S3-Day 14: Cyber bullying

Reflecting Verses: 

“This is why you were chosen. Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength and knows compassion”. 

–Dr. Abraham Erskine from the movie “Captain America” 

“The one who neglects and turns a blind eye to the abuse is worse than the abuser” 

-Ko Mun Yeong from the Korean Drama “It’s Okay to not be Okay” 

These quotations are my favourite for the very simple reason that hurting anybody for any reason is not human at all. That’s how it is for both boys and girls. People judge by the way you look and with what they hear about you and label you immediately. 

In today’s world, anything and everything is available at the click of a button in this fast-developing technological age. The cyber-world is known to have opened various opportunities and has given rise to an ocean of information which in turn has widened the base of our knowledge. As known, everything comes with its own pros and cons. This makes us think of evil consequences of such ocean of knowledge which leads to Cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can have devastating consequences. Many people fall into mental illness, be it depression, anxiety, trauma, and has been a major reason for suicide. 

As the quote goes: “Words scar, rumours destroy, and bullies kill”, there are many people who die because of bullying. The worst thing in cyber bullying is that the perpetrators could be acquaintances but hide behind the mask of anonymity online. 

Cyber bullying is one of the major issues that has shown up in recent years, especially in India, due to increasing availability of data services and social media. The main victim to these bullying cases is the student community. One of the sensational incidents which had occurred in recent years was the suicide of an MBBS student in Kerala who was provoked with inappropriate comments on her Facebook post by one of her college mates. 

The Raghavan Committee report recommended that teachers and the principal shall be held liable if any act of bullying takes place in the school premises. This was stated in the case of University of Kerala v. Council, Principal’s Colleges, Kerala and others. In order to discipline the behaviour of students and evict the cases of bullying and abuse from the college premises, UGC (University Grants Commission) brought uniform anti-ragging rules to be followed by the Universities and Colleges across the country and they could even forfeit their recognition if they fail to abide by the anti-ragging rules which have been legislated by the UGC. 

In India, there is no specific provision under any legislation to deal with the issue of cyber bullying. However, there are various provisions in the existing laws which can somehow be related to the various forms of cyber bullying. Among other existing laws the role played by the Information Technology Act, however partial, is very significant. The Information Technology Act is enacted and interpreted by the Courts to deal in such cyberspace issue relating to cyber bullying, cyber stalking, etc. The amendment of the Indian Penal Code Act in 2013 introduced other offences and made cyber stalking an offence. 

We should always remind ourselves if we are the victims of bullying that, even though we may feel powerless in this situation remember that God is with us in solidarity. We must be vocal and raise our voice. God will give us the strength to challenge such injustices. Likewise, if we know anyone who bullies others in any form, stand us against them, and teach them a lesson through the legal institution. God is by our side when we do that. No matter how dirty they tear us down, God is in such dirty places with people who are dirtied. Be Bold. Be Strong. Be Vocal. 

Prayer: Eternal King, how great are Your signs and how powerful are Your wonders! Your Kingdom will last forever, Your rule through all generations. You are the Lord, the Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Author: Larihun Lyngdoh 

About the Author: Larihun was born and raised in Meghalaya. She just completed her graduation in Law. She loves watching anime. She is an active member of the Student Christian Movement of India. 

S3-Day 13: Muslim Women: Icons of Strength amidst Oppression

Reflecting Verse: 

Jesus Christ is raging, raging in the streets,

where injustice spirals

and real hope retreats.

Listen, Lord Jesus, I am angry too.

In the Kingdom’s causes

Let me rage with you. 

Jesus Christ is calling, calling in the streets,

‘Who will join my journey?

I will guide their feet.’

Listen, Lord Jesus, let my fears be few.

Walk one step before me; I will follow you. 

My first encounter with this topic was during the recent campaign #ifwedonotrise. As I went through the factsheet on Muslim women produced during the campaign, it left me wondering how many of us who stand with the “marginalized” are aware that the Muslim community and especially Muslim women are among the most marginalized sections in society. 

According to the Sachar Committee report, Muslims possess the lowest average monthly per capita expenditure among all socio-religious groups in the country. Over the past decade the community has been subjected to violence in the form of “beef lynching” and attacks based on accusations of waging “love jihad”. The passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 accelerated the discriminations against Muslims in different parts of the country. With the communalization of the Covid-19 pandemic following the Tablighi Jamaat incident, the discriminations took on new forms. Reports have it that government hospitals designated different wards for Muslim patients, denied healthcare services to pregnant Muslim women, and hospital staff openly spewing hate against Muslims. 

