Meanwhile in India: Religious persecution continues

In India some states make it illegal to even talk to someone about converting to Christianity, but it appears to be okay to force conversions to Hinduism.

From Roy's Report,

Hundreds of Christians in central India have been denied clean water, fresh produce and employment for nearly a month in unsuccessful attempts to force them to denounce Christianity, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported May 29.

More than 180 Christian tribal families in Chhattisgarh state in central India are blocked from community rivers and other water sources; have been denied employment in a scheme orchestrated by the government, and are barred from collecting and selling non-timber forest products, a main tribal source of nourishment and income.

The families, termed Vivasis because of their tribal heritage, are spread among 32 villages in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, where many Christians reside among the majority Hindi nation of nearly 1.5 billion people.

“Christian community leaders have stated that these severe boycotts are aimed at pressuring believers into abandoning their faith and participating in Ghar Wapsi or ‘homecoming’ programs, meaning re-converting to Hinduism,” ICC said in reporting the persecution. “These areas of the Kanker districts have also previously seen broader tensions in the past, with various local village authorities issuing resolutions to restrict Christian burials and the entry of pastors.”

Violence often follows such boycotts and religious exclusions, ICC said, “with police and district administrations unable to take decisive action to prevent the atrocities.”

When I was in India I witnessed all sorts of Hindu practices that gave me an opening to talk about the differences between Christianity and Hinduism with our Muslim guide. Fortunately he did not turn me in, but he too was a religious minority and knew better.