில்,"கருத்து வேறுபாடு உள்ள சில சபை உறுப்பினர்கள், அவதுõறான செய்தியை பரப்பி வருகின்றனர். அவை அனைத்தும் உண்மையற்றவை. எனது உடல் நிலை சரியில்லாததால், திருச்சபை செயலரிடம் விடுப்பு மனுவை அளித்துள்ளேன். உடல்நிலை சரியானவுடன் திருச்சபை கூட்டத்தை கூட்டி அனைத்து குற்றச்சாட்டுகளையும் விவாதிப்பேன்' என்றார்.
நன்றி தினமலர்
Thursday, October 18, 2007
கிறிஸ்துவத்துக்கு முந்திய ஐரோப்பிய பாகன் மதங்கள் மீண்டும் புத்துயிர்ப்பு
கிறிஸ்துவத்தை துறக்கும் பல ஐரோப்பியர்களும் அமெரிக்கர்களும், கிறிஸ்துவத்துக்கு முந்திய ஐரோப்பிய பாகன் மதங்களை உயிர்ப்பித்து சேருகிறார்கள்.
இவர்களை பாகன் (pagan ) என்று கிறிஸ்துவர்கள் அழைத்தனர். pagan என்பது கிராமத்தான் என்ற பொருள் படும். அதே போல வில்லன் என்பதும் ville என்னும் கிராமத்தான் என்ற பொருள்படும். கிறிஸ்துவம் என்ற நகரத்து மதம், கிராமத்தினரை ஒடுக்கி அவர்களது மதங்களை அழித்ததை திருப்பி மீண்டும் புராதன மதங்களை மீட்டெடுக்க முயலும் இவர்களோடு இணைந்து போராடுவோம்
வாழ்க வளமுடன்
Pagan Pride draws crowd for inaugural celebration
By Ashley Meeks Sun-News reporter
Article Launched: 10/14/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT
LAS CRUCES — Attendees at Saturday's first Las Cruces Pagan Pride celebration gathered at Veterans Park — an entrance marked by the presence of a man with a fanny-pack, a straw hat, a sign and a huge white cross.
Garland Turner, a member of Bethel Bible Fellowship, said while he routinely paces the city's sidewalks billboarding for Jesus, it was no coincidence where he placed himself Saturday.
"The message is Jesus loves everyone," Turner said, "but he only saves those who accept him. What I think about (the Pagans) doesn't matter. They have to please God."
"Hopefully," he said, smiling, "I'm not being obnoxious."
But the celebration inside the park, which represented practitioners of Wicca, Celtic spirituality, Druidism, Shamanism and other Indo-European pre-Christian faiths, was focused on eliminating prejudice and religious discrimination — and many people not only trekked to the sidewalk to chat with the lone protester, they brought him water as well.
Bearing donations of canned food for Families and Youth, Inc. as admission, an estimated 200 people came out to the inaugural celebration of modern Paganism, which featured yoga and belly-dancing workshops, lectures, music from drums and bagpipes, tarot readings, a midwifery booth and a children's area.
Local midwife Mel Bailey, 27, a pan-en-theist, who believes God is in everything, said she was excited to see the public recognition of varied faiths.
"I think it's kind of revolutionary," she said.
Organizer Sabine Green says Pagans, for the most part, believe in multiple deities and honor the earth and mostly pre-Christian beliefs. It is also a much-misinterpreted faith.
"We want to dispel the myth that we're devil worshippers, that we harm animals or people and the majority of us don't do dark spells to negatively influence anyone," she said. "We don't need a building to worship in. We worship solitary. It's very personal. We don't believe we need clergy."
Scott Russell, who in 1998 completed the largest census on Pagans available at the time, said the faith is experiencing tremendous growth, in part because it doesn't take an "exclusive claim."
"You can be a Christo-Pagan," he said. "You can explore this while going to Catholic Mass ... you don't have to be initiated, no one's checking your card."
In addition, Russell said the movement is becoming more "self-identified" — people aren't afraid to call themselves witches anymore.
"Before, those were derogatory terms," he said.
Now, he said, with the ability of people to network and research, especially online, he said those misconceptions are falling away.
"Not Christian doesn't mean anti-Christian," he said, especially considering the Pagan belief in interconnectedness, that one's actions, whether good or bad, will come back threefold to them. "That puts a real damper on "let's go put a hex on the guy on the corner.'"
