India: Extremists infiltrating Christian groups
12 Jan 2012The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) reported Islamic and Hindu extremists in India are posing as Christians and infiltrating churches and Christian NGOs to obtain information about them to pass it on to radical groups. The CSF is also concerned that the tendency to post photos of Christian celebrations around the internet and on social networking sites is putting Christians at greater risk. Recently Pastor Khanna was arrested after a video surfaced on YouTube showing him baptising Kashmiri Muslim men. Although Christians in most parts of India enjoy religious freedom, there are pockets in the country, most notably Orissa, where Christians are being targeted by radicals.
Pray: that information about Christians available on the internet would not be used to generate violence.
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/extremists.infiltrating.christian.groups.in.india/29138.htm
Christians in India's most religiously intolerant state have witnessed heightened violence in the past weeks, including Hindu extremists attempting to slit the throat of a pastor as he lay hospitalized from a previous attack, sources said. Christians or their property are attacked an average of three times per week in Karnataka, Christian Legal Association Senior Advocate S. Nova Bethania told Morning Star News, who said the extremists took four Christians to a Hindu temple, where they forcibly bathed them in water and told them to eat sacrificial meat, said a pastor who goes by a single name, Annaiah. Christian leaders reported the incident to police, but officers refused to take action. Later Morning Star News reported, the Hindu extremists marched toward the district collector's office shouting anti-Christian slogans, demanded Pastor Annaiah's arrest on accusations of forceful conversion and burned an effigy of him.
Pray: for all those who are under attack from Hindu extremists that God will protect them from violent assaults. (2Th.3:3)
More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2012/s12110134.htm
India: Extremists chop off Catholic’s hand
09 Jul 2010
Suspected Islamic militants have chopped off a Catholic professor’s hand in Kerala for allegedly insulting Islam in an exam question paper. Professor T.J. Joseph was attacked on July 4 while returning home from Sunday mass with his mother and sister, a Catholic nun. Kochi inspector-general of police, B. Sandya, told ucanews.com that an Islamic extremist group is suspected of the crime and have arrested four people and impounded a vehicle. She said the attackers used the vehicle to block Joseph’s car before dragging the professor from his vehicle and chopping off his right hand. The attackers then threw the hand away before fleeing. Church-managed Newman College in Thodupuzha had suspended Joseph, its Malayalam professor, on March 25 for allegedly preparing a question paper with insulting references to the Prophet Muhammad. Pray: against the evil that fills the hearts and minds of those who perpetrate such crimes. (Ph.3:2) More: http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2010/07/06/muslim-extremists-chop-off-catholic%E2%80%99s-hand/
India: Dalits forced to leave church
21 Jul 2011
Dalit, which means ‘trampled upon,’ refers to lower caste Indians treated as ‘untouchables’ in Indian society. They perform menial jobs while living in segregation from upper castes in rural areas. A Catholic bishop in south India has admitted that Dalit Christians are being forced to forsake their faith due to continued discrimination against them under Indian laws. Bishop Anthony Poola told a seminar at Hyderabad on 1 July that the Government is acting as missionary agent of Hinduism. An estimated five million Christians have left their faith due to this continuing discrimination. In 1950, the government gave Hindu Dalits Scheduled Caste status in an effort to improve their social standing, but it has been denied to Christian Dalits, who account for two-thirds of the 27 million Christians in India.
Pray: for true justice and acceptance for Christians in India and for Christian Dalits to know God's provision for them. (Ps.54:1-4)
More: http://www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=5007
Churches in India have called for a three-day hunger strike July 25th, 26th and a rally to Parliament on the 27th demanding Scheduled Caste status for Dalit Christians and Muslims. It is a matter of great concern for the Church in India that its own people who belong to the Dalit community are denied Scheduled Caste status, the National Council of Churches in India statement said. NCCI along with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India have taken many initiatives but now realize it's imperative to step on the gas to achieve the goal. Christians of Scheduled Caste Origin have been seeking the right for equal Constitutional provisions on par with Dalits of the country. The campaign coordinators have obtained the letters of support for the cause from major political parties except the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Pray: for a fair Constitutional mandate that will allow Christian and Muslim Dalits Scheduled Cast status. (Ex.23:6)
India: Commonwealth Games corruption
29 Sep 2010
Two days ago the athletes village faulty infrastructure was highlighted when a bridge collapsed injuring 23 workers. On 31st July India Sports News and the Times of India reported New Delhi officials uncovering evidence of corruption in construction projects and illegal cash transfers for contractors developing the site. Officials of India's Government Watchdog reported construction quality certificates scrutinized in 16 games-related projects had turned out to be fake or suspect. Also another corruption scandal over money being transferred from the Commonwealth Games account to a little-known film company based in London was discovered in July.’ see The BBC reported, ‘From the time of winning the bid New Delhi was accused of influencing the voting in its favour by offering cash inducements to Commonwealth member countries and when building work began it was behind schedule and under the control of 20 competing organising committees. 45 workers have died in accidents since work began. See Pray: for an end to this corruption and any other hidden corruption and exploitation, resulting in future safe working conditions, honest dealings and security for the Games. (Is.56:1)
India: Churches try to broker peace in Assam
24 Aug 2012Churches are initiating steps to broker peace and restore harmony in the northeast Indian state of Assam, which has been rocked by bloody clashes between local ethnic Bodo people and Muslim migrants. ‘We have hosted leaders of both communities twice already. We are now preparing a larger meeting of both communities after Ramadan,’ Roman Catholic bishop Thomas Pulloppillil of Bongaigaon diocese that comprises the troubled region, told ENInews on 15 August. The clashes have left 78 dead and over 400,000 refugees. Three dozen leaders of Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran and other Protestant churches had to travel in tractors, motorbikes and even boats to reach relief camps sheltering displaced families in remote areas even as sporadic violence continued. ‘Brokering peace is not an easy task in the present situation. But we are trying our best to restore harmony,’ Benzjlaigra Moshahary of the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC) and a member of the Inter Church Peace Mission, told ENInews.
Pray: that God will protect His people as they seek to do His will. (Eph.4:3)
India: Churches and homes face demolition
29 Apr 2011
Two communities served by Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries could be demolished due to confusion over who owns the land. Church buildings, hundreds of homes and medical clinics in North West India have been served with eviction notices to move out in April because ‘their homes and church buildings were built on land that really belongs to the government.’ Most of the people have lived there for 30 years. In one area the residents are poor day labourers and a few government employees. Another area is home to middle class teachers, medical professionals, engineers and businessmen. Residents contend they legally purchased the land from a tribal group selling portions of it off before the state was created. A similar situation recently occurred elsewhere resulting in the demolition of several homes and a church. Pray: for God’s intervention and protection for the believers, their homes, places of worship and work. (Pr.2:6-8) More http://www.gfa.org/news/articles/churches-homes-disputed-land-face-demolition/