‘Nagas fractured with too many gods, pseudo knowledge’

January 8, 2018 315 Views No Comment

Naga Republic News

The General Secretary of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho has strongly voiced his concern that in the long-drawn-out crisis, Nagas have carved too many gods to suit one’s own agenda and design and as a result the disease of disunity amongst the Nagas continue without a cure. Rev Keyho has also openly condemned what he termed as “pseudo knowledge” where everybody claims to be in the right.

Against this backdrop, he has called upon the Naga people to come and reason together, pointing out that “Nagas are badly divided” and that “we cannot pretend anymore”. Also stating that Nagas have a good and unique history, the Church leader says that as long as Nagas remain “fractured”, the way we are now, “our uniqueness will not save us”.

The NBCC General Secretary was speaking during a time of ‘reflection’ organized by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) held at the Naga Shisha Hoho, Kohima on August 25, 2017 under the theme ‘Come Now, Let Us Reason Together’. The text of this speech was recently published by the FNR as part of the upcoming Naga Day to be held on January 10, 2018.

Deliberating on issues before the people, Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho observed that Nagas have become well educated and informed but they “have developed pseudo knowledge out of our problem” where “everyone thinks he/she knows better than others and with that knowledge, instead of building bridges we pull down, tear down others”.

“This is nothing but pseudo knowledge”, Rev Keyho stated and called for an end to such pride and pseudo knowledge. “If the Nagas from the East, West, North, South and the Center consider ourselves as one, how many reconciliations do we need? Can’t we just give up our pride and unite?” the Church leader questioned.

In this regard, Rev Keyho also mentions that “personal agenda and organizational structures must take the backseat and allow the common Naga agenda to flow out freely”. “We cannot pretend anymore…the war of supremacy over one another is hurting us deeply”, he says while expressing concern that Nagas have come to a stage “where we do not want to listen to each other”.

The NBCC General Secretary also writes that not being able to get along with each other is destroying the Nagas and this has allowed others to dictate to us “and set their agenda for us”. “We have made ourselves vulnerable with our disunity that people take us very lightly. People don’t take us seriously anymore”, he states.

Appealing to the conscience of people that “Nagas must take the journey to find the real and true God – the God of the Bible”, Rev Keyho nevertheless admits that “Nagas have carved too many gods…” “The God of the East seems to be different from the God of the West. The God of the South seems to be different from the God of the North. Likewise, the God of the Nagas in Nagaland appears to be different”.

The Church leader goes on to add that in “our prolonged crisis we have carved our own God to suit our own desire and longing like the people of Israel”. He appeals that “we must enthrone God as the God of the Nagas” and only then the “disease of disunity amongst the Nagas” will be healed.

Quoting the Bible scripture of Isaiah 1: 18, “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD”, Rev Keyho made it known that this was “an invitation for the Nagas today”. “There are many broken lines and we must extend our hands to one another and join hands together so as to find healing and to make the broken lines disappear”, Rev Keyho exhorted.

To read the full text of the article by Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho follow the link – http://www.thenagarepublic.com/discourse/come-now-let-us-reason-together/