Friends/Thomas Chandy,

Since I was the one who originally broke this news thru ICON, let me
pen my thoughts on Thomas Chandy's proposal that the church should
congratulate Reji Abraham and K M (Vinu) Mammen for their inclusion
in the Business Standard billionaire's list.
When I posted that information, my only objective was the hope that
their achievements may inspire fellow church members to strive for
excellence, whatever be their chosen field of activity. However,
undue publicity on matters of personal wealth is not a good thing at
all. There are anecdotal reports that Naresh Gupta __ the CEO OF
Adobe India, whose son was recently kidnapped and released after
hefty ransom was paid __ had only recently been profiled in a TV
show which focused on his family life. As Almaya Vedi itself has
highlighted to us many times, the laity leadership of our church is
composed of many undesirable elements who are not known for their
maturity or wisdom. If the church decides to formally congratulate
these two individuals, they will come into the view of these
undesirable elements who may start harrassing them and misusing
their names to such an extent that it could end up alienating both
of them from our church.
Therefore, all things considered, it is better to be quietly proud
about the achievements of these church members than to shout from
the rooftops. The Almayavedi can also create mechanisms to quietly
tap their resources in case of a genuine need for the church.
If they are left alone, they will be able to focus on their core
competence, which is creation of jobs and wealth, both of which are
indeed noble pursuits.
faithfully
Georgy S Thomas
Bangalore