# Persecution in India



## Jerusalem Blade (Sep 17, 2008)

I've only seen it mentioned in the Prayer forum here, and very little on the internet, but there is a sustained wave of horrendous persecution against our brothers and sisters, as well as against Roman Catholics (anything called Christian) in India: Suffering & Persecution of Christians & the Persecuted Church - persecution.org

Persecution Update India | GCIC- Global Council of Indian Christians

Copyright © 2008 Barnabas Fund | VIOLENCE AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN ORISSA THREATENS TO SPREAD THROUGH INDIA


----------



## JonathanHunt (Sep 17, 2008)

This will be a main topc at our church prayer mtg tonight


----------



## Jerusalem Blade (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks, Jonathan,

We also spent some time praying about it at our Bible Study tonight. Vast multitudes of our brothers and sisters are being slaughtered, and the atrocity is being buried under others news and concerns.


----------



## Reformed Baptist (Sep 17, 2008)

I'll post these vids here again. Adam from the ministry we support is reporting these things to me as well. A friend and I are going to be writing an article and publishing a press release when Adam gives us the green light. He is also gathering pictures and testimonies. Some of the gospel workers that are being beaten are coming to his orphanage for help. 

Please keep them in your prayers, but also put action to your words. Find a way to donate and help in practical ways too. Women are widowed through this, others need counseling after being raped, children are orphaned. The Christians are usually very poor in India. Find a way to support them. Most orphanages in India can support a child for a month on $5. 

If you want to follow what I and one of my friends are doing to help, visit my blog site for Dayspring Children's Home in Andhra Pradesh. We are currently working on putting a trip to go there either later this year or next year. We will be documenting everything we see and find. 

[video=youtube;TWkWveiRfJQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWkWveiRfJQ[/video]

[video=youtube;dern4FYE7OI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dern4FYE7OI[/video]


----------



## Jerusalem Blade (Sep 17, 2008)

Thanks for that, Geoff. Is the Barnabus Fund effective in getting aid to these folks? Do you have any recommendations? Our church wants to help.


----------



## Reformed Baptist (Sep 17, 2008)

Jerusalem Blade said:


> Thanks for that, Geoff. Is the Barnabus Fund effective in getting aid to these folks? Do you have any recommendations? Our church wants to help.



I am not familiar with the Barnabas Fund and exactly how things are working there. I have been able to independantly verify the work Adam is doing in Andhra Pradesh with Dayspring (I have spoken with Greg Finch, son of Dr. Harold Finch, who with his father visited this work many years ago. Greg fully endorsed the ministry). While the orphanage there is not presently in danger (I was in contact with Adam this morning) there are gospel workers coming to him for aid. 

I have not made a concerted effort for fundraising for this work outside of people I know because I have not gone to India yet to see the ministry. This work: Welcome to Friends of India Webpage was established to help Dayspring and they have made many mission trips there. The latest reports from Adam, however, is many of the workers have gone to seminary and the support has dropped off significantly. 

A friend and I are making plans to go to India as well as to establish a non-profit organization to raise awareness and support for orphanages in India, beginning with this one. 

I hope this helps, 

RB


----------



## Reformed Baptist (Sep 17, 2008)

Jerusalem Blade said:


> Thanks for that, Geoff. Is the Barnabus Fund effective in getting aid to these folks? Do you have any recommendations? Our church wants to help.



I am not sure why I didn't think of this. I know this ministry The Voice of the Martyrs Canada :: Violence continues across India :: Providing Information and Support for Persecuted Christians

It is well-known, and has been around a long time. Your church wouldn't go wrong helping through them. 

RB


----------



## a mere housewife (Sep 17, 2008)

Praying. Thank you for posting this.


----------



## Raj (Sep 20, 2008)

Please pray there have been more, recent attacts, damage to church buildings, violence, threating against Christians in M.P. State.


----------



## Raj (Sep 21, 2008)

*more attacks...*

from secular National News â€“ News â€“ MSN India - News


----------



## Blueridge Believer (Sep 21, 2008)

This puts our "light" affliction of employment, health, family and money problems in perspective doesn't it? God be merciful to these dear people. 
When that dear one said that she was "still in the faith" after they had cut her husband in pieces in tore me up. This is the perseverance of the saints on display.

