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Post by CherieKropp on Nov 26, 2016 12:21:28 GMT -5
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Daily Mirror November 15, 2016
Letter to the Editor Backdoor Visas for Imposters Masquerading as Missionaries
One of the achievements of the current Good Governance Regime, is its respect for fundamental freedoms of the people. The government today upholds that freedoms are not suppressed by the state, or abused by anyone due to personal interest. The government also knows that freedom without responsibility is destructive as much as suppression of fundamental freedoms. The Ministry of Christian Affairs has been established to provide checks and balances that are fair by all Christian denominations, including historically established old churches like the Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal and others working within the evangelical tradition. This article focusses on a group of those calling themselves “Christians” who avoid registration within the traditions mentioned earlier. Today they have a total membership of about 75 people in the country, controlled by six foreign missionaries and just one Sri Lankan. They engage in missionary work in selected areas of the country. The established ratio for such operations by the Christian Affairs Ministry is one foreign clergyman to 500 local members. This has become an issue of public interest, as this so called mission is controlled by questionable members of the clergy who have no sense of accountability or transparency to the State or the congregation. They also do not possess a governance mechanism, claiming that all their actions are God-inspired. Among the accusations leveled against them is evasion of the National Christian Council (NCC) or the Evangelical Alliance for the purpose of registration. On accountability, Christians believe the teaching of Jesus, that men and women should give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give God what belongs to God on the very question of taxes imposed by the State. Other accusations leveled against them are working with impunity in evading the law, suppression of members who are married to Buddhist with oppressive actions like ex-communication according to the Head of the sect in Sri Lanka, a foreigner with unaccountable financial dealings with funds that pour in from all parts of the world. The question in this regard is on what basis does the Christian Affairs Ministry permits this sect to have six foreign missionaries for a congregation of approximately 75 members? Why are such groups allowed to operate outside the National Christian Council or the Evangelical Alliance with impunity? It is up to you Ministry of Christian Affairs, to explain the responsibility as to how you recommend anti-Christian foreigners masquerading as Christian missionaries to obtain visas. Aren’t you making a mockery of the benchmarks established by the National Christian Council and your own Ministry? The citizens of Sri Lanka have a right to demand an urgent answer as Right to Information is now a people’s right and concealing of information is a punishable offence. W. M. Chinthaka Bandara Wijesereka, Colombo4
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Post by CherieKropp on Nov 26, 2016 12:24:27 GMT -5
SRI LANKA Workers List 2016
Central Address: Postal Address: 134/2A Stanley Tillekeratne Mw P.O. Box 11 Nugegoda, 10250 Nugegoda 10250
SRI LANKA Colombo
Balangoda: Benjamin Minnaar +94 774 963 476 Johan Jonck
Kandy: Rochelle Jayesinghe+94 773 508 346 Stephanie Kruger
Periya Kallar & Batticaloa: Peter Morrison +94 774 429 234 [Overseer for last 3 years] Garry Protheroe
Andrew Melville - Home Visit Elaine Parsons – Home Visit Mary David – Resting Jocelyn Dippie – Care of health, New Zealand
NOTE: Rochelle is the only native Sri Lankan. All the rest are foreigners. Peter, Melville and Garry are all from Queensland, Australia. Benjamin, Johan and Stephanie are from South Africa. John Blair, former Overseer for many years has cancer, is also "resting" but is not shown on the list.
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Post by blandie on Nov 26, 2016 17:33:11 GMT -5
So they get visas as declared 'missionaries' or is the writer suggesting that they are improperly operating as missionaries under some other type of visa as has been done in other countries? Thats real interesting.
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Post by CherieKropp on Nov 26, 2016 17:38:38 GMT -5
Most Sri Lankans are fluent in English, as it was a British Colony for many years. So there is no need for them to "teach English" there as they do when they go into some countries on visas. Sri Lanka was formerly called Ceylon.
I've heard they use tourist visas. Several foreign "Tourist" were found preaching at Special Meeting in Sri Lanka last July. Their Spec. Mtg was raided and the foreign workers were taken in for questioning. I don't know what transpired after that.
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Post by blandie on Nov 26, 2016 17:40:29 GMT -5
Thanks for the xplanation.
