Persecution Blog

Theology Student Dies in Attack in Madhya Pradesh, India

Hindu extremists raid revival meeting in one area, while others attack gospel event in another.

NEW DELHI, April 27 (CDN) — Hindu extremists raided Christian events in India’s Madhya Pradesh state this month, leaving a visiting theology student dead and several other Christians injured.

The body of 23-year-old Amit Gilbert was recovered from a water well 25 feet from the site of a Christian revival meeting that 15 to 20 Hindu extremists attacked on April 17 in Gram Fallaiya, Post Pathakheda, Betul district. With covered heads and carrying iron rods and bamboo clubs, members of the Hindu extremist Dharam Sena and Bajrang Dal cut electricity at the night-time event and began striking, sending the more than 400 in attendance running, Christian leaders said. 

Eyewitnesses said the assailants chased Gilbert, of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh state, and beat him mainly on his legs. Police in the state controlled by the Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that for the moment they believe Gilbert accidentally fell into the well amid the chaos, but Christians present said that is unlikely.

His body was found with his head and legs submerged in the 1.5-meter deep water of the well, yet he had no water in his lungs or stomach when Christians drew him out, said Pastor Santwan Lal, organizer of the April 15-17 revival event, suggesting that Gilbert was dead before being thrown in.  

“Amit was hit first and then picked up and thrown into the well,” Pastor Lal said. “If he had fallen into the well, he would have had more bruises and at least a broken bone or two, since the well is rocky and narrow. But that was not the case.”


Pastor Lal and others Compass spoke with said they believe the posture of the body leaves no doubt that Gilbert was murdered. 

“He sustained an injury on the left side of his face near the ear,” Pastor Lal added.

An autopsy was conducted, but authorities are not disclosing findings, Pastor Lal said. Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal are reportedly exerting intense pressure on local authorities. 
Betul Assistant Sub-Inspector Santosh Jain told Compass that the results of the autopsy, conducted by a team of doctors, will not be released because they have now become politicized. 

Police on April 19 arrested nine people in connection with the incident and charged them with rioting, violence and trespassing, but not murder. Officers also registered Gilbert’s death under the Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which pertains to inquiry and report on an incident involving death of a person whether suicide or otherwise. 

“We are trying hard, but this case does not seem to be moving forward,” Jain said. “A report has been registered against 10 to 12 [initially] unidentified people, and we have so far arrested nine. All have accepted their involvement in the crime, and all belong to the Bajrang Dal. Not one of them is a local from Betul. Their bails have been rejected at the lower court.”


Arrested were Rakesh Dhurwe, Neeraj Rajput, Radheshyam Sahu, Sonu Rajput, Raju Kahar, Rajesh Oriya, Raju Deshmukh, Arun Thackrey, and Hemrath Bahalavi, he said. 

Though police have initially determined that Gilbert fell into the well, they say they are open to the possibility that he was thrown into it. 

Pastor Lal added that two women were also injured in the melee.

“As a result of the violence, two ladies attending the meeting were hit, and one of them was admitted in a local hospital for three days,” he said. 

Christian leaders said Betul has increasingly witnessed such attacks since the BJP came to power in the state in 2004, with various incidents of Christians being beaten, arrested and intimidated. 

 
The April 17 attack was sudden and without provocation or warning, Pastor Lal said. Soon after the assailants left, the Christians gathered to determine if anyone were missing. An unnamed girl and a nephew of the pastor were missing but later found, and that night Gilbert’s body was found when a Christian shined a flashlight into the well. 

Gilbert was visiting as a volunteer to another pastor after having finished his Masters in Divinity degree from Central India Bible College, Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh, in March. He had reportedly insisted on staying to help Pastor Abhishek John in Sallaiya village in order to gain ministry experience. 

Sources said April 17 was to have been Gilbert’s last day of volunteer service, as he was planning to return home to Uttar Pradesh the next day.  Read more at Compass Direct.

IRAN: CHRISTIANS ARRESTED

On April 11, officers from the Ministry of Information arrested 19-year-old Daniel Shahri, a Christian in Isfahan, Iran, according to Farsi Christian News.  

Undercover officers went to Daniel’s home under the pretense of delivering a letter. When the door was opened, officers stormed inside the house. Daniel was not at home, so the officers confiscated personal belongings including his computer, DVD player, DVDs, CDs, cell phone and books. The officers then forced Daniel’s sister to call him and ask him to come home. When he arrived, the officers arrested him and took him to an unknown location.

Three days later, Daniel was finally allowed to contact his parents, who are blind and have physical disabilities. Daniel told his parents he was being held at Dastgard prison on charges of “publishing falsities and insults to the Muslim faith.”