Ashley Meeks can be reached at ameeks@lcsun-news.com
இவர்களை பாகன் (pagan ) என்று கிறிஸ்துவர்கள் அழைத்தனர். pagan என்பது கிராமத்தான் என்ற பொருள் படும். அதே போல வில்லன் என்பதும் ville என்னும் கிராமத்தான் என்ற பொருள்படும். கிறிஸ்துவம் என்ற நகரத்து மதம், கிராமத்தினரை ஒடுக்கி அவர்களது மதங்களை அழித்ததை திருப்பி மீண்டும் புராதன மதங்களை மீட்டெடுக்க முயலும் இவர்களோடு இணைந்து போராடுவோம்
வாழ்க வளமுடன்
Pagan Pride draws crowd for inaugural celebration
By Ashley Meeks Sun-News reporter
Article Launched: 10/14/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT
LAS CRUCES — Attendees at Saturday's first Las Cruces Pagan Pride celebration gathered at Veterans Park — an entrance marked by the presence of a man with a fanny-pack, a straw hat, a sign and a huge white cross.
Garland Turner, a member of Bethel Bible Fellowship, said while he routinely paces the city's sidewalks billboarding for Jesus, it was no coincidence where he placed himself Saturday.
"The message is Jesus loves everyone," Turner said, "but he only saves those who accept him. What I think about (the Pagans) doesn't matter. They have to please God."
"Hopefully," he said, smiling, "I'm not being obnoxious."
But the celebration inside the park, which represented practitioners of Wicca, Celtic spirituality, Druidism, Shamanism and other Indo-European pre-Christian faiths, was focused on eliminating prejudice and religious discrimination — and many people not only trekked to the sidewalk to chat with the lone protester, they brought him water as well.
Bearing donations of canned food for Families and Youth, Inc. as admission, an estimated 200 people came out to the inaugural celebration of modern Paganism, which featured yoga and belly-dancing workshops, lectures, music from drums and bagpipes, tarot readings, a midwifery booth and a children's area.
Local midwife Mel Bailey, 27, a pan-en-theist, who believes God is in everything, said she was excited to see the public recognition of varied faiths.
"I think it's kind of revolutionary," she said.
Organizer Sabine Green says Pagans, for the most part, believe in multiple deities and honor the earth and mostly pre-Christian beliefs. It is also a much-misinterpreted faith.
"We want to dispel the myth that we're devil worshippers, that we harm animals or people and the majority of us don't do dark spells to negatively influence anyone," she said. "We don't need a building to worship in. We worship solitary. It's very personal. We don't believe we need clergy."
Scott Russell, who in 1998 completed the largest census on Pagans available at the time, said the faith is experiencing tremendous growth, in part because it doesn't take an "exclusive claim."
"You can be a Christo-Pagan," he said. "You can explore this while going to Catholic Mass ... you don't have to be initiated, no one's checking your card."
In addition, Russell said the movement is becoming more "self-identified" — people aren't afraid to call themselves witches anymore.
"Before, those were derogatory terms," he said.
Now, he said, with the ability of people to network and research, especially online, he said those misconceptions are falling away.
"Not Christian doesn't mean anti-Christian," he said, especially considering the Pagan belief in interconnectedness, that one's actions, whether good or bad, will come back threefold to them. "That puts a real damper on "let's go put a hex on the guy on the corner.'"
Ashley Meeks can be reached at ameeks@lcsun-news.com
Thursday, September 06, 2007
கிறிஸ்துவ மதத்தை பிரச்சாரம் செய்ததற்காக அல்ஜீரியாவில் 5 பேருக்கு தூக்குதண்டனை!
கிறிஸ்துவ மதத்தை பிரச்சாரம் செய்ததற்காக அல்ஜீரியாவில் ஐந்து பேருக்கு தூக்கு தண்டனை வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
2006இல் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்ட சட்டம், கிறிஸ்துவ மதத்தை பிரச்சாரம் செய்வதை தடுக்கிறது.
இதன் படி ஐந்து பேருக்கு தூக்கு தண்டனை வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இந்தியாவில் கோவிலுக்கு வரும் இந்து பக்தர்களிடம் பாவிகளே என்று கத்துவது போல, அல்ஜீரியாவில் மசூதிகளின் முன்னால், நமாஸ் செய்ய வருபவர்களிடம் பாவிகளே என்று கத்தினார்களா என்று தெரியவில்லை.
அப்படியே கத்தியிருந்தாலும், தூக்கு தண்டனை எல்லாம் ரொம்ப ஜாஸ்தி. நம் ஊரில் செய்வது போல, இதெல்லாம் கழண்ட கேஸ் என்று ஒதுங்கி போயிருக்கலாம்.
2006 legal texts on religious practice implemented
5 sentenced for Christian doctrine preaching and public order offences
Five people were sentenced earlier in June for charges related preaching Christian doctrine and public order offences by virtue of the law on the religious practice in Algeria approved by the government in 2006. The sentences vary between one year sentence with no remission and one year suspended sentence with a 5000 AD fine.
