Month: December 2017

Thy will be done

Jesus says, “When you pray, say, ‘…Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven….’”

Luther explains, “What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is God’s will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let his kingdom come; and when he strengthens and keeps us firm in his Word and faith until we die. This is his good and gracious will.”

Salvageable adds: Those four words, “Thy will be done,” can be the hardest words for a Christian to pray. We are accustomed to delivering our wish lists to God and advising him how to run the universe. We would like to take God’s promises about prayer and use them to make ourselves the lords and make God our slave. The “name it and claim it” approach to prayer completely ignores our relationship to God. He is our Father; we are his children. Because he loves us, he invites us to ask anything of him. Still, because he loves us, he will grant no prayer that is bad for us or that contradicts his master plan for the redemption of the world.

Jesus prayed this difficult prayer in Gethsemane. He begged his Father for another way to rescue sinners; he did not want to drink the cup of God’s wrath, filled with the poison of sin and evil and rebellion. Even as he named the gift—“Let this cup pass from me”—Jesus refused to claim it. Instead, he prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.” This example sets the pattern for every Christian as we live our lives and as we speak with our heavenly Father in prayer.

We are nearly half-way through this prayer, and we have not yet said anything about what we want and need. The first three petitions of the prayer focus on God’s name, God’s kingdom, and what God wants. Even secular business strategy understands this approach: talk to the customer about the customer first, and the customer will keep listening when you switch to your product or service. Christians are not cynical when we begin our prayers talking to God about God. In both Old and New Testaments, believers began their prayers talking to God about God. They spoke of things God had done in the past and promises he had made. They reminded God of his nature—not because God needs reminders, but because the rest of us need reminders. The more we speak to God about God, the more we are pulled away from our selfish sinfulness and gathered into the saintly habit of loving God more than we love ourselves.

The words “on earth as it is in heaven” apply to all three petitions prayed thus far. “Hallowed be thy name on earth as it is in heaven.” “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s name is always holy, except where sinners profane the name of God. God’s kingdom follows his rules, except where sinners break his rules. God’s will is done everywhere in creation except where sinners rebel against him and follow their will rather than God’s will. Some people wonder why God allows sin and evil to exist in his otherwise perfect creation. That question is not the mystery, though. The true mystery is why God loves sinners and rebels so much that he sends his Son as a ransom to reclaim them. The only answer to that mystery is found in the will of God—a gracious, merciful and loving will that wants no one to perish but wants to redeem and reclaim all people. Because that is God’s will, Christians cheerfully and trustingly pray the words, “Thy will be done.” J.

Bill To Criminalise Triple Talaq Passed In Lok Sabha

To begin with, it needs no rocket scientist to conclude that the reprehensible practice of instant triple talaq is just a step away from becoming a punishable offence after the Lok Sabha on December 28 passed this historic Bill by voice vote. The Bill expressly stipulates a jail sentence of up to three years for the guilty husband. The Bill draft says that, “Any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever shall be void and illegal.” The Bill makes the declaration of instant triple talaq a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Without a doubt, the Centre by making instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a punishable offence has given a big boon to all those Muslim women who get adversely affected by it and suffer for no fault of theirs!
                                           But the endless woes of women just don’t end by this only! Polygamy or permission given under Muslim man to marry up to 4 wives is another much abused provision wherein it is the woman who is the worst sufferer. As if this is not enough, there is Nikah Halala also whereby if a Muslim man gives divorce to his wife and wants to marry him again then that Muslim woman is supposed to marry some other man, get divorce from him and then again marry her former husband!
                                        Can on earth there be anything more atrocious than this? Still it is valid in India since last 70 years and has continued unabated, unpunished and unchecked! Arif Mohammad Khan who was Union minister in former PM late Rajiv Gandhi’s Cabinet has been most vocal in demanding the abolition of not just instant triple talaq but also nikah halala and polygamy but he had to leave the Cabinet as his voice was not heard on this and he was overruled! Centre must now act on these two evils also just like Nehruji very rightly banned Hindus from marrying more than once even though Lord Krishna had 16,108 wives, Shivaji too had many wives and it was very common for Hindus to marry as many as they liked with no one to stop them from marrying them as many times as they wanted! Hindus should never forget Nehruji for this great favour that he did to them because of which the population also has come under control and now similarly Modiji should also have the guts like Nehruji to do a favour on Muslims also by similarly abolishing these reprehensible practices which are retrograde and violate the dignity of woman in the most rash manner! No doubt, a good beginning has been made in this direction!
                                          It is imperative to mention here that the Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill by voice vote after rejecting a string of amendments moved by opposition members. The Congress said it supported the Bill but wanted it to be scrutinized by the Standing Committee of Parliament but this demand was rejected by the Chair. MPs from the RJD, AIMIM, BJD, AIADMK and All India Muslim League opposed the Bill and called it arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal. Eminent Union Minister MJ Akbar who is himself a Muslim said that, “The law will give a big blow to those who want to keep women under the constant ‘fear and terror’ in the name of talaq”.
                                        It must be mentioned here that the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had invoked the Shah Bano case at the BJP’s Parliamentary Party meeting on December 28 and had said that unlike Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not bow down on triple talaq. He briefed the BJP MPs of the triple talaq legislation. He said that, “Rajiv Gandhi bowed down to the lobbies and left Shah Bano mid-way. Our PM will not let any injustice done to Muslim women.” What Prasad has said is truly laudable but I will again reiterate that it must now outlaw nikah halala also and polygamy also because such derogatory practices cannot be justified under any circumstances!
                                                 Let me mince no words in saying this most directly: If polygamy is banned even among Muslims, the dangerous trend of Hindus and people from other religions converting to Muslims just for getting their second marriage validated would be checked hundred percent! Thus two birds will be killed with one stone! The dangerous menace of “Love Jihad” can also be effectively checked by this!
                                               But the moot question here is: Will Centre show the requisite courage to act in this direction by acting similarly as it has done in the case of instant talaq or will it succumb in front of those who are big leaders but who never want the Muslim woman to truly become independent which alone explain why they oppose tooth and nail any type of changes in Muslim laws and this includes derogatory practices also like nikah halala and polygamy? Only time will tell! But I am still optimistic that Centre would place national interests first and take the right decision accordingly! Banning polygamy will not just check exploitation of women, conversion of people from their own religion to Islam just for marrying more wives than one but will also go a lot ahead in checking the population of our country which right now is growing by leaps and bounds and it is widely anticipated that if we go by this rate we would soon leave even China behind in next few years to become the world’s most populated country!
                                           To put things in perspective, while calling it a historic step, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Bill – The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 – will act as a deterrent since there have been 100 cases of triple talaq even after the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court delivered in August this year. We all know that in the landmark case of Shayara Bano v Union of India, the Supreme Court has outlawed instant triple talaq and very rightly so! Who can question this?
                                           Going forward, Prasad made it a point to further mention that while 22 Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh have regulated instant triple talaq, there was no effective law in India. He further went on to say that, “The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill seeks to ensure the larger constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help sub-serve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment.” Very rightly said!
                                It must be mentioned here that Clause 3 stipulates that instant triple talaq in any form shall be void and illegal. Clause 4 mentions that husband giving triple talaq to serve a jail term of up to three years and pay fine. A Sampath of CPM asked that, “Why is there no mention of the maximum quantum of fine in the Bill?” This is because the Judge has then the discretion to impose fine seeing the financial condition of Muslim men! Clause 5 envisages that the married Muslim woman shall be entitled to alimony. Sushmita Dev of Congress on this asked that, “Who will give the maintenance if the husband goes to jail?” All these questions must be addressed before it is finally made a law! The amount of the allowance will be decided by a first class Magistrate.
                                            Shaista Amber who is All India Muslim Woman Personal Law Board President hailed the judgment saying that, “I thank Allah, the government, the Supreme Court, Law Commission and all MPs”. Taking a dig at those opposing the Bill, Shaista questioned that, “What had they done for our rights?” Shayara Bano who led the sacred fight to ban instant triple talaq too expressed happiness but added a rider that, “After triple talaq, even other practices such as polygamy and nikah halala should be banned in our society. The way in which women are tortured in the name of these ill-practices should be stopped”.
                                            Shayara Bano also reiterated that, “I will once again file a petition to ban polygamy and nikah halala in  the top court. I will continue my fight against ill-practices among the Muslim community. These types of practices should be abolished from the Indian society for the development of our country.” After she filed the petition against instant triple talaq, it must be mentioned that thousands of Muslim women across the country came together demanding that triple talaq be abolished. Shayara has shown that any person can change the system if there is determination and will power to do so even if he/she comes from an ordinary family with a humble background! Kudos to her as she deserves all the laurels for prompting even the Supreme Court and Centre to act positively in this regard!
                                                   Eminent jurist and former Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee very rightly appealed not to bring religion into the triple talaq Bill. He elegantly said that, “It’s a very good move that requires legislation. Don’t bring religion into it as the whole thrust of the legislation is to ensure gender equality and to see women are not treated in an arbitrary manner.” He also said that the Bill was being opposed for the vested interests.
                                           He further added that the legislation would ensure gender equality. All of us must firmly believe in what Sorabjee has said and seriously adhere to what he has said as he is one of the brightest gem and jurist that India has known and has mentored even many other eminent jurists like Harish Salve who worked with him from 1980 to 1986! It is certainly a revolutionary step in the right direction but still all efforts must be made to cure it of all shortcomings before it is finally made into a law!
                                             Hope and pray earnestly that it is soon also cleared by the Rajya Sabha and made into a law so that Muslim women can be saved from this worst curse which in one second destroys her whole life with no way left for her to go! It is high time and now all efforts must be made to outlaw even other derogatory practices like nikah halala and polygamy as demanded by Shayara Bano, Arif Mohammad Khan and others which must be immediately thrown out into the dustbin of history by repealing it once and for all!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,

Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh

In A First Junior Advocates To Get Rs 3000 Per Month Stipend

Coming straight to the crux of the matter, let me begin at the beginning itself by first and foremost pointing out that in what could be considered as a very great landmark step taken for the benefit of fresh law graduates who just step into the legal profession as a lawyer, the Puducherry government has announced a stipend of Rs 3,000 per month for junior advocates for a period of three years or till they start practicing independently, whichever is earlier. This shall certainly bring a big smile in the face of all those who stand to gain by this landmark step. It is a truly laudable step which has to be appreciated for giving young lawyers the stipend of Rs 3000 per month so that they don’t have to look to their parents for financial help and undoubtedly this shall boost their self-confidence to a big level!  
                                   It merits no reiteration that every government of every state must emulate what a Union Territory which is not even a state has chosen to do! This is a very small step that will certainly go a long way in attracting more and more bright students into the legal profession! There is no valid reason as to why all other State governments all over India should not emulate what Puducherry has done now for the benefit of junior advocates!
                                 While craving for the exclusive indulgence of my esteemed readers, let me inform them that an official communication which was sent by N Murugavel who is Undersecretary (Law) to the President of the Puducherry Bar Association said that the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has allotted funds from the Chief Minister’s relief fund to cover the stipend. When such a small Union Territory can take such a landmark step by which so many junior advocates will benefit then why can’t bigger states who have much more money in their purse can’t allocate just Rs 3,000 per individual like Puducherry if not more so that more and more brighter talent is attracted to the legal profession and the junior lawyers don’t have to pinch their hands even to meet their daily expenses? It is high time and now bigger states too must follow the worthy footsteps of Puducherry and act in the supreme interests of junior advocates!
                                           It must not be lost on all states that in a first Puducherry has taken a very bold and landmark decision of giving junior advocates Rs 3,000 per month stipend! They too must not themselves lag behind and waste no time to do what Puducherry has done in this regard! There is no harm in doing or rather imitating other if that thing which has been done is laudable and worthy enough to be followed by others!
                                          It has to be conceded with grace that what the Chief Minister of a Union Territory – V Narayanasamy has done must be emulated by Chief Ministers of not just Union Territory or small states alone but also equally by bigger states as it is a very courageous decision which is bound to benefit many young and junior advocates who have just stepped into the legal profession and especially those who come from a weak financial background! I would rather go one step ahead and say that even those who come from good financial background would also feel more confident and happy if they get Rs 3000 per month stipend and this will imbue them further to work more harder to earn more and become independent in financial terms which is bound to groom their overall personality and make them more self-reliant! There can be no denying or disputing it!   
                                      For my esteemed readers exclusive indulgence, let me also inform them that the Puducherry government has also very rightly prescribed the eligibility criteria for getting the stipend. Those junior advocates who regularly attend free legal aid camps organized by the Legal Services Authority of the Union Territory of Puducherry and conduct the cases allotted to them by the legal aid committee and respective courts will be eligible to apply for the stipend. All other States must also emulate the most worthy example of Puducherry in this regard!
                                       To put things in perspective, there are other terms and conditions also that have been laid down which include assisting the courts as a researcher, attending the chamber of senior advocates with whom they are attached, obtaining regular service certificates every three months from the President or Secretary of the Puducherry Bar Association and assisting the government pleader or public prosecutor or others at least! These are all valid and rational conditions which shall go a long way in making a fresher and junior advocate more experienced and more capable to deal with the complex court situations which arises from case to case! So they cannot be questioned nor can their utility be questioned!    
                                         It must be highlighted here that while speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said there was a plea from the Puducherry State Bar Association that young lawyers entering the profession be paid monthly assistance. He said that, “Conceding the plea, the government has now evolved a scheme to provide Rs 3000 every month for young advocates. This assistance would be available to the new entrants for a period of three years to start with.” He also made it clear that, “The assistance is to enable the young lawyers to stabilize themselves in the profession.” He further added that initially the government would earmark from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, a sum of Rs 9 lakhs to the Welfare Fund of advocates here.
                                          All said and done, what the Puducherry government has done under the able stewardship of Chief Minister V Narayanasamy is truly laudable. He has taken a very bold initiative which must be truly applauded by one and all! It must be emulated by every State Government and Union Territories all across the country.
                                         Needless to say, junior advocates are also young officers of the court and to pay them so much that they don’t have to depend on others is imperative!  It is unquestionable that this is what the Puducherry government led by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has done so rightly! Who can deny this?
                                         It is a truly laudable step in the right direction to make them self-reliant especially in their initial years! This would make sure that young advocates are inspired to give in their very best to the profession right from day one without worrying much from the financial angle in the initial few years. They will be better trained as compared to those who don’t get anything and therefore lose interest in the legal profession of advocacy right from their formative years and thus get diverted into other professions! Who can deny this?
                                                 I have seen for myself that how not just lawyers in district courts and high courts but also in Supreme Court have shifted to other professions which includes teaching because there you immediately start getting good salary but in courts one has to wait for many years and still the earning is far below adequate! Who can deny this? I am ready to confront them!
                                          Even those lawyers who work with senior and eminent lawyers are hardly paid much except for a very few all across India and this explains why even young lawyers with exceptionally brilliant background but not having any relation in the legal profession tend to immediately shift to other fields like teaching etc or opt to appear in the judicial services exam and become a Judge where they start getting a decent salary very early in their life! This is a very dangerous trend that can never be good for the long term interests of judiciary and lawyering and must be checked immediately if the best talent is to be retained in the legal profession of lawyering and for this to happen it is imperative that the other Chief Ministers should also try and emulate what V Narayanasamy has attempted recently even though on a small scale which is truly laudable and worth emulating by all states and Union Territories!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh. 

