Bishops conference
Posted on March 9th, 2014
Group of senior Buddhist professionals in Sri Lanka
We are a group of senior Buddhist professionals in Sri Lanka whose mission is to promote religious and communal harmony among the various segments of the country.
We are much perturbed (?)over the news item appearing in the Island of 5th March 2014 with banner head line ‘Mannar Bishop leads for call for international war crimes probe”. According to the news item the ‘appeal is made by a group of Catholic priests and Rev sisters from the Northern and Eastern provinces urging the Geneva based United Nati.ons Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at its 25th session to adopt a strong and action oriented resolution on Sri Lanka. The move is led by the Bishop of Mannar Rt.Rev Rayappu Joseph who has been in the forefront of local Tamils, for an international war crimes inquiry.’
The Buddhist Professionals’ Forum notes that the two bishops represent only 194,716 ,a small fraction of the total Catholic population of the Island which is 1.297 033 which in turn is only 6.1% of the entire population of SriLanka the majority 70% constitutes of Buddhists.
This is in spite of the efforts made by the Portuguese to convert the local population to convert the Buddhist and Hindus into Catholicism ,sometimes committing worse crimes as reported by Portuguese historians such as Fr Queyroz and Robero and Faria e Sousa.
In spite of the persecutions the Buddhists acted with tolerance’. “And the best example of this Buddhist tolerance was that when the Portuguese Catholics chased away the Muslims , the King gave them new lands and settled them in the interior away from the reach of the Portuguese. When the Dutch Protestants arrived to replace the Portuguese , they in turn banned Catholicism and its practice ,The Sinhalese King gave these Catholics protection and allowed their priests to to operate from areas controlled by him as at Vahakotte
What the two Bishops advocate is something which is not only deplorable but contrary to the wishes of the Cardinal ,Malcolm Ranjith who is the head of the Catholic hierarchy in the country .In addressing the CHOGM delegates quote “His eminence Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says that undisciplined international meddling are a threat to the sovereignty of the country. The Rt. Reverend Cardinal adds that proposing to conduct international investigations into the human rights violations in Sri Lanka amounts to an inappropriate foreign intervention into an internal problem. Such meddling will pave the way for the destructions of the economic and spiritual co-existence” unquote.
Buddhist Professionals’Forum fully endorses the views expressed by His Eminenence.It is for the clergy of all religions to join hands and continue with the development work commenced in the country.
Finally we wish to say that let not the Devils rush in where the Angel fears to tread
March 9th, 2014 at 4:46 pm
The Catholic Church is with the Tamils. Father Emmanuel and Rayappu Joseph are leading the pro terrorist campaign. The Catholic Church as failed to reprimand them.
It is time that the Sinhala Catolics reassess their wisdom to remain devoted to a religion which demands allegiance to the Church in Rome and pays scant respect to patriotism to a motherland. Why should they remain in a religion whose representatives like Emmanuel and Rayappu are attached to anti-Sinhal pro-Tamil are unconcerened
March 9th, 2014 at 4:56 pm
It is time that the Sinhala Catholics reassess their wisdom to remain devoted to a religion which demands allegiance to the Church in Rome and pays scant respect to patriotism to a motherland. Why should they remain in a religion whose representatives like Emmanuel and Rayappu in Sri Lanka are attached to anti-Sinhala pro-Tamil Terrorists, are unconcerned about unity of the people, and a love for a unitary undivided Sri Lanka ?
The Sinhala Catholics should now revert their allegiance to the Catholic Church and come back to Buddhism the true religion of their Sinhala ancestors. There is much in Buddhism for Sinhala people, than in Catholism which is a foreign religion without a true philosophy without any relationship to the Sinhala people other than its Catholic Missionary past that came with the Colonialists, the Portuguese, Dutch and the British.
March 9th, 2014 at 7:14 pm
I DISAGREE with Charles.
SL needs patriots of ALL faiths. Not just Buddhists. We should follow whatever we believe in. There is NO NEED for everyone to be in one religion.
Sinhala Christian leaders have NO BACKBONE to control REBELIOUS Tamil clergy. That is the problem. No need for all to leave that religion just because of a FEW parasites.
The church (particularly the Catholic church) is in DEEP trouble. That is accepted. Terrorism, fraud, child abuse, sex, nuns delivering babies, etc. It is dangerous for kids to go to church, sunday school, Bible classes, etc., etc.!!! But the man to g~d contract in Christianity still stands. People have to BYPASS the damned church and link with the TEACHINGS and g~d directly.
A good Christian CAN BE a good SL patriot. Plenty of examples from the armed forces.
But I agree the Church (whatever denomination) RIDICULES SL patriotism and is sympathetic to Tamilians. Keep your faith but bypass the damned church.
March 9th, 2014 at 7:26 pm
“A good Christian CAN BE a good SL patriot. ” – true but rare.
The problem is 90% Sinhala Christians not proud of Sinhala heritage. BW is an exception. We should be proud of Bernard.
March 9th, 2014 at 7:56 pm
Religion without a proper understanding is the opium of the masses! If a person is a true Christian, s/he will have the fundamental conviction to be patriotic to the country where s/he got all the education and the social up bringing to be a good human being.
If a person has no love for the country, its better to leave the country or die rather than to live in that country. Such people who propagate hatred against the country are traitors and a curse to the society. These are the ones who look for external political intervention, and are prepared to give the country to foreign powers on a platter.