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 

Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.


----------



## govols (Sep 21, 2008)

Thankfully that didn't happen today in Hyderabad. I enjoyed fellowship with Kiran Nalluri's church. Even though I could understand very little of the message or songs because it was in the local native tongue I could tell that the Gospel was being proclaimed and God's word was being preached to the locals.

Many of the villagers are very sick from drinking the local water and some have Typhoid. Even though they are not being persecuted please pray for them as well.


----------



## Leslie (Sep 21, 2008)

The Lord be with these people. Why doesn't the news carry these stories? Because the media is anti-Christian itself? Thanks for the enlightenment.


----------



## vagabond (Sep 21, 2008)

The persecution in India is reportedly the worst persecution the subcontinent had seen in many decades. Some good resources have already been mentioned; in addition, check out the information at GFA Home - Gospel for Asia.

By the way, if you anyone wants to help but hasn't found a means yet, there are some good ways through GFA.

Pray, brethren, pray.


----------



## Raj (Sep 23, 2008)

Here are the latest updates:


"Persecution Update India - Window to persecuted and suffering Christian faith of India" - 8 new articles

Orissa :a Khandhamal Christian girl gangraped by radicals
A preacher and disciple strangulated to death in Uttarakhand
Peoples Tribunal to probe attacks agianst Christians-no trust in gvt probe
Archbishop protests attacks on churches in Karnataka
Rev. Samuel Found dead in Meerut
Refugees in Kandhamal relief camp on hunger strike
Image from St. James Church attack - Bangalore
Orissa flood situation

-a church building was attacked in Delhi yesterday
-A Catholic priest and his co-worker were killed last night, a place not too far from us. Local and national news daily carried the story today: 

A preacher and disciple strangulated to death in Uttarakhand
Dehra Dun, September 22
In the fourth incident of violence against Christians in Uttarakhand, Sadhu Astey (56), a Catholic preacher and his disciple, Mercy (32), were found strangulated to death in "Samarpanalaya", an ashram run by them in Chotta Rampur.
In a bizarre incident that led to scare amongst Christians in Uttarakhand, a Christian Catholic priest and a women volunteer were found murdered in their 'ashram' in Chotta Rampur village near Herbertpur in Vikasnagar tehsil of Dehra Dun district today.


----------



## Reformed Baptist (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks for the update Raj. How are the natural disasters helping to slow persecution? Is it having any affect?


----------



## nicnap (Sep 23, 2008)




----------



## Ivan (Sep 23, 2008)

Lord have mercy...praying.


----------



## Raj (Sep 23, 2008)

*Media does...*



Leslie said:


> The Lord be with these people. Why doesn't the news carry these stories? Because the media is anti-Christian itself? Thanks for the enlightenment.



Nine churches attacked in Karnataka - National News â€“ News â€“ MSN India - News


Minority panel too wants to ban Bajrang Dal - National News â€“ News â€“ MSN India - News

Christians in K'taka are hurt, Archbishop tells BSY - National News â€“ News â€“ MSN India - News

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/two-missionaries-found-murdered/364466/

Some does it, some private TV channel also doing their job but others ignore this short of news.

Let's pray that God will give wisdom to all these people.


----------



## Wannabee (Oct 2, 2008)

Do we have updates on this?


----------



## Raj (Oct 5, 2008)

*recent more attack...*

"Persecution Update India - Window to the persecuted and suffering Christian faith of India" - 5 new articles

*Maoist leader lays claim on VHP leader`s killing
Anti-minority campaign can undo economic gains in India
Pastor threatened in Chattisgarh
Christians attacked in Chattisgarh village
Home Minister sends strongly-worded letter to Orissa
More Recent Articles
Search Persecution Update India - Window to the persecuted and suffering Christian faith of India
Maoist leader lays claim on VHP leader`s killing*
(Source : Zee News and Orissa TV)
Bhubaneswar, Oct 04: Prominent Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda alias Sunil today "claimed responsibility" for the murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four others, which lead to large scale flare-up in Orissa's Kandhamal district, on two regional news channels. 