Insult Of Jadhav’s Family Is Insult Of India

Coming straight to the key point, I fully agree with senior and eminent Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad that, “Insult of Jadhav’s family is insult of more than 130 crore Indians”. The moot question is: Why do our leaders of all parties speak strong language against Pakistan but never take any tough action against them? How long we will keep drinking poison like Lord Shiv and keep tolerating everything cheerfully? We are not Lord Shiv nor can we ever dare to even dream to become like him! Also, we should not forget that Lord Shiv certainly drank poison but he never tolerated insult and had not spared even the father of his consort Parvati when he insulted him publicly!
                                           But leaders of India are crossing all tolerable limits. They may shout against Pakistan, they may scream against Pakistan, they may demand terming Pakistan as Aatankistan as they did just recently in UN but when it comes to taking action themselves directly on the ground, they are just not prepared to do anything substantial! The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan was given unilaterally to them in 1996 even though they kept sending terrorists to India most actively since 1989 onwards and forced lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits and all those Muslim families who helped them to leave Kashmir and live like a refugee in their own country!
                                          Dr BR Ambedkar never favoured special status for Jammu and Kashmir which Jawaharlal Nehru did which was his worst blunder but what is more tragic is that no PM till now has ever dared to set right that historical blunder. Article 370 was not there in original Constitution but inserted later after Ambedkar’s death! Why is it there still in Constitution?
                                When we treat Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India then why have we not fully and finally merged it with India? Why as former CJI JS Khehar rightly pointed has separate flag, separate Constitution and separate laws when we treat as an integral part of India? This open sham must end now once and for all if we are really serious in treating as Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India!
                                      Coming back to the main issue, Kulbhushan Jadhav who was wrongly kidnapped from Iran border by Taliban and later sold to Pakistan’s ISI was termed a terrorist and when his mother and wife were keen to meet him, they were made to wait for nearly two years and then humiliated in the most shameful manner! Which self-respecting country will tolerate this quietly? Why India keeps taking things lying down? Why Pakistanis are given a VVIP treatment in India and allowed to dine and enjoy with whomever they like? Is this really fair? Yet shamelessly our politicians allow this to happen most brazenly right under our very nose!
                                         It is not Sanjeev Sirohi but Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar who disclosed to media after Kulbhushan Jadhav and his wife and mother – Chetna and Avanti returned to India along with Indian diplomat JP Singh who had accompanied them to meet Jadhav that, “Under the pretext of security precautions, the cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded. This included removal of mangalsutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security. For some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests, Chetana’s shoes were not returned to her after the meeting. We would caution against any mischievous intent in this regard.”
                                           What a national disgrace! If this thing were to happen with PM Modi’s family members or with even some Minister’s family members, would they still have given such muted response? Why do we tolerate so much everything quietly? Why can’t we pay back Pakistan in the same coin? This is the main reason why we are repeatedly subject to such insult time and again!
                                        Israel supports us but still we vote against them and reiterate our solidarity with Palestine! But see what Palestine does to us? Their leaders openly share platform with dreaded terror leaders like Hafiz Saeed who is leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba and reiterate their full support for Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with Pakistan at all cost and under all circumstances! Leaders like Farooq Abdullah don’t say a word when such shameful incidents happen but are quick to react otherwise at the drop of a hat and keep warning India against any measure to integrate them with India!
                                          Jadhav’s mother revealed that Jadhav kept on making tutored statement when she enquired him about the injuries. It was further revealed that Jadhav and his family were not allowed to speak in Marathi. Besides, the accompanying Indian diplomat Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh was initially separated from family members who were taken to the meeting without informing him. The Pakistani press was allowed to approach the family members closely, harass and hurl false accusations about Kulbhushan Jadhav. Kulbhushan and his mother were separated by a glass partition throughout the meeting.
                                      Indian leaders are squarely responsible for this! Why they lavishly throw dinners and parties for Pakistani leaders and invaders like General Musharraf who should not be allowed even an entry to India? Why they care a damn even when our soldiers are getting killed daily while fighting against their soldiers and terrorists trained and armed by their army and ISI?    
                                         At the very least, why can’t Centre revoke the unilateral MFN status conferred to them since 1996 thus disregarding the supreme sacrifices of our soldiers? Why can’t Centre declare Pakistan as a terror state instead of just demanding it once in a year in a UN platform or any other platform? Why can’t Centre expel all unnecessary Pakistani former diplomats fishing in troubled waters in India like Mehmood Kasuri?
                                          Why can’t Centre nuke all relations with Pakistan till they start behaving with us properly? Why can’t Centre revoke all benefits wrongly given to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty agreement signed with them in 1960? Why can’t Centre expel all Pakistani nationals from India like Kuwait did as they foment trouble and terror wherever they go?
                                             It is because politicians and not Pakistan are the real danger to India because they are ready to tolerate everything and compromise on everything! Justice Markandey Katju termed Pakistan and Bangladesh as fake countries who were created by Indian politicians. Jinnah himself said to a boy long time back “No my boy, you are an Indian first and then a Muslim!” The creation of Pakistan was an act of treachery and we are still suffering because of it! Even Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who was a Pakhtoonistan leader said, “What is this Nehru? You have made me a foreigner in my own country? What sense does it make?”
                                       Seventy years down the lane nothing has changed. Still politicians keep appeasing separatists and keep appointing interlocutors to engage them even as they collude with Pakistan and regularly get funds from them to bleed India and cut it by a thousand wounds! What difference does it make to our politicians?
                                        What an unbeatable irony that those who are so senior politicians with exceptional academic background and even coming from royal families and served themselves in elite services hail Pakistan invader Gen Musharraf as “Musharraf Sahab” and terror leader like Hafiz Saeed as “Hafiz Sahab”! Are they peons and chaprasis of Musharraf and Hafiz or are they engaged as servants by them? If not then why do they indulge in so much of servility? Are they getting some pay from them? Then why so much of chamchagiri?
                                   Kulbhushan Jadhav is an ex servicemen and an officer who served in the Navy! Why India tolerates his insult so quietly? India must react very strongly and our politicians must start behaving themselves if India is to gain its pride and prestige in the international forum!
                                       But most shockingly politicians never learn anything even after facing repeated terror attacks from Pakistan and this alone explains why many feel that, “Fear politicians and not Pakistan! What is Pakistan? Nothing but a fake country created by politicians of India in collusion with England who formerly ruled over us!”
                                      Justice Markandey Katju went to the extent of calling politicians as “rogues and scoundrels”. It is high time and politicians must salvage their ever sinking reputation by really acting tough against Pakistan as Subramanium Swamy advocates but he is not listened to even in his own party that is BJP! The day our politicians start acting tough against Pakistan it dare not take us for granted! It will start to behave itself! But the moot question is: When will politicians make that day to come? It is all in their hands alone!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkehra,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.

Thy Kingdom come

Jesus says, “When you pray, say ‘…Thy Kingdom come….’”