Public authorities started implementing the legal texts ruling the religious practice in Algeria. Five people are to be tried for Christian doctrine preaching as well as public order offending. Sentences were considered by the indicted as a beach to the freedom of worship established by the constitution and stressed that they were trapped by security services.
The press attaché at the religious affairs ministry Mr. Tammine said he didn’t know about the trial, but all those who practice illegally the religious rituals i.e. outside the religious community. The same legal texts are applicable to Salafist Muslim communities.
Mr. Tammine recalled the French Monk Philippe Martinez expelled from Algeria because of disturbances he caused as he claimed he was sent by the Christ to “burn Algeria”. He manoeuvred the situation prevailing then to fuel violence in Algeria.
2006இல் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்ட சட்டம், கிறிஸ்துவ மதத்தை பிரச்சாரம் செய்வதை தடுக்கிறது.
இதன் படி ஐந்து பேருக்கு தூக்கு தண்டனை வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இந்தியாவில் கோவிலுக்கு வரும் இந்து பக்தர்களிடம் பாவிகளே என்று கத்துவது போல, அல்ஜீரியாவில் மசூதிகளின் முன்னால், நமாஸ் செய்ய வருபவர்களிடம் பாவிகளே என்று கத்தினார்களா என்று தெரியவில்லை.
அப்படியே கத்தியிருந்தாலும், தூக்கு தண்டனை எல்லாம் ரொம்ப ஜாஸ்தி. நம் ஊரில் செய்வது போல, இதெல்லாம் கழண்ட கேஸ் என்று ஒதுங்கி போயிருக்கலாம்.
2006 legal texts on religious practice implemented
5 sentenced for Christian doctrine preaching and public order offences
Five people were sentenced earlier in June for charges related preaching Christian doctrine and public order offences by virtue of the law on the religious practice in Algeria approved by the government in 2006. The sentences vary between one year sentence with no remission and one year suspended sentence with a 5000 AD fine.
Public authorities started implementing the legal texts ruling the religious practice in Algeria. Five people are to be tried for Christian doctrine preaching as well as public order offending. Sentences were considered by the indicted as a beach to the freedom of worship established by the constitution and stressed that they were trapped by security services.
The press attaché at the religious affairs ministry Mr. Tammine said he didn’t know about the trial, but all those who practice illegally the religious rituals i.e. outside the religious community. The same legal texts are applicable to Salafist Muslim communities.
Mr. Tammine recalled the French Monk Philippe Martinez expelled from Algeria because of disturbances he caused as he claimed he was sent by the Christ to “burn Algeria”. He manoeuvred the situation prevailing then to fuel violence in Algeria.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
கேரள கிறிஸ்துவர்களுக்குள் குழப்பம்
கேரள கம்யூனிஸ்ட் அரசுக்கும் கிறிஸ்துவ சர்ச்சுகளுக்கும் இடையே நடக்கும் சண்டையில் சாதாரண கிறிஸ்துவர்கள் எரிச்சலடைந்துவருகிறார்கள்.
கத்தோலிக்க சர்ச் நடத்தும் கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் அரசாங்கம் கொடுக்கும் மாணவர்களையும் சேர்த்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்ற அரசாங்க கோரிக்கையை சர்ச் நிராகரிக்கிறது. சிறுபான்மை உரிமையில் கைவப்பதாகும் என்று பிஷப்புகள் கூறுகிறார்கள்.
அதற்காக "சிறுபான்மையினர் உரிமை"யை பாதுகாப்பதற்காக சாதாரண கிறிஸ்துவர்களை கூட்டம் கூட்டி போராட்டம் நடத்துகிறார்கள்.
காஞ்சிரப்பள்ளி பிஷப் அரக்கால் என்பவரும் பாரிஸ் அபுபக்கர் என்ற மோசடி பேர்வழியும் நெருங்கிய நண்பர்களாக இருப்பது கிறிஸ்துவர்களுக்கு எரிச்சலூட்டுகிறது. இந்த இருவருக்கும் எதிராக பேரணிகளில் கோஷம் எழுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது.
தீபிகா என்ற கிறிஸ்துவ பத்திரிக்கை பாரிஸ் அபுபக்கரிடம் விற்கப்பட்டது கிறிஸ்துவர்களை எரிச்சலடையச் செய்திருக்கிறது.
Church firm on anti-Govt campaign but irritants crop up
Pioneer News Service | Kochi
The Kerala Catholic Bishop's Conference had last week shown signs of a climb-down from its intransigence over the approach to the LDF Government by saying that the Church was ready for talks, but there are enough indications to prove that a ceasefire is unlikely to happen soon.
