Propagation of the tenets of Christ on tourist visa!

Twelve decade old Asia’s largest Christian Convention is proposed to be conducted as usual on the sand-bed of the Holy River Pamba at Maramon near the Partharsarthy Temple of Aranmula from 2011 February 13 to 20. Aranmula is known for its one thousand year old and distinctive technological excellence – the metal mirror. It is not made of glass but with bell metal. This is a unique art which may not found any place in the world. The metallurgical technique of the mirror manufacturing is handed down from generation to generation by Hindu bronze-smith [moosari] jati of the Aranmula Temple hamlet.

However the centre of the point to ponder is not the metal mirror but the modus operandi of the Convention. The organizers of the meet are MTEA, the missionary wing of Mar Thoma Church. The theme of this year’s convention is: “Where are you?” & “Where is your brother?” Prima facie the theme is not dangerous. But when one who seeks the answer through a biblical point of view the answer should be different. The answer is: “are you and your brother is in Christ?” Let off this theme for the time being.

Out of the ten speakers of this convention, four are foreigners. They are Archbishop Roger Herft from Australia, Dr N Barnery Pityana from South Africa, Rev. Canon Peter Maiden from England and Rev. Ulf G Ekman of Sweden. All the four foreigners will be in the pulpit of the proposed convention with their visiting visas as usual. Actual purpose of their visit is evangelistic endeavors but they will be with tourist visas.

 To an average Keralite nothing as extraordinary in it, because it is the customary practice of minority dominated political life of Kerala. Really all the above four are invited by the MTEA with malicious intention of violate the visa norms. Their purpose of the visit is evangelical activities, not tourist zeal. Violation of visa norms is criminal offence. The countries of the above speakers treat the violation of visa norms seriously. Then why not we spare them? A country where the ruling party’s supreme itself violated visa norms and reciprocity norms of citizenship; then who can enforce it?

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