I am sure there are good Christians around, just like good Buddhists. Of course, as we all know, there are idiots in robes and it appears that Rayappu is one of those. The Catholic Church must do something to wean such idiots preaching hatred inside and outside our motherland we love to live in. The church has failed so far, making people look at these idiots as the voice of the church. Shame on the church leadership and God will have no mercy on them!
March 9th, 2014 at 11:24 pm
Sri Lankan muslims – mostly the mosque – is worried about how to increase their numbers. Muslim politicians are always thinking about how to promote Muslims.
Most Sinhala Christians don’t feel very much about Sri Lanka, majority culture, civilization and preservation of it is not that a big deal for them. Because, the Pansala-wewa- village concept is not relevant to them.
Post colonial Sri Lankan education taught only about British Political system and not anything about, Mahavamsa, Chula vamsa, Rajawaliya or many other Sandesha-books. I learned about those books because of LTTE and Tamils.
I hear the present Raja-family is interested only about earning money. Hiding behind the development of the country they have become owners of hugh businesses and all are govt contractors. either directly or indirectly.
For them, who cares about the Sinhale’ culture and Sinhala buddhist civilization. They came from christian families and became buddhists, and are married to catholics.
March 10th, 2014 at 3:48 am
Lorenzo: Your statement ” SL needs patriots of ALL faiths. Not just Buddhists. We should follow whatever we believe in. There is no need for everyone to be in one religion”.
Bravo. Please accept my sincere appreciation and wish to offer you a “Big Thank You” for that statement. In my opinion it is “Aloko Udapadi”- (Dawn of knowledge and vision). Thank you again.
March 10th, 2014 at 4:48 am
Douglas,
Hope you know the OVERARCHING understanding behind it.
SL must remain a UNITARY SINHALA BUDDHIST country where people of ALL faiths live and LOVE the nation. As an Anglican I have NO PROBLEM SL with it to say the least. But I will NEVER change my religion, gender or ethnicity for anything.
SL must NEVER become a secular country.
March 10th, 2014 at 4:53 am
Lorenzo,
You must study Buddhism properly and you will change, because you have the wisdom many Buddhist do not have.
March 10th, 2014 at 5:09 am
Nanda,
As you know I’m doing it at my pace.
March 10th, 2014 at 5:09 am
“Mar 08, Colombo: Authorities in Sri Lanka have taken measures to ban the slaughter of cattle, goats and pigs and the sale and transporting of beef, mutton and pork in the Gampaha District from today.
The move has been initiated in order to arrest the spread of foot and mouth disease since it was detected among several heard of cattle in the area.
Director General, Department of Animal Production and Health, Dr. Kumar de Silva said the gazette notification in this regard was sent to the Government printer.
The ban is already in force in seven districts – Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Ampara, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Puttalam.
It has been reported that cattle in the Karandeniya area in the Galle District have also contracted the disease after several heads of cattle were brought to the area from Welisara in the Gampaha District.
Dr. de Silva said the disease has spread in the Western and Southern Provinces after meat from the affected districts were brought to the areas.
He added that the Police had been directed to take stern action against those who defy the ban and transport meat and cattle from affected areas.”
– colombopage
Muslims will be crying. No beef. If they really want to eat infected beef, they should be allowed to eat it.
Halal AUTOMATICALLY goes bust!!
Govt. has CREATIVELY banned beef and mutton!! Good job.
Charge a 1000% tax on imported beef.
March 11th, 2014 at 6:24 am
I think Northern Catholic Tamil priests, led by trouble makers like Rajppu Joseph, are bringing disrepute to Christianity as a whole and Tamil Christians in particular, through their deplorable conduct and false allegations against the state and the Sinhalese majority. The Government will have no option but to apply the law of the land to these distortionist priests before its too late to control the hatred they are building up between communities and religious sects.
March 11th, 2014 at 8:33 pm
I am a Sri Lankan Sinhalese Catholic. I was born and educated as a Catholic, but after emigrating to USA 35 years ago, I have realized that the Catholic church in Sri lanka was trying to use religion to enslave the masses and make them obedient to the clergy. The Catholic religion practiced and taught in the USA is different.
I no longer go to church or support the Catholic faith. They preach a lot of nonsense to enslave the masses. I am a Patriotic Sri Lankan and still support the land of my birth. It is difficult for me to understand why the other Bishops in Sri Lanka are afraid to denounce “Tiger Ryappu Joseph”.
The last time I visited Sri Lanka I heard that a layman was preaching Catholism or whatever he calls it and he had a very big following. I have a feeling that the Cardinal and the other Bishops are having a hard time holding the congregation from leaving the church and following This Layman “Lalith Perera”.
It is still possible for a Sri Lankan Catholic to be a Patriotic Sri Lankan especially if they are Sinhalese.
March 11th, 2014 at 8:34 pm
I am a Sri Lankan Sinhalese Catholic. I was born and educated as a Catholic, but after emigrating to USA 35 years ago, I have realized that the Catholic church in Sri lanka was trying to use religion to enslave the masses and make them obedient to the clergy. The Catholic religion practiced and taught in the USA is different.
I no longer go to church or support the Catholic faith. They preach a lot of nonsense to enslave the masses. I am a Patriotic Sri Lankan and still support the land of my birth. It is difficult for me to understand why the other Bishops in Sri Lanka are afraid to denounce “Tiger Ryappu Joseph”.
The last time I visited Sri Lanka I heard that a layman was preaching Catholism or whatever he calls it and he had a very big following. I have a feeling that the Cardinal and the other Bishops are having a hard time holding the congregation from leaving the church and following This Layman “Lalith Perera”.