A local Church in South Africa distributed a track called;
REINCARNATION OR RESURRECTION? - A MESSAGE TO HINDUS, in
a predominantly Hindu suburb in the city of Pietermaritzburg, South
Africa. This track written by the the Church's pastor Shaun
Willcock. After the first 400 tracks were distributed among the Hindu
community, the angry crowd started massively complaining about the
gospel message...The outcry by Hindus was so great, it attracted the
local media who then put the controversy on the front page
of the newspaper. A local Hindu living in the area said, "South
Africa doesn't need a religion like this." Another Hindu local said,
"who are they to criticize my religion." President of the South
African Hindu Maha Sabah promised they would not take this matter
lying down. Hindu leaders began promising strong
action against any church who had a notion of spreading a track that says reincarnation
is false, and the resurrection of Christ is true...
In
the Pietermaritzburg weekly newspaper October 31, 2002, it quoted
Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram as saying the
remarks in the tract went against clauses in the constitution which
protects religious freedom. "No-one has the right to
discriminate against other people's religious views. The leaflet
appears to be the work of people who for some reason or other, believe
their religion is the only authentic religion and is superior to all
other religions," said Budhram. All attempts to contact the author of
the leaflet, Shaun Willcock, proved futile. Bible Based Ministry,
under whose name he disseminated the document, is not listed in any
directory."
Since the ANC took over in South Africa, freedom of religion is no
more as it has proceeded to restrict
anyone from displaying a different religious viewpoint other than
their own...The concept
is similar to restricting political speech which criticizes the
government, like so many Communists countries have done in the past. If you say, Christ is the only way to
salvation, this would be against the law in South Africa. The claim of
blocking religious freedom by a track which opposes another
religion or any other public display of speech on the same theme, is
inaccurate and misleading.
The method in which preaching the Gospel is performed, is not based on
blocking pagan temples. It's not based on using the secular government
to make laws outlawing their religious expression even though they are
opposed to these things, and other forms of worship. This local
Church in South Africa though spreading this particular track, is
obeying what the Scriptures teach when it comes to spreading Christianity.
For
how would anyone know who Christ is without preaching of His Word?
South African law does in fact allow worship that might oppose another
person's religious
way of worship, but they cannot preach it to the public of this
difference according to South African law.
As far as the message, it's really all up to God not man if they accept or reject the
message. We read in the Scriptures, "We ought to obey God rather
than men" (Acts 5:29). This is a command is geared for New Testament
believers to obey no matter what country they are in and what man made
laws there are. And this local Church in South Africa are
seeking to do just that... "And now, Lord, behold their threatenings:
and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy
word" (Acts 4:29). And one side note, as of 2008, churches in
South Africa even under a brutal government with skyrocketing secular
violence are still spreading God's Word!
We ask
Christians to pray for this local church in South Africa and others
around the world who are under attack because they spread God's Word
to the lost.
