Sovereignty! Really?

I am neither a pessimist nor a turncoat but a realist.

I am referring to our demand for Greater Nagaland and our leaders' continuous nudge with the GOI and the subsequent compromise always. Nagaland is strategically too important for India that for the GOI to ignore our interest will be a blunder. Nagaland may be rightly called a 'necessary evil', we do not contribute to nation's economic wealth but GOI needs our land,I repeat again: our land, not the people. China is already strengthening its influence over India, well supported by their "String of Pearls" strategy. I'm not worried about the survival of Nagas after independence because China will take care of us. China will pour in so much wealth that we will be literally enslaved and our land will be used for further expanding their "String of Pearls" circle. And Needless to say, India is aware of that.

I gave myself the liberty of looking into the future assuming Nagaland to be an independent State. Introspecting the areas of governance and administration, the future does look promising but not without a string of hopelessness.

With 99.9% confidence, the form of government will be Communist (we don’t expect China to overlook this opportunity, do we?). One of the leaders then will be made the President, of course a rubber-stamp President who will be an arm of the command from the wealth provider. Military bases will be developed, basic, consumer goods and capital goods industries will spring up, primary sector will be strengthened to source these industries and tertiary activities will be organised. Tycoons will make their entry into the new market provided, ***** hotels will be built to accommodate them, better roads for their sophisticated cars, malls for their children and clubs and pubs for recreation. ‘Economy will bloom’ will only be an understatement.

What I am basically trying to say is Independent Nagaland seem like a distant dream to me. India will throw as much wealth needed and buy Naga leaders but never let go our land because they need Nagaland though they may not care for the Nagas.

But communism will stand on the ideology of communism. People’s voice will not be heard.

So stay with India: Underdeveloped but democratic, or embrace communism and bring in development?

Tradition Vs Doctrine ( Discrimination in the church?)

Often times I have wondered if the churches in Nagaland can be humble enough to come under one roof and sort out the differences hovering over them. I am ‘privileged’ to have had firsthand experiences of many tradition oriented practices plaguing the churches today and the misunderstanding among and within the churches in Nagaland. While some churches see praise and worship as an integral part of worship, it is seen as an “act of entertainment” in many others. Is praise and worship a prelude to the worship services or is it a part of it? I was practically stunned when a ‘theology’ student, during one of the practices confidently pronounced “we have crossed the ‘singspiration level’ but yet to reach praise and worship”. WHAT!!

While clapping is a form of worship echoing the Word of God (as told by a well-known preacher), some churches completely disapprove them. In fact some of them even try to convince the congregation into refraining from it.

The pastor suddenly paused his talking in the middle of a devotional Sunday service and I was laterally taken aback when, instead of continuing with his ‘shepherding’ the pastor ‘suddenly’ started WELCOMING someone into the church. Turning back I saw one of our ‘ministers’ making his heroic entry into ‘D church’, apparently very proud at the needless approval of the pastor. Are not churches supposed to be an institution of justice and moral voice of the people? Are not we justified in calling it ‘discrimination in the church’? Many churches in Nagaland bluntly refuse to be an epitome of equality.

Can the church give a proper guidance to the already disturbed and confused youth? The society confuses us, the media confuses us, the internet confuses us, music confuses us, the government confuses us, politics confuse us, and corruption confuses us. The youth today are entangled in a web of confusion. We want and need to be rescued. The more we try to set ourselves free, the more confused we become. Please don’t confuse us even more O! Anointed Church.