JANUARY, 2022 – REFORMADVOCATE.COM NEWS/VIEWS Toronto, Canada Jeffrey S. Ram, Editor, January 1, 2022
INDIA-BHARTIYA JANATA PARTY GOVERNMENTS AND HINDU MOBS TERRORIZE CHRISTIANS
After the incidents reported in the December blog, systematically targeted attacks on Christians continued. The media do not report all incidents. The Christian victims are afraid of lodging a police complaint because, in most cases, the victims are arrested, not the victimizers. From the lower to the highest court, the judges perpetrate judicial persecution by denying or delaying bail to the victims and immediately granting bail to the victimizers. Mobs of people associated with Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), under different banners, raid Christian church services on the excuse of checking conversions. They make false conversion allegations, fully knowing that conversion is a lengthy legal process. People cannot convert by just attending a Christian worship service. These attacks and open intimidation continue with the support of BJP governments, police, and the judiciary. Details at: https://www.reformadvocate.com/post/india-modi-invites-pope-his-followers-continue-attacks-on-christians
November 26, 2021: Police in Belagavi, Karnataka, gave a friendly warning to at least 25 pastors to shun prayer meetings to avoid violence. Details at: https://www.thequint.com/news/india/belagavi-cops-tell-christians-to-avoid-prayer-meets-to-evade-right-wing-attacks
November 28, 2021: In the Dwarka area of the National capital Delhi, a newly started church was vandalized by a mob of 20 to 25 people. Details at:https://thewire.in/rights/watch-dwarka-church-christians-allege-attack-by-bajrang-dal
At Belur in Hassan district, Karnataka state, Bajrang Dal (Brigade of Hindu deity Hanuman) members attacked a Sunday worship and forced the worshippers out.
December 5, 2021: In the Jhabua district, 6 Christians were charged with conversion on the complaint of Hindu extremists. The lower courts denied them bail on December 8.
December 6, 2021: A mob of about 500 people, carrying stones and iron rods, attacked St. Joseph School in Ganj Basoda, Sagar district, in Madhya Pradesh and caused damage estimated at 2 million rupees. Details at:
See the video of the incident here: https://twitter.com/zoo_bear/status/1468202707034935301
On a complaint that boys and girls were given beef to eat and taught Bible, a joint police and district Child Welfare Committee team visited St. Francis Orphanage at Shampura in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. Everyone knows that beef is illegal, so the orphanage cannot get it.
December 8, 2021: The renovation of a century-old Catholic church in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, was stopped. Earlier the M.P. government did not renew the licenses of 7 Catholic schools. Also, the police charged at least 21 Christians for illegal conversion. In 10 Christian schools, Hindu activists demanded that a statue of Hindu deity Saraswati be installed. Details at:
December 9, 2021: The police stopped Hindu groups from forcibly entering a church in Rohtak, Haryana.
December 11, 2021: In Belagavi, Karnataka state, a man entered a church with a machete and chased a priest. Details at:
Hindu groups allied with RSS and BJP attacked Christians in Karnataka’s Kolar district and burnt religious books. Details at https://thewire.in/communalism/karnataka-hindu-right-mob-attacks-christians-sets-religious-books-on-fire
December 13, 2021: It was reported that the police in Karnataka state advised Christian pastors not to hold Christmas services because the police would not be able to protect them. Details at:
The police filed a case against Nirmala Shishu Bhavan shelter home, a Missionaries of Charity organization founded by Mother Teresa, in Vadodara's Makarpura area in Gujarat state. The shelter home was charged with allegedly luring young girls into Christianity and hurting "Hindu religious sentiments." Details at:
December 16, 2021: Indresh Kumar, a senior leader of RSS, the ideological parent of BJP and other Hindu extremist organizations, told Christians to stop converting people. He was speaking at a function in New Delhi. The lie of conversion is presented as fact by the people in power.
December 18, 2021: Celebrating the National Minorities' Rights Day, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities, claimed that there were no religion-based atrocities against minorities in India. It seems he cannot read or watch the news.
December 23, 2021: The 160-year-old St. Joseph's Church in Karnataka's Chikkaballapur district, about 65 kilometers from state capital Bengaluru, was vandalized, and a statue of St. Anthony was broken.
Hindutva activists disrupted a Christmas celebration at Nirmala English High School and College in Karnataka's Mandya district. They also threatened to hang a photo of Hindu goddess Sarawati. Details at: https://thewire.in/communalism/karnataka-hindutva-activists-disrupt-christmas-gathering-at-school-threaten-administration
December 24, 2021: Christians were attacked in Haryana state’s Gurugram district.
An effigy of Santa Claus was set on fire by members of the Bajrang Dal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. They also shouted, “Santa Claus Murdabad” (Death to Santa Claus).
At Chandmari in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, 20 to 30 Hindus protested outside the Matridham Ashram before a Christmas function.
In Kurukshetra, Haryana, some Hindus took over the church stage in a Christmas celebration. They began to play Hanuman Chalisa (Hindu hymn) on loudspeakers which forced the Christians to leave the church.
December 25, 2021: In Silchar town in Cachar district of Assam state, a Christmas celebration was disrupted by members of the Bajrang Dal, a child of RSS and a sibling of BJP.