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Post by christiansburg on Nov 28, 2016 14:38:25 GMT -5
Most Sri Lankans are fluent in English, as it was a British Colony for many years. So there is no need for them to "teach English" there as they do when they go into some countries on visas. Sri Lanka was formerly called Ceylon. I've heard they use tourist visas. Several foreign "Tourist" were found preaching at Special Meeting in Sri Lanka last July. Their Spec. Mtg was raided and the foreign workers were taken in for questioning. I don't know what transpired after that. It would be interesting to know the truthful outcome to this interrogation. It appears to me that the general populace, or those citizens who know of the workers activity, might actually be jealous. To use the word masquerading is suggestive of some nefarious activity. I can't see that their work would actually be doing damage to the government or others who would be exercising freedom of religion in Sri Lanka. We had a visitor from Sri Lanka in our meeting here about 7 years ago. She was a native of the country and spoke perfect English. When she was here she never mentioned that there were any ill feelings about the workers nor the fellowship meetings there. So I am wondering if maybe some sort of uprising has begun to take place. Just curious and wondering what is happening.
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Post by Grant on Nov 28, 2016 15:40:29 GMT -5
Jealous of what? Are the workers above the law? Should they have special treatment?
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Post by CherieKropp on Nov 28, 2016 15:45:00 GMT -5
Jealous? I understand there hasnt been an outsider profess in 3 years in Sri Lanka.
Yes, "masquerading" is a loaded word--but it actually fits what's taking place. The workers are semi-permanent missionaries using tourist visas.
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Post by godsgrace on Nov 28, 2016 18:18:41 GMT -5
Most Sri Lankans are fluent in English, as it was a British Colony for many years. So there is no need for them to "teach English" there as they do when they go into some countries on visas. Sri Lanka was formerly called Ceylon. I've heard they use tourist visas. Several foreign "Tourist" were found preaching at Special Meeting in Sri Lanka last July. Their Spec. Mtg was raided and the foreign workers were taken in for questioning. I don't know what transpired after that. It would be interesting to know the truthful outcome to this interrogation. It appears to me that the general populace, or those citizens who know of the workers activity, might actually be jealous. To use the word masquerading is suggestive of some nefarious activity. I can't see that their work would actually be doing damage to the government or others who would be exercising freedom of religion in Sri Lanka. We had a visitor from Sri Lanka in our meeting here about 7 years ago. She was a native of the country and spoke perfect English. When she was here she never mentioned that there were any ill feelings about the workers nor the fellowship meetings there. So I am wondering if maybe some sort of uprising has begun to take place. Just curious and wondering what is happening. P Morrison went there about 2 maybe 3 years ago. Maybe that's what's begun to take place. He has a looooong track record of being a bully.
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Post by blandie on Nov 28, 2016 19:27:40 GMT -5
Sounds like a repeat of the vietnam scenario - a bunch of foreign workers keeping control over their little fiefdom.
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Post by BobWilliston on Nov 29, 2016 4:10:24 GMT -5
A Sri Lankan family that used to go to our meeting 15 years ago told us that at some time in their not so distant past there was a schism that erupted among the friends/workers in Sri Lanka, and a bunch of people were excommunicated for some petty reason. Some other workers went there to try to straighten the mess out, but things had been so bad that none of the people who were excommunicated ever returned. Whether that had anything to do with what has been happening there recently, I don't know. Strangely enough, some people still think you can bully people into wanting to associate with them.
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Post by CherieKropp on Nov 29, 2016 8:17:43 GMT -5
You missed your calling, Ross! You should be a playwriter!
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Post by friendly67 on Nov 29, 2016 16:46:20 GMT -5
Sri Lanka has had a rocky history with workers. But a lady who was in the work there, a part Sri Lankan has told me that in recent years the government has clamped down on all Christian churches, so this is not unique to the 2x2 religion. As they have been in the area for over 50-60 years they are negotiating with the government. The final outcome is still unclear. Of course when the workers went there first, it was Ceylon, and run by Britain. I am surprised that there are only 75 professing there.