In a separate raid on April 14, plain-clothes officers from the Ministry of Information arrested a house church pastor in Karaj, Iran. Pastor Bahnam Irani was leading a Bible study for new Christian converts when officers raided his house, arresting the pastor and about 10 other men who had gathered for fellowship and study. All of the men were forced to fill out forms explaining how they became Christians and who baptized them. The officers told the young men that their meeting was illegal and that they would be summoned in the coming days for further questioning by authorities.

Pastor Irani was reportedly assaulted and then transported to an undisclosed location. Officers returned to the pastor’s home later that day and confiscated his personal belongings, including pictures, cameras, computers, Bibles and other Christian literature. 

These two incidents are the latest in a series of crackdowns on Christians by the Iranian government. The Voice of the Martyrs stands with persecuted believers in Iran and calls for their immediate release from prison. Pray for the health and safety of Daniel Shahri and Pastor Irani. Pray that they will be released soon and that all charges will be dropped. Pray that increased persecution will result in increased boldness among believers in Iran.

Atheists, Religious Groups Lobby on Day of Prayer

By TODD RICHMOND (AP) – 2 days ago

MADISON, Wis. — To pray or not to pray? That's the issue government leaders across the country are facing after a federal judge ruled that the National Day of Prayer set for May 6 was unconstitutional.

The ruling can't take effect until all appeals are exhausted, but that's not stopping atheists and prayer advocates from firing off letters, e-mails and even planning to put up billboards to convince state and local leaders across the country to see things their way.

Nothing's changing in Topeka, Kan., says Mayor Bill Bunten.

"Some of these judges have lost their way," Bunten said. "Every day is a day of prayer in most Kansas lives, whether they are Christian or Muslim or Jewish or whatever, and to say that a prayer day is illegal is just ridiculous. That judge better go back and read some history about how this country was formed. Next thing you know we won't be able to sing 'God Bless America.'"

The ruling raised a furor among religious advocacy groups, who say the day has become an American tradition. And the announcement this week by President Barack Obama's administration that it would appeal galvanized atheists, who are trying to persuade officials not to attend local events. Their campaigns illustrate the persistent tensions over any combination of religion and government.

Read More.

‘Pinpricks’ of Truth Making Way into North Korea

Our great friends at Compass Direct have a story today that is highlighting some hope that is coming into North Korea.  As you all may know, if you read this blog frequently, North Korea is not friendly to Christianity or Christians.  North Korea has been named as one of the top nations who persecute Christians for many years in a row.  However, we know the Lord in Heaven is in control and is working out His plans for His good. 

Please click here to read the full article and see an excerpt below.

Religious freedom in particular is almost non-existent. The only accepted belief is Juche – an ideology that strictly enforces worship of the country’s leaders.

“The regime is a perversion of Christianity,” Scholte told Compass. Juche has a holy trinity just as Christianity does, with Father Kim Il-Sung, son Kim Jong-Il, and the spirit of Juche said to give strength to the people. 

“Kim Il-Sung is God; a real God can’t replace him,” a former North Korean security agent confirmed in David Hawke’s 2005 report, “A Prison Without Bars.” 

While four churches exist in the capital, Pyongyang, experts believe these are largely showpieces for foreign visitors.

The government has allowed token visits from high-profile foreign Christians such as Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, who preached at Bongsu Protestant church in Pyongyang in August 2008; and two U.S. Christian bands, Casting Crowns and Annie Moses, attended and won awards at the Spring Friendship Arts Festival in April 2009.

Worship outside limited official venues is simply not tolerated, giving North Korea first place on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2010 World Watch List for persecution of Christians. 

Ordinary citizens caught with a Bible or in a clandestine prayer meeting are immediately labeled members of the hostile class and either executed or placed in prison labor camps, along with three generations of their immediate family. Every North Korean belongs to either the “hostile,” “wavering” or “core” class, affecting privileges from food and housing to education and physical freedom, according to Hawke’s report.

Burned for Christ

 “Collect some wood!” the soldiers snarled. Young James Jeda assumed that the soldiers were about to cook their dinner. Earlier that day, he had watched, horrified, as the radical Muslim soldiers killed his parents and four siblings in Southern Sudan. They spared James only to use him as a worker.

    When the fire was well lit, James was surprised and terrified when they suddenly grabbed him, and he tried to flee. But the soldiers were too strong, and soon they had tied his hands and feet.
    

“Good news for you, young one,” said a soldier. “We are going to let you live. But you must join us by becoming a Muslim.”

    “I cannot become a Muslim,” James said simply. “I am a Christian.”

    Infuriated by the young boy’s faith, the soldiers picked him up and hurled him into the fire. They packed up their gear and left the area, assuming James would die.

    Young James didn’t die. He managed to roll out of the fire and find help.

    Doctors were able to save James’s life, but he will always carry reminders of that day. His body bears skin grafts and scar tissue, and one arm is partially deformed by the burns. In heaven, those scars will be honor bars, a reminder of the day when James Jeda refused to turn his back on Christ.

