By Shyamon Jayasinghe –
Shyamon Jayasinghe
Death Cult in Kenya
It’s the wrong time, Mr Pastor. The world is agog with the excrutiating and shocking story a few days ago from Kenya. There, in the far east vast massacres unearthed from the village of Shakahola where the “faithful” have been mercilessly under the grip of a taxi driver-turned evangelist who has persuaded incredulous persons to come and join his religious cult, starve to death and see Jesus! It is beyond normal human understanding as to why thousands were hallucinated o join him. Burials, in the manner of scratches on the red earth, are being daily uncovered of the these foolish innocents who lent their ears to the Pastor.
Jerome Fernando
This is Faith
History is replete with stories such as this and with stories of faith killings. The most notorious contemporary illustration was in Nine/Eleven where Muslim fundamentals bombed the twin Towers in US and succeeded in murdering thousands. All in the name of faith. That gruesome massacre had been done on the fundamentalist promise that the bombers will have several virgins to suck!
The erradical truth about faith being a way of knowledge or truth is that it is just the opposite. Faith represents an abandonment of the human need for truth-finding.
The normal process of investigation for truth of any proposition is to test it with material evidence. A hypothesis is set up and we look around for clues that can substantiate that. If we have no clues or possess insufficient ones, we abandon that hypothesis or amend it or totally abandon it – depending on the circumstances. Even if clues be available, we only tentatively accept theories and that only on condition we keep our minds open to change our theory in the event of subsequent findings of new evidence.
The ‘technical’ term for such a foolproof form of investigation procedure is ‘scientific investigation.’ Intelligent people’ realise this as self-evident. You may pray and pray but you cannot determine the truth in any other manner.
Faith is an attempt to give it all up and ‘just believe.’ Once you adopt faith as a device to know, it becomes an easy slippery step to engage in anything that can bring you hallucination and destruction.
Faith-Peddlers are dangerous to Society
From my account above it is easy to imagine that such characters must be closely watched for their activities. President Ranil Wickremesinghe did right by setting an alarm and instructing the CID to investigate our own faith maestro, Jerome Fernando.
It is reported that Pastor Jerome is very rich and has been smart enough to collect vast donations from overseas. Like our quoted ex-taxi driver in Kenya, all faith callers and “divine healers” are rich. The taxi driver rolls in money and has private jets. A huge leap from from the taxis!
Our Buddhist Perspective
Pastor Jerome hasn’t the common sense to observe that Sri Lanka has been home to a population nurtured in the Buddha’s teachings for centuries. The Buddhist ethos is rampant and deep despite nasty stories of monks going wrong and Buddhism, inherently a philosophy, getting transformed into a religion. That metamorphosis is a creation of the social institution of the Sanga. The fundamental fact is that the Buddha, long before Christ mind you, announced to the world that one must try to understand the happenings around us as causes and consequences of a natural order. Budhha denied a supernatural cause or a supervising monitor in the sky who is amazingly able to watch eight billion persons individually at the same time. He taught a simple ethic that can enable you and I to get along in a natural world. “Be a lamp unto yourself,” the Buddha told his chief disciple Ananda Maha Thera, while he lay dying. We are in the midst of nexuses of cause and consequence operating in the world of man and Nature. It is not the stars or God or any other supernatural being who can extricate you and me from a mess.
In the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha proclaimed to the world 2,500 years before Jesus the critical method of thinking
Sri Lankan Buddhists
Sri Lankan Buddhists are bathed in thoughts such as these and so Pastor Jerome is playing with fire in the wrong place.
This is not to say that Sri Lankan Buddhists are incapable of a kind of tribalism that can lead them to riot and burn when the Buddha is insulted by an ignoramus like Pastor Jerome
This is a consideration that our made-in-local Pastor must bear in mind!
On the other hand it looks like the state law-enforces will catch up with him before that.
Pastor Jerome is a catalyst for social unrest in our already troubled land . He had better return from wherever he popped up. If he has a private jet, that’s safer! Even Jesus cannot save him!
*The writer can be reached at shyamonjayasinghe@gmail.com
leelagemalli / May 16, 2023
1
This is a country where innocent devotees were killed like cats and dogs on Easter Sunday, April 2019.
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We must all stand together against further bloodshed.
–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35zXRHmvqRo
–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPtVSLHioXs
.
The “Easter Sunday bloodshed” later became the last straw for Rajapaksa to escape major criminal charges. Those who know it well, they got exonerated all the court cases filed against them during the last 3 years.
–
I firmly believe that the same Rajapaksas are behind this talkative Jerome, an uneducated person who emerged to lead utterly stupid worshippers.
The biggest threat to this island nation is Rajapaksa.
Day by day when their true, crime nature is exposed, they have nothing to lose, so they mislead the stupid people again, they can even sacrifice their lives. It’s up to you media authorities, don’t let it happen again like your melcha nature did it after the “Easter Massacre” that killed our brothers and sisters and injured thousands.
Media, it was you who promoted the racial wave until the “ex-petrol shed man” became the president of 22 million people in the backdrop of the “EASTER SUNDAY Disaster in April 2019”.
Needless to say, its dire consequences are obvious today. Gotabaya can’t even show up today, come in front of that audience, he lost his face.
–
tbc
/
leelagemalli / May 16, 2023
cont.
.
2
–
However, if Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and some other religious groups openly abuse their rights a spiritual leaders who claim to be blessed with “universal energy”, they should be warned and treated by the highest law of the land. The truth is even the blind and the deaf can see /hear to some extent. Human body has its self-potential to some extent to stimulate the healing process. All these are not known to many.
–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVN3oht8VXo
–
As many of us know, ,that the Sinhalese are biased by birth, that’s why this society is spinning today. Whether they are Christians, Buddhists or Hindus, they must obey existing laws.
–
These men act as healers for the poor souls who fall for any convenient trick. Not only this man but another betel nut eater and Digoda Kumara are also making every effort to abuse the helpless people.
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyLK0Cfjpx0
We need to expose these people to the nation and save the nation. It should be the role fo the ” main stream media ” of a country. However, our media men and these cunning fellows are cheating the pubic today. The “Hakgediya promoters” were the real heroes because they publicly praised Mahinda Rajapaksa and similar ignorant thugs. However, with time our people learn to know that they are more cunning men and women.
/
old codger / May 17, 2023
“This is not to say that Sri Lankan Buddhists are incapable of a kind of tribalism that can lead them to riot and burn when the Buddha is insulted by an ignoramus like Pastor Jerome”
All these purported laws against insulting religions work only in one direction.
Gnanasara was locked up, not for disrespectng Islam but for disrespecting a magistrate. Soma Hamuduruwo wasn’t locked up. Does anyone authority pay attention when Hindus complain about racist monks in the North? Only when the spineless Cardinal complains is there any semblance of attention. True to form, he has already distanced himself from Jerome Fernando, who I believe was baptised as a Catholic. Jesus Christ always wanted to save the black sheep, but the Cardinal knows better, and disowns them.