A Maoist leader, identified as Panda, told the reporters of the two private Oriya television channels at an undisclosed destination, that the Maoist outfit decided to eliminate Saraswati as he was "spreading social unrest" in the tribal dominated district.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Anti-minority campaign can undo economic gains in India
Saturday, 4th October 2008
Amulya Ganguli India's secularism has rarely been under a greater threat. The reasons, however, are mixed and complex.
One is that the continuing acts of terrorism by the Pakistan-based jehadis and also by their Indian recruits have strengthened the hands of the anti-Muslim political parties and outfits like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Pastor threatened in Chattisgarh
The Indian Pentecostal church of God was started in Kirandool in Bastar District Chattisgarh State in the year 1969. Since 2002, Pastor George Kuramootil has been ministering in this church. There are around 125 people in the church of whom 90 from another religious background.There are two shops belonging to christians near the church.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Christians attacked in Chattisgarh village
Pastor Satish is a pastor of an Independant Church in Bacheli 10 km from Kirandool Bastar District, Chattisgarh State.On 28th September '08, Sunday morning in village Bacheli, his church believers were targeted by the Bajrang Dal. who instigated 200 local people to attack a particular area in Bacheli village, beat up around 40 Christians with stout sticks. Six Christians were seriously injured in the attack while dozens of others susutainsed simple injuries.The other believers sent urgent messages to the police who arrived and and took them to the Hospital were they were treated.
Pray for these areas were there is lot of persecution.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Home Minister sends strongly-worded letter to Orissa
New Delhi, India: After the Union cabinet took a serious view and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed anguish over continuing violence against Christians in Orissa, Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Friday shot off a strongly-worded letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asking him to take effective measures and provide security for the community.
The letter came hours after the Union cabinet expressed grave concern over the situation in the state with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh directing Patil to pr



"Persecution Update India - Window to the persecuted and suffering Christian faith of India" - 5 new articles

Maoist leader lays claim on VHP leader`s killing
Anti-minority campaign can undo economic gains in India
Pastor threatened in Chattisgarh
Christians attacked in Chattisgarh village
Home Minister sends strongly-worded letter to Orissa
More Recent Articles
Search Persecution Update India - Window to the persecuted and suffering Christian faith of India
Maoist leader lays claim on VHP leader`s killing
(Source : Zee News and Orissa TV)
Bhubaneswar, Oct 04: Prominent Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda alias Sunil today "claimed responsibility" for the murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four others, which lead to large scale flare-up in Orissa's Kandhamal district, on two regional news channels. 

A Maoist leader, identified as Panda, told the reporters of the two private Oriya television channels at an undisclosed destination, that the Maoist outfit decided to eliminate Saraswati as he was "spreading social unrest" in the tribal dominated district.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Anti-minority campaign can undo economic gains in India
Saturday, 4th October 2008
Amulya Ganguli India's secularism has rarely been under a greater threat. The reasons, however, are mixed and complex.
One is that the continuing acts of terrorism by the Pakistan-based jehadis and also by their Indian recruits have strengthened the hands of the anti-Muslim political parties and outfits like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Pastor threatened in Chattisgarh
The Indian Pentecostal church of God was started in Kirandool in Bastar District Chattisgarh State in the year 1969. Since 2002, Pastor George Kuramootil has been ministering in this church. There are around 125 people in the church of whom 90 from another religious background.There are two shops belonging to christians near the church.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Christians attacked in Chattisgarh village
Pastor Satish is a pastor of an Independant Church in Bacheli 10 km from Kirandool Bastar District, Chattisgarh State.On 28th September '08, Sunday morning in village Bacheli, his church believers were targeted by the Bajrang Dal. who instigated 200 local people to attack a particular area in Bacheli village, beat up around 40 Christians with stout sticks. Six Christians were seriously injured in the attack while dozens of others susutainsed simple injuries.The other believers sent urgent messages to the police who arrived and and took them to the Hospital were they were treated.
Pray for these areas were there is lot of persecution.

read more



• Email to a friend • Article Search • Related • View comments • •




Home Minister sends strongly-worded letter to Orissa
New Delhi, India: After the Union cabinet took a serious view and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed anguish over continuing violence against Christians in Orissa, Home Minister Shivraj Patil on Friday shot off a strongly-worded letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asking him to take effective measures and provide security for the community.
The letter came hours after the Union cabinet expressed grave concern over the situation in the state with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh directing Patil to pr


The central Govt is planning to put ban on the Bajrang Dal as it is involved in violence, terrorist activities in the country. This org has been key figure behind all the recent attacks.


