Vicars in Kerala have two preoccupations apart from their priestly duties upon taking charge of a parish - church renovation and a Holy Land tour. Last year my dad finally gave in to the vicar's and mom's pleas to join for an Israel tour to see all the places that Jesus had reportedly tread upon. Until then he scorned the very idea. As someone who knew the history of the conflict, he couldnt bring himself to visit an oppressor state. Anyway, he was saved the difficult choice by the coronavirus, and the April 2020 trip got cancelled.
Once a lady from my church presented me a small piece of cottonwool and a rosary after returning from the so called Holy Land tour. She told me the wool was from Jesus' tomb. I didnt know what purpose it was supposed to serve and it lay in a purse until I shifted countries.
The average Malayali Christian has vehemently taken a pro-Israel stand this time. The anti Mus narrative being strong in India, this has added to the plight of the beleagured community. Christian relatives in Whatsapp groups and facebook are bragging about the military might of Israel and lapping up videos put up by nurses and caretakers from Kerala in that country. The husband at home is equally influenced despite my protestations about the injustice of the occupation. Videos have been put in social media to prove how good the Jews are (who said they killed JC is the new argument) and how ungrateful and violent the Palestinians are.
To top it, the Israel consul general's trip to the slain home nurse's house and their PM's call to her hubby has made them popular. People who have no idea about India's or the Communist Party's stand on the issue have been ridiculing our governments for being indifferent.
The conflict in West Asia fills my mind most of the time in a way it hasnt before. I am appalled at the anti Mus rhetoric I see in seemingly liberal minded friends. Stereotyping is our trait, and I am careful not to make that mistake now. Nobody is bad as a race or faith, there are good and bad people in all, I tell Mira. Her best friend is from the community. I have a sweet friend too who to my surprise other mutual friends like to brand as a religious fanatic because she has become more zealous about following rites. Arent we just as fanatic in our insistence on attending the Sunday mass on time, sending our kids to Sunday school or avoiding other places of worship, I ask.
The ceasefire announced today gives some hope that the misery and bombings will end now. But how long, how long will an oppressed people wait for liberation and their lands.
No comments:
Post a Comment