കേരളത്തിലെ ഇന്നത്തെ മത, സാമൂഹിക, രാഷ്ട്രീയ സാഹചര്യത്തില്‍ ചര്‍ച്ച് ആക്ടിന്റെ പ്രസക്തിയും പ്രാധാന്യവും എത്രയാണെന്ന് ഒട്ടു മിക്ക മലയാളികള്‍ക്കും അറിയാമെങ്കിലും, ഈ വിഷയത്തെ ചുറ്റിപറ്റി കുറെയേറെ തെറ്റിധാരണകള്‍ പലരുടെയും മനസ്സില്‍ കടന്നുകൂടിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. അത്തരം തെറ്റിധാരനകളകറ്റാനായി അല്മായ ശബ്ദം, ശ്രീ ജോസഫ്‌ പുലിക്കുന്നേല്‍ ഇംഗ്ലീഷില്‍ എഴുതിയ “Need for a Church Act, for the administration of the community wealth of Christians” എന്ന booklet അഞ്ചു ഭാഗങ്ങളായി ഇവിടെ പ്രസധീകരിക്കുകയാണ്.
പ്രസ്തുത Booklet-ന്റെ ആദ്യ ഭാഗം ചുവടെ.
Administrator,
Almaya Sabdam Group Blog
Need for a Church Act, for the administration of the community wealth of Christians (Part 1)
The community wealth of all religions in India, except Christians, are regulated by the Acts passed either by the Parliament or by the State Assemblies; Wakff Act for the Muslims, Hindu Endowment Act for the Hindus and Gurudwara Act for the Sikhs.
India is a secular democratic republic, and as such, no religion should be given preferential treatment over other religions. Looking from this angle, the Christian community is discriminated against by the State in the name of religion.
The scenario of priestly domination over the community wealth of other religions has been replaced by laws enacted by the legislatures. The Christian Churches in India, especially the Catholic Church, has billions of rupees worth of property and income, national and international, outside the regulatory control of any Act. The community has practically no say in the administration of this huge wealth. This creates a great imbalance in Indian polity.
Indian Constitution
Article 25 of the Constitution of India states as follows: "(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion. (2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law.(a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice; ...".
Wakff Act, Hindu endowment Acts and Gurudwara Act are enacted according to the sub section (a) of the Constitution.
Article 26 of the Constitution permits the religious sections "to own and acquire movable and immovable property and to administer such property in accordance with law."
So the State has the right to enact law for the administration of the wealth and properties of religions.
Jesus Christ's view on Wealth, Pomp and Authority
Jesus Christ is the founder of the Christian religion. Christ had negated temporal wealth, pomp and authority. He very clearly said, "My kingship is not of this world." (John 18: 36). Just before Jesus' entry into public ministry, Jesus was tempted by the devil, "And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours"(Luke 4: 5-8).
But Jesus declined devil's offer of wealth, authority and pomp of this world.
Moreover, in unequivocal terms, Jesus commanded the apostles not to accumulate wealth in this world. He said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Mathew 6:19). Jesus asserted "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon" (Mathew 6:24).
Jesus' view on authority is as follows: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mathew 20: 25-28).
As per the Gospel, there is no sanction by Jesus Christ to his disciples or the successors of the disciples to administer the temporalities of the world.
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