Most people are suckers for souvenirs. One can hardly make it through the gauntlet of gift shops at an airport or train station without succumbing to the temptation to buy a memento of the trip’s experience. But what is there to remind us of our most significant life experience—our commitment to Christ? Some will look at their paycheck and remember the promotion they declined because they were not willing to compromise their morals. Others, upon seeing a public school classroom, will recall where they first learned what it was like to be persecuted. Still others will see a gravestone of a believer and be reminded of the meaning of commitment. These “souvenirs” are infinitely significant reminders of the price of faith in Jesus Christ.

If you enjoyed this devotion, why not buy the full book called Extreme Devotion at the Voice of the Martyrs bookstore.  Please share VOM with your friends too!  God Bless You!!

Franklin Graham Disinvited to Prayer Event by AntiJesus Organization

You have no doubt probably heard about the controversy surrounding the Rev. Franklin Graham being disinvited to the Pentagon prayer event for the National Day of Prayer.  What you may not have heard, is WHO the person is behind tricking the Army into getting Graham denied the right to pray.  Since we cover the persecution of Christians by those involved in the religion of Islam, we thought you'd like to see an example of what it can cost, even here in America, for exposing the truth.

 MEDIA ADVISORY, April 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- The anti-Christian complainer once described by a Pentagon spokesman as "a rabid anti-evangelical," Mikey Weinstein has duped Pentagon officials into disinviting Franklin Graham, leader of The Samaritan's Purse and son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, from praying with our troops on the National Day of Prayer (NDOP), because Graham is Christian and opposes Islamic terrorism. 

"We are at war with a sub-set of evangelical Christianity...how many? Roughly 12.6% of the American public or 38 million people," admitted Mikey Weinstein, who has repeatedly sued the military (and lost in court) to demand punishment of any troops who talk openly about their faith in Jesus Christ.

But in a breaking news expose, The Pray In Jesus Name Project has published 27 violent, profanity-laced, and bigoted anti-Christian comments made by Mr. Weinstein himself, who was reportedly paid with our tax-dollars to defame Christianity to our troops, and should be disinvited far more quickly than Franklin Graham.

SELECT HERE TO SIGN OUR FREE PETITION TO SEC DEF ROBERT GATES to re-invite Franklin Graham to pray with our troops at the National Day of Prayer, and stop paying the violent, profanity laced, and bigotted anti-Christian Mikey Weinstein who blasphemes Christianity to our troops.

"Never did Franklin Graham threaten profanity-laced violence or declare war against 38 million Americans because of their faith, like Mr. Weinstein has," said Chaplain Klingenschmitt, who is launching a FREE national petition drive to SECDEF Robert Gates, to re- invite Franklin Graham and disinvite Mikey Weinstein. 

Tiananmen Square Leader Chai Ling Embraces Christian Faith and Freedom

Today we have some wonderful news coming from our friends at China Aid, concerning a new follower in Jesus Christ.  Thank you to all of you who are praying for China and who continue to sound the alarm about the human rights abuses in that nation.  God is hearing our prayers and calling more people to Himself. 

BOSTON - More than 20 years ago, a young woman named Chai Ling mourned the death of political and economic reformer Hu Yaobang, a symbol of freedom and hope for the forward-thinking students of China. Hu's funeral, held on April 22, 1989 seven days after his death, was attended by 50,000 students.

Chai Ling, then a 23-year-old top-ranking national honors student at "Bei Shi Da" Beijing Normal University, became a galvanizing force in the Tiananmen Square Student Movement, rallying thousands of hopeful students, and later becoming the top leader of the protest movement. Following the bloody Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, 1989, Chai Ling skyrocketed to a place on the "21 most-wanted" students list in China for organizing the demonstration. With the help of Chinese Buddhists and Hong-Kong organizations, she escaped from China in 1990, eventually arriving in the United States.

Following her immigration to the U.S., Chai Ling settled in Boston, MA, where she met and married her husband Robert Maginn, Jr. Together, they built the software company Jenzabar, which now employs more than 280 employees. Chai Ling earned her MBA from Harvard Business School in 1998, and has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. She has used her success to give back to the marginalized in China, helping fund orphanages and humanitarian efforts in-country. Last year, she pledged to give millions to fund organizations supporting human rights in China.

"I stumbled on this idea that if only I could become a very successful entrepreneur, like Bill Gates, I could make lots money and set up a giant foundation, then I could once for all overcome and free China," Chai Ling said. Despite her fruitful actions, she began to lose hope, feeling too weak to accomplish her goal of bringing freedom to China.

