RELIGION TODAY

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Religion Today Summaries - Sept. 1, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Gustav Prompts Relief Teams' Preparations
    * Grant Aims to Expand Pro-Gay Church
    * Man Donates $3M Lottery Ticket to Church
    * China Missed Chance to Improve Rights Image, Says U.S.

 

Gustav Prompts Relief Teams' Preparations

Baptist Press reports that as Hurricane Gustav churns toward the Louisiana-Mississippi Gulf Coast region, Southern Baptist disaster relief units in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Virginia have been put on alert for a possible response. Gustav, which made landfall in Kingston, Jamaica, this week, is expected to reach Category 3 hurricane status by the time it makes predicted landfall on the Gulf Coast Tuesday. The National Weather Service said the storm possibly could reach Category 5 status by then. Disaster relief coordinators at the North American Mission Board have already been in contact with the American Red Cross and Salvation Army which have requested that Baptists be prepared to provide more than 310,000 meals per day in response to the storm.

Grant Aims to Expand Pro-Gay Church

A $1.2 million grant given to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation's Institute for Welcoming Resources and five partner organizations will be spent increasing the "capacity and voice of Christian organizations that support gays and lesbians," according to the Christian Post. For Kermit Rainman, social research analyst for Focus on the Family, calls the move a "false doctrine [that]is playing out in denomination after denomination, with increasing discord." According to the Post, more than 3,100 churches throughout the country already give explicit welcome to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for full membership and interaction in their congregations.

Man Donates $3M Lottery Ticket to Church

What would you do with a $3 million lottery ticket? The Associated Press reports that Pastor Bertrand Crabbe of the True North Community Church of Port Jefferson, N.Y., received an unexpected gift last week when a church member donated the ticket to the church, saying, "This was why God put the ticket in his hands." The man wishes to remain anonymous. The independent Christian church will receive more than $102,000 a year through 2028, according to the state lottery. The ticket was bought July 19. The same day, Crabbe said, the man with the ticket "called me, invited me to his home, told me he had won and his intentions. He said he wanted to bless the church." Crabbe said the first year's money will go towards charities that fight human trafficking.

China Missed Chance to Improve Rights Image, Says U.S.

The Christian Post reports that China missed a golden opportunity to show an improved human rights and religious freedom image during the Olympic Games, the White House said. "It was maybe an opportunity missed for the Chinese to demonstrate their willingness to be more open and to allow more freedom of speech, freedom of religion, while the world was watching," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto earlier this week, according to Reuters. China should have allowed peaceful protestors to demonstrate without interferance, he said. Bush pressured the Chinese government towards greater religious freedom, but was told not to interfere with China's internal affairs.
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Religion Today Summaries - Sept. 2, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Assyrian Bishops Call for Assyrian Autonomy in Iraq
    * Australian Christians Walk to Bring Bibles to Persecuted Believers
    * Christian Charities Say Poverty Must Be Gov't Priority
    * Thousands Homeless after Orissa Violence

 

Assyrian Bishops Call for Assyrian Autonomy in Iraq

ASSIST News Service reports that four Assyrian bishops have called for religious autonomy in northern Iraq. According to the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA), Ablahad Gallo Shabo is the latest bishop from the Syriac Orthodox Church to call for local self-governance for the Assyrians in northern Iraq's Nineveh plain. The prelate expressed his call for local self-governance during an interview with Ishtar TV, which broadcasts from northern Iraq. AINA reports that Ablahad Gallo Shabo, who ministers a congregation of 30,000 Assyrians in Sweden, said the world community must help the Assyrians to achieve rights to govern themselves in the Nineveh plain, but at the same time that this must not be understood as a wish to break up Iraq. Joining the two Syriac Orthodox bishops in the call for local governance for Assyrians are two bishops of the Assyrian Catholic church, Bawai Soro and Sarhad Jammo.

Australian Christians Walk to Bring Bibles to Persecuted Believers

The Christian Post reports that more than 700 Christians have participated in Walk4Bibles this year to fund almost 14,000 Bibles for persecuted believers worldwide. Organized by Bible league, participants in 10 cities in Australia walked 7 to 14 kilometers. Two more walks are scheduled. "I counted the Bibles at home and we had 10," said 9-year-old Rachael, according to Bible League. "There are families that don't have any. It makes me feel sad. I am glad that I can do something by walking." Floryn, a pastor in Romania during communist rule, had a great time taking part in the Perth walk in April. "It's a great feeling," he said. "It's amazing to know that we can make a difference for people who cannot afford or cannot have a Bible."

Christian Charities Say Poverty Must Be Gov't Priority

Religion News Service reports that Christian aid organizations are calling on the federal government to make fighting poverty a national priority, in response to new economic data from the Census Bureau. According to the bureau's report, released Tuesday (Aug. 26), the percentage of Americans living below the poverty level remained statistically unchanged from 2006 to 2007. During that same 12-month period the median income increased and the number of Americans without health insurance declined. The data not take into account the nation's recent economic downturn. The Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, called the current poverty level "unacceptable." "Let these troubling poverty statistics be a call to action for each of us," said Snyder. "We must demand that our current and future leaders give a much higher priority to the needs of the poor in their policymaking decisions."

