Dr Asangba Tzudir
[dropcap]I [/dropcap]take it as a morally painful duty to write on the much strained and drained issues related to the Church in the context of Nagaland, partly triggered by the reawakened debate on NLTP Act. In contemporary times the Church has been ‘accused’ of propagating politics rather than its primary focus on the aspect of ‘soul winning. Well, coming to the question of Prohibition (A case in point), I am quite curious or rather confused about the Churches stand on Prohibition envisaged through the Act. Is it against the manufacture of Liquor? Is it against the transportation of liquor? Is it against the sale of liquor? Or is it against those who drink alcohol? Where does NBCC stand in relation to the Act?Prohibition came into being through an Act of law passed by the State and therefore belongs to the affairs of the state. First and foremost the Church is a religious Institution’ and not any politico-juridical institution within the larger understanding of religion and politics. Generally the Church can be understood as a body of Christ, a religious institution governed by God given ‘laws.’ As such, NBCC as a religious body has its own ‘domain’ of religious mores where it should ‘intervene.’ This also gives the Church a moral right/responsibility and not any legal right. Today, there is no legality of religious code of conduct. Earlier religious code of conduct was also a social code of conduct whereby a sinner was also considered a criminal and accordingly punished. One can refer to Jewish laws and 17th Century American Puritan Society.
Let us roll back to the times and see the circumstances under which slogans like ‘Nagaland for Christ’ (and subsequent Prohibition), ‘Ten Thousand missionaries’ were proclaimed. Looking at the state of affairs rationally, one can conclude that it was more of emotionally charged short sighted ‘promise’ to God. The moral propaganda was somehow ‘enforced’ and further provoked within the social dynamics after the proclamation of ‘Nagaland for Christ.’ As such there was a time when it was like a holy ‘mandate’ on every family to ‘produce’ a theologian/missionary or else it seemingly became a huge burden and a guilt ridden debt before God.
Today, the Church is cajoled within its own politico-emotional callousness in trying to trespass its limits not knowing its boundaries. Ingloriously trapped between ‘soul winning’ and ‘Church survival’ it has lost its focus as a religious body and has become more than willing slaves to the ‘burdened question’ of Church survival and its subsequent pursuit of ‘symbolism’ and ‘materialism.’ One would say, “As quiet as the Church”...because it was once ‘sacred’ and a ‘sanctified place.’ Today it is seemingly becoming quieter because the Church is becoming empty. Somehow, with the onset of rampant materialism, the Church is also to be blamed for setting worldly standards and it has become more difficult to go to Church today. While the profaned sinners are literally ‘condemned’ from the Church, the ‘Rich’ and the ‘Holy’ ones become the body of the ‘Sacred.’ As Christians we all belong to the Church but tragically a finer distinction seems to be created between ‘I’ and the ‘Church’ and I feel that the Churches should dwell on two very basic yet foundational Christian concepts of Hope and Love within its associated praxis.
Today, the struggle for a clean Christian state is beyond redemption looking from a ‘Christian’ lens and everyone under NBCC has a lot of rethinking to do which goes beyond prohibition. Perhaps, a lot more than soul searching will be a much needed breakthrough. It is much desirable that NBCC should return back to the Church to reorient their identity in the Church of God and not in the sphere of the ‘political.’ The Church can act as ‘pressure group’ but the right areas are often ignored. I would rather love NBCC to focus on the challenges related to parenting besides many other aspects of primal importance if they feel that they are the moral voice (and rightly so) towards maintaining “moral standard” and “social fabric” together with the Christian voice of Love and Hope.
On a liberating note, Nagaland is still governed by religiosity and we as Christians need the Church and Christ more than liquor. The people today need real Love and Hope. As a foot note, even as the ‘holy chorus’ of pain and wail grows louder drinkers will continue do drink, in their pursuit of habitual exercise, for want and for pleasure. However, at the end...it is never between ‘I’ and the world...It is between ‘Me’ and God.