----------



## Raj (Oct 5, 2008)

*Indian PM convenes NIC met to discuss Orissa situation...*

In the backdrop of continuing attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka, a meeting of the National Integration Council has been convened on October 13 in an apparent move to evolve a consensus on tackling the communal situation.

Convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the meeting will discuss all matters impacting national integration, Minister of State for Home Shakeel Ahmed said.

There have been demands for the dismissal of the BJD-BJP government in Orissa in the wake of communal violence in the Kandamal district and the Prime Minister had recently said that a special meeting of the Union Cabinet could be convened soon to discuss ways and means to deal with the issue.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil had sent several advisories to the Naveen Patnaik government to get its act together to check the violence. Patil's strongly-worded letter to Patnaik on the situation had triggered speculation that the Centre could take the extreme action.

In the wake of the Union Cabinet expressing concern over the Kandhamal....


PM convenes NIC met to discuss Orissa situation- Hindustan Times


For more coverage on the topic Please visit this page of one leading Indian daily: 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/FullC...x?Special=Orissaviolence&SectionName=HomePage


----------



## Pergamum (Oct 5, 2008)

Praying.


----------



## Raj (Oct 5, 2008)

*Oh God please help...*

So many killings, gangrape of nuns and other Christian girls, violence, terrror, lootings, all in the broadday light by the Hindu orginazations, yet police and all the state and local govt agencies do nothing to protect the helpless Christians. 

The media is shouting it in the TV's and in the dailies, Minority commission has given it clear report to the central govt too, but state govt is still sleeping and even has joined hands with the persecutors, let's join hands in prayer that God would intervene. 

We believe only God can help....


----------



## Raj (Oct 6, 2008)

"You either embrace Hinduism or you die"-VHP writ in Kandhamal | Persecution Update India


*"You either embrace Hinduism or you die"-VHP writ in Kandhamal

Single teacher tribal schools fund diverted for idelogy of hate

Respect an individual's decision-anti christian thuggery

Prayer hall attacked in Delhi*


----------



## Jerusalem Blade (Oct 6, 2008)

This is an interesting point of view (in text, not sermon) by Enoch Era who is 

an itinerant preacher based in Hyderabad, India. He is also involved in training and mentoring preachers, in evangelism/apologetics, and expository preaching. He also mentors a fellowship called Aradhana. He had earlier served as an evangelist through Ambassadors for Christ India and Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in India.​
SermonAudio.com - Exclusive Report: Response to the Incidents of Violence Against Christians in parts of India by Enoch Era

Any thoughts on this?


----------



## Raj (Oct 7, 2008)

*violence is their life-style...*

Enoch has brought out a good point,
"The fourth reason is the larger political strategy of the Hindu parivar groups. With the national general elections to the Indian parliament due in early 2009, the Hindu parties want to create a polarisation on the lines of communal and religious identities in order to create a hysteria among the majority community so that it will garner more votes for BJP and to form a government at the centre. This is a larger game plan." 

The BJP in the opposition seem to be doing all kind of attempts to come in power in the forthcoming parliament election. What they are doing is to make the majority people panic and feel unsecure from the present Govt and then put their trust in the BJP future rule. 

Violence as never been missing from the agenda of RSS family. Media and all the secular agencies have found out that these people are targetting unneccessary Christians. 

Concerning the mission paradigms and foriegn support the church should pay attention. And Indian Church should be more Indiannized than Western in her approach and life styles. However, the basic fundamentals of Christianity should not be ignored while Indianizing the whole thing.