/
Native Vedda / May 17, 2023
old codger
–
Can we not deport all these religious nutters for instance Jerome and Ranjith to Bethlehem (or Rome), Gnanasara, Warakagoda (wanted to stone Muslims,) Ampitiye, Prince of Darkness Weerasekera, …….. Omalpe, … to ………….. Lumbini, ….. Tamil Hindu Mravanpulavu, ….. to Rishikesh, Thowfeek-istas to Mecca, ….. ?
–
/
nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
Buddha was a great guy. Christ was a great guy.
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They said/did there thing and vanished.
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Didn’t hang around to fight for supremacy: that wasn’t their thing.
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Why are people who have nothing to do with their teachings/examples ……. now fighting in their name?
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I spoke to both Buddha and Christ last night ….. they are rolling on the floor laughing.
/
old codger / May 18, 2023
Nimal,
All these Fernando’s,…..Nimal, Ramona, Jerome, Harin…
Are they related?
/
nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
“All these Fernando’s”
–
OC,
–
As you know, I picked a fictitious Lankan name like John Doe ……. what I noticed from my first comment here is, people started attacking the Fernando caste! :))
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I’m not a Fernando and whatever their caste is.
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For who are obsessed with these things …… my father is low-country Govigama and my mother is upcountry (Kandyan?) Govigama. The distance between their houses is perhaps 80 miles max …….. but even though they are of the same caste my mother’s side feels superior to my father’s side because the location of their house is a little higher in elevation! Such is life!
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It’s huge joke for my father ……. if not, these things could’ve started never ending wars.
–
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Btw …… Ramona is a Fernando by marriage …… a Fernando from Lisbon, Portugal. ……… But don’t let that break your heart!! :))
/
old codger / May 19, 2023
Nimal,
I know. Even my surname isn’t Codger, though some seem to think so. I sense ears pricking up in Bandarawela……😁😁
/
Sinhala_Man / May 20, 2023
I’m not bothered, oc.
.
What troubles me is that a man of your intelligence has decided to accommodate within your list of “admired persons” such an imposter as Ranil.
.
Also, your overt abandonment of morals (you have claimed that politics is only a matter of self-interest.)
.
But what caste do you make your new-ally, Dan Silva? That is a real name, although the first may be an abbreviation of “Daniel”.
/
old codger / May 21, 2023
SM,
“an abbreviation of “Daniel”.”
Or Dhanapala, Dhananjaya.
Re. My morality, what would you say of a person who gleefully accepts gifts given in good faith, then turns on that person in public for purely political reasons?
A snake?
/
SJ / May 18, 2023
OC
What is interesting about Fernando is that it is most probably a surname only in this country.
Also the Govigama have for some reason avoided the name.
/
Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
nimal fernando
–
“Why are people who have nothing to do with their teachings/examples ……. now fighting in their name?”
–
You don’t understand.
Some nutters believe there is heaven somewhere “up above the world so high”. They intent to tell/show you where it is though they themselves never been to such a glorious place. You cannot find that place in Google Maps. The only condition is that conversion without question and the god loves loads of cash contributions to the nutters. You love his god and his god only, through him as the messenger, it appears there is no other way.
They give you good news.
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Do you remember Jim Jones who showed his followers the way to God and glorious kingdom of God on November 18th, 1978 in Jonestown?
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Are you friends with Televangelist Jim and his wife Tammy Faye Bakker?
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You too can become a modern day messiah.
Had Prabaharan survived you could have become his Rasputin/ astrologer.
/
Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
nimal fernando
–
Here is another antic of your(?) lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga:
Devolution talks: Gevindu alleges Ranil giving in to TNA
https://island.lk/devolution-talks-gevindu-alleges-ranil-giving-in-to-tna/
–
Whats the matter with these people?
Saudis have made a strenuous effort to create not only a level playing field for their women (a long way to go) but moving to outdo the western feministas by sending a woman astronaut to International Space Station on a crammed rocked along with another woman and two men.
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Only a few years ago women were banned from driving.
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Aging Mullahs have finally yielding to the demands of advancing world. When will our Saffron Mullahs see the need to give up on militant regressive Theravada?
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You have failed to convince the Saffron Mullahs.
/
nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
“Saudis have made a strenuous effort to create not only a level playing field for their women”
–
Native,
–
But has MBS made it any easier for their men? Lanka is more advanced and ahead than that ……. ol’ Gota made it much easier for Lasantha …….. than MBS for Jamal Khashoggi. Acid is pretty nasty business.
/
Mahila / May 19, 2023
What skewed up world we live in??
/
Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
nimal fernando
–
“Acid is pretty nasty business.”
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You mean Acid imported from China and effectively applied in Vanni in the months following the end of the war in 2009?
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Oh man you have vivid imagination.
But I like your THEORY.
/
chiv / May 18, 2023
Nimal, I’m sure pastor Jerome is just another “showman” (like the ones we see in T.V), AND is up to some thing.( Cardinal aka politician Ranjith ). But I also have my doubts about ever scheming SB / SB governments . Now that those racists are done with Tamils and Muslims, their next target will be Christians / Catholics and other non SB. According to today’s news “few Christian preachers were found, disguised as Buddhist Monks”. You know , what that means. Lankan governments are capable of staging more dramas like Easter, but with different actors, screen play and ending.
/
chiv / May 18, 2023
Thanks to Aragalaya, true/progressive Buddhist in Colombo along with HR activist, family and friends of murdered victims (Easter, political murders, disappeared journalist) together organized a commemoration in Borella. SB governments from now, may have to use military island wide in fire fighting such occasions, which were mostly confined to North and East.
/
Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
Chiv
–
Today Tamils all over the world remember those civilians who were massacred by the Ranaviruses with the connivance of International Community.
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This year Tamils and Sinhalese remembered them in Borella as well amid threats from patriotic Sinhala/Buddhists. Please see the video:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?extid=WA-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&mibextid=cdlzoH&v=636441028337802
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I could barely hear what they said.
It was too noisy.
/
old codger / May 19, 2023
Native,
That video has no sound😁.
Still, why do you think Derana chose to cover up the video because it was “disturbing”?
/
Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
old codger
–
This is how the Daily Noise chose to report the incident:
A tense situation erupted at Borella General Cemetery, when a group of individuals gathered opposite the General Cemetery to commemorate the dead LTTE terrorists. It has been organized by a number of civil society organizations and TNA MP Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, who was also among the crowd. Special Task Force and the anti-riot squad were called into control the situation when another group of persons against the event reached there. However police managed to disperse the two groups.
19 May 2023
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Now you see how facts become well balanced reporting.
