In fact, Kudumbayogams are quite common among Christians in Kerala and they all write their histories. An interesting thing about those ‘histories’ is, especially among the Syrian Christians, somehow most of them try to trace their roots back to Saint Thomas the Apostle.
These family groups do play a very positive role. They keep generations in touch. Younger generations who would otherwise not even know each other get to keep in touch. Like in our group, there is a lot of mutual help happening. We give scholarships and even built a house for one of our lesser fortunate family members. For funerals of family members, the Kudumbayogam officials make it a point to be present. They visit the sick, whenever they can. Overall, these groups are very Christian in attitude and behaviour.
However, I had a shock when recently the family WhatsApp group started sending ‘Islamophobic’ materials. To one of those I responded: ‘This is hate speech. Should the Family group promote such hate speech?’ While two people seemed to agree with me, pat came another reply saying, ‘Kudumbayogam members are free to promote anything?’
Are they really? Maybe they are. But, are we Christian when we promote hate speech?
In a world full of hate speech, taking the following advice is good not only for Christians, but for any sensible person: “ In this time of social platforms that influence millions, pausing before we speak and taking words seriously might not only be such a bad thing. Indeed it might do the work of repairing the world”
We must watch our words. St. Paul exhorted us, ‘we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ’. There should be no place for hate speech in a Christian life.

– M.K. George, Matters India