Why We Can't Stay Silent

The last 10 years in dealing with "Christian" politics first hand, has been a struggle where one’s faith has been brought to question, not to mention these past few months of back-room maneuvers that would put the Indian political system to shame... A stark contrast to a childhood where one had been taught black is black, that your yes meant yes and giving your word meant you had to stand by it even if it meant to sacrifice things that were dear to you.

More often than not, in the early days, travelling became a way of life. For, never learning to be politically correct, or saying what the bosses wanted to hear, small, out of the way towns became our home(s) every two to three years. Sometimes we changed homes (and towns) in a span of less than six months.

So, although my parents struggled to keep us afloat, grounded in lessons, albeit a different school in a different term, the days were exciting, full of adventure. Partly, I think because through the uncertainty of it all, there was one basic fundamental truth that held us, my parents together. That God is in control, He is THE Sovereign God.

In conversation with my mother a few days ago, she reflected back to the days when we struggled. Sometimes all we had for a meal was dal, rice and saag because that was all we could afford. She mentioned that although we did not have much those days, we had 'enough'. God always provided.

It taught us, me, some really important values in life. Some of my friends and teachers used to call me an idealist when I was growing up because I stated what my parents taught - truth is truth, no shades of grey.... :)

Some thirty years on, I know now there are shades of grey – so many sometimes it is hard to make out where the white blurs into the black. So it has been a struggle and yes, we are human and we feel angered and sad and humiliated. But in the words of Hamlet (Shakespeare) - "To thine own self be true and as follows the night, the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."

We do as Christ would have us do in gentleness and in humility but we also are called to do what is right - to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. And that is why we cannot stay silent….

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.  ~Martin Luther King, Jr.