/
chiv / May 19, 2023
If anyone interested, see today’s DM article by Kamanthi . Wickramasinghe “Misinterpreting religious discourses : Who are we to judge” ? Ganasara Thera versus Pastor Jerome. There are many interesting quotes and a video of Ape Man Ganasara. Irony is that Ganasara is still free and intimidating minorities whereas Government is on a lookout for Pastor. When RW was PM was he this annoyed with Ganasara, didn’t Pissu Sira release the goon under RW watch ??
/
Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
chiv
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“When RW was PM was he this annoyed with Ganasara, didn’t Pissu Sira release the goon under RW watch ??”
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I am sorry to have to remind you, this is Sri Lanka.
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nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
“I’m sure pastor Jerome is just another “showman””
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chiv,
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They make more money than the highest paid Hollywood actors! ……… And a lifestyle to boot!
That’s the business to be in!! ……… better keep quiet, Lankan pols might find out …….. we’ll end up with more than just the pols to deal with!!
/
Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
nimal fernando
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“They make more money than the highest paid Hollywood actors! “
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If that is the case why aren’t you in the same business of showing there is heaven and how to get there?
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Is it because you know there aren’t 72 beauties waiting for you at the doors of HEAVEN?
/
Mahila / May 19, 2023
Nimal,
Masterpiece and delivered well too!!
/
leelagemalli / May 18, 2023
Spot on bro, very good morning 🙏 to u from London for this day.
/
leelagemalli / May 17, 2023
My dear OC,
Even today, Monk Soma’s famous sermons are held up as heroes, even though they are filled with communal issues. This nation is shameless.
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I have hardly met any Sinhalese who did not praise Reverend Soma.
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I never once questioned about him until I heard his sermons recently. Do you remember very well about the fictions that the Sinhalese put us above the altar to turn the mindset of Dr. Naleen De Silva (number one sinhala racist), who led the Sinhalese nation astray shortly before the 2015 election? It amazes me that these people with and without PhDs behave the same.
Consequences are before our eyes today.
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Due to some hidden reasons, the media in this country is following a double standard which deepens the nation.
You are so right, it depends on the person in one direction or another. Today, Tattamamala have become “sermon stars” on television or other media
/
old codger / May 18, 2023
LM
“Due to some hidden reasons, the media in this country is following a double standard which deepens the nation.”
The reason is not hidden. Fake news or bold headlines sell newspapers/ YouTube outlets.
All media do it.
/
leelagemalli / May 18, 2023
All media ? I see something unique in sl media 😅
/
leelagemalli / May 18, 2023
Crime records of medamulana rascals were well known, but fake public perception was a lucrative combined act. Srilanken media are short of realinvestigative journalists.🙃🙃🙃🙃
/
old codger / May 18, 2023
LM,
“see something unique in sl media 😅”
Not really. Try Palki Sharma. Or the Sun in UK. Or even Fox News.
/
Sinhala_Man / May 19, 2023
Dear oc,
.
I’ve not focussed on this “Jerome-problem”. But what you say is true.
.
Panini Edirisinhe
/
leelagemalli / May 19, 2023
SM,
.
Is Jerome one of ur good friends ? OR AKD forced u not to utter a single word about him??????
.
Why on earth are u somewhat silent about Jerome s born again campaign? ????🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃
/
davidthegood / May 21, 2023
lm, agree that GR will not be able to face God whose followers GR killed to amass the wealth he now has to leave behind. Through Luke 21,36, Jesus spoke of 2 eternal things to watch and pray. Rev.5,8 shows how precious prayers are to God that they are collected and in 8,4 they ascend before God and are really sacrifices
/
TungsanYu / May 16, 2023
“President Ranil Wickremesinghe did right by setting an alarm and instructing the CID to investigate our own faith maestro, Jerome Fernando.”
What an achievement 🤣🤣🤣🤣
/
Raj-UK / May 16, 2023
Aren’t some Buddhist monks who lead a luxury lifestyle any better than Pastor Jerome Fdo? A friend recently sent me a clip of a Buddhist monk who quotes from Pali texts that Buddha preached monks to eat well & live well. I thought Buddha preached a ‘middle path’ & sanga took up robes to lead a simple life, away from material distractions to achieve the ultimate goal, Nirvana.
I suppose interpretation of religious teachings in 21st century SL can be confusing to those with deep faith in religion. When a carpenter came up with a divine inspired concoction as a remedy for COVID, which was even endorsed by a Govt. Minister (who believed in pouring holy water into rivers for blessings against the pandemic), it was not only the uneducated villager or the average man on the street who queued up to buy the magic brew. No wonder it is happy hunting grounds for con artists, particularly, those who exploit religion to fool the gullible masses.
/
Mahila / May 17, 2023
RAJ-UK,
Spot-on!!??
Nothing different, but those so called enlightened Religious don’t realise it as they aren’t that ‘EMANCIPATED’ and clouded in Myopic thinking!!!
“HORRIBILISS” THINKING PERVADES clerics too!!!
/
Svenson / May 17, 2023
‘Nothing different,…..’
.
There is one big difference. Only one, but it is significant. Jerome wants to convert the heathen, Buddhists don’t try to convert anyone.
The erecting of Buddha statues in predominantly Tamil areas has nothing to do with conversion. It is a political move to settle Sinhalese in Tamil areas and make separation impossible.
/
old codger / May 17, 2023
Svenson,
Mahayana Buddhist temples are not allowed in the country
/
Svenson / May 17, 2023
Old codger, that’s true but what is your point?
/
SJ / May 17, 2023
He is talking about the bigotry of people who claim to be tolerant.
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old codger / May 17, 2023
Svenson,
The point is that clerics who cannot tolerate different viewpoints in their own religion should not be taken seriously when dealing with other religions.
There are worse things than conversion.
/
Native Vedda / May 17, 2023
Svenson
–
“The erecting of Buddha statues in predominantly Tamil areas has nothing to do with conversion. “
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Partially true, it is all to do with land grabbing which the functionaries, saffronitas and ranaviruses believe would enhance their status, increase their power and eventually will yield them monetary rewards.
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” It is a political move to settle Sinhalese in Tamil areas and make separation impossible.”
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The Sinhala/Buddhist do not have say on this matter. Separation or no separation ultimately it would be the Hindians who would decide and deliver as they did in 2009.
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When USSR collapsed Stalin’s Russian colonists had to returned back to Russia proper, facing uncertainty of their future and economic and social hardship.
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The present and past Sinhala/Buddhist dump asses are destroying the future of young and to be born.
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I would not trust nimal fernando to save the future generation but he is seen keen on bringing back Prabaharan’s brand of Fascism all over the island.
/
nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
“I would not trust nimal fernando to save the future generation but he is seen keen on bringing back Prabaharan’s brand of Fascism all over the island.”
–
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Prabakaran was a true patriot! …….. Can you even begin to compare him to the whimpering, cowardly, mini-midgets like Ranil, Mahinda, CBK, Gota, Basil et al? Just look at the harm they have done to the country/people!! …….. The only difference is they are Sinhalese or pretend to be Sinhalese.