The upsurge in domestic violence amongst women and children became a double oppression for Muslim women. Having a lower representation in the work force than women of other communities, their work goes unrecorded as they are primarily home-based workers - poorly paid, exploited, and under contract with no social security. And yet despite being the most oppressed group, Muslim women and girls led a struggle, when protests erupted against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, demanding for the revocation of the CAA. The backlash and virulent media campaign combined with state repression added to the unprecedented violence that Muslim women and students faced by virtue of being ‘women’ and ‘Muslims’. 

While there have been a good number of people and civil society groups supporting the cause, there are many who look at the protest as purely a communal one - Hindus vs. Muslims. And Muslims are often portrayed to be a “threat” even to most Christians. The Israel-Palestine issue is one instance in which majority of Christians support Israel rather than Palestine even though Israel is the “oppressor” and Palestine the “oppressed”. This makes me question the selective nature of our solidarity as people who profess to be committed to the cause of the oppressed and marginalized. And I think it is high time to break the stereotypes we have of a particular community, religion, gender, and so on and instead focus on the discriminations that they have been subjected to. 

As Christians, how far have we engaged with issues that affect a particular community as much as we do with our own? Is God’s providence confined only to specific communities? If yes, then we need to reread the Bible with new eyes. And if not, then we need to equally engage with the issues affecting all those who are victims of oppression and injustice. ‘God in dirty places’ beckons us to take our faith beyond our limits. It beckons us to imagine God in our immediate situation while drawing inspiration from events that witness to God’s liberative action in history. 

Despite being among the most oppressed groups, Muslim women have been resilient and at the forefront of their struggles - asserting their right to self-determination and equality as women within the community (for instance, the issue of triple talaq which has seen gains), and their right to citizenship as Muslims within the larger body politic. There is much that we can draw inspiration from, and there is a lot more that we can do if we really want to see our society and world transformed. Coming together and joining our voices collectively for a just cause, transcending barriers of gender, religion, community, caste, race, and so on is only the beginning. 

Prayer: 

God our co-sufferer, who delights in justice and truth, make us restless when we see injustice around us. Give us the courage to rage against oppressive and discriminatory power structures. Amen. 

Author: Darkerlin Mukhim 

About the Author: Daker completed her Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore (2005-2008) and Master of Arts in Theology from the Protestant Theological University, Groningen (2012-13). She is presently working with Student Christian Movement of India, Bangalore as the Executive Secretary for Faith, Formation and Praxis desk.

S3-Day 12: Tribal Women & Racial Discrimination

"Those who say, ‘I love God’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen." 

1 John 4:20 

The Tribal people in India have been denied their due identity. They are treated worse than "third class" citizens and experience difficulties in different ways. Though they have rich cultural heritages, people still tend to treat the tribal community with contempt. They have always been victims of discrimination outside their native land. More to the story is, being Tribal was not enough in itself, for there had to be an Indian Tribal Woman, who is oppressed, exploited and considered as dirty alien creature amongst Tribals. This Covid19 Pandemic knows no race, no gender, no age and no social status, only made it worst. 

During this pandemic some of our tribal friends residing outside, continue to experience racial discrimination and gender injustice. Though, being an Indian Tribal woman, listening to a tag of “Chinese or Chinky” has become a routine. Since 2017, I have been residing in Kolkata, where most of the people from that locality accepts me as I am, but after the Covid-19 Pandemic, whenever I go out, the same people who once accepted me started calling me ‘Corona’. 

One day a group of people began to even humiliate me in front of others saying, “because of Chinese people like you, Corona Virus have been brought to India.” At that moment, I was not the only Tribal present but there were two of my male friends who also belong to the Northeast region. To my surprise, I was the only person who was victimized just because ‘I am a Tribal Woman’ in this sexist world. It was like, a wolf waiting for the right time to attack the prey. But I could not keep quiet, I stood up for myself replying ‘I am an Indian…’ 

When I shared my experience to one of a Senior Pastors about me being called ‘Chinese or Chinky,’ his response stunned me more than anything else. He responded with a smile, saying “My dear, it is not only you from Northeast region who is called Chinese, there are many people that have been racially discriminated, so no need to feel excluded”. I could only partly agree with his statement that I am not the only victim, there are many. But if we do not speak up now, then who will and when? And if a leader like him play ‘the dirty ignorance game’ then it shows that his faith is towards a colorblind God. No one understands what we go through until they are in our shoes. 

