On the 12th of January 2014, the Assemblies of God and the Calvary church in Hikkaduwa (Galle District) came under attack by mobs while engaging in worship services, says the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri-Lanka.
According to the NCEASL, both churches were engaged in Sunday morning worship when at approximately 10.00 a.m., mobs of about 300 persons led by Buddhist monks stormed the respective churches. The first to be attacked was the Assemblies of God, followed by the Calvary church. Serious damage was caused to the two buildings. Stones were thrown at the premises while some worshippers were trapped inside.
The previous night, the pastors of both churches received information of the impending attacks. They went ahead with the worship services based on the guarantee that there will be police protection for the services, says the NCEASL.
The protesting monks included Buddhist clergy from a group calling themselves ‘Hela Bodu Pawura’ as well as monks from Hikkaduwa and nearby temples. They claimed the Christian presence was illegal. The protesters obstructed the Galle – Colombo main road, creating a tense situation in Hikkaduwa. The situation prevailed past noon, with the Police unable to disperse the mob. A senior police officer who arrived at the scene gave an undertaking to the monks that the churches will be closed for 2 weeks (until 10th February), during which time a solution will be sought. The mobs then dispersed.
24 suspects including eight monks have been identified the Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said today.
Off the Cuff / January 18, 2014
Dear Benyamin Bahadori,
You say “what you have basically done is copy paste a crap by someone else opinion…”
The above statement of yours underlines your outlook. Your mind is not open to the views of others. You want to bludgeon others to conform to your views, sans argument or Facts.
The German Tourist Mr. Christian Eckert, provides first hand information that he found in 2005. He says “It was during these travels around the island – all in all 3480 kilometers in 20 days, checking into 18 different projects, collecting first hand information on sight, of Help Projects 100% managed by natives; from childcare to environmental projects; from Tsunami camps in the south to the camps in the North East. We more or less stumbled upon these above-mentioned accusations”.
You dismiss all the information he provides by the simple expedient of labeling it as CRAP and just an OPINION. The fact that the information provided is verifiable and has been gathered painstakingly is lost on you. That this German is an unbiased outsider with no axe to grind is lost on you.
My first post on this thread on January 14, 2014 at 5:40 pm has the following as the first paragraph. It is an abominable shame that the Govt and the Police do not move swiftly and firmly to end this type of thuggery and intimidation to nip it in the bud. Most perpetrators are easily identifiable and should be dealt with in the harshest terms, swiftly. I have set out in no uncertain terms what I think about these mob attacks.
How you interpret that as being supportive of the Mob is beyond my comprehension. Obviously you write any trash that comes to your one track mind.
Subsequently you launch an attack “….and ignoring all the other illegal activities carried out in broad day light , and selling of liqueur that destroys families , gambling race bookies , robberies ,murders , raping and many more ,I can imagine what kind of a kind of a mindset you have”
I must say you have a runaway imagination. Like a runaway train, It destroys everything in its path. Non of the above is relevant to the discussion but you name all the vices imaginable and imply that the Buddhists do all these things while the Muslims, Christians and Hindus are the epitome of piety. But we know the Truth don’t we?
You say “it is people like you who openly admit that you follow a belief that is not required to be answerable to anyone or take responsibility for any actions no wonder there is so much corruptions and injustice been brought upon the society by people like you who do lips service of retribution to , but never bother take upon the responsibility towards serving the needy , the sick , homeless etc.”
Your ignorance is appalling. A Buddhist does not believe in a Creator to whom we are answerable. A Buddhist is answerable only to him/herself and no other. No one can provide us salvation but ourselves. We are trained to question Buddhism itself hence we have no fear of questioning anything including your faith, if the occasion arises.
You blame us for all ills in society at every opportunity, forgetting that the Prisons have many of your own community. These are but Red Herrings to avoid discussing the real issues.
You say “you seem all heated up it is like that, when you rage with anger and prejudice ,…”
I believe you are describing yourself!
You say “whatever the side of the coin is tossed you win,…”
I seek the truth and hope for an intelligent debate. I will be happy to be proven wrong but will not allow anyone to bludgeon me with irrelevancies as you have tried.
You say “finally what I had summed up in my comments was one-thing not to blindly believe and be quick to copy and past whatever crap someone post on just because it justifies your attitude towards a situation,..”
