Rajasthan, India Passes Anti-Conversion Law
Things are looking grave for Christians and Muslims in the Indian province of Rajasthan. Let’s all keep them in our thoughts and/or prayers, if you’re the praying type; no matter what your persuasion with regards to faith, nobody deserves to be persecuted for it. And it appears that it is not simply the Christians and Muslims who will suffer for it, but also the poor and the people of the caste known as the Untouchables in their communities.
Here’s part of an email I received second-hand from a missionary; I’ve kept out most names to protect people not already known to the authorities.
Warm Christian Greetings from Rajasthan, India !!!
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I wanted to update you on something very serious and urgent for your individual and collective prayers.
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The Anti Conversion Bill has been passed in the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan. India is a federal country and each state has the right to pass its own bills and laws [as defined under the Constitution]. Now the present BJP government in our state has two-thirds majority and it was easy for them to pass this bill. Rajasthan is the fifth state in India to pass this bill. The Bill has the following effects:
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1) The Government can put any Christian leader in jail if someone complaints that he is engaged in conversions. [I need not say that this will be seriously misused in the coming days to put anyone behind bars]
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2) The punishment is between two to five years of rigorous imprisonment.
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3) It is also a non-bailable offence. One cannot expect to get bail under any condition.
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4) The Government has sealed many Christian orphanages, Leprosy homes, hospitals, Colleges and Schools and has made them under their direct supervision.
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Bishop M. A Thomas is still hiding and his son Bishop Samuel Thomas is in prison. We do not see his early release as the entire State Government machinery is seemingly against Christians.
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The truth of the matter is that this Bill has been introduced to target Christians and Muslims who are doing a lot of work for the Dalits [the so called ‘untouchables ‘ in the Indian society] and many of them are embracing other faiths. However, it must be said that there are large number of Hindus who have goodwill towards Christians and it is only a minority of anti-social elements who spread the poison of religious fundamentalism.
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I preached the last week in our church and I used the example of Bonhoffer and German Church during the diabolic regime of Hitler. I was telling the church that there are only three options before us:
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1) To pray - that has been what the historic church has been doing during times of intense persecution;
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2) To join hands with co-sufferers like Muslims and Dalits and
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3) To present our case with conviction and courage whenever opportunity presents itself.
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Please continue to remember us in your individual and collective prayers. Pass our regards to your family and Church.
April 20th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Thanks for sharing that, Mel. It’s great that electronic communication makes quick responses like this possible. Amidst all the dangers of technology, this is one thing to be thankful to God for.