The rally organised by the Inter-Church Council in Kottayam on Sunday and the reported plan of the Church to constitute rights protection groups across the State to "save" the institutions owned by it from the Government move for "invasion" are indications of a protracted standoff between the church and the LDF Government. However, the whole-hearted unity of the entire community of Christian faithful is in doubt, if sources within the church are to be believed.
The KCBC, after a meeting here on Saturday last, had said that the conference's educational commission led by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil, one of the most vocal clerics against the Government, would lead the discussions. However, sources within the Church said that discussions could continue but that did not necessitated a withdrawal of the agitations for the protection of minority rights.
The standoff between the Church and the Government is now more than one month old since the fiery speech delivered by Mar Andrews Thazhath. In the speech, he asked the laity to prepare for a second liberation struggle (on the lines of the first in 1957) to save the honour of minorities and the institutions owned by the Church.
Since then the Catholic Church and the LDF Government are at loggerheads over the admissions and fee structure of the minority run professional institutions, including medical and engineering colleges. The Church is also irked over the alleged move of the Government to give more powers to local administration bodies for more control over aided schools, which it describes as a calculated effort to control minority institutions.
That the clergy wants to take the agitation against the Government to furious levels forcing the Government to concede to its demands is amply clear from the speeches by various bishops and archbishops and the many pastoral letters read out so far at Sunday masses at Christian places of worship. But reports say that the initial fervour all this had created had undergone a transformation and the support for the call for liberation struggle is waning.
A sign of this was witnessed at Kottayam on Sunday when a section of the participants at the rally had shouted slogans against Deepika daily chairman M Faris Aboobacker and Kanjirappally Bishop Mathew Arackal, who is known to be a close to the former.
The issue of the transfer of ownership of Deepika newspaper, which had till recfently been the pride of each Christian in the State, has become an irritant in the plan for total agitation against the LDF Government. This irritant is of particular significance as there had already criticisms that the church heads were trying to whip up passion among the faithful on a non-issue as the Government had already explained that it did not want to curtail minority rights or had not decided to impose local administration bodies' control over the interests of the church of which the clergy was apprehensive.
The close rapport between the Kanjirappally Bishop and Faris Aboobacker is now being questioned the small shareholders of Deepika, who are suspicious about the actual deal behind the transfer of ownership of the paper. There is a section among the faithful that Faris had played some big-business game to take over the paper, to which knowingly or unknowingly Mar Arackal had become an accomplice. There are also allegations that when Faris is claiming that the takeover cost was Rs 20 crore, the actual cost had been not more than Rs 10 crore.
Though the laity is not all that appreciative of Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan's description of Faris as a "hated" personality, his reference had indeed acted as a catalyst to the suspicion of the common faithful.
கத்தோலிக்க சர்ச் நடத்தும் கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் அரசாங்கம் கொடுக்கும் மாணவர்களையும் சேர்த்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்ற அரசாங்க கோரிக்கையை சர்ச் நிராகரிக்கிறது. சிறுபான்மை உரிமையில் கைவப்பதாகும் என்று பிஷப்புகள் கூறுகிறார்கள்.
அதற்காக "சிறுபான்மையினர் உரிமை"யை பாதுகாப்பதற்காக சாதாரண கிறிஸ்துவர்களை கூட்டம் கூட்டி போராட்டம் நடத்துகிறார்கள்.
காஞ்சிரப்பள்ளி பிஷப் அரக்கால் என்பவரும் பாரிஸ் அபுபக்கர் என்ற மோசடி பேர்வழியும் நெருங்கிய நண்பர்களாக இருப்பது கிறிஸ்துவர்களுக்கு எரிச்சலூட்டுகிறது. இந்த இருவருக்கும் எதிராக பேரணிகளில் கோஷம் எழுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது.
தீபிகா என்ற கிறிஸ்துவ பத்திரிக்கை பாரிஸ் அபுபக்கரிடம் விற்கப்பட்டது கிறிஸ்துவர்களை எரிச்சலடையச் செய்திருக்கிறது.
Church firm on anti-Govt campaign but irritants crop up
Pioneer News Service | Kochi
The Kerala Catholic Bishop's Conference had last week shown signs of a climb-down from its intransigence over the approach to the LDF Government by saying that the Church was ready for talks, but there are enough indications to prove that a ceasefire is unlikely to happen soon.
The rally organised by the Inter-Church Council in Kottayam on Sunday and the reported plan of the Church to constitute rights protection groups across the State to "save" the institutions owned by it from the Government move for "invasion" are indications of a protracted standoff between the church and the LDF Government. However, the whole-hearted unity of the entire community of Christian faithful is in doubt, if sources within the church are to be believed.