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Post by CherieKropp on Nov 29, 2016 18:42:20 GMT -5
Sri Lanka has had a rocky history with workers. But a lady who was in the work there, a part Sri Lankan has told me that in recent years the government has clamped down on all Christian churches, so this is not unique to the 2x2 religion. As they have been in the area for over 50-60 years they are negotiating with the government. The final outcome is still unclear. Of course when the workers went there first, it was Ceylon, and run by Britain. I am surprised that there are only 75 professing there.At their peak, there were about 300 Friends there. No outsider has professed there in 3 years. Now Peter has excommunicated some of the 75 remaining Friends. See also: Aussie Worker Peter Morrison thread on TMB
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Post by withlove on Nov 29, 2016 23:25:44 GMT -5
The only native worker is a woman (Rochelle). So there is no native candidate for head worker. If the head worker was a native, with a native laity and the rest of the workers were foreign, would that help things?
How likely does anyone think that women will ever be heads? It would have to be a drastic situation to start things off in that direction.
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Post by speak on Nov 30, 2016 1:08:49 GMT -5
You missed your calling, Ross! You should be a playwriter! Thanks - it's easy when an interesting plot is created... Yes it's easy to make fun of others, making them out to be fools.
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Post by fixit on Nov 30, 2016 5:08:23 GMT -5
The only native worker is a woman (Rochelle). So there is no native candidate for head worker. If the head worker was a native, with a native laity and the rest of the workers were foreign, would that help things? How likely does anyone think that women will ever be heads? It would have to be a drastic situation to start things off in that direction. It's looking pretty likely in Sri Lanka. At least that's what this thread seems to indicate.
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Post by learning on Dec 1, 2016 14:22:10 GMT -5
The workers who preach overseas are "Missionaries".mis·sion·ar·y. NOUN
1. a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country.synonyms: evangelist · apostle · proselytizer · preacher · minister · Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
Religion in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's population practices a variety of religions. As of the 2011 census 70.19% of Sri Lankans were Theravada Buddhists, 12.6% were Hindus, 9.7% were Muslims (mainly Sunni) and 7.4% Christians (6.1% Roman Catholic and 1.3% other Christian).
"sent on a religious mission" ... sent from where? headquarters somewhere? We are said to have no headquarters on earth, so how can they be classified as "missionaries" If the workers "overseas" are called missionaries then that seems to imply that headquarters are in North America somewhere.
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Post by CherieKropp on Dec 1, 2016 16:50:56 GMT -5
The workers who preach overseas are "Missionaries".mis·sion·ar·y. NOUN
1. a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country.synonyms: evangelist · apostle · proselytizer · preacher · minister · Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
Religion in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's population practices a variety of religions. As of the 2011 census 70.19% of Sri Lankans were Theravada Buddhists, 12.6% were Hindus, 9.7% were Muslims (mainly Sunni) and 7.4% Christians (6.1% Roman Catholic and 1.3% other Christian).
"sent on a religious mission" ... sent from where? headquarters somewhere? We are said to have no headquarters on earth, so how can they be classified as "missionaries" If the workers "overseas" are called missionaries then that seems to imply that headquarters are in North America somewhere. Not North America. Most are from QLD Australia. Two from S. Africa. Alan Richardson, Overseer of New Zealand is the overseer of Sri Lanka.
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Post by penguin on Dec 2, 2016 4:30:10 GMT -5
I am unsure what the letter to the newspaper is expected to achieve. It says too much, for any competent authorities to want to know, like stating the movement is not Christian. If there is an expected ratio of 1 per 500 is he saying there are too many preachers? If he says there is no accountability, yet admits money pours in from abroad, surely the presence of these foreign preachers is good for the local economy. The name of the author is vaguely familiar. There have been workers with the same name, and others professing, emigrated other countries, perhaps he/she is a disgruntled ex or a relative of professing anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2016 5:00:55 GMT -5
Yes - Peter Morrison was sent from Queensland. Queensland is beautiful but it's not heaven.... From what I've heard from a few sources, they tried to find someone from NZ to replace John Blair who was originally from NZ. I don't think they had anyone available in NZ. So they must have settled on Queensland. Over the last 20 years, worker numbers have declined in every state of Australia, except Queensland, and the average age has increased. Therefore, I guess Queensland would be a logical place to select from. "Queensland is beautiful but it's not heaven"
Yes but as a lad growing up I was led to believe, even when I was at primary school, that God is here, there, and everywhere; we are also often told that He is in Heaven and that heaven is wherever God is. So logically speaking, if all that is correct, Queensland is beautiful but when God is there it Is also heaven.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2016 5:54:44 GMT -5
Cherie informed:
Their Spec. Mtg was raided and the foreign workers were taken in for questioning. I don't know what transpired after that.