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Although you like to project yourself as a non-racist ……. the truth is, unbeknownst to you, your mind works on racial-lines ……. and unable to see the talents of someone not of your clan – a common pitfall for many.
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In spite of all of your fire and fury and bluster ……. your thinking stops at a point. It’s pretty obvious!!!
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Gotta try a little harder! :))))
/
nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
Native,
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See, you are selective in your name-calling: I’ve never seen you call Ranil a fascist. What do you think Ranil is?
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Even in JR’s self-serving crappy constitution …….. the National-List wasn’t meant to bring in pols who lost their seats and were rejected by the people: in Ranil’s case, massively rejected. The National-List was meant for bringing in a few non-politicians that can contribute, who didn’t contest elections. …….. Even Ranil, accepted and stuck to the spirit of this, until he lost his own seat that he used to win handily. He even refused to bring in Rosy Senanayake from the back door when she lost.
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Now, Ranil has come from the back-door and selling national assets that he has no mandate for! …………. After all, the people are supreme, eh? ………. Or in your non-fascist great democratic mind is it Ranil that’s supreme? :))
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Native, that’s why I just fool/joke around from the day I joined the forum ……… In spite of their external veneer they want to project/put-on ……. I know Lankans better than they know themselves. Remember I’m a Lankan too: I’ve lived with myself this long, I ought to know myself, uh? :))
/
nimal fernando / May 18, 2023
continued
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You would condemn some far off dictator’s/fascist’s killings with great gusto, bravery and a flourish ……… but wouldn’t utter a word against your favourite fascist at home!
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There are different ways of killing but all are unconcerned-killing nevertheless …….Ol’ Adolf, Prabakaran, ……….. had the guts to kill people without “ambiguity” :))
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What do you call Ranil’s starving people to death by taxing them to kingdom-come during hard-times ……… while appointing 37 + 2 ministers and paying his hangers-on for “advice?”
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People will accuse good ol’ Adolf of killing 6 million in his gas-chambers ……. but will never accuse ol’ Donald of killing 1 million by unconcerned disregard during the pandemic just to try and win an election ………. like you wouldn’t accuse Ranil of gradually starving the people to death …….. while wasting money on grand tamashas …….. for blood-sucking Rajapakses ………… and his other buddies ……… just to hang on to his position :)))
/
Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
nimal fernando
–
Please note,
I do not have affiliation to any of the rotten parties.
Nor do I have favourite politicians.
/
Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
nimal fernando
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“Prabakaran was a true patriot!”
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Yeah, isn’t it why he killed anything and everything that moves, talks, questions,…… irrespective of their race(?), religion, region, gender, age, …. worked for Hindia, the West, Premadasa, Rajapaksas, …… ?
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SJ failed to convince him about the beauty of working for China.
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True patriotism.
He made many people rich, politicians, members of armed forces, merchants of death, analysts, ……………… and I am told many LTTE agents in the west.
/
Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
nimal fernando
–
Although Prabaharan was a psychopath one thing you cannot accuse him of is that him being a racists, he is not racist. He killed people irrespective of their race(?), religion, region, gender, age, ….
/
Svenson / May 18, 2023
OC, SJ, Native, I can’t disagree with anything you have said.
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old codger / May 18, 2023
Svenson,
I detest self-declared prophets and self-righteous clergy equally, but I don’t think either category has the right to suppress the other.
/
SJ / May 17, 2023
Don’t you think that erection of Buddha statues certainly and dagobas probably would have been called “not good” by the Buddha, had he been around to witness them.
He taught us impermanence. What do we do? Cling on to his relics and abandon his words of wisdom.
/
Paul / May 18, 2023
SJ, the best comment yet.
/
Rohan25 / May 18, 2023
Typical Sinhalese Mahavamsa mindset even when they live in the West enjoy and benefit from their liberal values, equal opportunities and lifestyles and even using e fake Western names to post and justify their anti-Tamil messages. So if a Christian pastor states something bad about Buddhism it is a no-no and he has to be investigated and punished. However, the same pastor for months has been running down the Hindus, Hinduism, and their practices and urging his congregation to proselytize them and bring them to the Christian fold and nothing was done. So it is fine and ok for anyone to rundown proselytize Hindus and Hinduism, break their temples ancient and fairly recent build Buddha Viharas, install Buddha statues, now even being imported from Thailand( Shame on you) , Build mosques, and in one place is the east to built a shopping centre and meat stall for the benefit of local Muslims and traders. take over their lands to build an Islamic university, settle Sinhalese build hotels, whatever they want. But a no-no even if there is a Chinese whisper against Sinhalese Buddhists.
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Rohan25 / May 18, 2023
Christian, Islamic and Sinhalese Buddhists can do anything to the island’s Hindus, as this helps in the destruction and structural genocide of the island’s Tamil which the state wants but do not touch or do anything the chosen people, the Sinhalese Buddhists. Even the Muslim extremists knew this law and only bombed largely Tamil Christian churches in April 2019, as they knew they can get away with this, after all, they are largely Tamils and Christians so who cares. This man only stated something from the pulpit but what about the Sinhalese Buddhist Fascists/Racists, the armed forces, the fake Archaeological department that we now know was funded by southern Sinhalese Buddhist extremists and fronts to go around the north and east confiscate private Tamil lands, Hindu temple many of them far more ancient than the most Buddhist temples on the island, to search for non-existent Sinhalese Buddhist ruins and to build Buddhist temples and install Buddha statues. That is fine for you, so if it is fine for you why don’t you and the rest of the Sinhalese Buddhist fascists build Buddhist temples and install huge Buddha statues in your own front yard and private lands instead of funding the racist Sinhalese armed forces and the fake equally racist Archaeological and other government departments to that in Tamil land.
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Rohan25 / May 18, 2023
Remember this is not a Sinhalese Buddhist land only, the Sinhalese are only a majority in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious land. This country or colony was created by the British not just from Sinhalese land only but from the Sinhalese and Tamil homelands, which had been separately ruled for centuries. So how can the Sinhalese state that this is only their land when 1/3 of the island belonged to the Tamil Hindus and was created also from the ancient Eelam Tamil homeland? If it was only created from the Sinhalese homeland then it is another story but it was not. It is only thanks to the British that the Sinhalese who were only confined to the southern parts of the island became a majority on the whole island and now are unfairly and forcibly using this majority to deny the island’s Tamil people their rights, their history, their homeland and are now using the racist Sinhalese armed forces and other government departments like the Archaeology, Mahaveli, land and forestry to steal land that belongs to the Tamils private and public and settle outside Sinhalese, build Buddhist Viharas and install Buddha statues, with some coming from Thailand and Myanmar( Shame on these countries) .