Luther explains, “What does this mean? The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also. How does God’s kingdom come? God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.”

Salvageable adds: Scholars speak sometimes of the three kingdoms of God, although they do not intend to say that these are distinct kingdoms. No, they overlap, and a person can be part of more than one of God’s kingdoms. They are called the kingdom of power, the kingdom of grace, and the kingdom of glory. The kingdom of power is creation, over which Jesus rules right now. The kingdom of grace is the Church, including saints in Paradise with Jesus and believers still living on the earth. The kingdom of glory is the coming new creation, in which all things will be perfected, all evil will be removed, and all the saints will live with Jesus forever. They will be royalty because of their family relationship to the King.

We do not need to pray that the kingdom of power will come. Creation already is here. We pray about that kingdom, though, when we pray for daily bread.

We pray for the kingdom of grace—for the Church. We pray for pastors and other church leaders, that God would keep them faithful and would work through their ministries. We pray for missionaries spreading the good news about Jesus. We pray for people we love, especially those who seem not to believe in Jesus right now. We pray that the kingdom of grace would come to more people so they can be redeemed and can enter the kingdom of grace and await eternal life in the kingdom of glory. The Lord’s Prayer is a missionary prayer.

At the same time, we are praying for ourselves. We pray that we would continue to mature in the faith—as a famous song from Godspell says, to see God more clearly, follow him more nearly, and love him more dearly. On the one hand, there are not different levels of faith. The faith of every Christian is identical, because it is faith in the same Savior, the same Lord, and the same promises. The Christian life is easier, though, for believers who have stopped measuring themselves, who have put their full trust in the Lord, and who are being transformed into the image of Christ, loving God and neighbors according to the example of Christ and by his strength.

Even as we pray for the kingdom of grace, we also pray for the coming of the kingdom of glory: “Maranatha—come, Lord Jesus!” We look forward to the Day when we see Jesus coming in the clouds, bringing with him all the saints of Paradise, raising all the dead, and inaugurating the new creation. We pray for that Day when all sorrows and sufferings will cease, when sin and evil will no longer exist, and when death will no longer be an end to life. That Day is already guaranteed through the redemption of Christ. By his life and death and resurrection, he has conquered sin, death, and evil. By his life, death, and resurrection, he shares his victory with us. Therefore, we do not fear the Day of the Lord. We look forward to it with hope and excitement, and we pray for its coming. Yet it has been delayed for the sake of the work of the kingdom of grace. There are yet more people—at least one more person—who will come to faith and enter the kingdom of grace before it all becomes the kingdom of glory.  J.

Hallowed be thy name

Jesus says, “When you pray, say ‘…Hallowed be thy name….’”

Luther explains, “What does this mean? God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also. How is God’s name kept holy? God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!”

Salvageable adds: God’s name includes everything that tells us about God. His name starts with the labels we use for him: God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, Savior, Redeemer, and so on. But God’s name can also refer to the Bible, the Church, the cross, and anything else that calls God to mind. God’s name is represented by anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian.

God’s name is so important that God protects it in the Ten Commandments, telling his people not to misuse his name. His name is misused when it is spoken carelessly, as punctuation, rather than as a prayer addressed to him or as a statement about him. It is misused whenever people try to use it magically, treating the cross as a good-luck charm or treating prayer as an incantation that gives the one praying control over God. God’s name is misused whenever it is invoked in an effort to deceive other people, whether perjury (promising by God’s name to speak the truth, and then lying) or false promises (God wants you to send me one hundred dollars, and he promises you greater prosperity in return when you do so).

Of course God’s name is always holy. Anything that belongs to God is holy. God does not require our prayers to preserve the holiness of his name. But our prayers remind us that God’s name is holy. As Luther indicates, when we pray to God about the holiness of his name, we pray that his name would be holy among us. Instead of bringing shame to the name of God by our deceit, by our selfishness, and by our cold lack of love for our neighbors, we want the name of God to be honored by our neighbors when they see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Children sometimes misunderstand the words of the prayer and tell God that his name is hollow. When people pray this prayer and then go and do what they want rather than doing what God wants, they make his name hollow. As Luther prays, “Protect us from this, heavenly Father!” As Christians, may we bring glory rather than shame to the name of Christ our Lord. J.

