Source: World Watch Monitor, November 2, 2015
A program organized by Bargad, Pakistan’s biggest NGO for youth development, is attempting to tackle the social stigma Christians face from the word used in the Constitution for them.
The Urdu “Isai” (derived from the Arabic word for Jesus used in the Qur’an) now carries strong overtones—from colonial times—with the “unclean” demeaning occupations done by the lowest castes. [The word is also used for laborer and sweeper.] This use of language feeds the narrative which makes Christians feel like second-class citizens in today’s society.
On October 8 in Lahore, more than 500 Muslim students took an oath that they would not call Christians “Isai,” but would use the word “Masihi” (Messiah), which Pakistani Christians prefer as a positive identity for themselves.
The program is part of Bargad’s Green for White campaign. The green of the Pakistan flag represents the Muslim majority and the white, the non-Muslim minority. The campaign is thus to motivate Muslims to support religious minorities, who in recent years have become the target of religiously motivated discrimination, prejudice, stereotyping, and violence.
The students, from various parts of the country, also promised to carry this message to at least 100 other people.
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