Only a few ago the Organiser weekly had published an article on how a church priest Hendry Paul had sexually assaulted a famous playback singer’s minor girl for several months also having illicit affair with the singer’s sister. Now another Avadi based pastor Scott David (53) has been held for sexually harassing a woman.
Pastor Scott David is running New Life Jesus Mission Church in Avadi, a Chennai suburb. The victim Mercy (name changed) met the pastor six months ago. The pastor with an amorous intention became friendly with her and won her confidence. The woman shared her problems and family issues with him thinking the cleric would offer solution which she has been facing. Both started meeting often. He used to visit her house several times. Scott used to conduct prayers at church goers’ houses. In the same way, he dropped into her house and pray for her wellbeing besides extending invitation to her to visit his church at Avadi to pray to get a solution to get rid of her problems.
Accepting his advise, She visited the church while she was praying, pastor Scott David suddenly, like a big cat pounces on a pray, and hugged from behind. He also said to have planted kisses on the woman laity. Shocked and perplexed woman laity ran out of the church screaming for help. She went straight to the police station to lodge a complaint against Scott. The police based on her complaint arrested the pastor. During the probe, police found that he was conducting some special prayer sessions to drive out ghosts and evil spirits. On hearing this, Mercy too wanted to avail his special prayers to get rid of her problems.
Police are trying to find out any other women became victims to his lust and kept silent fearing his influence and societal backlash. Such incidents of pastors, church clerics, bishops taking advantage of emotionally and economically affected women laity to satiate their sexual needs are on the rise with the active support of bosses and political clout.
Organise Weekly had reported another victim of Loyola College (run by Jesuit) was sexually assaulted and the award of compensation by the Women’ rights forum. This is pending in court. In the urban Naxal Stan Swamy case, the Vatican came to his rescue and making appeals on his behalf. In the Loyola woman’s case, Rome has been silent till today.
In Quora, it is said, most Catholic priests, being celibate, would be violating chastity by engaging in romantic kissing with anyone. However, in many cultures, non-romantic kissing is a normal greeting, including Mediterranean. That kissing, in that context, would not be sinful. Doing that in America would not only shock but it might actually be scandalous in the technical sense (leading others to sin) .but is hazardous to health at a time Corona is fast spreading.
In another church related event, Naduvakurichi village in Palayamkottai ( Tirunelveli district) a CSI church people targeted dalit children for conversion was thawarted by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). According District secretary Arumuga Kani, a CSI church van picked up children from the village in the morning and drop them later in the evening. “It brainwashed them at the camp. This has come to our attention while we were watching their activities. We went to the village and taught the children about the Hindu religion’s epics and glories in a manner that they could comprehend. We have advised them not to go with any religious conversion groups such as CSI church. We have made complaint to the authorities and are planning to take legal action against CSI church for deceiving and converting children. In Naduvakurichi, Dalit are in significant number. If no action was taken, we will mobilize people and organize a protest soon”.
In yet another incident, evangelical elements have successfully changed the name of the town as Bodandasanpuram in google map. VHP has petitioned the Sub Collector to take appropriate action on this issue.
Goapalsamudram is a village situated on the Palayamkottai-Ambasamudram Highways road. It is Panchayat Union with 15 wards. Its population is over 10,000 and agriculture is prime occupation for them. Some time back, some has wantonly changed the village name as Bodandasanpuram in the Google map. Shocked by this, BJP local functionary Rajavelu in last February 15 met the collected and submitted a petition. It was changed back to its original name ie Gopalasamudram.
Again, it was changed to Bodandasanpuram. Enraged by the continuous name changing actions by Christians, the villagers met sub collector and gave a petition. The contended that some anti-social elements with an ulterior to sabotage the social harmony and unity among the people are trying wantonly changing the name in the google map. Authorities should take stern action against those who were behind the game. They want to create communal clashes”. Hindu Munnani and VHP functionaries also went with them.
It is not the first time evangelical elements changed names of villages and towns. Ram Sethu has become Adam’s Bridge. Paul Dhinakaran has changed the village name as Karunya Nagar ( Nallur Vayal).