You are being dismissive because what The German Tourist Mr. Christian Eckert has written, does not fit your views. You have not provided any argument in support of your rejection.
Mr. Christian Eckert wrote this 9 years ago and he provides sufficient verifiable information. There is no reason to believe he is biased. If you say that is Crap, you should PROVE it is Crap.
You say “… and am not afraid of your damn threats on my faith,,,”
No threats were made. You were advised not to belittle those who do not believe in your God as my counter questions may be potentially embarrassing to you. But if you want a comparative debate of your faith and my philosophy then you are most welcome to go ahead.
I don’t believe the world is flat. Hence I don’t believe in an Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent Loving Creator simply because I observe the contradictions that exclude the presence of such a Creator.
You say “it is you who need to be damned embarrassed with the way some of you people are behaving.”
Are you implying that you are not embarrassed by the way some of your people are behaving? This is the type of Myopia that you are afflicted with.
you say “truth portrayed always sounds as aggressive speech to the guilty”
What is this truth that you are talking about that I have not already recognised?
You say “OTC am not the keeper of records of the children of the converts”
That was apparent as you did not use any statistics in your comments. But you are a Good Muslim and you know other good Muslims who have married spouses outside their faith.
As a GOOD Muslim, do you force those non Muslims spouses to convert to Islam? Most Buddhists who marry outside their faith do not force the non Buddhist spouse to convert.
As a Muslim do you raise the offspring of mixed marriages in the Islamic faith exclusively or teach the children both religions of the parents? Their are many Buddhists of mixed marriages whose children are baptised.
Here are a few quotes from the Quran to help you to answer the questions posed above Truthfully
Sura 8:55 – To Allah, there are no animals viler than those who do not believe and remain unbelievers”
Sura 5:33 – You will put them to death or you will make them suffer the torture of the cross; you will cut their hands and their feet alternately. They will be driven from the country
Sura 47:35 – Do not display cowardice, and do not call the infidels to peace when you are superior to them.
Sura 98:6 – Those who reject (Truth) among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will abide in hell-fire, they are the worst of creatures.
You say “..and besides none can force a belief to even children, one day or other they will choose what they think is best and right for them”
You are not forcing them but teaching them Islam exclusively, from birth. Hence your argument is puerile.
You say “More confusion ,there is no such thing as Muhammadan or Muhammadanism”
Definition of MOHAMMEDAN: of or relating to Muhammad or Islam
Source, Merriam Webster
You have written much more in several posts but I believe the above is sufficient to repudiate all.
Kind Regards
OTC
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Carmel Abeyesekera / January 18, 2014
I agree that unethical conversions are wrong. I also believe that if one is strong in his/her faith, nothing will ever make one change ones belief in his/her own faith. Very recently, a Buddhist tried to convince me that there was no God and that it was all a lie; but my belief in God is very strong, because personally, I know what God has done for me. If I am to put it in brief…..With no father from the age of 7 years, I took care of my sister who was 7 years younger than me, and also helped by doing the house work after I came back from school, while my mother went out to work to provide for us. We had a very tough time. When I look back, I cannot believe that no harm came upon me; and I know it was God that protected me and took care of me. I am now 68 years old married and with three lovely children who are also married; and now I am also a grand-mother. I have been blessed in many other ways, so I know that there is only one God and it is only him that I will serve.
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Off the Cuff / January 23, 2014
Dear Ms Carmel Abeyesekera ,
I am happy for you and I have no intention of trying to contradict your strong belief in God. That is your belief and you are entitled to it.
A Buddhist will however have a different explanation to your fortune, which I will not discuss with you unless you want me to.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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BAHADORI / January 20, 2014
OTC should be OTOC ,, however
below is the to show the readers people like you who suffer from a sickness of contextomy who frequently quote out of context a verse from The Quran to spread hate against the Muslims.
Well the rest of your arguments i just deleted ,, cheers ,,happy googling for more anti Islam ..
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Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against God and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land.
That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,
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(Alternative according to the period we live in )
-or that they be exiled from the land.
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BAHADORI / January 20, 2014
Dear CT readers -not a single Verse of the Quran can be read out of context if one has to know the true meaning behind the verse , the entire chapter need to be read.
