Kerala Marthoma Christians-Time that they Learn What Real Social Service Is!

Marthoma Christians of Kerala are a break away group linked to the Eastern Orthodox Churches of India. (For more read: Christianity in India )

This separation and establishment of an independent church denomination named Mar Thoma Syrian Christian Church of Malabar (Malankara Marthoma Nasrani Sabha in Malayalam) happened nearly 200 years ago. How and why of that are not important to be discussed here. (More official information can be had from the official website of the Marthoma Church)

Before and during the period of independence of India way back in 1947, the Marthoma families used to be small time farmers, traders or farm workers or those from the lower income groups who toiled hard for a living. As in any community, it also had some rich families as well.

Christians in the erstwhile local kingdoms of south-west India now forming the Kerala state of India were a humble prayerful lot in general during those times. Besides being ambitious and adventurous they gave much importance in gaining literacy and education. Perhaps they got that inclination due to the efforts of the foreign Christian missionaries of pre-independence era.

India after independence was not a country with beds of roses.

Opportunities for a decent work or profession used to be rare especially in Kerala. However, several reasonably educated youngsters from Kerala Christian families were adventurous enough to try their fortunes in foreign countries. 

Thanks to the underdeveloped democracy and its incompetent governance, the Indian economy and its currency have been consistently weak as compared to many of the foreign nations where the Keralites sought employment. This helped such Keralites to bring foreign currency savings to India and gain several times more cash in India as compared to their country cousins doing similar or even superior jobs and professions back in India.

Unlike in other states of India, it had been the Kerala Christians who tried their lucks to gain valuable dollars in the beginning. This helped several Kerala Christian families to gain affluence within a comparatively short time span of three four decades.

Soon Kerala landscape saw dramatic changes in its landscape. The state witnessed continuous growth of mansion like houses in all forms of architecture throughout its length and breadth. Prices of land useful for construction of houses or commercial buildings shot up exorbitantly. As most of the working class sought jobs and vocations abroad, farm workers declined and agriculture became a non-lucrative profession in the state. As a result, farm land costs fell drastically.

India government with little knowledge for efficient management of economy added further help for migration of working class in large numbers from India to other countries. Only unfortunate people remained in India to work locally. As their Indian rupee incomes stood much lower than their foreign employed cousins, they envied the latter. Passion for quick money and material glories began to spread and corruption in all forms became all pervading in India.

The passion for quick wealth engulfed the Kerala Christians as a whole and Marthoma Christians are no exception. The Christian clergy too became irrevocably affected by the evils of richness!

As it stands today, several Christian churches-its people, its clergy and bishops are shamefully involved in various kinds of scandals and crimes. There are nuns, priests and bishops involved in sexual immorality, sex related crimes including murder, money laundering, group fights and litigation for control of church properties and acts of shameless manipulations for gaining lucrative positions in the church organizations. Church authorities demanding bribes for employment in church controlled institutions and for admissions in their educational institutions is nothing new now.

Hospitals bearing Christian names no more feel any remorse while they charge heavily and unjustifiably from hapless patients who go there for treatment.

The hand work of evil is no more any secret in the Christian churches and their institutions. If social media responses are any indication there exists a good majority of common people who are too arrogant and ruthlessly unchristian in their acts and attitudes. They are simply egoistic, vengeful and willing to take up violence or other evil ways to get their side or opinion win.

Christian clergy in Kerala are no more those simple, prayerful, pious and humble leaders. Priesthood has become a means of social status, gaining quick money and importance.

Clergy from the Marthoma church are no more reluctant to show off  their affluence. Many of them build palatial houses and buy exotic cars and send their children to foreign destinations for higher education. Often the common people wonder about their sources of income as their officially known incomes cannot sustain such life style that they now have.

A good majority of Marthoma churches in Kerala now do not require much infrastructure as most of them have enough of that in place. Yet several churches are in the process of re-building old church buildings by spending millions. They keep asking the members for more and more donations even while their normal incomes are more than enough to sustain their normal activities.

If history is any indication, wealth and political power had done much tribulations to Christian church members at times they consistently deviated from the principles of love, goodness and God centered human fellowship. While they enjoy the fruits of affluence and good life, they forget Christ and his teachings. Evil anti-Christ becomes their god during those times who leads them cleverly to doom.

Cash rich Marthoma parishes sometimes do some charity work. But they do it with much fanfare. They seldom remember what Jesus taught! Much of their monies are wasted for non charity often.

They do not try to do any good to their own needy fellow members. Church authorities never feel any remorse or shame in demanding unjustified fees and charges for conducting marriages, funeral services for the dead etc. They do not feel it wise and good to reduce the fees of their educational institutions or hospitals even to their own deserving members even when such a gesture is financially viable.

Christians should have been a broadminded community. If so, they can do much, at least for themselves because collective true fellowship is much more powerful and effective than individual efforts. They could have been light bearers to the rest of the peoples and communities. Unfortunately they are now deviating from their true missions and responsibilities. Are they becoming a community for getting ridiculed by others? It is time to think!

Cash rich local church managements can think of planning and implementing health insurance and accident insurance coverage for its members and deserving non members from other communities as well instead of wasting money in demolishing and re-building buildings and structures.

They can think of paying out the educational loans or other loans of members or non-members who really suffer on account of non availability of resources for repayments. 

They can think of reducing their fees and charges for those who deserve it. 

Will they do it?

Will their clergy and bishops repent and be examples of simple and humble living? Will they live to gain true respect and love from their own people and others?

Will they follow Jesus?

Will they move away from acts that are evil and un-Christian?

How long will they continue with their evil ways? Will the silent prayers of the few good people cause any divine intervention for good?