In the Gurugram district of Haryana state, a group of Hindu extremists stormed the stage of a Christmas event in a school in Pataudi. Details at:
The Home Ministry chose Christmas day to announce that it had not renewed the license of the Missionaries of Charity for receiving foreign donations. Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic nun, founded the charity in Kolkata in 1950. Details at:
In the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, a Christian priest was assaulted for not saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ as demanded. A video of the attack went viral on December 30. The police arrested the priest, abused him, and beat him in custody. The Kathua district’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) warned him to leave the district within five days or face action. Details at:
December 26, 2021: A statue of Jesus in the Holy Redeemer Church in Ambala Cantonment in Haryana state was vandalized by two people. Details at:
In 2021, more than 400 incidents of violence against Christians across India were reported on the New Delhi-based United Christian Forum helpline. India ranks as the 10th worst country globally about Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA’s 2021 World Watch List.
INDIA - MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY'S FOREIGN DONATIONS BLOCKED – A CRUEL CHRISTMAS GIFT TO THE POOREST OF THE POOR
Mother (now Saint) Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 for “service of the poorest of the poor, irrespective of social class, creed or color.”For her humanitarian contribution, Mother Teresa was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1980. She was declared a saint by Pope Francis in 2016.
The charity takes care of the needy, the unwanted, the abandoned, the leprosy patients, and the dying destitute. Nearly 5,000 nuns serve in over 750 homes globally. India has 243 homes for orphans, the impoverished, abandoned, gravely ill, and AIDS patients.
These nuns practice the vows of chastity, poverty, obedience, and giving “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.” Their worldly possessions include three saris, two or three cotton habits, a girdle, a pair of sandals, a crucifix, a rosary, some cutlery, a cloth napkin, a canvas bag, and a prayer book.
On December 25, 2021 (Christmas Day), India’s Home Ministry announced that it had not renewed the license of the Missionaries of Charity for receiving foreign donations.
INDIA - PRAISE THE LORD. PRAYERS ANSWERED. MIRACLE HAPPENED.
On January 1, 2022, the Government of India restored Mother (Now Saint) Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity to receive overseas donations to carry on the humanitarian work of serving the poorest of the poor.
INDIA - HINDU CONFERENCES (DHARAM SANSADS) PROMOTE RELIGIOUS HATE AND VIOLENCE
In December, Hindutva gatherings took place at Kawardha, Haridwar, and Raipur. These gatherings were attended by BJP leaders, and the Raipur Conference was attended by Congress leaders also.
At these events, Hindu leaders instigated violence against Muslims.
More such events are planned. The January events are at Dasna Devi Temple, Ghaziabad (January 1-2, 2022), and Aligarh (January 23, 2022). Conferences are also planned in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
In his speeches, Prime Minister Modi himself incites Hindus against Muslims. So, his silence on these Hindu events is taken for granted.
Evil deceives people and thrives under the labels of "holy" and "religion."
PAKISTAN-ARZOO RAJA IS FREE BUT MUSLIM NOW
On December 22, 2021, the Sindh High Court in Karachi ordered the release of Arzoo Raja. It allowed her to live with her family. However, the 13-year-old Arzoo told the court that she had converted to Islam. She is now Arzoo Fatima.
Arzoo was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to a 44-year old man. She was living in a government shelter home during the case.
It seems that Arzoo has purchased life security for herself and her family by converting to Islam.
Pakistan ranks as the 5th worst country globally about Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA’s 2021 World Watch List. Details at:
PAKISTAN- BAKERIES REFUSED TO WRITE 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' ON CHRISTMAS CAKES
It was reported that two famous bakeries, Delizia and Auntie Munaver, refused to write "Merry Christmas" on Christmas cakes purchased by customers. While many Pakistanis criticized this action on social media, most supported the decision. Details at:
WORLD - LEADERS OF ALL RELIGIONS SHOULD CONDEMN DOMESTIC ABUSE LIKE POPE FRANCIS
Pope Francis condemned domestic violence against women in a TV interview as "almost satanic."
He said he was saddened at the "very very high" number of women" who were beaten and abused in their homes.
Pope Francis added, "The problem is that, for me, it is almost satanic because it is taking advantage of a person who cannot defend herself, who can only [try to] block the blows. It is humiliating. Very humiliating."
Domestic abuse is a global problem. Only concerted and persistent condemnation of this evil by the leaders of all religions can reduce its tolerance and acceptance. Details at:
ISRAEL- CHRISTIANS FEEL THREATENED
Jerusalem's Christian leaders complained that Christians in Israel felt insecure. They warned of a growing threat to Christian communities in the Holy Land because of attacks by fringe and radical groups.
Jerusalem's Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant leaders wrote a joint letter to the authorities in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. The letter expressed their concern that violence is forcing Christians to emigrate to other countries. They were unhappy that local politicians and security officers were neglecting to prevent violence.
The leaders complained about the verbal and physical attacks on priests and Christians and vandalism by radical groups. They urged the authorities to take action to stop violence against Christians. The leaders also expressed concern at the radical groups' acquisition of strategic properties in the Christian Quarter to reduce the Christian population there.
In a statement, the World Council of Churches' acting General Secretary, the Rev. Ioan Sauca, supported the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem.
The Arch Bishop of Canterbury also added support to Jerusalem's Christian leaders. He said, "Fast action is needed to protect Christians in the Holy Land." Details at:
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE WORLD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY TO TAKE STRONG ACTION AND STOP THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIAN MINORITIES.
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