In one of the Hindi movies named ‘Tubelight’ an actor named Salman Khan who played as Laxman Singh a.k.a. Tubelight, despite his disability,  stood alone for a single Chinese woman. Though it was an act, but I believe there are some people like "Mr. Tubelight" who understands what we go through and stand up for humanity. They are like an image of God for us, unlike the people who, because of their own ignorance, illiteracy, and dirty mentality, racially discriminate the Tribal women. Therefore, I always believe that whenever we are humiliated and racially discriminated, God is always present with us in some kind of personification. We believe in a God who is not colorblind but who stands up for women who were discriminated in various ways in the society. The beauty of God’s creation is found in diversity and not in uniformity. 

We must not mix religion and racism, for we cannot love God and hate God’s creation. Despite different religions, many people claim to be great believers, projecting a loving God yet discriminating others. We must understand that God is our example and pattern of life, who does not discriminate others but covers everything with love. Being a Tribal Woman, I wish that one day everyone will show respect and value all women accepting diversity in color and region. There is a need to educate one another that women are not mere toy or any dirty material to be discriminated, but are also the ones who build our nation like our Bharat Mata. 

Prayer

God of the Tribal women, we pray for all women who are racially discriminated all over the world because of their ethnicity. May your power of acceptance and understanding dwell in all people, so they may value and respect women the way they are, for you created us and them in your own image. Humble our hearts to stop racial discrimination against Tribal women. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Author: Sentienla Amer 

About the author: Senti is an Ao Naga from Mokokchung Nagaland. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Divinity from Bishop’s College, Kolkata. 

S3-Day 11: Reclaiming my Sacredness, my Liberation

“... I recall every bit of the story. 

No, not because I liked it. 

But I was scared he’d never stop if I swayed my attention. 

He fucked me over and over again 

Until he finished the book. 

I was a seven year old girl. 

I knew Robinhood better than Jack & Jill. 

I sought closure eight years ago, 

To put to rest the fears that took roots that night. 

I went to the screening of Robinhood; 

Sat through it with clenched fists, choked emotions and moist eyes. 

I braved the demons. 

I gave my nightmares a closure fifteen years later; 

For my freedom, 

From the fear, the beast(s) and society. 

Waves of abuse. ​ ”[1]

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) is veiled into secrecy and there is a conspiracy of silence around the entire subject. A burning issue, a traumatic experience but hardly talked about. Aneile*[2], a 30 year old CSA survivor and a woman struggles to gain a sense of power by re-authoring her dominant story of abuse to attain healing and holistic liberation. She clearly recalls the episodes of pursuance and abuses done by her perpetrators (a trusted church worker and a neighbor respectively) even before attaining her puberty. Her initial voice was silenced by the trusted elders of the church. She said, “The threats of those supposedly Godly men, hiding in isolation…the touch, the feelings made me so angry and lonely that I started to behave like a boy to protect myself and my younger sister.” [3] 

Trauma, anxiety, depression, anger, cognitive distortions, posttraumatic stress, dissociation, identity disturbance, interpersonal problems, aggression, suicidality during her years of development hindered her relationship with herself, society as well as the church. But, finding God in the midst of her brokenness and shame paved the way for her freedom from rage and hatred. She found forgiveness as her liberating force embodying recurrence of negative self-image, trust issue and the feeling of incapable of being loved. 

Living with taboos that leads to a culture of shame and silence around any issue related to sexuality. The existence of ignorance with a certain level of acceptance and tolerance to gender-based violence against women and children, it is assumed that certain things are bound to happen and will happen to women and children if they cross the ‘line of morality’ put forth by the patriarchal society. The world seems to look like a series of locked doors to adult survivors of CSA. 

Far too many survivors suffer in silence, neglect, and isolation with different experiences but their common struggles against the system, against the dogmas and their journey for closure is laid down bared to a country where sexual abuses and rapes have become so permissible and the scared body of women and children are treated as just mere bodily commodity. Will justice served from the so called system alone be enough? The nightmares and the dark rooms continue to envelop their being but a spiritual resiliency to claim their sacredness and so called lost dignity through holistic-liberation endeavors. 