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Rohan25 / May 18, 2023
This is a bigger crime than what this Christian pastor did but 99% of the Sinhalese do not see this as they have a Mahavamsa mindset, even the Christian ones and think the Tamils deserve this. If you do not want separation then do not oppress the island’s Tamils give them their just rights, federalism and safeguard their language land history and culture and not destroy this in the name of majoritarian Sinhalese Buddhist Fascism. You have no right to our homeland as these lands were never Sinhalese lands and now only control of this due to a quirk of fate thanks to the British, not your own effort.
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Ajith / May 16, 2023
I don’t know what the Pastor Jerome said about Buddhism but the fact is that Fundamentalists are there in all religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. The removal of Hindu Temples or destruction and replacing that place with Buddhist Temples by Government Institutions, Ministers, and Military in the North East has become one of the major issuea in the North East and it has not discussed in the Country which is another form of Fundamentalism.
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SJ / May 17, 2023
“In the Kalama Sutta, the Buddha proclaimed to the world 2,500 years before Jesus….”
Something seems wrong with time scales.
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davidthegood / May 17, 2023
SJ, Buddha lived 2500 years ago. Jesus lived, died and resurrected 2000 years ago
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SJ / May 18, 2023
Yes.
What is your point?
Was not GB there 500 years before JC came, went, came again and went– never to come again.
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SJ / May 17, 2023
Will not justice CVW make a good sparring partner for Pastor Jerome?
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ramona therese fernando / May 17, 2023
All these criticisms of the other religions are a bluff to hide the real truth: That vast amounts of money of the hardworking-starving-Lankan-Masses is being laundered for the select few of Lankan Political Elites.
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You see, they feel they are doing it for God and Country so as to propagate the religion, and to secure select political parties. That the money comes from the blood, sweat, and tears of the suffering, struggling Lankan worker is of no relevance.
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The money that the average believer gives is miniscule compared to the the enormous donations the big Lankan political honchos have placed for safekeeping and magical burgeoning on mainstream and alternate international markets (many being shady). No, this is not the Kenyan thing where gullible people truly felt they would see Jesus if they starved to death. This, is pure calculated megalomaniacal gamboling of country money on global markets.
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And they will call it the Religious Imperative for heavenly glory; Political Donors will call it Patriotism for far distant Vistas-of-Prosperity
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Buddhist1 / May 17, 2023
If anyone wants to preach his or her religion there should be no restriction. However, if the same person preaching his or her religion attacks directly or indirectly another religion then it should be punishable by law.
Pastor Jerome has made various claims in the past which begs questions. He should be brought before the court.
On the same note, Deshabandu who is eyeing the IGP post was hunting mosquitos when Pastor Jerome was running away from the country after the President country wanted him investigated. This shows the inefficiency of the Senior DIG and he should never be the IGP. Mr. President, please ensure “Madurubandu” is never made the IGP.
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nimal fernando / May 17, 2023
How dare ye call him a Pastor?
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He is a prophet!
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https://prophetjerome.com/
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It’s written in the scriptures …….. false prophets will appear when the end is nigh.
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He’s a Lankan alright ………. true to trait/form ……… poor Prophet Jerome has got his timing a little askew ……… he has arrived after the end.
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I’m no prophet and am not wearing purple …….. but I’ve said, it would’ve been better for Lanka, if Buddha was never born. In Lanka, Buddha has caused more mischief than good.
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What is the ratio of Lankan Buddhists living Buddha’s teachings/philosophy to those who are not living it? …………… 0.000000000000001 to 22 million?
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Shyamon, do ye live in a glass house? …….. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_House …….. Did your collecting stones, end the Stone-Age?
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That’s why I remain incognito: haven’t given the ID Card No. ……… poor Ranil and his over-worked CID already have their hands full ………
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Lanka is pure comedy: it doesn’t get any better!
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leelagemalli / May 17, 2023
In Sri Lanka, where people behave like tribes, who cares? Mervin Silva was addressed by srilanken media with hisillegally taken prefix, Dr…. however many of them havenot obtained such titles.
So, what about press men calling that bugger as ” pastor” ?
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If they are asked to roll down on the floor for some funds, they would do, sending the message across that invisible forces are behind our lives. This nation is branded as a the gay paradise in Europe, whoever whatever pride is about to be hung on our race.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVN3oht8VXo
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Even AKD calls yet Mahinda as ” Mahinda Mahaththaya”… Mr. Gotabhaya.. this is the nature of the slave mentality of the common people of this island nation.
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Even if Mahinda Rajapakse loots and destroys everything, does Sri Lankan MEDIA still dare to speak publicly to Mahinda or Gotabha?
Any of the world’s recognized auditors can easily put them in jeopardy and prove the amount of loot BP has collected, however, will any citizen dare to continue an investigation proving the facts? not yet. This is a land of criminals and big criminals. It was heaven for them, so Gotabhaya and others returned from the United States.
.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / May 17, 2023
I don’t know what is happening in Colombo. There is a news item that Al Jazeera reports that a Zimbabwean pastor named Ubert Angel is involved in international gold smuggling and money laundering. He is the teacher and spiritual master of the controversial preacher Jerome Fernando in Sri Lanka. Al Jazeera reported that he is working as a special envoy of the Zimbabwean government who is involved in international gold smuggling and money laundering. Ubert Angel visited Sri Lanka in 2020 and 2022 and held a joint prayer with Pastor Jerome Fernando at the Katunayake Miracle Dome on March 19. Moreover, both have taken photographs with the former President Mahinda Rajapakse. There are photos to this effect. Now there is a news item that he has already left for Singapore. Is Jerome Fernando a religious preacher.
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Black Lankan / May 17, 2023
But mother lanka as always and sadly a nation of too late too little. Our entire system is that. When we have the last litre only the Government looks for petrol or diesel. Religions are the other big joke. Buddhsim is utterly confused. What the Buddha taught and what is practiced are entirely different. It is difficult to differentiate between hindu and buddhist practices. What Hindus claim as their gods are snatched by buddhists as their deiyos. Kathirgama Kantha has become Kataragama deiyo. May that is how the latest concept of SINHALA BUDDHISM is created. While the buddhists patronize hindu kovils there is another bunch of buddhists forcibly going to the tamil areas and building pansalas where there are no buddhists at all. They forget the truth that Tamil buddhism was there long before sinhala buddhist. Buddhsim is Buddhism, no question, but here it is the menace of the SINHALA BUDDHSIM. that is a politicised buddhism garnished with rabid racism. Why all the leading SINHALA BUDDHIST LEADERS, who are utter racists, are patronised hindu kovils? Why is Thirupathy in a foreign jet plane with the entire family? Whone money do they donate? Then there was Sai Baba. Even military higherup went to him to get auspicious time and blessings to start the war. Then our famous Kali Amma of A’Pura and foolish Gota.
