Is there Christian persecution in India?

What did you think? He wasnt converting people he was just showing them Gods love. Anyway how could christians forcibly convert anyone anyway. When you hear the gospel, it must be your choice to believe or not, there is no pressure.

Seems to be a trumped up charge and maybe the hindus resented the christian converts. In the NT there were riots in ephesus cos the converts werent buying idols anymore and the craftsmen were losing business.

According to unbelievers he was converting but as a believer I should say he was living gospel sharing God's love and Gospel to the lepers and others

Well of course we face persecutions here our churches are getting burned people are getting murdered u may check the news too if u what to know more

I. I've been in ministry since 2014 with my church/denomination. I am an Indian. The following is my observation. The answer to the question is a complicated yes. And we need other Christians' prayers, we also pray for them.

Yes, there is persecution of many Christians in India. There are reports of organizations that we can trust. But from my experience, it is not as straight forward as some would think.

II. I met the son of a pastor who was arrested after a complaint was made against him. The son told me that the father prayer for a person who was sick. One of that person's family member made a complaint to the police. The pastor has been in jail for one year when I had a conversation with his son. It has been three years since that conversation with the pastor's son. I have been reflecting upon this question and upon that conversation, following are some questions and even an update.

A. What section or sections of the Indian law was invoked when the complaint was made against that pastor, and when the arrest was made?

B. Update: The last I heard of this situation was that a group of lawyers have been working on this particular case.

C. What was the content of the original conversation between the pastor and the person before the prayer was made? Was there a promise of healing? Was healing implied? From my conversation with the son, I concluded, that they may have been from a Charismatic/Pentecostal/Word of Faith persuasion (very popular in India). If my conclusion is right then healing would have been implied if not promised. If healing did not happen the family member would naturally defend his/her family.

D. If the pastor's conversation with the sick person was something normal (even if the pastor was from a Charismatic/Pentecostal/Word of Faith persuasion) and no healing was implied/promised then this is a case of straightforward abuse of the law to persecute an innocent person based upon their religious belief and practices.

E. From my conversation with the son and others like him I would conclude that we in India need a lot of Biblical and Theological training. Which is unfortunately not encouraged. I have met pastors and leaders who have said to me that a seminary education is a waste of time while people are hurting and without the Gospel OR Jesus will come back and find us not working but still studying.

III. During the pandemic lockdown last year a list circulated on WhatsApp about some persecuted Indian Christians. The list contained names and incidents of both persecuted and persecutor. I messaged the organization that produced the list. I asked them if the list was there's and if everything on it was true. Someone from that organization messaged me back on WhatsApp and told me that the list belonged to them and that everything on it was true. (For personal security/identity reasons I have since deleted my WhatsApp account.)

A. I asked for proofs from them. To which they asked me for my identity. I, foolishly or not, gave them my full name, designation and the state/region I was from. But they did not give me any proof at all. They went quiet after they got my information.

B. I did my own investigation and did not find the list on the organization's website. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I searched on other persecution websites and did not find the same reports. Please, keep in mind that I have not exhausted all avenues to prove or disprove the list.

C. In my search, I focused on one particular point on the list that mentioned a persecutor's name who used social media to speak against Christians. But I did not find the person's social media account anywhere. The person did not even point me to the right website/app.

D. Of course, I prayed for the persecuted on that list. But I am left with so many questions: Am I praying for real people? Why would proofs not be given?

IV. On direct persecution. I have personally pastored and catered to those who were persecuted by their own family members because of their decision for Christ. We have helped them as best we can. Some of them have backslid because of the intense persecution. But we are glad that few have really committed to being with the Lord. We need your prayers. We don't need your money.

V. On the government and the ruling party. India is a democratic country. In India, we have laws to protect religious minorities like Christians, Muslims, etc. We also have laws to protect ethnic minorities. Yes, there is abuse, therefore there is persecution. Yes, the current ruling party is right-leaning. But I have faith in God and I trust my fellow Indian citizens to stand up for the Constitution and for the rule of law. And I also request my fellow Christians in India to live a Christ-like life. There are groups in India that are dedicated to counter Christian beliefs from an intellectual point of view, just like elsewhere in the world. There are groups in India that are dedicated to track and hurt Christians, just like elsewhere in the world. We, Indian Christians, should not be surprised or afraid. Persecution and suffering are expected and taught in the Bible. We love our enemies as taught by the Saviour himself.

VI. I want to share a lot more but they are not relevant to the question above. They are relevant to Word of Faith, New Apostolic Reformation, Anti-Intellectualism and other related topics that may or may not be directly related to the persecution of Christians in India. Read 1 Peter 3:13-17 (If we are persecuted, let us be persecuted for the good/right reasons, not for the pride, lust, ignorance and greed that I see in some of these extremely erroneous groups).

May God have mercy on us all!

India
- On 'top 10 countries' listing (persecution)
Open Doors
www.opendoorsusa.org
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"Persecution in India has increased significantly over the past five years.."
- From Open Doors

Our present Government is hard-core unbeliever, and hardcore unbelievers are working in ground level against believers

What's the difference between "hardcore unbelievers" and "non-hardcore unbelievers"?

