Pastoral council protests against PM's remarks

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 24. The Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram has protested against the reported comments made by the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, against Christian missionaries.

The council, which met at the Renewal Centre, Nalanchira here on Thursday, noted that the Church was never a challenge to the Indian culture. Those in power should try to impartially analyse and review the contributions made by the Church.

``The contributions made by Christian missionaries to the Indian culture is clear in the history of the country and it is regrettable if it is seen as a threat,'' according to a release issued by the secretary of the council.

It called for setting up suitable venues for opening dialogue to clear the misconceptions. The council noted that proselytisation does not mean mere physical conversion. On the other hand, it is a journey of the human mind towards the divine path. In this process, it is a fact that there is no place for coercion. If everyone accepted the fact, the vexed issue of proselytisation could be better understood.

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Section  : Southern States
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