How Democratic is India Toward Christianity?

India has joined the high technology world. They are basically second to Hollywood in movie producing. They have a large separation between the wealthy and the very, very poor. Their government is continuously at odds with Pakistan. They have their own nuclear arsenal, high tech gadgets and they are still steeped in a deep pagan religion of Hinduism.

The Beatles in the 1960s upon the urging of George Harrison flew to India in search of spiritual truth with the Maharishi. This was the age of Aquarius and psychedelic drugs which I myself am very much familiar with back in those days. They later left with a very disappointed view of this pagan religion that refuses to even feed their poor with the abundance of cattle because of their extreme belief in reincarnation.(The recycling of life and death.)Mother Teresa did a lifetime of work in India only to become disillusioned herself about God's existence. More works than faith being exercised.

Christianity has made some inroads with the gospel message but spiritual darkness has a strong foot hold in this country of half a billion. The following article gives us a glimpse of how people are accepting and allowing the gospel in what is suppose to be a democratic government. Is the fault of world conditions the result of God's neglect or the foolishness of mankind? I already know the answer myself. What is your thoughts?

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India Persecution Update
Compass Direct News
October 19, 2007

Andhra Pradesh -- Hindu extremists on October 12 attacked a group of eight Christians who were distributing gospel tracts in Tiriyani village, Medak district, Andhra Pradesh. Lion Francis, regional coordinator of the Global Council of Indian Christians, told Compass that 15 to 20 extremists approached the Dalit Christian youths and grabbed the tracts from some of them. "The extremists began loudly abusing the believers and cursing the Christian faith," Francis said. "They tore up the tracts in their hands and flung them on the road and stomped upon them, and they slapped and repeatedly hit them." Pastor Koiswara Naik and Sushanla Naik later took the eight Christians to a private medical facility for treatment, Francis said. -- NC


Bihar -- At least 20 Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), on October 11 stormed a Christian gathering, vandalized the hall and beat five Christians in Chhapra area of Bihar state's Saran district, including pastor Raghu Pathi of the local Bethel Assembly of God Church. The attackers on October 8 had warned Pastor Pathi, organizer of the October 3-11 function, against carrying it out, said Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians. The attackers vandalized furniture, a sound system and VCD players. The loss was estimated to be 40,000 Indian rupees (US$1,010). Organizers continued to hold the meeting after the attack with police protection. The Chhapra police station registered a complaint against the attackers. After the attack, a leader of the local unit of the Bajrang Dal, Asho Tiger, issued a statement threatening Christians with further attacks if they conducted such meetings again. Pastor Sanjay Samuel, state coordinator of the Assembly of God Church, urged the administration to bring the culprits to justice. -- VA


Karnataka -- About 15 people led by extremists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), tried to pressure a Christian worker to "reconvert" to Hinduism and dragged him to the police station, where he was detained on charges of "forced conversion" on October 11 in Karnataka state's Mysore district. The incident took place at 9:30 a.m. when 42-year-old pastor Ganesh Murthy was distributing Christian literature in Kollegal area in Rampur, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Mysore, Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians told Compass. Using abusive language, the attackers pushed Pastor Murthy, an independent worker, several times and made an attempt to convert him to Hinduism, promising they would take care of his family financially, George said. When the pastor refused to give in, they took him to the police station and filed a complaint against him. Pastor Murthy was subsequently released but is still under investigation. -- VA


Madhya Pradesh -- Three Hindu teachers of a Christian school in Madhya Pradesh state's Harda district on October 11 beat the school director and filed a complaint against him charging that school management was converting pupils. "Teachers Krishnan Kumar, C.M. Chitra and Savitri of the Holy Faith School in the headquarters of Harda district filed a complaint against school manager Samuel Matthew, accusing him of conversions," constable Jagdish Sharma of the Harda police station told Compass. Sharma added that Matthew lodged a counter-complaint saying the teachers beat him. The constable said police were investigating the complaints and that no one had been arrested. A representative of the Christian Legal Association told Compass that the teachers were new appointees under a probation period. They had promised the administration that they would produce original certificates as part of their application process but failed to do so. Consequently, the school dismissed the teachers and, to take revenge, they beat the director and filed a false complaint against him. -- VA


Chhattisgarh -- A mob believed to be Hindu extremists associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) launched attacks on two Christian schools for declining to observe a holiday on an October 10 Hindu festival in Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh state. The state government led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party declared October 10 as a state holiday to observe a Hindu festival, Pitramokha Amavasya, but the Holy Cross School and St. Xavier's School stayed open as the half-yearly exams were approaching, reported national daily The Indian Express. The mob vandalized two buses of St. Xavier's School in Shankar Nagar area while they were on their way to the school, said the daily. "The agitated mob was armed with rods and was shouting slogans against Christian missionaries," the daily quoted city Superintendent of Police Shashi Mohan Singh as saying. "They accused the school authorities of deliberately trying to hurt religious sentiments." Later, the crowd proceeded to the Holy Cross School and ordered management to close down immediately. When the management refused, the extremists ransacked the principal's office, added the daily. Raipur police lodged a complaint against unidentified attackers, but no arrests had been made at press time. -- VA


