Pastors urged to lead for clean elections

Mokokchung, October 22: Reminding the evil practices among the public particularly during elections, K Temjen Jamir, editor of Tir Yimyim (Ao vernacular daily), on Saturday underscored that pastors should not take election periods as physical warfare but as spiritual warfare by bringing the lost souls more towards God since many Christians become victims of bribery.
Temjen Jamir said this in his address as the main speaker on the second-day programme of the 28th Longpangkong Range Pastors’ Meet (Longpangkong Sannuker Telongjem), which got underway on October 21 evening at Yisemyong Baptist Arogo on the theme “Telongjem (Unity).”Temjem strongly felt that it is time for the pastor to change the hearts of people who run after money and also to let them know about God’s love since it is a campaign focused more on prayer for salvation and faith. He said people should pray to deliver good leaders who love their people, who are humble and fear God instead of electing those based on party line.
To ensure clean election, he suggested that pastors should organise a prayer cell and visit each church member to participate in the election in the spirit of exercising their right judiciously.
K Temjen Jamir also said that the church should not ask any donations from the candidates nor allow them to promise anything to them, adding ministers and MLAs should not be given an important role to play in church programmes.
Temjen strongly feels that pastors should be the first to exercise their franchise on the polling day after saying a prayer.
More than thirty pastors from 33 churches from Langpangkong range are currently attending the three day meet which will culminate on October 23.