The KCBC, after a meeting here on Saturday last, had said that the conference's educational commission led by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil, one of the most vocal clerics against the Government, would lead the discussions. However, sources within the Church said that discussions could continue but that did not necessitated a withdrawal of the agitations for the protection of minority rights.
The standoff between the Church and the Government is now more than one month old since the fiery speech delivered by Mar Andrews Thazhath. In the speech, he asked the laity to prepare for a second liberation struggle (on the lines of the first in 1957) to save the honour of minorities and the institutions owned by the Church.
Since then the Catholic Church and the LDF Government are at loggerheads over the admissions and fee structure of the minority run professional institutions, including medical and engineering colleges. The Church is also irked over the alleged move of the Government to give more powers to local administration bodies for more control over aided schools, which it describes as a calculated effort to control minority institutions.
That the clergy wants to take the agitation against the Government to furious levels forcing the Government to concede to its demands is amply clear from the speeches by various bishops and archbishops and the many pastoral letters read out so far at Sunday masses at Christian places of worship. But reports say that the initial fervour all this had created had undergone a transformation and the support for the call for liberation struggle is waning.
A sign of this was witnessed at Kottayam on Sunday when a section of the participants at the rally had shouted slogans against Deepika daily chairman M Faris Aboobacker and Kanjirappally Bishop Mathew Arackal, who is known to be a close to the former.
The issue of the transfer of ownership of Deepika newspaper, which had till recfently been the pride of each Christian in the State, has become an irritant in the plan for total agitation against the LDF Government. This irritant is of particular significance as there had already criticisms that the church heads were trying to whip up passion among the faithful on a non-issue as the Government had already explained that it did not want to curtail minority rights or had not decided to impose local administration bodies' control over the interests of the church of which the clergy was apprehensive.
The close rapport between the Kanjirappally Bishop and Faris Aboobacker is now being questioned the small shareholders of Deepika, who are suspicious about the actual deal behind the transfer of ownership of the paper. There is a section among the faithful that Faris had played some big-business game to take over the paper, to which knowingly or unknowingly Mar Arackal had become an accomplice. There are also allegations that when Faris is claiming that the takeover cost was Rs 20 crore, the actual cost had been not more than Rs 10 crore.
Though the laity is not all that appreciative of Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan's description of Faris as a "hated" personality, his reference had indeed acted as a catalyst to the suspicion of the common faithful.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
85 சதவீத கிறிஸ்துவ சர்ச்சுகளில் பாதிரியார்களே ஏராளமாக திருடியிருக்கிறார்கள். சர்வே
அமெரிக்க கத்தோலிக்க சர்ச்சுகளில் 85 சதவீத சர்ச்சுகளுக்கு கிறிஸ்துவர்கள் கொடுத்த பணம் கோடிக்கணக்கில் பாதிரியார்கள் திருடியிருக்கிறார்கள் என்று சர்வே கூறுகிறது.
Survey Finds Embezzlement In Many Catholic Dioceses
January 5, 2007, Friday
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN AND STEPHANIE STROM (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 11, Column 5, 1007 words
DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Survey by researchers at Villanova University finds 85 percent of Roman Catholic dioceses that responded discovered embezzlement of church money in last five years, with 11 percent reporting more than $500,000 had been stolen; specialists in church ethics claim Catholic Church has some of most rigorous financial guidelines of any denomination; but survey finds guidelines were often ignored in parishes; officials at United States Conference of Catholic Bishops say they are considering ways that parishes could tighten their financial controls; survey did not ask who stole money
Survey Finds Embezzlement In Many Catholic Dioceses
January 5, 2007, Friday
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN AND STEPHANIE STROM (NYT); National Desk
Late Edition - Final, Section A, Page 11, Column 5, 1007 words
DISPLAYING ABSTRACT - Survey by researchers at Villanova University finds 85 percent of Roman Catholic dioceses that responded discovered embezzlement of church money in last five years, with 11 percent reporting more than $500,000 had been stolen; specialists in church ethics claim Catholic Church has some of most rigorous financial guidelines of any denomination; but survey finds guidelines were often ignored in parishes; officials at United States Conference of Catholic Bishops say they are considering ways that parishes could tighten their financial controls; survey did not ask who stole money
Sunday, August 05, 2007
இத்தாலியின் மிக முக்கியமான பிஷப் டான் பியரெனோ ஜெல்மினி சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவுக்கு பயன்படுத்தியதாக குற்றச்சாட்டு
இத்தாலியின் மிக முக்கியமான பிஷப் டான் பியரெனோ ஜெல்மினி சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவுக்கு பயன்படுத்தினார். பலாத்காரம் செய்தார் ஆகிய குற்றச்சாட்டுகளுக்காக விசாரிக்கப்படுகிறார் என்று பத்திரிக்கை செய்திகள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.