----------



## tellville (Nov 2, 2008)

This is an email received today from someone connected to HCJB Global  and YWAM (not to me, but from a Canadian political blogger hoping the Canadian government and people start doing something about this Eg. putting political pressure on India)

“_Let me explain…. A militant Hindu priest and 4 of his attendants who were zealously going around the villages of Orissa and ‘reconverting’ people back to Hinduism, were gunned down by unknown assailants in Central Orissa last weekend._

_Immediately the Christians were blamed.. The cry rose up…’Kill the Christians!’ And the horror began…. In the past 4 days, we have first hand witness to hundreds of churches being blown up or burned and many, many dozens of Christian tribals have been slaughtered. For no other reason than they bear the name of Christ._

_Night and day I have been in touch with our India Directors spread across Orissa… they are right in the middle of all this chaos. In Tihidi, just after the police came to offer protection, a group of 70 blood-thirsty militants came to kill our staff and destroy the home. They were not allowed to get in, but they did a lot of damage by throwing rocks and bricks and smashing our gate, etc._

_They have promised to come back and ‘finish the job.’ Our kids and staff are locked inside and have stayed that way with doors and windows shut for the past 3 days. More police have come to offer protection. In Kalahandi, the police and some local sympathizers got to our center and gave our staff and kids about 3 minutes notice to vacate. No one had time to even grab a change of clothes or any personal belonging. As they fled, the blood thirsty mob came to kill everyone in the building._

_In Phulbani, the mob came looking for Christian homes and missions. The local Hindu people, our neighbors turned them away by saying that there were no Christians in this area. So they left.. We had favor. The same thing happened in Balasore._

_All centers are under lock down with the kids and staff huddled inside and police outside. The fanatics are circling outside waiting for a chance to kill. Others were not so fortunate. In a nearby Catholic orphanage, the mob allowed the kids to leave and locked up a Priest and a computer teacher in house and burned them to death._

_Many believers have been killed and hacked into pieces and left on the road…. even women and children. At another orphanage run by another organization, when this began, the Director and his wife jumped on their motorbike and simply fled, leaving all the children and staff behind. Every one of our directors that I have spoken to said: ‘We stay with our kids…. we live together or die together, but we will never abandon what God has called us to do.’_

_More than 5000 Christian families have had their homes burned or destroyed. They have fled into the jungles and are living in great fear waiting for the authorities to bring about peace. But so far, no peace is foreseen._

_This will continue for another 10 days…. supposedly the 14 day mourning period for the slain Hindu priest. Many more Christians will die and their houses destroyed. Many more churches will be smashed down._

_The Federal government is trying to restore order and perhaps things will calm down. We ask for your prayers. Only the Hand of God can calm this storm. None of us knew the meaning of persecution. But now our kids and staff know what that means._

_So many of our kids coming from Hindu backgrounds are confused and totally bewildered at what is happening around them. So many of their guardians have fled into the jungles and are unable to come and get them during these trying times._

_Pass this e-mail on to as many friends as you can. We must get the word out and increase our prayer base. The next 10 days are crucial. Please pray for peace and calm to pervade across Orissa. Prayer works!”_


----------



## Raj (Nov 5, 2008)

attack A few kilometers from us:

Dehradun, November 3 : Adding to the alarming tally of attacks on churches, a pastor and a caretaker of a church along with a visitor were beaten up by a mob at Choyla Chandrabani area of Dehradun on Monday. A mob of about 50 people claiming to be the "Savarkar Sena", roughed up Pastor Hemant, caretaker Ranjit and a visitor, Asher. It ransacked the church, looted the money that was offered by devotees and also took away a copy of the Bible, announcing its intention to desecrate it at a public place in the city. 

According to sources, at around 9.30 am the mob shouting slogans like "Veer Savarkar Sena Zindabad" and "Dharam Parivartan Nahin Chalega" stormed the premises of the church which is run by the Bethesda Marg Trust. The police, however, managed to prevent the planned desecration of the Bible at the city Clock Tower.

Threatening of demonstrations to terrorize the situation is on. 

This happened about 30 kms away from us.


----------



## jwithnell (Nov 5, 2008)

I thought this was an incredibly sad story:

Christians face attacks in eastern India - washingtonpost.com

It would be easy to condemn this believer, but I wonder how well many of us would do in his position?


----------