Prayer 

Dear God of endless love, Hear the cries of those gravely harmed and the cries of their loved ones, help us to hear their cries of pain and grant us the courage, wisdom and grace to act justly for so many broken lives. In Jesus name, Amen 

Author: Neiwalo- u Lohe, 

About the Author: Neiwalo- u Lohe is Chakhesang Naga from Nagaland. She is currently working as the Asst. Professor in Baptist Theological College, Pfutsero in the Department of Christian Ministry (Counselling). 

[1] An elucidation of the voice of a Childhood Sexual Abuse survivor which is much more, it’s poetry,sensitive and liberating in its effects. Yuimi Vashum, ​Love.Lust.And Loyalty ​ (Kohima: PenThrill Publication House, 2018), 28-29.
[2] Pseudonym
[3] Interview with Aneile, a CSA survivor.

S3-Day 10: My Baby Angel

After almost 2 years of struggle with my brother leaving us and dad passing away, I got married in 2016. I became pregnant. Despite medical complications, it was a miracle. On the third month of my pregnancy the doctor made me hear her tiny, feeble heartbeat. O my joy knew no bounds she was my Hope for life! The marvel of carrying a new baby within me was a different experience foregoing my discomfort. My life turned magical overnight, as I attracted special treatment from the near and dear ones. Days went by I felt her first tiny movement. Together, we started doing a lot like praying, laughing, crying and so on. 

One day, shockingly, my doctor said, “you may lose her.” Until that morning we were happy together and suddenly I was told that she might leave me in a week. I was helpless, as I was diagnosed with “Pre-eclampsia,” and treating it below 25 weeks of pregnancy, was something new to India and impossible. It was not our fault, it was genetic. For over a week I struggled in faith, like Hagar did in the desert. I kept reading Genesis 21: 8-21. With v:12 “Do not let me look on the death of the child,” I prayed, God will do a miracle to save my baby's life. But, she left, and I saw no miracle. My joy, happiness, miracle everything deserted me. All the theologies I knew failed to console me. 

I did not have the courage to even glance at her, but my husband did, because he had to do all the formalities. He said, “she was a girl with all features visible (tiny eyes, ears, nose, mouth, limbs, fingers, feet n toes) like a miniature doll.” I remember my husband weeping in silence for days but never expressed his sadness to me because I was already shattered. No words were enough to console us. My in-laws kept questioning why this happened and my mother hid all her sorrows to take good care of me. 

There were, 

"a few who said I was unworthy to have the child, 

while some said I had sinned earlier, 

a few more said that I was the cause, 

some said I was careless, 

and a few said that I might never again have a child, 

But, I could only grievingly say "I never knew she would leave"

Older women usually say that the delivery pain flees when you see the baby's face." In my case, I contracted pain when I saw the empty cradle next to my bed, while other women in the ward were busy feeding their babies. Babies’ laughter and shouts filled in the room. I wanted to cry aloud and quickly pleaded my doctor to change my room. 

Very few said I will have another Angel and as they said I did have an Angel again. Olivia was born, though, after a few complications. It is over three years now, I am yet to come out of the devastation. I remembered Matt 2: 16-18, whenever I cried. It was not only me who had lot of expectations and dreams who had lost a child but many in the history, even in the bible have lost their children due to various political and social violence. mothers who are under aged, illegally pregnant, rape victims, victims of dowry abuse and domestic violence and family situations, sometimes even for political reasons forced to abort their little Angels. Though some may have another baby, we devastated mothers are lost in the hope that one day we will see our children on the other side. 

Yea! A miracle came to me through Olivia and my joy was restored. Yet the thoughts of the unborn etched deep in my heart. Although, it was technically not called an abortion but a miscarriage, there were very few who understood the difference. The agony of losing a baby involuntarily is hell. But there was always hope that one day I will see her in the coming of the lord. But for now, I will testify my inconsolable experience to mothers with similar situations to build hope. Babies give us hope, unborn babies live in us forever. But a question prevails whether God is with me throughout my sorrow dirtying the holiness to be a bereaved mother? I believe its a big “YES”. 

Prayer: 

Mother God, I pray that you console all the bereaved mothers and give them the hope for a new life so that they might not be depressed or feel guilty in losing their child involuntarily or accidentally and move on in lives. May the good God teach us all to be strong in such depressing situations. Amen. 

