Christians in the Indian state of Orissa are refusing to abandon their faith despite weeks of killings, beatings and attacks on their homes and churches.
Juria Bardhan, Orissa state leader for Gospel for Asia, said he had seen missionaries and Christians being beaten and killed. Yet he remains unwavering in his faith.
“We know the Lord is in control,” he said.
Hindu extremists have killed dozens of Christians and burned down hundreds of homes and churches since the killing of Hindu leader Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati last month. Although Maoists have claimed responsibility, Hindu extremists insist that Christians are behind the killing. Around 13,000 Christians are sheltering in government refugee camps or hiding out in surrounding forests.
Bardhan said that the persecution had been embraced by his pastors who see it as an opportunity to share in Christ’s sufferings.
"Many of our pastors have said, 'Even if they kill us, no problem. This will cause thousands to come to Christ,'" he reported.
Christianity has continued to flourish in Orissa despite of years of persecution, Bardhan noted.
"The encouraging thing is that the attackers themselves acknowledge that Orissa used to be only 2 percent Christian, and now it's 28 percent Christian," he said. "They don't understand that by doing this, the church will grow by leaps and bounds, and this will cause thousands to come to Christ."
Gospel for Asia said at least 24 of its missionaries had been attacked, while 27 GFA-related churches and more than 800 Christian homes had been ransacked and destroyed since the outbreak of violence.
There are unconfirmed reports of a planned march by Hindu extremists through villages in Orissa with the ashes of their slain leader. Bardhan said he suspected the march was a plot to trigger more violence.
Youth With a Mission workers have, meanwhile, joined a hunger strike that is being staged by hundreds of Christians in New Delhi, India, in protest against the Orissa violence and what they regard as the government’s failure to respond. India’s Supreme Court last week ordered Orissa state officials to report on what action it has taken to put a stop to the violence.
RSS
Groups such as the Viswa Hindu Parishad and BJP are allowed to have non profit status in the US. ofpbjp-usa.org, vhp-america.org, vhp.org.uk. At this mornings services many churches in India are at risk of being attacked by Hindu extremists.
Hindus, the majority people of India are peace loving as like Christians. But If somebody questions their existence then the situation will change.Let me say the many sections of the Christians are not targeted to attack.This happens only for those who directly goes to the hospitals to meet the people in distress and starts injecting religion in the name of Jesus. I have also seen this many times. Now majority people are protesting.
dear msnchris70,
"May all Christians come together to fight this evil by constantly preaching Jesus is the only way" The last word like Jesus is the only way is the most provacative word protestant people use. I think thats the main reason of the violence. I too even heard the same words from the pastors. Do u want just Christianity to exist in the world. Wat about other's religion and their belief.
This is great but why are we leaving and evacuating?? We as christians need to stand up and fight the good fight ya we are going to die but that is a price you must be willing to pay that price if we are trying to be like jesus as the bible tells us to. We must be willing to die so others may come to know jesus the christ!!!! FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!
Yes, since the Apostle Thomas came to India the Catholic population has always grown through difficulties. The blood of the martyrs were always the seeds of the growing Church. The more people were persecuted the stronger the Christians would be and they would grow.
I thank God for all the many brave Catholic and Protestant Christians who have such wonderful courage in the face of this type of evil and they all still preach the Gospel.
May all Christians come together to fight this evil by constantly preaching Jesus is the only way, that we must take care of the poor, feed the hungry and love all people to Christ.
There is only one Truth, and only one way to God.
Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
The darkness does not understand this. That's why Jesus came, to reconcile a dark, evil, and rebellious world unto God.
That is why there is so much violence, flesh wars against the spirit and spirit against the flesh. The two cannot be at peace one with another. The flesh uses violence, lies, deception: The Love of God uses, Love, Truth, and Hope. This is seen in the self-sacrificial way Jesus gave himself and his servants do the same.
I would like to say unless you have really experienced this type of persecution and even war, you don't know what it is like. Being arrested without charges and tried for simply believing or witnessing and making disciples for Christ is an affront to God and his Children because all we want is Justice. What is Just and Right in God's eyes is all we want and when we are denied this, we can see how important it really is.
Look through a child's eyes. When they are not loved or kidnapped or have there parents killed who will help them and love them? It's God's Love that reaches them by there simple prayers. God moves his children who understand to rescue, house, feed and love them. That's all they want is to be loved.
There are so many in the world who just need to be shown God's love, and the veil lifts from there eyes. A solid foundation takes time in any land, we are purified and tried in the fires, it is necessary. A diamond takes heat and pressure, don't think that this persecution is wasted, many are moving closer to Jesus to rely on him so much there Faith is now very strong. So strong they will go to there persecuters in such a humble loved filled heart to tell them about Jesus. Even to those who have killed there Loved ones, this is the way souls are won.
Imagine forgiving one who killed your children, then going to them because you know they are trapped in satan's darkness, with the hope and Faith to lead them to Jesus. Now that's Love.
Caste is a social practise and religion repeatedly said caste in not by birth but profession but as in every religion the good uncomfortable part is never practised.
India is the only country that did not persecute Jews ,Parsis chased by Iran flourished here and Buddhhists in very large numbers escaping China's Tibet flourish without friction.Only in India you can have Christian majoirty states like Nagaland Mizoram.
A kind silver haired old lady that never hurt a fly owning Slaves In 19th centure US south, unjust ? cruel? or a paradoxical part of human nature justice and injustice exist
God's Mercy ,love , Sin are tired cliches that need to be put to rest.It was not God's mercy that freed black slaves but Lincoln and half million dead and no God's mercy came to the 6 million jews gassed but many rescued by Godless Soviets ,or a million Armenians and God did not free India from The British or the Blacks in Rhodesia and it is through the sweet Sin of the sword and Gun that Christianity spread to Germany Italy France UK (except Ireland)the Latin Americas .
