Those who said YES had this to say:
• Everything is for the glory and extension of God’s kingdom. This means social, economic, political and spiritual. There is no jurisdiction which is not Gods. So NBCC cannot claim that social and political issues are outside their jurisdiction. If they want to glorify God’s kingdom they need to get involved. What is more important is that NBCC must get involved in social and political issues according to God’s will and Christian values, not according to their own will and convenience. This is where the problem lies.
• As Christians who believe that Jesus is the master of all the earth, this also means politics and social issues. NBCC as a Christian institution must get involved in all social and political issues; otherwise it is only segregating the body of Christ.
• With the right attitude, why not!?
• It’s not only the NBCC who should be involved. The church (Christians) as a whole must be involved. But sadly our churches are happy and content inside their gorgeous huge churches, while the world is dying outside. Wow!
• The call of Christianity is not necessarily confined to prayers and preaching, songs and drama, but also to provide spiritual guidance to political and social issues confronting the society.
• Church has every obligation to address the social and political issues as the gospel of Christ is holistic. Moreover, the Church is a people/social based organisation.
• Because Christian ministry is not limited to the spiritual aspect alone. Spirituality without social and political concern is religious fanaticism.
• Yes, NBCC should also involve in social and political issues, like involvement in Indo-Naga peace talks, etc, because their organization is least corrupt.
• The NBCC has to get involved in social and political issues. The teachings of Jesus Christ is very clear on this aspect and if NBCC does not get involved on these issues, then they are not only being misled but they are only propagating that God’s writ does not run on the social and political life of the people.
• The NBCC by deciding not to involve in social and political issues has only allowed a non-Christian worldview to lead the Nagas.
• NBCC should get involved in social and political issues. Why? 1) That is the true prophetic ministry of the Church; 2) Without prophetic ministry, existence of the Church is meaningless; 3) If the Church does not identify with its own people, then the Church is not Church; 4) But while doing the Prophetic ministry Church should not use the RAW agents like past decades.
• As the most powerful social body of the Nagas, the Church should have a say. But the Church has to be very careful even though it wields considerable influence over the Nagas. We have seen that the Church body has not been consistent with its commitments. A revival in every aspect of the Naga society is in need, and the Church should be at the forefront.
• If NBCC is a true representative of Christianity and is concerned for the people, then NBCC must get involved in all social and political issues that affect the life of the public.
• To attain a common goal, it’s a must, though religion should stay away from politics.
• Being a Christian state by name, the church has the respect to voice out in any affairs of the state. They enjoy mass support as they represent the voice of the people....in the political and social aspects.
• The NBCC is a council of all the churches in Nagaland state; and because it has to be concerned about the situation of the people, it has to get involved in social and political issues. If its stand is not to get involved, then the situation will always remain bad.
• Yes, because it is the Churches’ responsibility to shoulder social and political issues. The Churches can get involved by submitting agendas to the political social leaders and also through prayers.
• Why should the Church keep quiet when there is so much corruption in the society? Why has the NBCC been formed? Can they not get involved when the Churches are being pressed down by the socio-political issues?
• The situation in Nagaland is getting from bad to worse and if there is to be some change, the Church has to get involved.
• Yes, Church is the strongest and most influential institution for the Nagas and tribals who are Christians where people from all walks of life come together. Church can give moral and ethical guidance to the people and Christian principle can correct the social and political injustice.
• Simply for the reason that Christian churches are not called to be isolated from politics rather called for the prophetic ministry. Christian values and morality should be propagated by taking part in political and social issues.
• The church must involve in Socio-Political issues. Reasons: 1. The Churches are located within Political and Social settings and no church is free from such issues to be only religious. 2. Spiritualizing everything with blind conservativeness is rotting our society. 3. If Church should be the agent of change they must come out strongly against all evils of institutionalized power (state/nationalist or anybody) that dehumanize people. 4. It’s time that the main focus of the mission of NBCC should be to hear and nurture the (social, political and religious) cries of her children, instead of counting how many missionaries/converted. 5. The Church should be the starting point of transparency, honesty, fearlessness, source of reasoning and the champions of justice. In other words it should be the decisive force and the guardian in all political and social issues by involving and providing guidance on ethical and moral issues.
• NBCC is very much a part of the society and unless it wishes to be cut off from the society like the monasteries, the NBCC has to be involved in social and political issues.
• Yes, but should not favour any group or party. They the church walls should be at the forefront of the political issues, to lead the politicos into doing what is right and just and godly. Too much slumber by the church has led our people into immoral and declining spiritual state.
• Religion, having to play a pivotal role in the lives of Christian Nagas, the NBCC should therefore involve itself in putting an end to all kinds of social and political issues that confront the Nagas today. In doing so, NBCC also need to adhere to the principles and values that Christianity emphasizes and teaches.