Hardcore means "the most active, committed, or strict members of a group or movement"
Sorry I donot know or have not used the word non-hardcore"

"The Pandemic has changed the Persecution dynamics".. in India.
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Many Christians experienced discrimination in government aid.
- Christians were often overlooked..when official Covid 19 food/ aid was distributed.
Some Christian leaders/workers were unable to even afford food..
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From 'Open Doors USA'
www.opendoorsusa.org

Persecution continues to increase in India..
- South India.
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www.persecution.org

You know they are planning to convert Believers to unbelievers, also receiving foreign grants of Christians organisation's have been cancelled, if there is anything regarding Christian work they are directly rejecting the permission to receive foreign grants.

Do you think that all that is termed as persecution in our great country is really persecution against the gospel being preached? Can there also be room for legitimate concerns over the false prosperity teachings, baseless healing promises and false prophets/prophecies that seems to be highly popular in the church world today? What about dishonest "pastors" causing waves?

Oh yes, there is terrible Persecution of Christians in India. Please pray for us Indian Christians. Evangelical Christian Organization Open Doors, which helps Persecuted Christians Worldwide, ranks India as 10th worst for Persecution of Christians: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/india/

"
How many Christians are there in India?
Though there are around the same number of Christians in India as there are people in the UK, with 67.4 million Christians, it’s still less than five per cent of the population of India, which is almost 1.4 billion people.

How are Christians persecuted in India?
Christians in India are struck down not once but twice. As well as the devastating pandemic, believers face ongoing persecution. Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus, and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam.

STAND FOR TRUTH
You can join with Open Doors' campaign for Indian Christians facing pandemic and persecution.
FIND OUT MORE
They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a ‘foreign faith’ and even blamed for bad luck in their communities. These believers are often physically attacked and sometimes killed, as well as being under constant pressure from their family and community to return to Hinduism. If they do not ‘reconvert’, they may be boycotted by their community, with a devastating effect on their ability to earn income. Many believers are isolated and don’t know any other Christians.


Christians are persecuted in all areas of public and private life, and anti-conversion laws (currently in nine states, with more considering adoption) are abused to harass and intimidate Christians.

Meet ‘Vinita’
What’s life like for Christians in India?
Vinita (name changed) was praying with her pastor when a group of Hindu extremists burst into her home, calling "Where are the Christians? We don’t want Christians here!”

“Eight or nine men from the neighbourhood barged into the house,” remembers Vinita. “They were armed with rods in their hands. For almost 30 minutes they were beating us. They were stamping on us and hitting us. We were falling down and they would pick us up again, and continue the attack. I felt that today we would not be spared."

When they got to hospital, they were denied medical care - just because of their faith. Thankfully, Open Doors partners were able to help them move to another hospital, as well as paying medical bills and helping with legal assistance.

“I am thankful to God for blessing us immensely,” says Vinita. “And to those people who have helped me, I would like to give thanks.”

The pandemic has brought further challenges. In April 2021, the country recorded its highest daily figure for deaths as well as a global high for daily Covid-19 cases. Shortages of oxygen and medicines are rampant, even forcing some people to search for supplies of oxygen on the black market where prices are very high. It means the poor – including many Christians – are at grave risk of not getting access to vital care. Many have lost their businesses - Vinita's livelihood was severely affected by the pandemic.

Is it getting harder to be a Christian in India?
Persecution in India has increased significantly over the past five years, and has now remained relatively unchanged for the past year. The Covid-19 pandemic has offered a new weapon for persecutors, though, and Christians are often deliberately overlooked when official Covid-19 food and aid is distributed. This has left many desperate for food, particularly since many Christians are from the Dalit caste and thus very poor, and have lost their sources of income this year.

How can I help Christians in India?
Please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in India. Your gifts and prayers make an enormous difference to those following Jesus no matter the cost. Christians in India are struck down but not destroyed.

Open Doors works through local church partners to strengthen the Indian church through providing emergency aid, persecution survival training, Bibles, livelihood and community development, advocacy support and legal training. 

PLEASE PRAY
Lord, thank You that faith is growing in India despite so much opposition faced by Christians in public and private life. Please keep bringing new believers to faith, and give strength and resilience to Christians from a Hindu background. Frustrate the plans of Hindu extremists who want to rid the country of other faiths, and change the hearts of those in power. Amen."

Yes there is Christian persecution in India. I know a group of missionaries and local people who have faced violence just for being Christians. Some of them got hurt and required hospitalization. I don't know how common it is, but for the people I know it's a reality to be persecuted for preaching the gospel of Christ.

It's getting tight from the beginning of this year don't know why. Sharing the gospel is prohibited in some states. I'm from south here the ruling party of India has set some people to take care of Christians who try to share Jesus. They are on constant watch, if we go to a village to share Gospel which is in their control. They'll round us up pack us to the nearest police station and warn us mot to do this again. Hindu leaders are afraid that people will leave Hinduism. so ya India is becoming a hard ground for Christians.

I heard the news..about recent/severe persecution.
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More of His comfort to you & Christian workers in India.
- In the midst of persecution.

In my state there's no persecution yet. Just a soft grab on the neck to control us. Also government is portraying Christians as religious lunatics who want to push their belief on others. They paint everything Christians do as relegious conversion from prayer meetings to sharing gospel. Just a kind of mental pressure nothing physical yet. And thankyou so much for your support our Lord Jesus will be with us and guide us through this hard times.

So from which state you come?

Tamil nadu, the southern end of India.