Strongly Condemn Gruesome Acts of Violence on Minors in Badaun

A Protest Organised by the undersigned at Jantar Mantar
Thursday 5th June (World Environment Day) 10:00 am – 11:30 am
It is such a paradox, that on World Environment Day, where the Tree symbolizing as Hope for Life, has been used to hang and take away the lives of two young innocent girls at Badaun. Even as there is uproar over this crime, another girl is allegedly hung to the tree after being raped in Sitapur and a woman judge raped in Aligarh.
Time and again, women and girls are the prime targets of violence and the most recent brutal gang rapes in the small village of Badaun District of UP confirm this.
Where does one go for justice?
How can the perpetrators be brought to trial? What is the society’s response? Where is the government’s accountability? These are only few of the unending questions that are troubling us, and as citizens of this country, we demand that there needs to be a stop to ALL such horrendous acts of violence. This is unacceptable in the eyes of any civilized society.

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WORKING TOGETHER (RECONCILIATION)

2 Cor. 5:16-21
June 8, 2014 is a significant day as per the almanac of Churches. We are going to celebrate Pentecost Day, reminding ourselves of the movement of God’s Spirit among peoples and nations, working out the purposes of the reign of God.
June 8, 2014 is also going to be significant historically because on this day the world is going to witness one vital expression of working together for reconciliation. It is on this day that the Palestinian president Abu Mazen and Israeli president Shimon Peres will meet together for prayer along with Pope Francis.
Allow me to quote extracts (in italics) from a text published in the Vatican Insider of 2nd June 2014 and draw insights from what Paul says in his letters, particularly in 2 Cor.5:16-21, and in related biblical texts. These insights have important implications for all ecumenical movements in the world.
The purpose of this meeting is not to attempt mediation or discuss new road maps: Francis wants to keep the encounter strictly religious.  “The purpose of the meeting will be to pray not to mediate,” Francis said on the return flight from the Holy Land to Rome. “The two presidents and I will only meet to pray and I believe that prayer is important and doing this helps. Then they will go home. There will be a rabbi, a Muslim and me…” Elsewhere Francis said: “In this place where the Prince of Peace was born, I desire to invite you, President Mahmoud Abbas, and President Shimon Peres, to raise together with me an intense prayer to God for the gift of peace. And I offer my house in the Vatican to host you in this encounter of prayer.” 
Note that Pope Francis asserts “The purpose of the meeting is not to attempt mediation or discuss new road maps.” In an article published on the Time website . . . Christopher J. Hale wrote: “Francis’ successful overture was especially remarkable considering the failed efforts by the United States earlier this spring to get both sides to the table to begin negotiated peace talks…” Countries, and in particular the superpowers, have been trying to broker peace and reconciliation, in line with their political ideologies of justice and peace, and within their framework of economic development,  nuclearization, militarization, and strategic alliances, spelling out human utopias.

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Affirm Diversity – Defend the Rights of Sexual Minorities: A Call for Indian Faith Communities

Bangalore, 31 May, 2014. Sri Sri Ravishankar, the founder of Art of Living, said that, ‘affirm diversity – defend the Rights of the Sexual minorities’,  in a public meeting on ‘Faiths Against Homophobia’ jointly organised by the  ‘aneka-Trust’, Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore University, and  Centre for Peace and Justice Concerns of the National Christian Council of India, at  Institute for Agriculture Hall, in Bangalore on the 31st May 2014.
Ravishankar calls upon all religious leaders and the faith communities to affirm the rights of the sexual minority communities who are socially and religiously stigmatised, excluded and discriminated for centuries. He further emphasised that, they too belong to the ‘Cod created Cosmic Community’ where we too are part and got a space to live. It is the duty of the faith communities to affirm the diversity and to defend the Rights of the neglected and rejected ones especially the sexual minorities.
here were over 200 participants including women and men apart from the sexual minorities. Ms. Chitra a male to female transgender invoked God by a special number as to inaugurate the public meeting.

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