Christian Missionary Role In India - 5

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<b>In TN village, families face church boycott for sending away kids to study</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->‘‘This year I will put my daughter Tina in Kindergarten in the same school,’’ he says defiantly. But the family is facing a social ban. They are left out of church functions and the threat that their family members who die would be deprived a Christian burial hangs heavily over them.

In fact, when the tsunami swept away 88 huts and damaged several houses, including that of Bengar, only government relief reached his family. He and 15 other families facing the boycott, were deprived of the NGO largesse, routed through the church.

‘‘No one dares to defy the church. Everyone bows to its commands,’’ points out Balan Sesuraj. He would soon be defying the ban himself and sending his five-year-old daughter to an English medium school. His four-year-old son will follow suit next year.
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<b>Defending the church, Manohar, a parish council member, claimed the school rolls had been dangerously thinning and something had to be done to increase the number of students. ‘‘That is why the restriction was brought in.’’ </b>

Livid villagers pointed out that their basic rights were being snatched with the church dictating to them what they should do. <b>‘‘But no one has the guts to fight the church,’’</b> says Balan.

Father Joseph Justus, the present parish priest, was not available for comment
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They have choice, change religion.