In November 2009, Chai Ling attended a hearing in the U.S. Capitol on the effects of China's One Child Policy. On hearing the personal story of one woman's brutal forced abortion, Chai Ling was finally convicted that only God could stop such brutality. Through the encouragement and prayers of several mentors and friends, Chai Ling became a Christian on December 4, 2009.

Chai Ling's goal of freedom and hope for the Chinese people has not changed since her days as a student. But her perspective and focus is fresh and renewed. She now has hope for bringing God's love and freedom to the people of China, as well as raising awareness of and fighting against the One Child Policy. At her baptism on Easter, April 4, Chai Ling presented her testimony. Her story is a rousing testament to the transformational power of the Gospel, and the hope of Christ in a broken and sinful world.

Read Chai Ling's testimony

Arrested for Praying

Children amaze me.  There's something about a child that inspires me to press forward.  Maybe it's their innocence, or their faith or curiosity.  Whatever it is, there is a reason the Lord said to be like a child.  We need to have faith like a child because children truly do have faith. 

Take this story as an example from our Kids of Courage page.

Bhaskar is a Christian in India. He wasn’t always a Christian. But a few years ago, he decided to give his life to Jesus.

Around Christmastime, a friend of Bhaskar’s got sick and had to stay in the hospital. Bhaskar went to the hospital to visit his friend and to pray for him. A few days later, he returned to the hospital and prayed for his friend again.

A radical Hindu at the hospital knew about Bhaskar’s visits. Many Hindus are peaceful, but many radical Hindus persecute Christians and use violence against those who disagree with them.

The Hindu man beat up Bhaskar because of the hospital visits and prayers. The police came. They arrested Bhaskar instead of his attackers!

India has a law against “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion….” That means it is against the law to encourage people of different faiths to be enemies.

Of course Bhaskar did not do that. He was simply praying for his friend. But sometimes the police in India like to help the radical Hindus. So they charged Bhaskar with the crime of “promoting enmity.” 

Other Christians heard about the arrest. They helped Bhaskar get out of jail a few days later.

New Evidence Stalls Murder Trial in Malatya, Turkey

It has been three years since the brutal murders of three Turkish Christians who worked in a publishing house, that made international news. Uğur Yüksel (pictured), Necati Aydin and German Christian Tilmann Geske were mercilessly murdered and just recently Turkey had a day of prayer for Turkey, on April 18th as they remembered the anniversary of their deaths.

Unfortunately, there is new evidence that is stalling the murder trial in Malatya, Turkey. Here's some news from Compass Direct...

At Thursday’s hearing, prosecuting lawyers presented a 28-page detailed request that the Malatya case be joined to a plot called Cage Plan, believed to be part of Ergenekon, a “deep state” operation to destabilize the government led by a cabal of retired generals, politicians and other key figures.


The Cage Plan centers on a compact disc found a year ago in the house of a retired naval officer. The plan, to be carried out by 41 named naval officers, termed as “operations” the murders of the three Christians in Malatya, the 2006 assassination of Catholic priest Andreas Santoro and the 2007 slaying of Hrant Dink, Armenian editor-in-chief of the weekly Agos. The aim of the Cage Plan was to destabilize the government by showing its inability to protect Turkey’s minority groups.  Read more at Compass Direct.

Please say a prayer for Turkey today, and also for the families left behind after these brutal deaths. Pray for God's comfort, peace and grace to flood the lives of those who lost their loved ones. Pray also for the gospel to continue to go forth.

IRAN- The Assault and Arrest of a House-Church Pastor in Karaj

Reading this story today from our friends at Farsi Christian News Network , just grieves my heart.  I know we are to expect persecution as followers of Christ, but to be honest, some days it really grieves my heart.  I think today, it's grieving my heart because I see so many Christians not taking their faith seriously, who have freedom and then there are stories like this, where it is evident that a brother and sisters are suffering for their faith in Jesus.  Please don't take your faith in Jesus for granted...please read on.

Plain clothes security officers in attacking a house-church in Karaj not only threatened the members of the church, but after physically assaulting the pastor took him away to an undisclosed location.

Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN) reports that on Wednesday April 14, 2010, at 4:30 pm, several plain clothes security officers, introducing themselves as agents of the Ministry of Information, invaded the home of a local house-church pastor in the city of Karaj and after threatening those who were present there, assaulted and arrested the pastor, named Bahnam Irani, and transported him to an undisclosed location.

...

The security officers in their invasion and attack on the location of this house-church used warm and cold weapons and after arresting all attendees, forced everyone to complete prepared forms that questioned how they became a Christian and who baptized them. Also, each attendee was informed that they had attended an illegal meeting and in the coming days they would be called and summoned for further questioning by the authorities.

The report adds that on the same day, after this incident, the security officers entered the home of Behnam Irani and searched and confiscated most of his personal belongings such as pictures, portraits of Christ, cameras, computers, CDs, DVDs, Bibles, and other Christian literature.  Read more.