Priests sell baptism certificates IBN & Cobrapost - February 21, 2007 New Delhi: Baptism is one of Christianity’s most sacred rites symbolising purification and a person’s admission to the religion. But for some priests baptism has become a money-spinner. A CNN-IBN and Cobrapost investigation has found that some unscrupulous members of the church are selling baptism certificates, which are needed to prove that a person is Christian. Father Benjamin Das, pastor of the Idgaah Baptist Church in Paharganj, New Delhi, sells baptism certificates. The investigation team goes undercover and tells him that we need baptism certificates. Das agrees and fakes a backdated entry in the church register to show us as old members of the church. Reporter: Achcha jo baptism banayenge, purani date ka bana denge… (We will have to back date the certificate. People must not get a chance to say how did you get a new certificate.) Das: Haan usmein aisa ki aajkal ke time se saare log jaante hain ki paise se sab kuchh ho sakta hai. Theek hai ya nahin paisa imaan ko bhi kayam nahin rakhta hai, saare kaam ho sakte hain. (People know that money can get anything nowadays. Wrong or right, money can get any work done. Money can even buy your conscience)
Then Das fixes the cost of a certificate. For Rs 15,000 he sells us a certificate. “Total jo hai, mere 15 ho gaye. Two affidavit ke ho gaye and aur 13 yeh ho gaye,” says Das. (Rs 15,000 is for me: Rs 2,000 for the affidavits and Rs 13,000 more) Reporter: Ek baar inhe check bhi kar lijiye, note kai baar nakli bhi nikal jaate hain. (Check the notes, Father. Sometimes the Rs 500 notes turn out to be fakes) “Nakli kaise honge bhai jab asli kaam ho raha hai toh?” says Das while counting the notes. (How can the notes be fake when you are doing real work?) Video at: http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/34112/priests-sell-baptism-certificates.html --- On Tue, 7/8/08, ven <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: ven <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [ =>> Jharkhand <<= ] christian presentation of tribal worship To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2008, 3:54 AM Jharkhand Forum | Jharkhand.org. in/forum Rashmi You are right. Christian missionaries paint native non christian beliefs and customs in the most hurting, obnoxious terms. Here is one christian presentation of tribal worship. Christian missionaries are quite proud to put down other beliefs ..its all over the net. http://www.navpress .com/Magazines/ PrayKids/ Guide/LG/ 47.html Let's Pray for Animists See page 6 of PrayKids!® Estimated time: 10-15 minutes People sometimes refer to the Animist people as Tribal. The Tribal people believe like the Animists. There are other unreached people groups in different parts of the world that also have Animistic beliefs. Questions: Why do Animists worship evil spirits? (They fear something bad might happen to them or their family members if the spirits get mad.) What are some of the fears the Animist people have? (The Animists fear the evil spirits could bring sickness, death, a terrible accident, an earthquake, tidal wave, or famine.) How do Animists try to protect themselves? (They use charms, fetishes like goat's hair, bones, feathers, or have idols they worship.) Is fear from God or Satan? How do you know? (Fear is from Satan. Possible answers for how do you know: the Bible tells us not to fear, Satan gets people to worship him because they are afraid, etc.) What would really protect these people? (If they knew Jesus, His blood would protect them) What is something you could pray for an Animist? (answers will vary; stress the need to pray for salvation for the Animists so that they would be protected by Jesus' blood and the Word of God) Activity: Take the word "Animist" and write it vertically down the side of the board. Then ask the kids to think of ways Jesus could help the Animist people to not live in fear and worship Satan. Have the kids think of ways to say each thing so it begins with a letter in the word "Animist." Example: A — A missionary could go to the people and show them Jesus' love; N — No more fear when Jesus lives in their heart; etc. Did you know there is a missions curriculum and musical? The author of this article also composed a musical called Kids on a Mission. It is the sequel to Kids on a Mission Curriculum, a missions education tool that can be used in a Sunday School, Jr. Church, home schooling, VBS, and camps. Kids on a Mission Curriculum has a video segment that goes along with each unit, as children from each of the areas represented by the T.H.U.M.B.* people talk about their religion (the one their parents have taught them to follow). The main focus is to educate children about unreached people groups, the 10/40 window, The Great Commission mandate. Each of the units gives an objective, life response aim, Bible basis, and power point. Also included are tips for the teacher on room atmosphere, items needed, reproducible activity sheets, overheads, plus a supplemental learning activities section with each unit. It also has a supplemental resource list at the back of the book. A very easy resource to use with lessons laid out in detail. Lots of fun missions learning activities included. The goal is not simply to inform kids, but to encourage them to have a caring heart for people who don't know Jesus, and encourage them to give, pray and serve the Lord. (Although produced by The Christian and Missionary Alliance, it is generic in nature and can be used by any denomination or nondenominantional church.) Kids On A Mission musical is a sequel to the curriculum. The goal of the musical is to have children clearly see that Christ's command is a mission not only for adults but for children too. Once again, it motivates children toward a commitment to pray for unreached peoples using the Thumb Prayer Tool. An exciting part of the musical is when the "Thumb People" come out of the heart-shaped world "set" to talk with the children (and the audience). It highlights giving for missions, and also making themselves available to God right now for whatever His will may be for them in the future. During the finale one of the children gives a challenge to the audience to pray, give and go. Order online (www.cmalliance. org) or call Disciplemaking Ministries Service Center (1-800-233-4443) . *PrayKids! has produced a set of T.H.U.M.B. Prayer Cards to help children learn to pray effectively for these unreached people groups. Each set includes a card for parents and children's leaders with suggestions for use. The sets sell for $3.00 each (plus shipping and handling) or $2.00 when five or more sets are purchased. To order on-line, go to www.praymag. com and click on "Resources", or call 1-800-366-7788 and ask for offer #6227. New Tribes has a wonderful website (www.newtribes. org) with lots of information on the tribal people. There is also a prayer guide with updated praises and prayer requests from the missionaries working in different areas of the world.
