Threat of Burning Christians Alive! (Prayers and help needed)

My e-mail | 11/12/05 | Pastor.Johnson Mathews

[MSCASEY]

Ping to last post!

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[ExcursionGuy84]

Shiva is called 'the destroyer'

Same thing with Lucifer, who led a Third of Heaven's Angel's in Rebellion against OUR AWESOM FATHER.

[GregoTX]

This does not make sense. India is not a mulsim nation like sausi arabia that has laws to execute christians. In India murder is illegal, as is kidnapping. I dont understand this letter, the Indian laws are being violated, where is the Indian Gov on this? Where is their law enforcement?

[MSCASEY]

They do not want those that are low in the caste system to find hope, love and contentment in their hearts. They desire to keep them as their servants in spirit.

I am certain that no one in the government is low in the caste system therefore they usually will not step in.

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[old-ager]

> It is the exclusive worship demanded by God [Christ] which makes the Hindus violent.

The liberal churches don't like it much either.

[little jeremiah]

There is no evidence that this whole thing exists other than a few emails.

There have been Christians in India since before there were Christians in Europe. There is a great deal of religious tolerance in India.

I don't believe this. Also contrary to what some say on this thread, the caste system is dying, especially in the government, which has a more or less affirmative action policy. There are many lower caste people in the Indian government.

If people want to get upset about real Christian bigotry and torture, look at Muslim beheadings and other horrors. Or China. India is not the place to look.

[GregoTX]

I was thinking that too. It is past Nov 20th (the deadline), and I have been searching newspapers that cover Himachal Pradesh, I found a couple, and no mention of the story.

[GOP_1900AD]

In order to avoid a terrible situation, the threatened folks may want to think about relocating to another part of India. There are areas much more friendly to Christians than the one you've described.

Now for some opinions. Hindus who assail Christians are being strategically stupid. For India, having the support of the global Christian community would be a very good thing. It is Muslims and godless Communists Hindus need to fear.

[MSCASEY]

Well your prayers and e-mails were so helpful. That is why I did not include you in my ping. All you did was come on and make this a religious issue. No prayers offered.

Furthermore my pastor lives in India and has first hand knowledge. So if you just want to come on and insult what people are attempting to do to help then don't waste your time or ours.

Here is a link here that came out after I contacted and sent world net daily a copy of my e-mail.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1523891/posts

Here is a follow up that just came out a few hours ago.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47573

Maybe because of the e-mails that caring Christians sent someone told the police that they needed to step in. Where were you?

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[MSCASEY]

Some people may not have the money. There are many poor people in India. Heck even here in America many cannot just relocate even though they may desire to so.

I am just glad that they will be okay, the police got involved and stepped in. I praise the Lord that he heard our prayers.

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[ironmaidenPR2717]

I just saw the WorldNetDaily article on their website and forwarded it to the 28 people on my prayer list thanking them for praying. I then hightailed it on over here (to FR) to tell you and post to this thread and saw you'd already gotten the good news! Prayer works, guys!! We need to remain spiritually vigilent, however, as the article states the "assailants have gone into hiding", which may mean they're biding their time before trying another attack.

[MSCASEY]

Prayer works! At least the police did get involved. I am so glad.

If you want why don't you post the whole article from World Net Daily! I am in the middle of cooking pies! Ping me if you do! I am so very happy!

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[Smokin' Joe]

Prayers up!

[ironmaidenPR2717]

Here ya go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, November 24, 2005

FAITH UNDER FIRE
Plot to burn Christians thwarted
Extremists gave ultimatum to new converts
Posted: November 24, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Police in northern India thwarted a plot by Hindu extremists who threatened to burn to death more than 60 Christian converts if they refused to return to Hinduism by Sunday.

Members of a Christian movement called Believers Church met peacefully Sunday in the state of Himachal Pradesh, according to Compass Direct, a news service that monitors persecution of Christians.

"We were able to meet without incident," said Ramish Masih Battih, the son of Pastor Feroz Masih.

As WorldNetDaily reported, the radical Hindus severely beat the pastor in a Nov. 4 attack, accusing him of "forcibly converting" Hindus. Masih sustained internal injuries requiring medical treatment and still is recovering.

The pastor's son told Compass Direct the estimated 10 attackers were members of the World Hindu Council and its youth wing Bajrang Dal, which has been blamed for waves of attacks against Christians and other religious minorities since the rise of the Hindu nationalist party BJP in the late 1990s.

A police official said "misconceptions are the root of the problem."

"There are many illiterate people who can easily be misled to believe that Christians are forcibly converting Hindus," he explained.

The Masihs are connected to K.P. Yohannan's Gospel for Asia missionary group.

Yohannan said police tried to arrange a meeting between the pastor and the attackers, but the assailants had gone into hiding.

"One positive outcome of this incident is that people in the area now know that those who come to faith in Christ are doing so because of the power of the Gospel, not the coercion of men," Yohannan said.

At a press conference, he pointed out, "many of the new Christians testified that they had accepted Christ of their own free will – often because they had been healed of their diseases."

Last week, the attackers forced Masih, 62, to sign a document stating his willingness to participate in a ceremony last Sunday in which all of the Christians would convert back to Hinduism.

Refusal to participate would prompt the radicals to burn the converts to death.

The congregation meets in the Masihs' home in the town of Baijnath.

Yohannan said the threat was reminiscent of the brutal murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two children in 1999 by Hindu radicals in the state of Orissa, who vowed to burn alive anyone who did not renounce their new faith.

[Arpege92]

Done!

[Coleus]

Yours for the lost of Asia,

K.P. Yohannan
Founder & President
Gospel for Asia

[Coleus]

11/15/2005: Indian Believers Under Vicious Death Threat

More than 60 new believers in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh are being threatened with death if they refuse to renounce their faith and convert back to Hinduism. Radical Hindu extremists in their area of North India have threatened to murder those who do not return to their former religion.

On November 4, a visiting Believers Church pastor was attacked and severely beaten by a group of militants who threatened his life. Now the same group says they will conduct a puja (ritual) on November 20 to forcefully convert the Christians in the church, pastored by GFA native missionary Ramesh Masih Battih, back to Hinduism. In a threat reminiscent of the brutal murder of missionary Graham Staines and his two children by the same kind of fundamentalists in Orissa, they said they would burn alive any who do not renounce their new faith.

Pastor Battih has filed a complaint with local police, but the area is dominated by a large temple to the Hindu god Shiva. Thousands of pilgrims come to the temple, so it is not clear if the police will take any action to protect the Christians.

"What is most important now is that we pray for this situation," said Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan. "These brothers and sisters have chosen by their own free will to follow Christ. I urge you to pray for their protection, and that God will surround them with His angels and turn back any violence. Please also pray for their attackers, that their hearts will be softened and that God will work a miracle in their lives.

"Please share this request with your church and your friends. This is a spiritual struggle, and only through prayer and fasting will the darkness be dispelled and the people set free in Christ."

[MSCASEY]

Thank you for posting that! I pray the situation stays stable and the pastor heals rapidly.

Ms. Casey's Daughter

[MSCASEY]

thank you for the prayers for India!!

Ms. Casey's Daughter