• After all, it’s a religious institution and a religious institution will never be against the will of the people and their lamenting voices. Discover it through the eye of the divine. The love of Almighty God is there! Social and political affairs cannot be handled by human being in a righteous way; it is an entity of God. HE encompasses these very aspects. So it is rational that Nagaland Baptist Church Council get involved in social and political issues and must take over the power from the present government; sounds uncanny and obsolete but this is true. Let the Almighty God RULE the world again like before.
• Yes NBCC should get involved. Politics must be looked at broadly, not as state election politics and party politics, but politics as the welfare of society. If the Church did not shy away from political issues, a number of genocides would have been avoided. In Rwanda, most of the killings took place in Churches. Even today, Nagas are using Churches to incite hatred. This is not good. So, the Church has to be involved so that it plays a good role in leading and building society.
• Yes, the Church needs to get involved. If Church leaders like Rev Billy Graham, Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Archbishop Romero, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and so many others did not involve themselves in social and political issues, then the Cold War, Apartheid, Racial Discrimination and Political Injustice will be prevailing in many parts of the world. It is because of the Church’s involvement that they brought about changes. If only NBCC can get involved, guided by God’s wisdom and conscience, the situation among Nagas may be better.
• Since the Nagas are in a quagmire politically and socially, we need guidance to overcome the odds and this is where the NBCC comes in. There is solution in Christ and NBCC must carry forward this message boldly without fear. We badly need problem solvers and peacemakers and NBCC must rise up and take the problem by the horns. May the Almighty God use the NBCC as a tool to bring peace, harmony and social justice to the weary Nagas. We Nagas need a miracle today! We must humble ourselves before God and He will surely hear our cries, dear Nagas.
Those who said NO had this to say:
• Absolutely NO! NO! NO
• Politics and religion should be separated.
• NBCC should not get involved in political and social issues. One man cannot serve two masters. Same like NBCC can’t serve both God and at the same time political evils. The involvement of NBCC in political issues has led to politicization of Christianity.
• I believe in separation of state and church.
• Social work, ok, but not political. We still lag behind in the religious sector, why should they poke their nose? They should rather pray and pray for the Nagas.
• THEY have got NO RIGHT to get involved outside their jurisdiction. THEY must first take a look into their own systems. Look how many of them are corrupted. Everyone knows it... only thing is that the public is quiet... there are hardly a handful who are true servants of GOD.
• I think all churches should stay out of politics. They should stick to what they know best. They should build their own institution stronger and bigger. Maybe churches should focus more on child protection, HIV, pray more for healing and other social needs. If not, common people will misunderstand them, for some people don’t like to get involved with politics so why should the church? And I also disagree with NSCNs/factions mixing religion with their mission statement while their action is absolutely opposite.
• No, because Jesus is not politics, it is as simple as this – do we like the participation of RSS, Shiv Sena, VHP etc., in social and political issues? Let secularism prevail in those fields.
• In no way should the NBCC involve themselves in politics. Rather, they should lend their hands in social service. In this 21st century no one is a saint, everyone is concerned only about bulging their pocket, no excuse for church council or whatever, everyone is so corrupt that they are washing their hands on each other to meet their selfish ends. Therefore the NBCC should humbly serve the Christian congregation only. Once they touch politics it becomes a bloody issue. No one is concerned about public grievances these days, not even the church leaders. Instead they are vying among themselves, about who has more feathers in their caps in terms of their relationship with the VIPs and VVIPs. Indirectly or directly, they are already involved in politics, so if they join hands with politics openly, we ought to open a hall each for men and women to discuss politics after service... Amen. Remember Jesus was crucified by the hypocrite politicians in the form of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Think twice.
• NBCC should not involve in social and political issues. History has proof in Europe during 16th and 17th century that there was no unity till the state was ruled by Church directly or indirectly. Nationalism rose only after removal of Church power.
• NBCC should stick to its principles of reaching out to every corner of the world preaching the gospel of God...please...not social and political issues because it will be a violation of secular status, i.e., in the name of religion.
• Their conservative Baptist politics should be kept within their churches. Otherwise, Nagaland will become like George Bush’s United States where Baptist Christian fanatics decide who should rule the country. Baptist churches should instead go back to their churches and confront their fanatic principles and doctrines. Teach their members that there are Christians and believers all over the world. That if a believer in Jesus is NOT a Baptist they do not go to hell. This is only bought hook line and sinker in Nagaland Baptist churches. I dread the day when the Baptist leaders take over the state!!
Those who said MAYBE had this to say:
• It is better for the NBCC to abstain from Political activities as the body is completely religious; but yes, it should get involved in social activities which benefit the social masses in general and their justification of involvement should be completely unbiased. They should abstain themselves from controversial social activities which is biased to a single section of people.
Others:
• Yes, to social activities; No, politically.
• Why NBCC alone? Rest of the different Christian faiths or factions must be given equal share of responsibilities so that they can truthfully discharge their duties and contribute their God discerning power for resolving the multi-pronged disputes/differences that have plagued our society today.
• Yes for social issues, but not political issues.
• Is the question raised by you genuinely healthy? In what sense are you raising this question? Are you only a political being, not others, in a society?