போதை மருந்துக்கு அடிமையானவர்களுக்கு சேவை செய்வதற்காக கட்டப்பட்ட சேவை நிலையங்களில் இருப்பவர்களை இவ்வாறு பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்தார் என்றும் குற்றச்சாட்டுகள் கூறுகின்றன.
'Celebrity priest' in paedophilia probe
Published: 04 August 2007
A "celebrity" priest, founder of an organisation with more than 280 drug rehabilitation centres around the world, is under investigation in central Italy for alleged paedophilia.
Don Pierino Gelmini is one of the church's best-known faces on Italian television, a close friend of top politicians including former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, a rent-a-quote figure with right-wing views on drugs and family values.
In 2004, while still Prime Minister, Mr Berlusconi made the 80-year-old priest, founder of "Comunita Incontro", a public gift of 10 billion lira (£3.5m) for the organisation's work.
But yesterday La Stampa newspaper revealed that the priest has been under investigation, on suspicion of sexually molesting young people, for more than six months. "It seems that the accusations are numerous and coherent," the paper reported. "They revolve around a closed community in which a figure of enormous charisma seems not to have restricted himself to taking care of souls."
The priest's accusers are former residents of Comunita Incontro's centres with a history of drug use. But the magistrates have also interviewed many other possible witnesses, as well as Father Gelmini himself.
No details of the accusations have leaked to the media. Notoriously indiscreet when politicians are under investigation, in this case, perhaps thanks to the power of the church in Italian public life, the magistrates have kept the investigation under wraps.
A friend of the priest, Alessandro Meluzzi, said: "We are anguished, but are pleased to carry the cross that has been thrown on a man who has always served Christ, the church and the lowest of the low." The accusations, he added, came from "a small group of lads who were expelled from the community, who had all the typical problems of drug addicts, and of behaviour and personality as well."
As news of the investigation broke, right-wing politicians rushed to the priest's defence. Maria Burani Procaccini, spokesman on families and children for Forza Italia, Berlusconi's party, said: "In our hearts we say that Don Gelmini is a saint. And we ask the media not to murder the innocent."
போதை மருந்துக்கு அடிமையானவர்களுக்கு சேவை செய்வதற்காக கட்டப்பட்ட சேவை நிலையங்களில் இருப்பவர்களை இவ்வாறு பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்தார் என்றும் குற்றச்சாட்டுகள் கூறுகின்றன.
'Celebrity priest' in paedophilia probe
Published: 04 August 2007
A "celebrity" priest, founder of an organisation with more than 280 drug rehabilitation centres around the world, is under investigation in central Italy for alleged paedophilia.
Don Pierino Gelmini is one of the church's best-known faces on Italian television, a close friend of top politicians including former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, a rent-a-quote figure with right-wing views on drugs and family values.
In 2004, while still Prime Minister, Mr Berlusconi made the 80-year-old priest, founder of "Comunita Incontro", a public gift of 10 billion lira (£3.5m) for the organisation's work.
But yesterday La Stampa newspaper revealed that the priest has been under investigation, on suspicion of sexually molesting young people, for more than six months. "It seems that the accusations are numerous and coherent," the paper reported. "They revolve around a closed community in which a figure of enormous charisma seems not to have restricted himself to taking care of souls."
The priest's accusers are former residents of Comunita Incontro's centres with a history of drug use. But the magistrates have also interviewed many other possible witnesses, as well as Father Gelmini himself.
No details of the accusations have leaked to the media. Notoriously indiscreet when politicians are under investigation, in this case, perhaps thanks to the power of the church in Italian public life, the magistrates have kept the investigation under wraps.
A friend of the priest, Alessandro Meluzzi, said: "We are anguished, but are pleased to carry the cross that has been thrown on a man who has always served Christ, the church and the lowest of the low." The accusations, he added, came from "a small group of lads who were expelled from the community, who had all the typical problems of drug addicts, and of behaviour and personality as well."
As news of the investigation broke, right-wing politicians rushed to the priest's defence. Maria Burani Procaccini, spokesman on families and children for Forza Italia, Berlusconi's party, said: "In our hearts we say that Don Gelmini is a saint. And we ask the media not to murder the innocent."