Govt Mulls Lifer For Repeat Offenders For Human Trafficking

Coming straight to the key issue, it is a matter of great satisfaction to learn that the government is now all set to introduce a new law to guard against human trafficking. It has proposed a 10-year punishment for those engaging in “aggravated forms of trafficking” while seeking life imprisonment for repeat offenders. Trafficking any person just for the sake of earning extra cash and thus ruining the entire life of that person  is a completely unpardonable offence which must invite the strictest of punishment. Even death penalty will not be too harsh and must be used as long as this death penalty itself is not abolished!
                                         To be sure, this landmark Bill which has been proposed to identify various forms of trafficking, including for the purposes of bonded labour, sexual exploitation, pornography, removal of organs and begging, has proposed severe punishment for those engaging in the heinous crime. Very rightly so! No leniency is warranted under any circumstances for such despicable and ghoulish crimes!
                                       To put things in perspective, the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill 2017, initiated by the Women & Child Development Ministry, is currently with a Group of Ministers (GoM) that will take a final view on the matter. The draft Bill was released in May 2016. The Bill proposes the establishment of a national anti-trafficking bureau, which shall be entrusted with the gamut of issues aimed at controlling and tackling the menace under various forms. These include coordination, monitoring and surveillance of illegal movement of persons and their prevention.    
                                             It is noteworthy that the national anti-trafficking bureau will also be entrusted with increasing cooperation and coordination with authorities concerned with organisations in foreign countries for strengthening operational and long-term intelligence for investigation of trafficking cases, and driving in mutual legal assistance. This will certainly go a long way in ensuring that trafficking cases don’t go on unchecked and those involved in it are prosecuted and punished according to the law of the land! There can be no denying it.
                                   Let me bring out here that while listing out the ‘aggravated forms of trafficking’, the Bill speaks about offences such as bonded labour, by using violence, intimidation, inducement, promise of payment of money, deception or coercion. It also mentions trafficking after administering any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance or alcohol, or for the purpose of marriage or under the pretext of marriage. The aggravated form also includes trafficking for begging or forcing those who are mentally ill or are pregnant.
                                           No doubt, such aggravated forms of trafficking must invite the strictest punishment. Even lifer is not enough. It must invite death. No person can be allowed to indulge in trafficking of any person and then escape with just lifer! This is just not done under any circumstances!
                                         Let me also bring out here that this Bill proposes specifically that, “Whoever commits the offence of aggravated form of trafficking of a person shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 10 years, but which may extend to life imprisonment.” For repeat offenders, it suggests imprisonment for life “which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life”, apart from a fine that will not be less than Rs 2 lakh. I very strongly feel that for repeat offenders the punishment should be mandatory death penalty and fine should not be less than Rs five lakh.
                                             While craving for the exclusive indulgence of my esteemed readers, let me also inform them that as per data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), human trafficking numbers rose by almost 20% in 2016 against the previous year. NCRB said there were 8,132 human trafficking cases in 2016 against 6,877 in 2015, with the highest number of cases reported in West Bengal (44% of cases), followed by Rajasthan (17%). How can all this be allowed to go unchecked and unpunished? This alone explains why this Bill proposes stringent punishment for those indulging in human trafficking!
                                        For my esteemed readers exclusive indulgence, let me also inform them that of the 15,379 victims who were caught in trafficking, 10,150 were female and 5,229 males. NCRB revealed that the purpose of trafficking included forced labour, sexual exploitation for prostitution; other forms of sexual exploitation; domestic servitude; forced marriage; child pornography; begging; drug peddling; and removal of organs. It is widely believed that the numbers recorded by NCRB are a far cry to actual incidences of trafficking as many cases went unreported with many people still unaware of the crime or lacking faith and confidence in seeking police help.
                                    As it turned out, for those engaging in ‘buying or selling’ a person, the Bill proposes rigorous imprisonment for a term not less than seven years which can be extended to 10 years with a fine upwards of Rs 1 lakh. It must be pointed out that the Bill also seeks punishment for those engaging in trafficking with the help of media, including print, internet, digital or electronic. It stipulates a punishment of not less than seven years which can extend up to 10 years and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh.
                                       It is also pertinent to mention here that it is provided explicitly that, “Whoever distributes or sells or stores, in any form in any electronic or printed form showing incidence of sexual exploitation, sexual assault or rape for the purpose of extortion or for coercion of the victim or his/her family members, or for unlawful gain, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but may extend to seven years.”
                                             Truth be told, apart from the national bureau, the proposed Bill also aims at having state-level anti-trafficking officers who shall also provide relief and rehabilitation services through district units and other civil society organisations. The Bill also spells out measures towards relief and rehabilitation for the victims of trafficking. This is really commendable!
                                         What I like most about this proposed Bill is that in a sharp departure from the past, it does not treat a trafficked person as an offender but a victim. It has to be noted with deep regret that the existing laws do not take this laudable approach and instead most atrociously and unfairly treats both the trafficked person and the trafficker as criminals which under any circumstances can never be justified!  
                                         Be it noted, the Bill mandates that the constitution of District Anti-Trafficking Committee for every district. This Committee will perform various functions pertaining to the prevention, rescue, protection, psychological assistance etc of the victims. There will also be a State Anti Trafficking Committee to oversee the implementation of the law and advise the state government on matters pertaining to the prevention of trafficking and protection/rehabilitation of victims. A Central Anti-Trafficking Advisory Board will perform similar functions at the Union level.
                                                It cannot be lost on us that the Bill also takes into account various aspects of trafficking and the punishments as defined in Sections 370 to 373 of the Indian Penal Code. It also cannot be ignored that the Bill also aims to include other offences which are not dealt with in other laws for the purpose of trafficking, such as punishment for disclosing the identity of the victim, using narcotics/alcohol for the purpose of trafficking etc. The Bill stipulates mandatory reporting within 24 hours by a police officer, public servant, any officer/employee of protection homes or special homes having custody of the victim to the District Anti-Trafficking Committee or in case of child victim to the Child Welfare Committee.   
                                             Let me hasten to add here that a separate chapter on offences and the penalties is also a part of the Bill. It seeks to establish special courts in each district of the country and simultaneously also ensure that special prosecutors are appointed to fast-track the trials and increase prosecution. It also envisages the creation of a fund for rehabilitation of victims of trafficking.
                              It would certainly not amount to an exaggeration to say that the earlier this landmark proposed Bill is passed, the better it shall be in the interests of those who are trafficked and their families because it is they who are ultimately the worst affected in the whole process. Once this landmark Bill is finally approved by the Cabinet after giving it the requisite thoughtful consideration, it will then be tabled in Parliament where MPs of different parties would be free to give their valuable suggestions and then it will be referred to the Select Committee before being taken up for debate and getting it passed!
                                       It merits no reiteration that the menace of human trafficking has acquired serious proportions in last few decades. It has to be addressed on a war footing. This certainly entails strict punishment for offenders indulging in human trafficking and strictest punishment for repeated offenders! The Bill must be promptly enacted into a law and implemented swiftly and strictly to ensure that those indulging in it reap the consequences of their heinous acts and don’t escape lightly!
                                 All said and done, human trafficking is the worst form of crime for which there can be no justification. Those indulging in it must be awarded not just life term but death penalty also especially repeated offenders! Only then will a right, strong and clear message go out to all those indulging in it that they will have to face either life term or death penalty and also would have to pay a very heavy penalty not less than Rs 5 lakh for daring to indulge in it!
                                           It brooks no more delay and the punishment prescribed must be enhanced significantly especially in case of repeated offenders much more as I have spelt out so that those indulging in it are made to pay through their nose! Only then will it go a long way in serving as an effective deterrent in discouraging potential offenders from indulging in it! Hope so!              
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,

Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.   