The Catholic Church has admiited 800 mistakes it has commited and finally one day will accept SIN and God's Mercy are marketing gimicks perfected at Nicae by Constantine
Inxis, you stated that, "Indians are by and large the most tolerant people in the world and if there is violence believe the provocation is great." It is free India who gave the Untouchables rights."
I find a contradiction in what you are saying, as "tolerant" India had this caste system in place before Christian missionaries ever came. There is no such thing as a "tolerant" nation. Those who claim to be Christians have a very hurtful, bloody history. But, name one religion that has been perfect. Muslims kill. Hindus kill. Buddhists kill. Atheists kill. It is easy to yell, "hypocrite!" But, are we not all hypocrites? Do not all believers hate sin, and yet struggle with sin in our lives? Yet, it is the accuser who is the true hypocrite. Friend, be glad God is a God of mercy. We need it.
If a Mid East Country managed to convert 27% of Christian Population in Germany or France to Islam in a district would there be a social backlash? There is a sort of war on in Mongolia ,Vietnam , Korea etc by Missionaries to reap harvet of soul for Jesus.
Indians are by and large the most tolerant people in the world and if there is violence beleive the provocation is great.
One has to listen to the language the missionaries use,the arguments they use.Has Christianity made anyone equal, when Blacks till recently used Church backdoors to enter this talk of Untouchable sympathy is hypocrisy.It is free india who gave the Untouchables rights and made them President but the Missionaries never spoke of Dalits when when the British were in power .In India you have Christian Untouchables,!!! with gross discrimination in Church heirachy against tribal converts.This falsehood ,this hypocricy when the Church is presiding over Gay marraiges and paying 600 Million $ in US for Sosomy commited by Priests.Christianity as any religion should be humble about not being perfect.Yes as the BBC has said the missionaries come with Milk and Bread and false arguments, convert and move on when the poor tribals derisively called animists know to conserve nature better live in more harmony with their simple religion.Hindus never called them Untouchables rathjer left them alone till now.Jesus stood against hypocrisy spoke against falsehood under any pretext and these Hypocrites who come under the garb of tourists, healers , teachers etc buy souls with money promise false salvation move on.
To what use these falsehoods,An impressive chart in some Church HQ
Read the Sermon on the Mount and feel the Truthfullness that Jesus wanted to instill in peoples hearts,not this commercial , fraud an insidiuos Taliban that does not have the courage like the real Taliban(one virtue at least in the Taliban) to proclaim its intentions openly and Preach to the educated without hospitals clinics bread and milk powder.This when Christian hospitals are shutting in Europe for want of doctors nurses
Violence is bad and till this day I grieve for the boys of Graham Staines in my heart
Yes we all believe in God. So all that happened in Orissa was also a decision by God.Some missionaries tried to defame other religion's God and tried to impose their faith on them.That is the reason Jesus decided to give them a lesson. Religion cannot be imposed at any cost.Christianity cannot spread in India through Gospel and preaching. Nowadays Indian people are more conscious about all these.We can shut those Hindu fanatics for ever only if Christianity is preached with out aiming to convert people. I am so sad to hear that , only because of this conversion issue today also [ lots of pentacostal churches were demolished ] in karnataka [and also in Orissa].
"How would the people of India rate the evangelistic job of St Thomas as the first missionary there."
I don't think the rating given by people matter all that much. Its the rating given by God that matters. It is GOD who moves people to accept the truth. WE get to share in the work God uses to bring people to faith.
There have been Christians in India almost since its inception, thanks to the apostle Thomas's efforts and God's will. So obviously Thomas was effective. But were those who followed effective in sharing God's love? I think so, since at least some shared the truth, because of the fact that there have been Christians there since the beginning.
But our job is not to please man, but to be faithful in glorifying God and sharing His love with others.
India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the Orissa violence a "shame" and offered all help from the Centre to end the communal clashes and restore normal Life. He said he would speak to Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik to urge him to take all necessary steps to end the violence.
But till today the Extremists continuing thier violence.
Even in the Govt relief camps, they secretly poisoned the water resources to kill the people. they stil roaming inthe streets with torches and wepons threatening the peiple. They rejoice about the reconversion of 70 families to Hinduism.
Question to brother Matthew, How would the people of India rate the evangelistic job of St Thomas as the first missionary there. Any comments?
Yes, remember it was the persecution of the early church that caused the Christians to flee Jerusalem and spread the gospel to other parts of the world.
Devaraj,
Maybe the author has a typo, and meant to write 2.8%? That would make more sense. But even so, there is growth in the adversity. Praise God!
"Orissa used to be only 2 percent Christian, and now it's 28 percent Christian"
It is the wrong Picture.
Christians make up Only 2.4 percent of Orissaâ
"Orissa used to be only 2 percent Christian, and now it's 28 percent Christian"
WOW! That's a huge jump.
I bet there's not many Christians in name only there.
May God strengthen our brothers and sisters in the faith. May He be glorified because of the suffering in Orissa and elsewhere.
Saulus of Tarsus
When Stephen was thrown to death, Saul was watching the
cruel action and the conviction of Stephen in his
suffering did some deep conviction in Saul's thinking pattern, and God caught him and he was greatly used as
the cornerstone of Christianity. In the State of Orissa, the suffering people are the Dalits, and the
polulation of India has 300 million Dalits. The suffering of the Christian Dalits in Orissa will send
shockwaves of convictions all across India, and one day
very soon, millions of them will be shouting " we will
serve the Lord of the burned Dalit kins of ours". Even
in our severe sufferings, God has a blueprint and that
will not be revealed to us in the initial stage.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10
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