Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Goa (Agenzia Fides) - Repeated episodes on various continents, India especially, would seem to indicate that the virus of Christian-phobia has not yet been eradicated, said Redemptorist priest Fr Desmond de Sousa of Goa, in an analysis published by the Asian Catholic news agency Sarnews. The term “ Christian-phobia” coined by a Europe for Christ network started in Vienna, is used to describe the phenomenom of “irrational fear and hatred of Christians and Christianity in general, demonstration of anti-Christian prejudice and marginalisation of individuals and communities professing faith in Christ”.
In the West “Christian-phobia” can be signalled in the removal of Christian symbols from public life and spreading behaviour contrary to Christian morals, a secularised culture and mentality, which consider God irrelevant. Or it becomes clear with the advance of the “dictatorship of relativism”, of which Benedict XVI often speaks.
In India and other Asian countries, Fr De Sousa notes, attacks on Christians or Christian symbols or structures are based on something different: growing intolerance with regard to religious pluralism and multireligious and multicultural societies; the affirmation of one majority religious belief which scorns minority religious communities.
By spreading a totalitarian concept of Hinduism, certain groups intend to render India a one religion Hindu state, and consider it not only a “mother country” but also a “holy land”. In their ideology, communities such as Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, have their “mother country” elsewhere and are therefore unwelcome. These groups also tend to support the caste system which has ruled Indian society for centuries.
Antagonism towards Christianity-Fr. Desmond explains in his analysis- is motivated by an attempt to stop the haemorrhage and conversion of Dalits (without caste, on the lowest grade of society) to Christianity, which restores their dignity as human persons and children of God. Fundamentalist groups fear the erosion of the caste system and loss of social, cultural and political privileges. This is why they are hostile to the work of education undertaken by many Christian missionaries and groups.
“Christian-phobia”, Fr. De Sousa warns, could become a global virus which bursts out here and there in different circumstances, areas and occasions. Besides, Christ himself suffered rejection and violence during his life on earth. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 2/4/2008 righe 27 parole 279)
