M
MrVersatile48
Guest
From http://www.crosswalk.com
As Christianity Grows in India, Believers Face Increased Persecution
Attacks against Christians continue throughout India, where last month militant Hindus broke into a Christian pastor's rented house, accusing him of not bowing before Hindu gods.
The 50-year-old pastor was forced from his home in the middle of the night as the militant mob threw out all of his personal belongings. Voice of the Martyrs spokesman Todd Nettleton tells AgapePress Persecution against Christians has increased in India in recent years because of the tremendous growth of the church there.
"It's a direct result of Christians who are actively involved in outreach to Hindus and literally thousands of Hindus coming to know Christ in a personal way," he explains, "particularly among the Dalits or the untouchables, the lowest caste of Hindus there."
This rapid growth of Christianity in India has "really created a lot of uproar among the Hindus," Nettleton says, "particularly among the radical Hindus, as they see so many of the people that were in their religion who are now followers of Jesus Christ."
And the ministry representative says he expects Christians in India will continue to face hostility from radical Hindus as the gospel is preached and the church continues to expand.
Eritrea's Religious Prisoner Count Tops 1,900
Newly compiled statistics smuggled out of Eritrea indicate that at least 1,918 Eritrean citizens are imprisoned and being subjected to torture and forced labor because of their religious beliefs.
According to a detailed list obtained by Compass last month, 95 percent of these known religious prisoners of conscience are Christians.
A total of 35 pastors, priests and church elders are confirmed under arrest in Asmara’s Wongel Mermera investigation center. An additional 1,758 Christians of both evangelical Protestant and Orthodox confessions are jailed in 14 other cities and towns.
According to reports compiled by Compass, 163 of these Christian prisoners have been put under arrest since the beginning of 2006.
As many as a fourth of all those jailed are believed to have been incarcerated for two years or more. But despite ongoing arrests and surveillance, local evangelicals told Compass they were “continuing to meet for worship, prayer and Bible studies†in their homes.
“Please pray for God’s protection, especially when we meet for prayer,†one said. “All the churches are in a desperate need of Bibles for theirministries.â€Â
As Christianity Grows in India, Believers Face Increased Persecution
Attacks against Christians continue throughout India, where last month militant Hindus broke into a Christian pastor's rented house, accusing him of not bowing before Hindu gods.
The 50-year-old pastor was forced from his home in the middle of the night as the militant mob threw out all of his personal belongings. Voice of the Martyrs spokesman Todd Nettleton tells AgapePress Persecution against Christians has increased in India in recent years because of the tremendous growth of the church there.
"It's a direct result of Christians who are actively involved in outreach to Hindus and literally thousands of Hindus coming to know Christ in a personal way," he explains, "particularly among the Dalits or the untouchables, the lowest caste of Hindus there."
This rapid growth of Christianity in India has "really created a lot of uproar among the Hindus," Nettleton says, "particularly among the radical Hindus, as they see so many of the people that were in their religion who are now followers of Jesus Christ."
And the ministry representative says he expects Christians in India will continue to face hostility from radical Hindus as the gospel is preached and the church continues to expand.
Eritrea's Religious Prisoner Count Tops 1,900
Newly compiled statistics smuggled out of Eritrea indicate that at least 1,918 Eritrean citizens are imprisoned and being subjected to torture and forced labor because of their religious beliefs.
According to a detailed list obtained by Compass last month, 95 percent of these known religious prisoners of conscience are Christians.
A total of 35 pastors, priests and church elders are confirmed under arrest in Asmara’s Wongel Mermera investigation center. An additional 1,758 Christians of both evangelical Protestant and Orthodox confessions are jailed in 14 other cities and towns.
According to reports compiled by Compass, 163 of these Christian prisoners have been put under arrest since the beginning of 2006.
As many as a fourth of all those jailed are believed to have been incarcerated for two years or more. But despite ongoing arrests and surveillance, local evangelicals told Compass they were “continuing to meet for worship, prayer and Bible studies†in their homes.
“Please pray for God’s protection, especially when we meet for prayer,†one said. “All the churches are in a desperate need of Bibles for theirministries.â€Â