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
எல்லா பெந்த கொஸ்தே பாஸ்டர்களும் பிராடுகள்
உகாண்டாவின் பெந்தகொஸ்தே பாஸ்டர்கள் அடிக்கும் கூத்தை பற்றிய கடுமையான விமர்சனக்கட்டுரை
நன்றி மானிட்டர். உகாண்டா
I say, all Pentecostal pastors are frauds
July 22 - 28, 2007
Alan Tacca
For the seventh of July, 2007, Pastor Martin Sempa of Makerere Community Church (and other Pentecostal pastors) organised a package of celebrations, which they called 777 Mega-Fest. Hosted at Makerere's main sports ground, the 26-hour marathon event was scheduled to start at 5pm on July 6. According to a July 6 Daily Monitor preview, Pastor Sempa believed the repetitive seven marked a day of wonder and special significance in God's prophetic calendar.
In the West, where ignorance, faddish superstition and consumerism sometimes form an odd montage against a backdrop of advanced civilisation, thousands of people paid attention to 777, and many couples got married on the day.
The Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) of course had their roots in ancient Middle Eastern and Asian paganism. When God - part super Pharaoh and part super magician - was young, His creators did not extricate Him from their long-standing preoccupation with numbers: 3, 7 and 12 making frequent appearances.
Human civilisation has made huge strides in mathematics, astronomy and cosmology since biblical times. For anyone who has attempted to internalise the sheer scale of the universe, it must be blinkered idleness to seriously link any particular calendric coincidence to some overarching divine agenda dedicated to human affairs.
That approach belongs to the same dustbin as the dubious "science" of astrology.
Pastor Sempa knows that he is being fraudulent when he leads the semi-literate young undergraduates who form the bulk of his congregation to a binge of special prayers and worship to mark 777, describing it as the day symbolising 2007, "a year of God's unprecedented blessings." Comparing this period of spiritual abundance to El Nino rains, Sempa throws in the inevitable clincher: "If the farmers knew about this season, they would plant much and harvest much."
Is it a spiritual sowing? Maybe. Is it a material sowing? That cannot be ruled out. In any trade, a subtle practitioner learns to disguise his motives. But my central target is not even pastoral profiteering; it is the very heart - the doctrinal underpinnings - of the Pentecostal ethos.
Pastor Sempa and other "good" pastors (including Ronald Kayanja!) have been quick to distance themselves from the "frauds" accused of sodomy, extortion and overt manipulation, but none of them has renounced the dubiously simplistic notion that they are specially empowered (anointed) intercessors, standing between ordinary humans and the spirit world; that through them the will and the power of God are casually accessible.
They have not renounced their return to a grotesque paganism that masquerades as born-again. Yeboah Jr. would (presumably) manipulate his followers with a 12-volt electric shock machine. Because the process is overtly mechanical, Yeboah's type is readily recognised as a fraud.
Sempa, Kayanja and others regularly manipulate their followers with weird performances and 120-decibel psychedelic sounds. Because the effects on their victims are expressed in hidden brain cell activity, the frauds generally pass as innocent. And in this market place, the "good" pastors must now be eyeing the deserters from the other camp.
But the pastors are tapping into a ready-made reservoir. In many homes, not only is a religious upbringing flaunted as a moral upbringing, but also a non-religious upbringing is fallaciously projected as a non-moral upbringing. In infant schools, where barely literate instructors parrot religious hogwash to millions of kids, the general view is that those lessons are useful; or, at any rate, that they are harmless because they are elementary!
Higher up, religious education tends to be convictional and denominational, instead of being comparative and critical. During their holidays, the teenagers are lured to mass mind control crusades, where politicians and pastors see them as herds of future voters and tithe hostages.
At various colleges, where they would expand their knowledge and develop their critical powers, they find an education regime that teaches them to become "mechanics." When will the pastors face an authentic educated class that instructs them that they are all frauds?
altacca@yahoo.com
நன்றி மானிட்டர். உகாண்டா
I say, all Pentecostal pastors are frauds
July 22 - 28, 2007
Alan Tacca
For the seventh of July, 2007, Pastor Martin Sempa of Makerere Community Church (and other Pentecostal pastors) organised a package of celebrations, which they called 777 Mega-Fest. Hosted at Makerere's main sports ground, the 26-hour marathon event was scheduled to start at 5pm on July 6. According to a July 6 Daily Monitor preview, Pastor Sempa believed the repetitive seven marked a day of wonder and special significance in God's prophetic calendar.
In the West, where ignorance, faddish superstition and consumerism sometimes form an odd montage against a backdrop of advanced civilisation, thousands of people paid attention to 777, and many couples got married on the day.
The Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) of course had their roots in ancient Middle Eastern and Asian paganism. When God - part super Pharaoh and part super magician - was young, His creators did not extricate Him from their long-standing preoccupation with numbers: 3, 7 and 12 making frequent appearances.
Human civilisation has made huge strides in mathematics, astronomy and cosmology since biblical times. For anyone who has attempted to internalise the sheer scale of the universe, it must be blinkered idleness to seriously link any particular calendric coincidence to some overarching divine agenda dedicated to human affairs.