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Jack / May 17, 2023
There are few issues here
This pastor appears to be mentally sick man. He has delusion as to favor his faith Jesus. There are multiple of Buddhist monks and Muslim mullahs commonly try to degrade other faiths. All of them should be accountable to generating disharmony and provoking violence and should subject to legal action.
Buddha and his religion can be questioned by any citizen without pro vacation violence. All these religions are more than 1000 years old and some of fact in these religions can be questioned scientifically.
There should be clear separation of good governance and religions so that various politician can be preventing from taking people for a ride in the name of religeon.
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leelagemalli / May 17, 2023
Jack,
.
Not only this pastor, but also Ghansara, Kotuwe BP, Mangalaramaya Pissu monk, and all other sinhala buddhist monks are like that. Tourists keep taking YOUTUBE videos about the country are saying that this country has no rigorous laws imposed yet after a 30-long year civil war which killed over 100 000 srilankens in various communities.
:
We should bring laws so that we can hang these men by their genitals as done by ME countries. All these men and women, when they are in America and Europe behave like shy guys for the same reason.
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Any thakkadiya can become a public figure in this country, if he or she is talented enough to abuse the mind set of the stupid folks.
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Brantha / May 17, 2023
I feel sorry for “Sinhala Buddhists” of Sri Lanka!!! (Not for real Buddhists who follow the path shown by Lord Buddha)
They do not have even one single “scholar” to defend with facts what this Jerome fellow has claimed!
Instead, they go running like scared mice to Police and Courts of this dictatorial government begging for “protection”!!!
What a joke?
Can some sane person explain how these actions of “Sinhala Buddhists” are different from extreme Islamists who want any person “insulting” their religion dead?
This is just another step towards making our country a “Sinhala Buddhist Taliban” state.
Pathetic indeed!
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Cicero / May 17, 2023
Too many evangelical churches are cropping up in Sri Lanka. Most seem to have funds from abroad and are sometimes run by pastors (crooks) who come from abroad with a lot of money to spend on the gullible. The main Christian Churches should expose these charlatans and ensure that the people are not misguided. That being said,, there is a vast difference between what the Buddha taught in India and Sinhala Buddhism which has been responsible for the calamities in Sri Lanka. The wheel of karma has turned and now the Sinhala Buddhists are suffering what others suffered- hunger and starvation. Please go bak to what the Buddha really taught. This tale about 2500 years before Jesus is just reflective of the vileness of Sinhala Buddhism. It is a pity that a philosophy and religion so great should have been so corrupted by the Sinhala Buddhists who have sown hatred among the people of this island.
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Ban / May 17, 2023
Excellent friend. Great, well done Shyamon!
It’s been three years since the bloodshed in 2020. Thank you for trying to create the environment that allows us to see the blood again.
BTY, where were you when the Venerable Gangodawila Somathero poisoned the minds of Sinhala Buddhists against the Muslims?
Where were you when Reverend Kiribathkumbure Gnanananda was talking about setting the Bible on fire?
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Pundit / May 17, 2023
The Pastor is a charlatan and his ‘ prophecies ‘ do not warrant comment. What one needs to know is whether he has a tax file, as the very flamboyant preacher/showman is known to be a man of immense wealth. Over to you the IRD .
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Black Lankan / May 17, 2023
Contd….
He got fully played out and even that silly woman got into a big mess. How about these kattadiyas, kapuralas, hooniyam karayas. thovil, chasing the demon, Kali devalayas, vishnu devalaya , to name a few and what are they and who are they? To my mind these guys are 99% bloody crooks exploiting the vulnerable people who suffer from hysteria, anxiety, depression, personality disorder, etc that are very common among the population. But their main goal is to make huge money and along with that sexual abuses too take place.
Jerome is one such fellow exploiting the vulnerable lot. Being the victims look polished and educated yet they are not intelligent or have the ability to think rationally. So, they are in no way different to illiterate village people. Jerome ‘s stunt is mostly a set up game bringing in actors to perform these acts to fool the gullible. Some cases of course are suffering from psychological personality disorders without any anatomical disease that may wake up due to Jerome’s chanting etc which is a form of psychotherapy. I challenge this guy to cure a man who is confirmed to be blind, or make a man who is proved to be paralysed to walk, come on Jerome, you just cannot.
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Leonard Jayawardena / May 17, 2023
Shymon Jayasinghe: “Sri Lankan Buddhists are bathed in thoughts such as these and so Pastor Jerome is playing with fire in the wrong place.”
Then whatever these “thoughts” be, they cannot be of a good kind! I wonder if SJ is too stupid to see the inherent contradiction in the above statement.
I have listened to an extended version of the controversial sermon of Jerome, who I think is a fake prophet and preacher of a false Christianity, and find nothing that could be construed as insulting to any religion. What he has done is exactly what Shyamon has done in this and many other articles of his according to his lights: try to demonstrate the superiority of his own religion with a comparative look at other religions. In countless Poya-day sermons Buddhist monks have done the same for heaven knows how long and even referred to, for example, Christian beliefs such as a creator God in a disparaging way but Christians have not taken offence.
Why this double standard in wanting to punish Jerome for allegedly offending the religious sensibilities of other religions?
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Leonard Jayawardena / May 17, 2023
SJ’s closing statement, “Even Jesus cannot save him!” actually at once amounts even to a mockery of a religious faith and exposes his vast ignorance of the Christian religion. Even a casual acquaintance of the New Testament will show that being persecuted, even unto death, for being a believer (and preaching it if applicable) it is regarded as a glory, not a shame, to a true Christian, which Jerome is not.
Jesus achieved the zenith of glory by his death on the cross, which God could have prevented if he had wished to but chose not to as this death was a part of His plan of redemption. Such truths are beyond the ken of people like Shyamon.
By the way, SJ’s parting shot, “Even Jesus cannot save him!” is somewhat eerily reminiscent of what the detractors of Jesus mockingly said as he hung on the cross: “He trusts in God, so let God save him now!” (Matthew 24:43)! The difference here is that while the enemies of Jesus believed in a miracle-working God who they, in their ignorance, thought would not save Jesus, SJ assumes that a miracle-working Jesus does not exist.
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SJ / May 17, 2023
If God needs people to perform (I include his Son Jesus) to perform miracles to prove his existence, God has some serious doubts about his capablities.
One of the things I admire much in Budda’s personal life is that he bluntly refused to perform ‘miracles’.
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Leonard Jayawardena / May 18, 2023
SJ:
First, giving you the benefit of the doubt, I take it that you didn’t take “SJ” (=Shyamon Jayasinghe) in the last sentence of my second post as a reference to you, though I wouldn’t put it past you given your Professor Calculus-like ways sometimes in the past.
As to your comment, I neither post nor respond to comments that bear no relevance to the contents of the article under which they are posted.
You are like a man who idly watches a house being burnt and says to a man who is trying the dowse the fire and salvage the property inside the house, which includes books, “I don’t like Charles Dickens, I prefer Deeman Ananda.”
