Religion vs Culture - Pastoral

In North America we have freedoms that we often take for granted. Sometimes we may feel that the entire world operates as we do but then we get glimpses of reality through violence experienced, terrorism etc….that we can experience life’s altering moments or get a perspective from the suffering of others. Recently I watched a documentary ‘Women” by Gloria Steinman who depicted the femicide of women in El Salvador. It seemed incredulous to me that so many women are being tortured to death by men. Even more so that it is considered the norm. Men in powerful positions often get no penalty whatsoever for beating or even killing their wives or girlfriends. Where does all this anger come from? Gangs enjoy torturing women because as one ex gang member put it, they scream more. He considered it art. We had two Canadians college students (not university) who considered torturing an animal to death as art too. Torture is not art. In my opinion, it is pure evil. One man interviewed in El Salvador said that he beats his wife but added that she likes it because she stays with him. He has thought of killing her at times and perhaps will. It is such a problem that they have special police units to investigate these killings/torture. One Policewoman in charge of her unit stated that she has arrested policemen as well for such crimes. The female reporter is shown entering a bar full of men only to interview and get their perspectives. They speak of growing up having their dads beat up their mothers. When I went to school there would always be a protest from a student regarding our notion of countries we do not think are civilized. We are educated to see life from the perspective of others. We can send women to space and elect them to parliament while women in other countries are being whipped for being raped, not allowed to drive cars and forced into prostitution. How civilized pray tell, is all this? I am glad that my country opens the doors to the repressed. Religion is becoming a dirty word in some circles and Spirituality is the objective to replace religion. How many people who are abusive are religious? How many children grow up to hate religion because it has been distorted for them? How many men go to Church or equivalent and then beat up or rape their wives? How many religious people beat up their children, humiliate them and then say that they should honour the parent because it is God’s wish? The name of God has been utilized so often in the torture, killings and terrorism of others. Is this God? Is this religion? Is this madness, needing an excuse? None of this has to do with God. Because the God I know is not evil. Evil is called something else, and it is certainly not God. Changing to a lighter subject, I was reading a booklet, “Echo from Africa and other continents” May/Jun 2016 pgs 20-25, by Fr S. Arockia Doss, a Catholic priest who works in Tamil, India. He has organized a project to help Dalit children through education. Fr Doss reports knowing the status of Dalit women and girls in India from personal experience. His own father had taken his three sisters out of school, who today he describes are worn and aged before their time from work. Women and girls are molested within the homes of high-caste landlords. Nearly 90% of his parish consists of Dalits. Nothing has changed. These females are still prevented from going to school; forced to work as domestic servants. It is no surprise that Fr Doss explains that the poverty is mostly due to exploitation and injustice (sounds familiar?). Dalit women work under harsh circumstances while being abused both at work and home. They experience “filthy verbal abuse, sexual abuse, and unimaginable violence.” Many are forced into prostitution. I find it interesting that Fr Doss clarifies that Dalit Christians have 300 years of experience with Christianity yet do not even know what their faith is. Many Christians there do not view Dalits as people. Fr Doss states that only education can save them from an endless cycle of slavery and he is doing everything in his power to provide this education. Stipends from the church collections pays for teachers. These female children are now altar servers and readers and of course this bothers the high-caste Christians of the parish. “Even though there are only 16 high-caste families in the parish, they have much influence and are trying to impede the changes I have made.” Fr Doss is looking for funds to continue educating females. “When a Dalit girl is educated, their entire family benefits. Our shoulders have carried the weight of slavery for 3,000 years. Education was always beyond our reach. We have been forced to carry out menial jobs in unhygienic conditions, making cleanliness a basic issue. Traditionally we are not allowed to enter temples or places of worship. As unclean beings, we are forbidden to enter holy places according to the Hindu religion.” There is a photo depicted of two rows of children. It demonstrates that the Dalit children are not allowed to eat while the children of castes eat. They must sit separately and eat later from specially marked plates. I find this shameful. That they call themselves Christians is even more so. Fr Doss writes, “I know what poverty is. I have been hungry and felt the sting of insults. I have known the shame of not being able to afford even the small amount needed for school fees. I have known the yearning for new clothes and the embarrassment of wearing tattered rags when every one else was clothed in new outfits during festival times. There are many thorns and pains in my heart and mind from my childhood - a small replica of Jesus’ passion, as viewed through the eyes of a child.” Why not say a prayer for the work that Fr Doss is trying to do regardless of the obstacles against him? In what way can any of us help the wrong doings in the world? How can we contribute to stop the exploitation of those who cannot protect themselves? What do you think?