Ecumenical forum wary of anti-conversion law in Karnataka

An ecumenical forum in Karnataka has expressed apprehension over the BJP-ruled state enacting an anti-conversion law.

President of the Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights (KUCFHR), Archbishop Bernard Moras, on Dec. 1 told a gathering of over 500 Christian leaders that, the political machinery was attempting to pass an anti-conversion bill.

Speculations on such a bill was on rife earlier this year when Minister of State for Law, Suresh Kumar, hinted that the govt. was to introduce a law to curb conversions after studying similar bills introduced in other states.

During the Tuesday gathering, Archbishop Moras condemned the allegations of forced conversion which he said was "blown out of proportion to create animosity and insecurity between people of other religious groups."

"If there were cases of forced conversion, it should be established clearly in a court of law," he noted. "Blanket allegations against the Christian community at large, is only a willful attempt to create disharmony in society and to achieve political mileage."

The KUCFHR was established after last year's September attacks on a dozen churches across the state. Such attacks, said Archbishop Moras was a sign from God for need of unity among churches.

He explained that the ecumenical forum besides addressing violence will also assert "our constitutional right to profess and peacefully propagate our faith just as any other religious group enjoys the privilege."

Bishop Samuel of the Believers Church finds nothing wrong in sharing the Gospel of Christ. He condemned forcible conversion, but wondered why one should be against a religion that preaches love and forgiveness. He underlined that conversion was the outcome of a free decision to change one's faith or way of life.

The four-hour long meeting at St. Marks Cathedral in Bangalore gathered pastors and priests from the Catholic Church, Church of South India, Full Gospel Church, Believers Church, New Life Fellowship, Methodist, Jacobite, Church of Horeb, Baptist Church, Faith Prayer Assembly, Independent Churches, Marthoma, Syrian Orthodox and Touch India Ministries.