What is at issue in Jerome’s case is freedom of speech. What do you have to say on that? Or are you too afraid or timid to speak out on that, though hiding under the anonymity of initials?
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SJ / May 18, 2023
“anonymity of initials”
I wish that my initials gave me the anonymity I wish for when dealing with helpless creatures that get personal when short on ideas.
Watch it, you do sound like the NIC number collector on these pages.
*
Keep calm to avoid sounding as rational as Captain Haddock.
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old codger / May 19, 2023
LJ,
S.J isn’t really anonymous. Ask Mallaiyuran, Dr.. Gnana, even Sinhala Man.
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davidthegood / May 19, 2023
SJ, God’s miracles are not to prove his capabilities, but to reverse the damage done by satanic agents into good health, erase poverty, drug addiction and sexual immorality etc. and bring in high quality life to humans.
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paragon / May 17, 2023
IN ALL OVER WORLD RELIGION HAS BECOME A CORPORATE BUSINESS.EVEN THIS PREACHER JEROM FERNANDO SHOULD BE Doing some under hand business and having this preaching as cover up front to cheat the innocent public.all his followers seems to be well dressed and looks like from very rich back round.
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Jaffna Man / May 17, 2023
Does the Cardinal not agree that all of us need Jesus? If not let him say it.
If he agrees what is wrong with saying the Buddha also needs Jesus, although it might be unnecessarily provocative?
This is part of the Sri Lankan Church’s game to say in our constitutions that it is our duty to preach Christ to everyone and then say we do not convert people.
Besides, the headline that Jesus cannot save Fernando seems to me to be similar to Jerome Fernando’s unnecessary provocation
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SJ / May 17, 2023
Have you considered the possibility that Jesus would have fared even better if had a chance to learn from the Buddha.
Have a sense of humor.
“Even God cannot help so-and-so” is something commonly said in our society when someone is too stubborn about some wrong idea.
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More important than one’s duty to preach to others is to have the humility to learn from others, for nobody possesses the absolute truth.
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Bert / May 18, 2023
“Have you considered the possibility that Jesus would have fared even better if had a chance to learn from the Buddha.”
I was born in Sri Lanka and seeing the Buddhists that learnt from Buddha’s teaching I don’t think he would have.
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Paul / May 19, 2023
‘Have you considered the possibility that Jesus would have fared even better if had a chance to learn from the Buddha.’
.
May be he did. A large part of the life of Jesus is a complete mystery. Buddhism was known in the Middle East at the time via trade routes and Buddhist remains have been found. This would explain why the God of the Old Testament is an absolute monster while the new Testament is full of love and peace and turning the other cheek. It would also explain the surprising similarities in miracle and
parables, walking on water, widow’s mite, loaves and fishes, setting up a kingdom, etc https://www.thezensite.com/non_Zen/Was_Jesus_Buddhist.html
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davidthegood / May 19, 2023
SJ, God possesses absolute truth. That is why we follow him only. What he speaks, comes to pass. That is why he cannot lie,
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Nathan / May 18, 2023
Jaffna Man,
As on very many other occasions, I avoided this article. Articles of this nature add fuel to the fire.
I just read one comment. Yours!
You are wrong to add something combustible if your desire is to diffuse it!
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Agnos / May 18, 2023
Nathan,
Agree, but shouldn’t it be ‘defuse’ not ‘diffuse’?
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Nathan / May 18, 2023
Thank you, Agnos. I was wrong. Can I say, confused!
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Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
Nathan
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We all make mistakes don’t we?
Never mind, cheer up.
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SJ / May 18, 2023
I have come across defusing of explosives but not fires.
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Agnos / May 19, 2023
SJ,
You are not looking at the modern usage of defuse: “to make less harmful, potent, or tense.” To diffuse is to spread, and that is not the intended meaning whether it is explosives or fires.
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SJ / May 20, 2023
Thanks for defining ‘diffuse’ but it is irrelevant to the word I was talking of.
Defuse is also “make (a situation) less tense or dangerous.”
How would the word in any of its meanings apply to a fire.
*
I wonder if they defuse a fire where you live– not where I am.
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Agnos / May 20, 2023
SJ,
It is about a ‘dangerous situation,’ whether it is fire, bomb, or explosives. If one is talking about an actual fire, then ‘dousing’ would make more sense. It is up to the original poster. I don’t want to waste time arguing this.
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old codger / May 18, 2023
Jaffna Man
Even the Cardinal doesn’t want to save Jerome, it seems. Most un-Christian of him.
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SJ / May 18, 2023
Is he Christian in the first place?
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old codger / May 19, 2023
Doubtful.
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davidthegood / May 19, 2023
oc, leave cardinal alone. He is none of your business.
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Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
old codger
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“Doubtful.”
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He is a cross dresser.
He wears Kashaya inside and cassock outside.
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Simon / May 17, 2023
In 2019 Gotabaya – the Rajapakse “Clan” needed a “Jorome”, of course, a different type to secure that “Miracle” of “6.9 Million” votes. “Rajapakses” had a “Brigade” of “Jeromes”, such as “Ratane”, “Bodu Bala Sena” of Gnanasara; “Wimal Weerawanse” – the “Threoratician” of “Foreign led Coupe”; ” Professors” Brigade led by Jayasumana; the “World Renowned” Oceaniac and Environamalist Expert, Nalaka Godahewa and many such to stage the “Easter Attack”.
Now, the “Real” Jerome has emerged. This time, it is the most “WISHES” attack on Gauthama Buddha, his “Teachings” and “Enlightenment”. This “Jerome” says: “To attain Enlightenment” you need “Light. In that context Jesus Christ provided that “Light” to Buddha. Jesus Christ said, “I am the Light”. The “Distinguished” audience gave him (Jerome) tumultuous applause and a “Standing Cheer”.
Now the “Ranil/Rajapakse” combo needs this “Light” to lite up the “FIRE”. This “Real” “Jerome” set fire to that “Light” and vanished from the country. Many “Stage Dramas” are to be staged in days, weeks, and months to come. What an “Award Winning” SCRIPT this “Jerome” has brought to “LIGHT”?
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Black Lankan / May 18, 2023
Religion flourishes in ignorance. A priest only knows there is no God. So Jerome or any other fellows who claim to be divine or holy know these truths too well. And they know too well that vast majority are gullible, idiots who have no ability to think rationally. So why worry. Most of the people are easy targets and thus make use of them to make money and enjoy life. All the religions are the same, Sinhala Buddhism too is one such thing. How did a snake come out of the Kelani river and an enlightened monk bottled it just before Gotas election? Is this Buddhism, not even Sinhala Buddhism? What is happening in devales, adulterating Hindu deities?