Author: Rev. P. Eunice Rajamathi

About the Author: Eunice is an ordained minister who hails from Chennai. She is a member of the CSI Diocese of Madras. She has completed her Bachelor of Divinity from the United Theological College, Bangalore in 2015. She a talented singer and a social thinker. She is presently preparing herself for higher theological studies.

S3-Day 9: Women with Disabilities: Wholeness in Brokenness

Margarita with a straw, the movie explained the suffering of a woman with disability and sexuality. It explicitly displays the experience of a woman with disability and her bi-sexual sexual orientation. 

Women with Disabilities always face many challenges in their life journey, such as abuse, shame, blame, humiliation and much more. Women with Disabilities are alienated even in places of worship. There is discrimination based on caste, class, gender, (dis)ability, etc. Women with intellectual or learning disabilities are considered as dirty by the society. People are not comfortable with them as they make unpleasant sound. Their mannerisms, uninhibited display of feelings embarrass the society, therefore it excludes them completely. The society is unaware of the challenges and the expectations of the women with the disabilities. Society considers them as unattractive, it excludes them and ironically blames them for living in a dirty environment. 

Feminist disability Scholars such as Thomas, Morris, Meekosha, Ghai, Begum, Fine and Asch, have highlighted that women with disabilities are often considered as asexual and incapable of taking on sexual, reproductive and maternal roles by the society.[1] Feminists with disabilities argue for the rights of women with disabilities to get married, have babies and to be parents of the children with disabilities. They argue against selective abortion solely on the criterion that the fetuses are expected to have disabilities.[2] If Women with Disabilities are mothers, they are vulnerable to blame and scrutiny[3]. 

Women with the disabilities face many barriers, which become burden in their public presence and crumble them to their private spaces. Their public sphere is constrained by poverty, inadequate housing and inaccessibility of public spaces. Their private sphere is threatened by rape, possibilities of single parenting, vulnerability to abuse, their embodied difference not accommodated to policies and programme such as income generating, employment, personal and child care services, family support and community inclusion.[4] Women with Disabilities do not gain access to the social symbolic life of the worship place and the worship place does not gain the access to the social symbolic lives of the Women with Disabilities.[5]

The various factors which constitute barriers to inclusion of women with disabilities are structural, attitudinal, societal, political, cultural, familial, economic, legal, stereotypical, and above all oppression of the patriarchal hierarchical structure and norms of the society. The various barriers for inclusion are cultural bias, double discrimination, invisibility, violence, schools in inaccessible location, inaccessible to rest room facilities, inaccessible building structures, inaccessible to transport facilities, inaccessible to special education, lack of role models and shortage of women with disabilities as mentors.[6]

Neither the women with disabilities nor their parents are sinners. But it is the society commits a sin against Women with Disabilities and their families by discriminating, prejudicing and excluding.[7] There is an immediate need to discern the divine through their experiences. We must discern the divine from their so-called “dirty” places. They are innocent people. They only know to love. They enjoy delicious food. They have interest to listen music, and dance. Some like to sing, play musical instruments. They live in their own world.  They are oppressed and marginalized by the society but Women with Disabilities protest and resist the oppression of the society. Women with disabilities too are created in the image of the divine. Disability is wholeness in brokenness. We can discern the love of divine through human kindness. We can understand the wholeness in the brokenness of the divine by understanding the experiences of women with disabilities.[8] 

In general, women with disabilities are not only victims but also victors. They are very creative and productive. They are made vulnerable yet powerful. They are the agents of the transformation of the society. We must treat them with dignity and understand the pain and the struggles of them and their parents/care takers. Are we willing to discern the divine love and energy that flows through the wholeness in brokenness from the experiences of the women with disabilities in the so called “Dirty Places”? 

Prayer: 

O Divine! help us to discern your love and energy which flows out through your wholeness in our brokenness. Help us to be in solidarity with the women with the disabilities to fight against the stigma, discrimination and any sort of oppression against them. Guide us to create an inclusive, just and egalitarian society. Amen. 

Author: Nivedha 

About the Author: Nivedha is a student of theology pursuing her Master of Theology in the department of Women’s Studies department at The United Theological College, Bangalore. Her area of interest is Women with Disabilities.

**********

References:

[1] Renu Addlakha (ed), Disability Studies in India: Global Discourses, Local Realities (New Delhi: Routledge, 2013), 16. 