Looks like they are holding to the old Matthew 10 stuff:
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
I notice there is a Peter and a John on the Sri Lanka Workers list. Weren't they hauled before the Council to explain themselves a while back?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2016 6:00:43 GMT -5
The only native worker is a woman (Rochelle). So there is no native candidate for head worker. If the head worker was a native, with a native laity and the rest of the workers were foreign, would that help things? How likely does anyone think that women will ever be heads? It would have to be a drastic situation to start things off in that direction. Is it not true that the sect is dominated by the Anglo-American elite Workers? In the main 'natives' are not trusted to oversee?
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Post by godsgrace on Dec 2, 2016 22:18:31 GMT -5
Too good I've heard of people baring all in the name of fashion. But this expose is apparently in the name of religion Apologies to the dear 🇱🇰 woman - I hope she realises that their are a few convicts down under who behave erratically but we're not all like it! I think this Peter guy needs to have a look at Paul's advice about wearing the full armour? May have been around the time of the Super Moon. Eww, in any case who'd want to see the hairy buttocks (one cheek or two) of a 50 odd year old man. Odd being the operative word!!!
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Post by mouse56 on Dec 3, 2016 9:08:32 GMT -5
I am unsure what the letter to the newspaper is expected to achieve. It says too much, for any competent authorities to want to know, like stating the movement is not Christian. If there is an expected ratio of 1 per 500 is he saying there are too many preachers? If he says there is no accountability, yet admits money pours in from abroad, surely the presence of these foreign preachers is good for the local economy. The name of the author is vaguely familiar. There have been workers with the same name, and others professing, emigrated other countries, perhaps he/she is a disgruntled ex or a relative of professing anyway. Re. your comment "the name of the author is vaguely familiar. There have been workers with the same name", I think I know the people you have in mind but the name of the author of the letter/article in the Sri Lanka newspaper (W. M. Chinthaka Bandara Wijesereka) is not the name you have in mind. Some Sri Lankan last names can sound very similar but are spelt differently and belong to unrelated families. E.g. people named Wijesereka and Wijeyesekera are unrelated. As far as I can tell the author is not a professing (or formerly professing) person.
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Post by alistairhenderson on Dec 3, 2016 15:32:37 GMT -5
I would concur, mouse56. I know the W family you are talking about. We need to be careful about casting nasturtiums! 😎
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2016 17:43:28 GMT -5
I think this Peter guy needs to have a look at Paul's advice about wearing the full armour? May have been around the time of the Super Moon. Eww, in any case who'd want to see the hairy buttocks (one cheek or two) of a 50 odd year old man. Odd being the operative word!!! When a man is over 50, the more he looks in the mirror, the more he convinces himself that every woman young enough to be his daughter fancies him!
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Post by 4dtruth on Dec 3, 2016 21:32:35 GMT -5
At their peak, there were about 300 Friends there. No outsider has professed there in 3 years. Now Peter has excommunicated some of the 75 remaining Friends. All the talk on other threads about Bert's supposed marriage made me think again about Revelation Chapter 19: "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." Also in Ephesians, Chapter 5, starting with verse 25: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." I was once in a home where one of the daughters was preparing for her upcoming wedding. She was pleased that she had lost 7 kg over the past several months in preparation for that special day, and wanted to look the best she could for her new husband. Oddly enough, nobody in the home said: "Why that's terrible! What a scandal! Now there is less of you!" When we hear claims that certain people were "excommunicated" in Sri Lanka, or so many left in Vietnam, we need not be dismayed. God is on the Throne and in control of all. We rejoice that He is providing sanctification and cleansing, and we should be so grateful for those precious servants like Peter who are helping the church "make herself ready". We can be assured that even as some leave, their leaving is helping the Bride is becoming even more precious and perfect for the Bridegroom. When toxic scoffers and enemies like Ross Bowden are put out or are led away, it is another wart or tumor being excised, that the church might be more holy and without blemish for that greatest of days. It may be hard for us to understand now how things are unfolding. Paul spoke in First Corinthians about seeing darkly, as through a glass. But in the meantime, whatever the situation, it would be wise for those in Sri Lanka and elsewhere to heed the sound counsel in Hebrews 13:17. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
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