That approach belongs to the same dustbin as the dubious "science" of astrology.
Pastor Sempa knows that he is being fraudulent when he leads the semi-literate young undergraduates who form the bulk of his congregation to a binge of special prayers and worship to mark 777, describing it as the day symbolising 2007, "a year of God's unprecedented blessings." Comparing this period of spiritual abundance to El Nino rains, Sempa throws in the inevitable clincher: "If the farmers knew about this season, they would plant much and harvest much."
Is it a spiritual sowing? Maybe. Is it a material sowing? That cannot be ruled out. In any trade, a subtle practitioner learns to disguise his motives. But my central target is not even pastoral profiteering; it is the very heart - the doctrinal underpinnings - of the Pentecostal ethos.
Pastor Sempa and other "good" pastors (including Ronald Kayanja!) have been quick to distance themselves from the "frauds" accused of sodomy, extortion and overt manipulation, but none of them has renounced the dubiously simplistic notion that they are specially empowered (anointed) intercessors, standing between ordinary humans and the spirit world; that through them the will and the power of God are casually accessible.
They have not renounced their return to a grotesque paganism that masquerades as born-again. Yeboah Jr. would (presumably) manipulate his followers with a 12-volt electric shock machine. Because the process is overtly mechanical, Yeboah's type is readily recognised as a fraud.
Sempa, Kayanja and others regularly manipulate their followers with weird performances and 120-decibel psychedelic sounds. Because the effects on their victims are expressed in hidden brain cell activity, the frauds generally pass as innocent. And in this market place, the "good" pastors must now be eyeing the deserters from the other camp.
But the pastors are tapping into a ready-made reservoir. In many homes, not only is a religious upbringing flaunted as a moral upbringing, but also a non-religious upbringing is fallaciously projected as a non-moral upbringing. In infant schools, where barely literate instructors parrot religious hogwash to millions of kids, the general view is that those lessons are useful; or, at any rate, that they are harmless because they are elementary!
Higher up, religious education tends to be convictional and denominational, instead of being comparative and critical. During their holidays, the teenagers are lured to mass mind control crusades, where politicians and pastors see them as herds of future voters and tithe hostages.
At various colleges, where they would expand their knowledge and develop their critical powers, they find an education regime that teaches them to become "mechanics." When will the pastors face an authentic educated class that instructs them that they are all frauds?
altacca@yahoo.com
Sunday, July 29, 2007
பாகிஸ்தான் பிஷப்பை இஸ்லாமுக்கு மதம் மாறச்சொல்லி மிரட்டல்
பாகிஸ்தான் பிஷப் டிமோதியஸ் நாஸிருக்கு முஸ்லீம் பயங்கரவாத குழுக்கள் மிரட்டல் கடிதம் அனுப்பியுள்ளனர்
இஸ்லாமுக்கு மதம் மாறவில்லை என்றால் அவ்ர் கொல்லப்படுவார் என்று கடிதம் தெரிவிக்கிறது.
அவருக்கு மட்டுமல்ல், பல கிறிஸ்துவ குடும்பங்களுக்கும் இப்படிப்பட்ட மிரட்டல் கடிதங்கள் அனுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளன
Militants threatening letter to Bishop Nasir: “Convert to Islam or die”
Lahore: July 23, 2007. (PCP) Bishop Timotheus Nasir is target of Muslim militant groups in Pakistan after receiving a threatening letter to ordering him “convert to Islam or they would kill him”.
Such threatening letters were dropped in Charsadda and Shanti Nagar in homes of Christians in months of May-June but letter to Bishop Nasir is first to any high profile Christian religious leader in Pakistan.
The threat to Bishop Nasir have created very serious concern among his followers around world after wake of violence by militants in reaction to military operation of Lall Masjid in Islamabad.
Bishop Nasir is principal of century old theological seminary but he served as commissioned officer in armed forces of Pakistan which makes him target of militants.
The extremist Muslim groups in Pakistan have been writing editorial notes and printing news items in their magazines against Bishop Nasir from years.
Bishop Nasir is also editor of ‘Monthly Kalam-e-Haq’ the only Christian publication in Pakistan, covering religion and Christian issues, which is not liked by Muslim religious extremists.
Bishop Nasir came in lime light of Pakistani press when he debated Muslim Scholar Ahmad Deddat in Sialkot who has been challenging Christian faith and inviting debates but non-was facing him. The daring Bishop Nasir debated Deddat in gathering of thousands of Muslims and defeated him with his wisdom and blessings of Lord.
The recent threaten letter to Bishop Nasir can be viewed as very serious threat and not as joke.
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