Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 142 | Wed 18 Jan 2012
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INDIA: TENSIONS SOARING AS CHRISTIANS CHARGED IN KASHMIR
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By Elizabeth Kendal
TRUTH: India-administrated Kashmir has a population of 12.5 million (2011
census). Christianity is growing across Kashmir. In 1990 there were some
12,000 Christians; by 2000 that number had risen to around 20,000;
Operation World 2010 Edition reports 'more than double that'. TRUTH: Islam
is totalitarian and apostasy (leaving Islam) is forbidden because the
freedom of the apostate is fitna -- something that could shake the faith
of other Muslims. Freedom is something the apostaphobic dictators of Islam
dare not risk.
On 19 November 2011 the pastor of All Saints Church in Srinagar, Rev
Chander Mani Khanna, was arrested on charges of creating 'enmity' between
religious communities and hurting religious sentiments. (The Christian
community in Srinagar is only about 400.) Remanded in judicial custody for
15 days, Pastor Khanna was released on bail on 1 December. He has since
fled the Kashmir Valley. On 10 December the Islamic Court laid charges
against Father Jim Borst (80), a Dutch Catholic missionary who has been
working in Kashmir for almost 50 years, primarily in education. At a
hearing in the Supreme Sharia Court on Wednesday 11 January 2012, led by
the Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Bashid-ud-din Ahmad, claimed it had 'proved
beyond doubt' that Pastor Khanna and Fr Borst had been involved in
religious conversions using 'baits and inducements'. Sentencing is due any
day now.
Grand Mufti Bashid-ud-din Ahmad is the one who initially accused Khanna.
After obtaining video footage showing seven youths being baptised in
Pastor Khanna's church, the Grand Mufti accused Khanna of 'luring' Muslims
to Christianity with the offer of money. (See
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REq2mZjRN6c for baptism footage.) Though
arrested and beaten by Indian police, the seven youths continue to insist
they were never offered any material incentive. Despite this, some local
newspapers have quoted anonymous police sources saying the converts were
given money. Islamic outrage is being stoked with lies and disinformation.
Protests have erupted in Kashmir over the issue. Bishop PK Samantaroy,
head of the Amritsar Diocese, fears the issue has put at risk the lives of
all local Christians across Kashmir.
Even though Kashmir's self-appointed Sharia Court has no jurisdiction,
Pastor Khanna consented to appear before it on 17 Nov 2011, hoping his
explanation would help pacify the situation. Standing alone, surrounded by
dozens of hostile and abusive Muslims, it was an intimidating experience.
Pastor Khanna told the court that the seven youths were baptised of their
own initiative with absolutely no inducements. Bishop Samantaroy confirmed
to the Evangelical Fellowship of India that he had seen this particular
group of young men attending All Saints Church for over a year. 'These
converts had approached the pastor for baptism by their own freewill,' he
said. 'In such cases, the Church cannot deny baptism.'
Awaiting word of his sentence, Pastor Khanna fears for his life. He said
he was shocked the government tolerates such activities. Yet the TRUTH of
the matter is this: when it comes to persecution of Christians in India,
impunity is the order of the day. This impunity -- for which the Federal
government must ultimately be held accountable -- is the reason violence
and injustice against Christians is soaring to unprecedented levels,
making a mockery of India's claim to religious freedom.
The Deputy Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Nasir-ul-Islam, claims the activities
of the men 'have hurt the sentiments of [the] entire Muslim community'.
But have they? In TRUTH, the activities of these men -- running schools,
caring for the poor and sharing the Gospel -- have simply opened the door
to the alternative that threatens the totalitarian hegemony of India's
religious dictators, Muslim or Hindu. In TRUTH, this is all about freedom.
Muslims should be appalled that they are being lied to and manipulated
just so that religious dictators can keep them in bondage.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL --
* surround, protect and deliver Kashmir's Christians from any Islamic
reactionary violence and provide all their needs; may Kashmir's light be
preserved to shine ever brighter for the glory of God as Christ builds
his Church (Matthew 5:14-16).
* use this case to open the eyes of Kashmiri Muslims to TRUTH: may they
see they are being lied to by their leaders (religious and civic); may
they see that the purpose of these lies is to perpetuate their bondage;
may they see that their freedom is the real issue; may they see that
freedom is found only through truth and in Christ. (John 8: 31-37)
'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.' (Matthew 5:44
ESV)
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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE
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TENSIONS SOARING AS CHRISTIANS CHARGED IN KASHMIR
The Supreme Sharia Court in India-administrated Kashmir is self-appointed
and lacks official jurisdiction. Nevertheless on 11 January 2012 it
claimed to have 'proved [guilty] beyond doubt' and is poised to sentence
Anglican pastor Rev Chander Mani Khanna and Dutch Catholic missionary Fr
'Jim' Borst guilty of gaining converts using 'baits and inducements'.
Video footage had emerged from All Saints Church, Srinagar, showing Pastor
Khanna baptising seven young men who had attended the church for over a
year. Kashmir's Grand Mufti then accused Khanna of hurting Muslim
sentiments by 'luring' Muslims into Christianity through the offer of
money. These converts, though beaten by Indian police, still insist no
inducements were ever offered. As tensions soar the diocesan bishop fears
the case is putting at risk the lives of all local Christians across
Kashmir.
(See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REq2mZjRN6c for baptism footage.)
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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.
For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal's
blog 'Religious Liberty Monitoring' <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.
Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com/>.
This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.
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