BCI Mulls Ban On Practice By Lawmakers

Coming straight to the nub of the crucial matter, let me begin at the very beginning by first and foremost pointing out that it has been very rightly demanded by some eminent lawyers, activists and leaders in a letter written to the Bar Council of India (BCI) that those lawyers who become MPs and MLAs should be stopped from practising. The main ground on which they are demanding that the MPs and MLAs should be stopped from practicing is that they are drawing salary just like in any other profession. Then why should they be allowed to practice?
                                 More specifically, let me reveal here that a prominent BJP leader has requested the Bar Council of India to debar MPs and MLAs from practicing as advocates, saying that it was against the spirit of BCI rules which require advocates not to be engaged in any full-time trade, business, occupation or profession. There can be no denying or disputing it! The earlier this is done, the better it shall be in the long term interests of the legal profession which must have full time lawyers and not part time lawyers!
                                       Elaborating further, let me also reveal here that in a letter written to the BCI Chairman – Manan Kumar Mishra, the Delhi BJP leader Ashwani Kumar Upadhyaya who is also an advocate stated clearly and categorically that the practice of lawmakers doubling up as advocates also went directly against the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict in Dr Haniraj L Chulani v Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa (1996). In this landmark verdict it was held that, “Legal profession requires full time attention and would not countenance an Advocate riding two or more horses at a time”. This merits prompt and positive response.
                                     It is heartening to note that the BCI has also taken serious note of it. This alone explains that why a high powered Committee constituted by it would deliberate and decide this all-important issue in next three days! Before deciding, it will certainly go into all aspects and consider each issue in detail!    
                                      Truth be told, the letter – a copy of which has also been sent to CJI Dipak Misra cited BCI rules to list out restrictions on MPs and MLAs on taking up any employment and sought to highlight that those working with the executive and the judiciary were not allowed to practice as advocates. Upadhyaya who had pointed out this glaring anomaly has termed it a violation of right to equality and right to non-discrimination guaranteed under Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution. Absolutely right!
                                  It would be pertinent to mention here that it has been noticed that several MPs and MLAs appeared as advocates during Parliament and Legislative Assembly sessions, which was not only immoral and unethical but also in violation of Rule 49 of BCI Rules. Upadhyaya wrote in his nine-page long letter dated December 18 that, “A legislator enjoys better salary, allowance and post-retirement benefits than members of executive and judiciary. It is an honourable and fulltime profession but does not remain noble merely by calling it as such, unless he is dedicated for welfare of people. Legislators are expected to put fulltime service to public and their constituents ahead of their personal interests. Nobility of the profession of law also has to be preserved and protected. Therefore, provisions of the Advocates Act and BCI rules must be given effect in letter and spirit to maintain clean and efficient Bar to serve the cause of justice.”  
                           To put things in perspective, according to BCI Rule 49 those who are drawing salary in any field are not entitled to practice as a lawyer. BCI Rule 49 reads as follows: “An Advocate shall not be a full-time salaried employee of any person, Government, firm, corporation or concern, so long as he continues to practice, and shall, on taking up any employment, intimate the fact to the Bar Council on whose roll his name appears, and shall thereupon cease to practice as an Advocate so long as he continues in such employment”.  The BCI will decide on this key issue in next three days. A high powered Committee has been constituted to look into this entire matter after a meeting held on this key issue decided on the same.
                                      Be it noted, BCI Chairman and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra said that, “The three-member panel is examining the provisions of the Advocates Act and the Bar Council of India Rules in this respect. They will file their report in the next few days.” Ashwini Upadhyay who filed the petition contended that MPs and MLAs draw their salaries from the Consolidated Fund of India, hence, are “employees of the state”. Upadhyay also submitted before the BCI that, “Under Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 2(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, MLAs and MPs are public servants. Hence, allowing them to practice as an advocate and restricting other public servants is arbitrary, irrational and violation of Articles 14-15 of the Constitution.”
                                            It is also noteworthy that Ashwini contended that it amounted to “professional misconduct” that MLAs and MPs who get salary and other benefits from the public fund, appear against the government. Some of these lawmakers even hold corporate retainer-ships. He also rightly submitted that, “They appear against the State to defend their lawbreaker clients in the Court of Law, which is the matter of conflict of interest.” The petition which Ashwini submitted also pointed out that while an advocate should be fully dedicated to his profession, legislators are also expected “to dedicate their fulltime to public and their constituents ahead of their personal and financial interests.”
                                         While craving for the exclusive indulgence of my esteemed readers, let me inform them that among the members of the Committee are DP Dhall, RG Shah and BC Thakur. According to the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, MPs and MLAs come under the category of public servants. In such circumstances, it is considered highly inappropriate that MPs and MLAs are allowed to still practice while other public servants are explicitly barred from doing so! The plea submitted by Ashwini very rightly submitted that the lawmakers – Members of Parliament and Members of the State Assemblies should be banned from doubling up as practising advocates, saying they are salaried public servants and cannot ride two horses at the same time.
                                          Isn’t this the worst case of hypocrisy, double standards and discrimination of the highest order? If this is not, then what else is? This has been allowed to happen since last more than 70 years but anyway it is better to be late than never. It must now be set right!
                                           Why MPs and MLAs are given relaxation everywhere? Why are they treated as above others? Why are the same rules not applied to them like others?
                                     They are many such grey areas and what is most unfortunate is that everywhere it is MPs and MLAs who have been given the long rope! No person can get any government job even if someone maliciously files a false case in any police station but to become an MP or an MLA even if you have many cases pending against you like late Phoolan Devi you can still freely contest elections! All such highly discriminatory practices must be thrown in the dustbin of history!
                                        Why MPs and MLAs alone have the unfettered right to increase manifold their salary without being checked by anyone when even Judges have no such similar rights? Why MPs and MLAs can fight elections even from jail? Why MPs and MLAs alone enjoy so many colonial privileges like providing many of them whomever the government of the day likes with the highest security at taxpayers cost? Why should they not be abolished?
                                             It still remains to be seen what the high powered Committee recommends on this. But I am quite certain that it will henceforth explicitly bar MPs and MLAs from practising and put a full stop to this entire controversy! It needs no rocket scientist to conclude that when BCI Rule 49 explicitly bars salaried class from practicing then why should MPs and MLAs be treated on a different parameter and exempted from the same when they not just get huge salary but also lots of other benefits like housing, vehicles, pension and a lot more!        
                                           All said and done, this should have been done a lot earlier probably right after independence. But seventy years down the lane we see still nothing being done till now in this direction. But again like a true optimist I would say that it is better to be late than never!
                                         It cannot be denied that a good beginning has been made by the Bar Council of India in this direction after getting complaints from leaders, lawyers and others. Let us hope that in the next three days we would see some decisive action on this. It is highly inappropriate that MPs and MLAs who don’t get time for even talking are allowed to continue as lawyers for namesake only!
                                    This must be discarded and I am  cent percent sure that now this will be done soon! A uniform policy must be framed to restrict the public servants, people’s representatives and members of the judiciary to practice other professions in violation of Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution and such conflict of interest must be treated as criminal misconduct to check what has been going on unabashedly since last more than 70 years in our country!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.

Our Father…

Jesus said, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father who art in heaven….’”

Luther explains, “What does this mean? With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that he is our true Father and that we are his true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask him as dear children ask their dear father.”

Salvageable adds: We are not God’s children because he created us. We are God’s children because Jesus redeemed us. The Son of God exchanged places with us after we ran away from home and joined with God’s enemies—the devil, the sinful world around us, and the sin inside of us. Jesus, who never sinned, took on the full cost of our sin and paid that price, so God no longer sees sin in us. Instead, he looks at us and sees his Son, and God therefore treats us accordingly.

As our Father, God would do anything for us. He has already given his Son for us; why would he resent smaller blessings on our behalf? But the Almighty God does not make himself our slave. He makes grand and generous promises to hear and answer our prayers, but he reserves the right to answer “no.” God will not give us anything that hurts us, no matter how often and how eloquently we ask. He will not abandon his plan to perfect the entire world through Christ due to our prayers. Indeed, Jesus teaches us what to pray precisely so we learn what things God will give us when we ask for them. In many cases, he will give us those blessings when we fail to ask. But God wants the lines of communication to remain open. He wants us to pray, and so he invites us to speak to him as young children speak trustingly to their earthly fathers.

We may be children of God, but we are very young children, the equivalent of two- or three-year-olds in the family. Our words of praise are feeble compared to what the angels offer God, but God knows our limitations and delights to hear our prayers; they are like crayon drawings that the Lord posts on his refrigerator. We often ask God for things that are inappropriate for us to have, but God never tires of our requests. We can ask him any number of questions without exhausting his patience. Having redeemed us and adopted us, God loves to hear our voices. Even when he says “no,” he will never turn us away lacking some blessing that he knows will be good for us.

I ache for people who say that they cannot approach God as a Father because of the faults and misbehavior of their earthly fathers. Parents bear a great responsibility to be pictures and representations of a God who teaches people to do right instead of wrong, but who also never stops forgiving and never stops loving his children. Where our parents fail us, God our Father remains reliable. We can always approach him through Christ, and nothing we say to him will lessen his love for us. J.

On prayer

Jesus said, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:5-13).

Prayer should be the simplest and easiest part of Christian living, but our imperfect minds complicate praying as we complicate so many things. Some Christians use prayer books and use only prayers created by others, while other Christians regard only spontaneous prayer as genuine. Some repeat the same brief prayers with great frequency, while others pray only on certain occasions, such as mealtime and bedtime. Some only pray aloud, others only in their minds, while most Christians pray in both ways at different times. A few take Jesus literally and never pray what other people can hear. Since Jesus prayed several times in the presence of others, we can take his warning to “go into your room and shut the door” as an exaggeration, parallel to “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3).

When we pray, we speak to God. Prayer is not a time to lecture others while directing our words to God—prayer is communication with the God who made us and who is in charge of the universe. We cannot impress God by the beauty of or prayers, so we might as well keep them simple and personal. We cannot fool God about ourselves, so we should not try, not even in our prayers. We pray often, because God is always with us and always wants to hear from us. We tell God what we want and what we need. We do not think that we can persuade him or bribe him to give us something that he does not want to give. We do not bargain with God. God has attached powerful promises to prayer, but he retains control of the universe.

The prayer Jesus taught his disciples, known both as the Lord’s Prayer and the Our Father, is an outline to guide our prayers. Martin Luther wrote that an hour is too little time to pray the Lord’s Prayer properly. When we honor the name of God, we stop and consider the many names of God and what they tell us about him. When we ask for daily bread, we add other needs; and when we pray for forgiveness, we confess our sins, as many as we remember.