BTW way any sane people who have some general knowledge would agree know it is misnomer to call people who follow islam as muhammadans,, and Websters is not the authority source of Islam . Muslims do not worship Muhammad the man ,so it is indeed a misnomer
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BAHADORI / January 20, 2014
apologies -correction
———————
Dear CT readers –
not a single Verse of the Quran can be read out of context if one has to know the true meaning behind the verse , the entire chapter need to be read. BTW any sane people who have some general knowledge would agree it is misnomer to call people who follow islam as muhammadans,, and Websters is not the authority source of Islam . Muslims do not worship Muhammad the man ,so it is indeed a misnomer
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BAHADORI / January 20, 2014
“Muhammadanism” is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit since the Prophet Muhammad was a messenger of God, and not a divine being worshipped by Muslims.
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bahadori / January 20, 2014
OTC —
My first post on this thread on January 14, 2014 at 5:40 pm has the following as the first paragraph. It is an abominable shame that the Govt and the Police do not move swiftly and firmly to end this type of thuggery and intimidation to nip it in the bud. Most perpetrators are easily identifiable and should be dealt with in the harshest terms, swiftly.
==================================
Why did you leave this part out?
———————————-
It is also advisable to look at the reasons ???
==================================
I have set out in no uncertain terms what I think about these mob attacks. How you interpret that as being supportive of the Mob is beyond my comprehension. Obviously you write any trash that comes to your one track mind.
——–It is also advisable to look at the reasons ???
UNQTE:
—-
you must understand that the only way to remove the causes ASAP. is to reach out to your people , not to use violence on others purely on presumption.
Talking with your tongue in your cheek what you are trying to say is that these violent Mob and unruly Priests are so very innocent and the blame is all on the Christians?
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Dave.Franco(Italy) / January 20, 2014
OTC = Single mums working from home ( for hate groups)
bahadori = (No Muslim) but Illuminati
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Off the Cuff / January 23, 2014
Dear Benyamin Bahadori,
You say “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against God and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,”
Quite illuminating that explanation of yours, after contemplating the Entire Chapter of the Quran that contains the verses that I referred to. Is it any different to the several verses I posted?
Now can you please explain after reading the whole chapter of the Quran what waging war against God or His Messenger really means?
Does that involve Converting a Muslim to another Religion?
Does that involve criticising anything contained in the Quran?
If it does and it appears to me that it does, then the Quran itself orders you to violence to prevent even an Ethical Conversion of a Muslim.
What you are really saying is Beware anyone, who dares to convert a Muslim.
Did 16 year old Ms Malala Yousafzi wage war against God or His messenger to justify being shot in the head? Did Salmon Rushdie wage War against God or His Messenger?
Please remember that you brought Islam to this discussion by your arrogant comment on January 14, 2014 at 10:19 pm
“if the Muslims really wanted with the money they have they could have converted Millions of your people starting with the maids and then penetrating to their families ”
I note that you have avoided the issue of children of mixed marriages involving Muslims.
It is difficult to follow your thoughts when you post multiple comments in response to one of mine (this time you have posted 5). Can you incorporate all what you have to say in to one coherent comment please?
Kind Regards,
OTC
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JAYPEEEM / January 27, 2014
Freedom to practice a religion is a Democratic right of any invidual in any civilized country.All Religions practiced in Srilanka are not indigenous and all religions including Buddhism have been brought Sri Lanka by the missionaries of the respective relion.As much as Buddhism is preached and propogated in predominantly Christian Countries like U.S.A (where every Dollar note carries the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST”,in Sri Lanka too all religions have the right to preach and propogate their doctrine,Christian do it in obedience to the last commission of Lord Jesus Christ”GO TO THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL NATIONS AND MAKE DISCIPLES”(Mathew 28:19&Mark 16:15)Christians also should no worry about these problems,which are actually called the”TRIBULATIONS”Jesus Christ once again has foretold in his Gospels,Mathew 24;9 and Luke 21″THEN THEY DELIVER YOU UP TO TRIBULATION AND KILL YOU AND YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL NATIONS FOR MY NAME’S SAKE”But no force could stop the spreading of his Gospel!Today in China Budhist population is 8.5% and the Christian population is 8.4%(Source National Geographic Magazine)
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Off the Cuff / January 29, 2014
Dear JAYPEEEM,
This is no contest.
Preach all you want and limit it to preaching, then there won’t be a reaction from anyone including the radicals
Kind Regards
OTC
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