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Pandi Kutti / May 18, 2023
Everyone is using religion as a political tool to stir up hatred and intolerance instead of using it to spread peace and love. This Christian pastor is no better than the Sri Lankan State, the Chingkalla Buddhist clergy and the population who use Buddhism and the statue of Buddha and Buddhist viharas not as a tool of love, peace and harmony but as a tool to marginalize, discriminate, oppress and destroy the island’s Thamizh, their language, homeland, history and deny them everything as a people. Little do many of these Chingkalla Buddhist Fascists, clergy and population realize or even if they know do not want to acknowledge, that Thamizh were Buddhist long before a people called Chingkallams evolved and most of the present-day Chingkallams, especially the original Chingkallams are largely descended from the Dravidian semi or proper Thamizh speaking Naga and Yakka tribes down the south, western and central parts of the island who converted to Buddhism 2300 years ago and other coastal Chingkallams like the Karawa, Salagama, Durawa from Thamizh immigrants who were imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch and then converted largely to Buddhism and took on a Chingkalla identity.
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Pandi Kutti / May 18, 2023
Many of the prominent and important monks in Mahavihara during the Anuradhapura era were Thamizh Buddhist monks from South India and at that time to become a monk at the Maha Vihara, it was compulsory that you have a good knowledge of Pali, Sanskrit and Thamizh. Not Chingkallam as the Chingkalla language was only evolving and not developed, this is the reason the Mahavamsa was written in Pali. It was a Thamizh Buddhist monk belonging to the Pallava royal dynasty Bodhidharma who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE, who is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China and is regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to a 17th-century apocryphal story found in a manual called Yijin Jing, he began the physical training of the monks of Shaolin Monastery which led to the creation of Shaolin kungfu. He is known as Dámó in China and as Daruma in Japan. His name means “dharma of awakening (bodhi)” in Sanskrit. Thamizh people became Buddhist in large numbers and contributed a lot to Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy and then like in the rest of India and the northeast of the island Buddhism died out by 10AD.
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Pandi Kutti / May 18, 2023
All these ancient Buddhist temples, ruins and archaeological sites in the north and east belong to these ancient Thamizh Buddhists and have nothing to do with Chingkallam or Chingkalla Buddhists, as it now falsely being portrayed to claim these lands for the Chingkallams and settle Chingkallams here. Many of these ruins belong to Mahayana Buddhist sect and Chingkallams never belonged to the Mahayana sect but only to the Theravada sect, whereas ancient Thamizh Buddhists belonged to both sects and this is the reason many of these Buddhist ruins like in Kantharoddai are Mahayana. Only the Buddhism monuments, and viharas built after independence are in Chingkallam.
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deepthi silva / May 18, 2023
Jerome Fernando is a second hand car salesman, a conman.
Jesus I have read about was a very poor man who slept in hovels and ate whatever he found.. He had no Rolex watches, big churches, posh cars or fancy clothes.
These guys are Johnny come lately to Christianity, black men converted by Portuguese, Dutch or British.
Now in Portugal, Holland or Britain what is the percentage of believers ? These intelligent Europeans are changing while stupid black men are making a livelihood out of Christianity .
Also the true Jesus did not run away like this coward. He believed in what he preached and faced his accusers, and paid the price being crucified.
This joker Jerome has run a way to Singapore even soiling his expensive underwear !
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Native Vedda / May 18, 2023
deepthi^ silva
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“Jesus I have read about was a very poor man who slept in hovels and ate whatever he found.. “
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So was Buddha the enlightened one who renounced everything including his throne, family, kingdom, desires, ……
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How about some of the saffronistas?
Do they live in poverty, frugal living, making peace with themselves, ………….?
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deepthi silva / May 19, 2023
the low brow ,low life , wanna be intellectual at it again (NV) !
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Native Vedda / May 19, 2023
deepthi^silva
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“the low brow ,low life , wanna be intellectual at it again (NV) !”
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This was not meant for intellectuals but for people like you.
By the way unlike you I don’t pretend being an intellectual.
Therefore stop worrying.
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Bert / May 18, 2023
“May Not Have Jesus To Save Him”
Do not worry the Rajapaksa clan will come to his rescue. Last time it was Gota to save the country and Sinhala buddhists from Muslim terrorists. This time it could be Basil to save the begging bowl carrying Buddhists from heavily funded bible carrying evangelicals.
We can see all the Mahanayakes getting in line, for good measure the Cardinal might join in.
LOL
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Bert / May 18, 2023
“Have you considered the possibility that Jesus would have fared even better if had a chance to learn from the Buddha.”
I was born in Sri Lanka and seeing the Buddhists that learnt from Buddha’s teaching I don’t think he would have.
Sri Lanka is not the exception Myanmar another Buddhist country.
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SJ / May 18, 2023
B
You think that JC was not a good learner?
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Bert / May 18, 2023
“However a spokesman for Glorious Church led by Jerome Fernando denied that the prophet left Sri Lanka. “He never fled the country but went to attend an event. “
Just like Gota did. Will he also be begging other countries for a visa? May be he will have better luck and wont have to come back to Sri Lanka with his tail between his legs.
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Bert / May 18, 2023
“However a spokesman for Glorious Church led by Jerome Fernando denied that the prophet left Sri Lanka. “He never fled the country but went to attend an event. “
Just like Gota did. Will he also be begging other countries for a visa? May be he will have better luck and wont have to come back to Sri Lanka with his tail between his legs.
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TruthIsSacred / May 18, 2023
I agree. All religions claim to be the truth. But in reality, they are (all of them) the primary source of lies and superstitions.
Unfortunately, most humans are moved by the blind ideology and sensationalism. The basics of Scientific investigation and the need for a hypothesis to be proven, is part of our education from grade. six., be it geometry, mathematics or science experiments. Unfortunately, even in the USA, the primary source and store of most modern-day knowledge, a demagogic madman has the backing of around 40% of their population, primarily composed of extremist fundamentalist Christians. Some even refer to him as the Orange Jesus.
Buddhism which had its origins as a philosophy (Dharmaya) has from the time of the Emperor Asoka being corrupted by politics and nationalism.
The TRUTH is more sacred than in religion or any nationalistic influence.
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Cyclops / May 18, 2023
Well, he’s just another profiteering prophet who’s only come under the spotlight because of his comments on Buddhism as I understand. They are all over the world riding the backs of the believers.
As far as I’m concerned, Is he or his church paying their fair share of taxes on all that wealth they’ve accumulated over the years? Let’s hope The Inland Revenue chaps have taken notice, if they haven’t so far. After all we struggling poor buggers have had to dig deep into our pockets to pay crippling taxes to keep this regime afloat.
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RBH59 / May 18, 2023
Google and see by yourself There 99 Names of Allah (Al Asma Ul Husna) – Meaning & Explanation
Al-Wadud, “The Affectionate” or “The Most Loving.
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SJ / May 18, 2023
RBH59
Thanks.
People often do get away with false claims.
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