Among some Christians, the Lord’s Prayer is also used as a group prayer. At those times, everyone in the group speaks the prayer together, often using vocabulary and grammar from England of the 1600s. This unites Christian prayer, not only with everyone in the building, but with previous generations of Christians who now are in Paradise awaiting the Resurrection. After all, the Lord’s Prayer is a group prayer—it has no I or me or mine, but is addressed to our Father and mentions our daily bread and our trespasses. Therefore, when we pray this prayer, we are praying for Christians around the world and not only for ourselves.

But when we use this prayer and teach it to our children, we need to explain the words of the prayer. Otherwise, they will grow up praying, “Our Father who aren’t in heaven, hollow be thy name,” or even, “how do you know my name?” Children should know this prayer so they can pray it with others and use it as an outline for their personal prayers. When we do not know what to pray, the Lord’s Prayer is a wonderful help. We know how Jesus wants us to speak with him and with his Father. We also know what Jesus and his Father want to give us. Paul wrote, “We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Along with those groanings, the Holy Spirit has given us this prayer from the mouth of Jesus himself, so we never need to feel that we are at a loss for words when we approach the throne of God. J.

Update and season’s greetings

I cannot predict my WordPress status for the next several days.

My home computer and WordPress are not interfacing well. When I go to my Reader page and try to scroll, the screen alternates between freezing and rolling uncontrollably, making it hard for me to click on a visit button before it escapes my pointer. Since I will not be able to use my work computer for the next few days, I may have problems visiting all the blogs I love and enjoy.

I have a project in mind, though, that I will try to post over the twelve days of Christmas. It involves picking up where I left off with Martin Luther’s explanations of the Ten Commandments and the Apostles’ Creed. The next topic will be prayer.

If I don’t have the opportunity to visit your site and wish you a Merry Christmas, please accept my best wishes all that same. May the Lord bless your celebration of His holy days. To Jesus be the glory. J.

Why Should Adultery Be Treated As Crime?

It is most astonishing to see that the colonial era law of adultery made in Britishers era is still flourishing with no real change being made in it. Many feel that women should also be punished as now she too stands on par with women, gets educated in best of institutions and gets the best of job and yet has no qualms  at all to indulge in adultery. They point out that in Jammu and Kashmir also both men and women are equally punishable then why not the same be applied all over India?
                                        To say the least, this is ridiculous argument and in the era of globalization we too must flow with the wind and appreciate that if something wrong is happening in Jammu and Kashmir then by the same token that cannot be extended to all other states as well! Two wrongs cannot make a right and where it is written that if once a wrong is done then it can’t be corrected? The adultery law in Jammu and Kashmir also must be amended to meet the present circumstances!
                                           It would be pertinent to mention here that many countries have decriminalized adultery and even England which ruled over us and made adultery punishable in India have also decriminalized adultery a long time back. Why can’t it then be now decriminalized in India also? It can certainly be decriminalized and it must be done forthwith!
                                     How can it be ignored conveniently that in 2012, a United Nations Working Group on laws that discriminate against women wanted countries that treat adultery as a crime, to repeal such laws? Is it not the duty of each of the countries who are members of UN which includes India who is a founder member to abide by it? Why can’t such an archaic and highly discriminatory law which most unfairly and unabashedly discriminates between men and women be promptly repealed?
                                                                        There can be no gainsaying the indisputable fact that a reconsideration of the law on adultery is not just long overdue but also it being decriminalized is most crucial!  This law of adultery which is right now before the Supreme Court has to pronounce now on the all important question which is an open question as to whether this Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code  really discriminates against men just on the basis of gender and gives not just an unconstitutional exemption to women but also abets her to indulge in it freely as she is not punishable at all under any circumstances! Is this really fair?
                                          To put things in perspective, while agreeing to issue notice to the government, the Bench has observed that the provision is archaic. It has also went further to observe that in a case of adultery, one person is liable for the offence but the other is absolved, and that the concept of gender neutrality, on which criminal law normally proceeds, is absent. The Apex Court has also noted that once the consent or connivance of the husband is established, there is no offence of adultery at all.
                                           Going forward, the Apex Court deems it as subordination of a woman and something that “creates a dent on the independent identity of a woman”. It is so shocking to see that a woman under the present law of the penal code is treated as a subordinate woman who cannot complaint of her husband indulging in adultery and also who can never be considered fit of giving consent! Why can a women be punished for theft, cheating etc but not for adultery? Why only the husband alone has the unfettered to prosecute an outsider for adultery?
                                             Most importantly, why should the offence of adultery be punished as a crime at all? Why can’t two adults who are consenting and willing be allowed to do what they want to do? Why should they be jailed for it?
                                         Why can’t India also like its former colonial ruler – UK decriminalize adultery and allow two consenting adults to do what they want to do? Why can’t India follow so many other countries who have all decriminalized adultery as they consider it to be no offence at all? Why can’t it be treated as their private affair?  
                                          Why burden courts with such useless case which is already overburdened with a huge backlog of pending cases thus consuming the precious time of the courts which can be utilised for pursuing other serious crimes like rape, gang rape, murder etc? Why do we disregard the irrefutable truth that it is one thing for adultery to be treated as a ground for divorce which is a civil proceeding and quite another for it to be made a basis for incarceration which is the most foolish thing that can be ever done which alone explains that why even UK has decriminalized it? When UK can do it then why can’t we do it?
                                          When so many other countries can do it then why can’t we too do similarly? Are we waiting to be the last country in the world to decriminalize adultery? We must introspect seriously!
                                        In a nutshell, criminalizing adultery cannot be justified under any circumstances. Every adult person must have the right to live a life of his/her choice! Why criminalize it? There can be no ground to justify it!
                                         Why punish those who are having sex with consent? Why can’t we come out of our medieval mindset? Why treat woman as “inferior person” who just does not understand anything when she decides to have sex with any men of her choice?
                                             Why put restrictions on women to have sex with any men of her choice? Why can’t it be left to the men and women to do what they want to do in their personal life as long as the sex is not rape? Why punish sex with consent?
                                               On a parting note, let me say this very clearly and categorically that law makers must step in and immediately decriminalize adultery as we see in so many other countries! We are living in a modern and progressive world. Why then should we follow British era rules and laws notwithstanding the irrefutable fact that even Britishers have decriminalized adultery in their own country?
                                   Why then can’t we also decriminalize it accordingly to meet the present circumstances? It is never too late! We must all understand this fundamental truth fully well! Most of all, Centre must act suitably and waste no time further in amending the law of adultery to meet the present circumstances by decriminalizing it accordingly!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.       

Prophecy, fulfillment, and time

During this Advent season, many Christians contemplate the prophecies of Jesus in Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms, comparing those promises to the ways they were kept in the birth, life, passion, and resurrection of Jesus. This meditation is good, but it can sometimes be approached in a misleading fashion. Some Christians speak of God first making the promises and then finding ways to keep them, like a planner checking items off a list.

“Let’s see – I said he would be born of a virgin – Mary of Nazareth will do nicely. (check)

“I said he would be born in Bethlehem. I can prompt Caesar to call for a census so that Joseph will be compelled to take Mary there before the birth.” (check)

“I said that he would be honored by Gentiles bringing gold and incense and myrrh. Here’s a group of wise men who will fit the bill.” (check)

“I said they would be led by a star. How on earth am I going to lead them to Bethlehem by a star?”