[2] Amos Yong, Theology and Down Syndrome: Reimagining Disability in Late Modernity (Texas: Baylor University Press, 2007), 138 and 124. 

[3] Claudia Malacrida, “Mothering and Disability,” Routledge Handbook of Disability Studies edited by Nick Watson, Alan Roulstone and Carol Thomas (London: Routledge, 2014), 392-393. 

[4]Claudia Malacrida, “Mothering and Disability,” in Routledge Handbook of Disability Studies edited by Nick Watson, Alan Roulstone and Carol Thomas (London: Routledge, 2014), 392-393. 

[5]Nancy L. Eiesland, The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability (New York: Abingdon Press, 1994), 20. 

[6] Stephanie Ortoleva, “Yes, Girls and Women with Disabilities do Math! An Intersectional Analysis,” in Disability, Gender and the Trajectories of power edited by Asha Hans (New Delhi : SAGE, 2015), 189-194. 

[7] K.C. Abraham, “Theological Reflections on the Experience of the disabled” in Doing Theology from Disability Perspective: A Theological Resource Book on Disability edited by Wati Longchar and Gordon Cowans (Manila: ATESEA, 2007), 144. 

[8] K.C.Abraham and Molly Abraham, “Broken God in the Midst of Broken People”, in Persons with Disabilities in Society: Problems and Challenges edited by Wati Longchar and Gordon Cowans (Manila: ATESEA, 2007), 148-149.

S3-Day 8: No Hands Required

“The scars you cannot see are the hardest to heal.” 

In the beginning, I thought my relationship-struggles were typical marital woes everyone faced as newlyweds. I was determined to work through the battles I constantly faced. But the turmoil was relentless. I was at home while he worked. “I’ll take care of you”, he said. 

Being Christian wasn’t enough, he and his family forced me to convert to Catholicism. I did it hoping it would prove how devoted I was to him. He would not allow calls from my parents neither did he talk to them. In the rare occasions that he did, he verbally abused them. He also took credit cards in my name when I had no source of income. So here I was emotionally, financially and completely dependent on this man. 

Someone or something would cause a trigger reaction where there would be arguments, threats, and intimidation, then denial, blaming, and saying I or my parents caused him to act that way. He looked at me in complete indignation. Dark brown eyes filled with rage. It made my chest tighten, heart pound and felt like something was crushing my lungs. There was never an apology. I became invisible with my feelings. I wish I had a black eye or broken a bone to show for the pain inflicted. Soon I gathered enough courage to leave the marriage. 

Ephesians 5:22 – ‘Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.’ - does it mean that the wife must obey him in everything? To submit does not mean to obey; it means to willingly choose to place oneself under another. It is always done in the context of love. Did Jesus demand, or offer people choices? 

Ephesians 5:23 – ‘For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.’ Does this mean that the man has all the right to assert power over because he is the head? What does the example of Christ as the head of the church tell us about the kind of headship a husband has to model? Does ‘headship’ mean superiority or does it mean humility and the laying down of power in sacrificial love? 

The Christ model was never forced – it was a choice. It also meant His being willing to lay down His life for His bride, the church. The Ephesians verse goes on to say: ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church’ (Ephesians 5:25). 

God is unconditional love. We can choose to demonstrate our love for God and to reflect God’s love for us by having loving and healthy relationships. God never humiliates or belittles us, therefore, we anyone who loved another must treat them with respect. 

Abused women look for meaning from their faith community. If they are being abused, they seek to understand why this is happening. When a woman meets silence, she draws her own conclusions, often based on patriarchal assertions about gender-relations, that the ultimate sanctity of marriage is the importance of forgiveness. 

May we as the church make sure she hears about God’s love and the equality among humankind and call her out from bondage and oppression into freedom. Every man should be held accountable and repent if he is the perpetrator. This is justice. This is the gospel in context. 

Prayer 

O God, our comforter, heal your people’s wounds and transform our brokenness. Grant us courage and wisdom, humility and grace, so that we may act with justice and find peace in you. Amen. 

Author: Keerthana Rajkumar 

About the Author: Keerthana is a doctor. She studied Medicine in Russia and her Post-Graduation in Cardiology in the United Kingdom. Her life’s experiences laid the foundation for her strong faith in Gods unending mercy and undeserving grace. She loves her work and believe it as her calling. She is an avid reader, poet and loves swimming. She also enjoys the company of her cousins, friends and family, who still remain her biggest and strongest support system.