Karnataka -- More than 100 extremists launched an attack on Christian workers on October 7 in Mayasandra village in Turuvekere Taluka of Karnataka state's Tumkur district. The attack took place as 31-year-old pastor P.M. Simon from the Vishwa Vani Christian radio ministry was conducting Sunday worship in a house, said Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians. The extremists beat Pastor Simon and the local coordinator of the radio ministry, who requested anonymity, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., all the while accusing them of forcibly converting Hindu villagers, added George. Pastor Simon, who received serious injuries, was admitted to the Adi Chunchunagiri Hospital on the Bangalore-Mangalore highway. The police registered a complaint against the attackers but no arrests had been made at press time. -- VA


Chhattisgarh -- Pastor Shynu Patel and a Christian identified only as Shagundas have been jailed on false charges of intent to insult Hindu religion and forced conversion, according to Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). Patel, 27, had convened a three-day prayer and fasting meeting at the house of Shagundas in Murlar village, Kanker district, Chhattisgarh. On the final day, October 5, as the eight-member congregation was worshipping, a mob of around 35 extremists allegedly belonging to Jan Sevak (People's Service) barged into Shagundas' home, dragged him and Patel to the village panchayat (local village council) and made false allegations of forcible conversion, George said. The extremists shoved both men into a tractor and drove off to the Keskal police station. Pastor Sam Mathew, GCIC regional coordinator told Compass the extremists produced false witnesses to testify that Patel tried to lure him with an offer of 1,000 rupees every month to tell people about Jesus. "The false witness also alleged that Shynu made derogatory remarks about the Hindu deities," Mathew said. Police arrested Patel and Shagundas after the extremists filed charges of injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class, lawyer Aslam Khan told Compass. At press time, they were being held in Jagdalpur District Central jail. -- NC


Maharashtra -- Hindu extremists thrashed independent pastors Amol Patole and Philip Lokhande on October 4 in Devgaon village, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians said that Patole and Lokhande went to a believer's house in Devgaon village, where two local Christian leaders were present. The pastors had begun a prayer meeting when 15 to 20 Hindu extremists stormed into the house shouting curses and accusing the Christians of forcible conversions," George told Compass. The extremists bolted the door and dragged the Christians out of the room one at a time, hitting them repeatedly on their back and stomach. Some of the extremists slashed the tires of the pastors' vehicles parked outside the house. Police arrived at the house and released the Christians locked within, then took them in for questioning, said George. The officers released them at about half past midnight on October 5, and they underwent medical treatment at a private medical facility. The pastors have not filed a complaint against the attackers. "They have forgiven the extremists," George told Compass. -- NC


Karnataka -- A group of about 20 Hindu extremists beat two Christian workers conducting a prayer meeting on October 4 in Mangalwadi village in Holenaresipura area of Karnataka state's Hassan district. The extremists barged into the Jnanamuni Memorial Church at 8:30 p.m., disrupted the prayer meeting and attacked the Christian workers, identified only as Sudhir and Isaac from India Village Ministries, and accused them of forcible conversions, said Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians. The victims were rushed to the Saligram Government Hospital, where they were administered first-aid. The following day, on October 5, the Christian workers went to the Holenaresipura rural police station, but the police refused to register their complaint, said George. "When the victims sent their attorney to the police station, a policeman threatened him, saying his father was a powerful politician and he could get the Christians into jail," he added. Sudhir and Isaac are first-generation Christians. -- VA


Uttar Pradesh -- Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal on October 2 disrupted a Christian prayer meeting in Nagara, near Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians said that at around 5 p.m. independent pastor V. Paul, 30, of Masi Mandali (Jesus Abode) Church was conducting a special prayer service with eight members when the extremists barged into the house church shouting anti-Christian slogans, dragged the pastor out, shoved him into a jeep and took him to Nagara police station. "En route to the police station the extremists abused him in filthy language and made false allegations of forceful conversion against Paul," George said. "Paul was detained and questioned at the police station for nearly 48 hours, after which the pastor was released after an amicable solution was reached between supporters of Paul and the police." -- NC


Madhya Pradesh -- About 20 Hindu extremists disrupted a Christian meeting and roughed up a pastor belonging to the Marthoma Church on October 2 in the Amlai city of Madhya Pradesh state's Shahdol district. Carrying sticks, the extremists, seemingly from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, Bajrang Dal (youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or World Hindu Council), and Shiv Sena, a group that originated in Maharashtra state, intruded into the church and started shouting anti-Christian slogans. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians told Compass that the attackers approached the pastor of the church, the Rev. Joji Oomen, and held his cassock, accusing him of indulging in forcible conversions. The pastor explained that the meeting was held merely to discuss the social work of the church, but the extremists persisted with their allegations. People at a nearby church informed the area superintendent of police, who rushed to the spot. Officers, however, made no arrests. "The pastor was later advised by the police not to hold any big meeting and inform to the police before conducting even a small meeting," George said. -- VA


Orissa -- Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps or RSS), beat two Christians in two separate incidents and got one of them arrested under Orissa state's anti-conversion law on October 2 in Kendrapara district. In the first incident, at least 12 RSS extremists attacked an independent pastor, Pradip Hialo, while he was distributing Christian tracts at about 3:30 p.m. at the main bus stand of Kendrapara. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians told Compass they also accused the pastor of forcible conversions and insulted Jesus with vulgarities. After beating Pastor Hialo, they took him to the police station and filed charges under the state anti-conversion law. He was released on bail later the same day. In the second incident, the same attackers telephoned pastor Raghab Digal of the Orissa Follow-Up organization and tricked him into meeting them, beating him upon his arrival. Among other head injuries, Digal received a deep cut near his eyebrows. Police registered a complaint against the attackers, and an investigation was underway. -- VA

Copyright © 2007 Compass Direct. Used with permission.