Peter wrote, “Do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Peter 3:8). God does not move through time as we created beings move through time; he can step into and out of the time stream at will. When the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets, he was not setting up conditions that would have to be met. No, he was telling what he had already seen of future events, for he had already been there. Judas was not fated to betray Christ because of some promise God made centuries earlier; Judas chose to betray Christ, and then the Holy Spirit told prophets about the betrayal centuries earlier.

Some say that, hanging on the cross, Jesus quoted the first verse of Psalm 22. A more theologically sound position is that Jesus prayed sincerely from the depths of his anguish, and then the Holy Spirit inspired David to write the Psalm which vividly describes the crucifixion and quotes Christ’s prayer one thousand years earlier.

When the prophecies and fulfillments are seen from this perspective, deeper and richer meaning appears in those prophecies. Mary was a genuine person, a historic figure, who conceived and gave birth to a son while still a virgin. At the same time, Mary stands in the place of the Bride of the Lord—Old Testament Israel and the New Testament Church, one Bride distinguished only by the before-and-after of Christ’s Incarnation in our time stream. This Bride is betrothed, still awaiting the coming of her Husband on the wedding day. Although a virgin, she has already given birth to the Son of God, now Incarnate, who has fulfilled the promises that would claim his people and bring about the royal marriage of Christ and his Church.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem so he could claim the throne of his father David. David had been promised a son who would rule an eternal kingdom (II Samuel 7). Solomon does not match the son described to David—Solomon became king while David was still alive (v. 12), although Solomon sinned he was never disciplined with stripes and rods (v. 14), and after ruling for forty years, Solomon died, and his kingdom was divided—it was not eternal (v. 16). Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Son of David and remains a true Son to God the Father (v. 14). Though he did not sin, he took upon himself the sins of the world and was treated accordingly, including the stripes and rods borne by Roman soldiers.

But Bethlehem was more than the hometown of David and therefore of his descendants. The name of the town means “house of bread,” and it became the birthplace of the Bread of Life, the Living Bread that (like manna) comes down out of heaven (John 6). After he was born, Jesus was placed in a manger, a trough from which sheep eat, signaling that the Good Shepherd would feed his sheep with his own body (I Corinthians 10 & 11).

The wise men bearing gifts who were guided by a star probably knew the prophecy of the Gentile prophet Balaam, who said in the days of Moses, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17). The wise men knew that the King of the Jews, whose birth was signaled by that star, would also be a priest and a sacrifice, so they honored him with royal and priestly gifts.

All the Old Testament descriptions of the Messiah add up to more than a checklist of things God had to do, or ways to identify the Messiah when he came. They were given as instruction to the saints of Israel, so they could believe in the coming Savior and have a place in his eternal kingdom. They remain for our instruction today, expanding upon what was written by the apostles to describe Jesus as Savior. God’s Bible is full of rich interconnections which never stop teaching us about the glory and grace of God, who came among us to be one of us, to rescue us, and to claim us for his kingdom. J.

Christmas tree past

With apologies to the late Tom Petty… and to my son:

He’s a good boy, but sometimes curious,

Can’t help touching what he sees.

It’s a blue spruce, but make of plastic

With ornaments of ceramic and glass.

It’s got colored lights and shiny tinsel.

It’s wobbly, won’t stand up straight.

He’s a good boy, but sometimes curious,

Can’t help touching what he sees:

Now the tree—

Tree falling!

The tree–

Tree falling!

J.

O Christmas tree (Oh, nuts)

The story so far:

Last May we had a fire on our property—a good-sized storage shed/workshop went up in flames. The cause was a fault in an electrical outlet. As I was driving home after I got the news, I prayed two things: that the fire would not spread to the house, and that no one would be injured. Both prayers were answered. Less important, but also in my hopes, were the Christmas decorations in the back of the shed. Arriving home and seeing that most of the damage had been in the front of the shed, I continued to have hope for a while longer.

But the fire traveled up from the outlet into the rafters and then was carried to the back of the shed, where the decorations were stored. Most of those boxes were scorched, and many of their contents were singed. These contents included many ceramic ornaments and decorations that were hand-made by my mother, who is no longer around to restore or replace such items. Others were special gifts from other years, or special purchases from past Christmases.

The insurance company was very helpful, paying one company to tear down and replace the shed, paying another company to clean items that could be cleaned, and paying us replacement costs for ruined items we did replace and partial value for items we chose not to replace. Most of the cleaned items were returned to us at the beginning of November. I found the autumn decorations and was pleased with their condition. Now, as Christmas approaches, I am gradually unpacking those decorations and placing them around the house.

Our seven-foot artificial Christmas tree had been on the floor of the shed, underneath the other decorations. The cleaners firmly said—before we even had a chance to ask—that they do not clean Christmas trees. I set the tree up in the driveway to air, then left it in the garage until the new shed was completed. This week I finally brought it into the house. My family and I have looked at new trees in the stores, but nothing available now appeals to us. Many of the new trees come with lights already permanently installed, and the Salvageable family does not work that way.

When I was a boy, my father trained me to decorate Christmas trees with a very high standard of perfection. Every light must be attached to a branch; none of the lights can float in midair between branches or merely lay on top of a branch. They must be installed several inches down the branch so there is room to hang ornaments. They must go deep into the tree to give it full dimensions instead of being a cone of lights. In all my years of decorating Christmas trees, I have always insisted on following my father’s method.

I bought eight new strings of lights, each with 150 bulbs. That’s 1,200 bulbs to be placed firmly on branches. As I put them on the tree, I noticed a faint odor of smoke still lingering in the tree. I also noticed dirt gathering under my fingernails. The tree is fifteen years old, so some of that dirt could be from other years rather than ash from the fire. We bought this tree one January after the previous tree had toppled as my son added trucks and dinosaurs to its decorations. It remains full and lifelike, although five of the branches are held to the trunk by twist-ties. When all the lights were attached, I continued with other duties, such as picking up a daughter from dance class and getting the garbage out to the curb. While finishing the latter task, I saw that all the lights on the tree had gone dark. Not wanting to spend more time on it that night, I unplugged it and left it alone.

The next day it was found that only the bottom string on the tree was malfunctioning. I removed it from the tree and checked carefully for breaks in the cord, thinking that a cat may have chewed on the tree and cut the cord. Second I checked for loose bulbs. When both inspections failed to reveal a problem, I decided to change the fuses in the plug of the cord. Suffice it to say that, in an effort to remove and replace those fuses, further damage occurred to the plug, making the string’s replacement inevitable.

Before going to the store, I looked again at the instructions for the cords and learned that the old method of stringing all the cords as one line no longer works with modern lights. No more than three strings can be plugged in together. This appeared to mean that I would have to strip all the lights from the tree and reattach them. At the store, however, an extension cord was found to solve just that problem—the cord has three sets of outlets along its length, so it can be wound through the tree and bring power to all the lights.

I brought home that cord and the new string of lights, only to discover that I had grabbed the wrong package of lights—the cord was white instead of green. So that meant another trip to the store to make the exchange.

Today the tree has lights, but not yet any ornaments. Six boxes in the shed contain Christmas tree ornaments. (I hope one of them also contains the missing pieces to the manger scene—it is short an angel and two sheep and one other figure, probably a shepherd). Maybe tonight and tomorrow, and possibly stretching through the week, those boxes will be brought into the house, each individual ornament unwrapped, inspected, and lovingly placed on the tree. Many memories will be renewed. And we will have our Christmas tree throughout the coming twelve days of Christmas. J.