Calvin Synod Herald, 1992 (92. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

1992-03-01 / 2. szám

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD- 3 -REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

Bishop László Tőkés’s Melodramatic Letter from Transylvania

In the preceeding weeks many alarming news reached us concerning Romanian threats against László Tőkés, Bishop in Oradea (Nagyvárad). Now he himself issued a letter communicating the dreadful details of these threats.

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It would take a long time to relate all the many falsities, ominous and terrorizing statements, even death-threats against my person.since my 1989 action at Timosara (Temesvár) — all because of being a minority Hungarian in Romania — especially after the provoking attrocities at Marosvásárhely in March of 1990.

I want to speak about the most recent chapter of the never-ceasing and murderous threats against myself and my family in the bygone months in an actual and synthetic manner.

The ebb of intimidations engulfed me since October 1991 and they are very much paralleled with those fatal ones in 1989 at Timosara, proving the fact that the infamous former Romanian Securitate is still very much alive and is acting under the cover of the “Vatra” and the “Front” in our Nation.

1. ) Our private living quarters in the parsonage are constantly exposed to attrocities; the walls, the fence, the gate are covered daily with intimidating signs and writings; they are spit upon, puked upon and destroyed by unknown attackers; night after night, questionable characters rout and dance around our private home. Very much the same as before at Timosara in 1989.

2. ) Even more deplorable is the behavior of the inimical Press. The Oradea publication, called Phoenix, started to print a column last October in three continuations against me — openly calling me a “fascist” in heavy print in their “factfinding” endeavor, quoting word by word the false accusations from their former dossier of the Securitate Secret Police organization. The same publication was “honored” in the past by the writings of Petre Roman, ex-prime minister of the defunct dictatorship. Similar sister publications of the Romanian extremism are: Romanian Mare, Renastese, Banateana, Totusi Iubiera, Europa, etc.

3. ) The official government paper, the AZI, printed in Bucharest, in its September 28, 1991 issue, goes so far as to state it as a “fact” that ex-King Michael I is residing in my Episcopal Home and from there he expects to go on to Bucharest to join hands with the miners, who brought on the defeat of Petre Roman.

Radio Romania re-echoed the same false rumor hour after hour in nation-wide broadcasting- presenting me as an enemy of the present regime.

4. ) The same falsity has been repeated by the Romanian News Service and Radio Service with the dubious cooperation of the La Monde. This publication distorted my statement made in Paris and quoted me as saying: “Transylvania does not belong to Romania.” I published the correction immediately and notified the Rompres News Service at once. In spite of all that the official Romanian Press and Radio just kept on repeating the falsehood over and over again, calling me an “irredenta” agent of Hungary.

5. ) It is yet more painful that even the opposition Press proved to be the willing servant of the same. They also continue to print falsities over and over again with similar tendencies. For example: the Express Magazine in its Novemer 1991 issue presented me as the “friend of Ceausescu” in spite of all that happened in 1989 in Timosara, and called me an “opposition hero of the Revolution.”

6. ) Malignant symptom of our present social standard is the anonymos intimidations. I had to enjoy that at my struggles at Décs and Timosara. I am under

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The Cross and the Sepulcher

The Galiliean spring was over...Though even there jubilant crowds were trying to make him king. In the month of October in the year of 31 A.D. Seianus was executed for high treason by the personal demand of Emperor Tiberius. Pilate, Herod Antipas and Kaiafas lived in deadly fear...they were involved in the mechinations of Seianus...And Jesus went up to Jerusalem for the festival of the tents and for the re-dedication of the temple. Trouble was waiting for him there. Political conspiracy was in the air: spies and counter spies...And Jesus entered the city to preach for a verdict. His popularity was again reaching threatening proportions. Many believed in him. (John 7:31)... Jesus in his teaching emphasized his mission: he was sent by the Father. And his actions...and his bold words overawed his enemies. The temple guard was ordered out to capture him...but the soldiers came back with fear: no man ever spoke like this. (Read John 7-10). The great theological debates: Jesus, according to the Gospel of John proclaimed himself the light of the world...fountain of living waters...He was one with the father...he was before Abraham. On Sabbath he healed the blind man who was born blind. The crowds in one moment were ready to believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the next moment they were ready to stone him to death. His good Shepherd polemics, indirectly called Pilate a lestes, latro, a robber baron, Kajafas and his henchmen false shepherds. And after the great central miracle, the raising of Lazarus from death...cunning Kajafas spoke: it is better for one man to die than all the people to perish. He spoke the truth: Jesus shed his blood for many.

Rev. JULIUS PAAL