Thousands Homeless after Orissa Violence

The International Herald-Tribune reports that violence in India's Orissa state has forced at least 3,000 people, most of them Christians, into government-run relief camps, according to government officials. Many are also living in the forest because of the violence that exploded after a prominent radical Hindu leader was killed. More than 1,000 Christians have had their homes torched, leaving at least 5,000 homeless. "We are supposed to take drastic action against whosoever indulges in violence" said R. P. Koche, the police chief in Kandhamal District. The local police force has been reinforced by 2,500 paramilitary troops, he said. The district magistrate, Dr. Krishna Kumar, said the situation was tense but under control, and that more then 200 people had been arrested. According to the Tribune Orissa state has a history of communal and ethnic clashes.
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Maoists in India Say They Killed Hindu Leader
Vishal Arora

NEW DELHI, September 1 (Compass Direct News) -- A Maoist group today claimed responsibility for killing Hindu extremist leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his disciples in Orissa state on August 23, saying that fanatical Hindus' claims that Christians murdered him were "lies."

The violence that has claimed the lives of least 36 people, most of them Christians, and destroyed hundreds of churches and homes continued over the weekend as Hindu extremists continued to blame Christians for the killing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP) leader.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, an extreme Marxist group banned by the Indian government, released a statement today saying that Sangh Parivar, the family of Hindu extremist groups led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, have deliberately misled people about Saraswati's death.

"The Sangh Parivar leaders like Praveen Togadia have been trying to divert the people by uttering lies that it is not the Maoists but Christian organizations that had carried out the attack on the VHP leader," the Marxist group stated.

The statement said Saraswati was a "rabid anti-Christian ideologue and persecutor of innocent Christians who was responsible for the burning down of over 400 churches in Kandhamal district alone."

Saraswati, who had run a campaign against Christian missionaries for several decades in Orissa, was allegedly behind a spate of anti-Christian attacks in Kandhamal district last Christmas season. The violence lasted for more than a week beginning December 24, and killed at least four Christians and burned 730 houses and 95 churches.

The Maoist statement warned the VHP of "more such punishments if it continued violence against religious minorities in the country" and called for a ban on groups linked to the Sangh Parivar, such as the VHP, its youth wing Bajrang Dal, right-wing Hindu political party Shiv Sena and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On August 30 private news channel NDTV 24X7 quoted unnamed government sources as saying that their assessment was that Christians had no role in the killing of Saraswati, and that the probe was leading to Maoist culprits.

Christian leaders said that as a result of the violence more tha 50,000 Christians are living as refugees in jungles.

Fresh Attacks

According to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), today at least two churches and a motorbike were burned and a pastor was beaten in Koraput district.

The Orissa Missionary Movement Church and the Bible Mission Church were set ablaze by mobs in Jeypore town, according to EFI, and also in Jeypore a pastor of the Blessing Youth Mission was attacked.

The state government today said 543 houses had been burned in Kandhamal alone thus far, IANS reported. Although the number of incidents has come down compared with last week, fresh attacks were reported yesterday.

Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported today that the violence had spread to three more districts of Orissa.

"Security forces had been deployed in nine districts [of Orissa] since August 23, but policemen are now being deployed in an additional three districts," Inspector General of Police Pradeep Kapur told IANS.

Security forces had been deployed in the districts of Bolangir, Bargarh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Koraput, Rayagada, Bhadrak and Kendrapada. Kapur, however, refused to tell the three additional districts where police personnel had been deployed.

Yesterday several churches and houses were burned in Bataguda and Parampanga areas of Kandhamal district, Boriguma area of Koraput district and in parts of Rayagada district, according to IANS.

The Hindu newspaper reported that eight prayer houses were damaged in Kundra area of Koraput district on Sunday. "Violence erupted in the district following a clash between two groups in Jeypore town on Saturday and five churches were damaged," the newspaper reported, adding that a curfew was still in force.

Although the violence began more than a week ago, police are still saying they are not able to reach interior villages of Kandhamal. The state government has now reportedly asked for additional central paramilitary forces to control the violence.

While many parts of Orissa remained under curfew today, over 13,000 people were reportedly living in relief centers set up by the state government in seven places in Kandhamal.

'Reconversions'

With violence continuing with little or no police protection, Christian leaders said many fearful believers have been forcibly "reconverted" to Hinduism.

According to The Indian Express, more than a hundred Christians "reconverted" to Hinduism in Kandhamal on Friday and Saturday (Aug. 29-30). "I have heard that reconversions are taking place and I am looking into it," Kandhamal Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabarat Sahoo told the newspaper.

A number of reconversions have reportedly taken place in Raikia, Baliguda, Barakhama and others areas of Kandhamal, the newspaper reported.

Dr. Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of India Christians, told Compass that Hindu extremist groups are "reconverting" Christians by force.

"We have collected evidence and given it to authorities," he said. "However, the police and other state government authorities are not doing anything."

George led a sit-in protest with local Christians in front of the state legislative assembly building in state capital Bhubaneswar, and submitted a memorandum to the state governor on Saturday (Aug. 30).

Brahmachari Shankar Chaitanya, successor of the slain Saraswati, asserted that the conversions were "purely voluntary."

"If misguided people want to come back to Hinduism they will do so, and it is our duty to extend all necessary help and embrace them," Chaitanya told The Indian Express.

'Punish the Killers'

Christians noted that the violence by VHP extremists is in a state ruled by a coalition of Biju Janata Dal party and the BJP. 

A delegation comprising a noted filmmaker and Christians from various denominations today submitted a memorandum to the Indian President Pratibha Patil demanding action against the VHP and other groups for leading mobs to kill and attack Christians.

The delegation urged the president to invoke Article 355 of the constitution, which states that the federal government has a duty to protect states against external aggression and internal disturbance.

The delegation included film director Mahesh Bhatt; Dr. Abraham Mathai, vice chairman of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission; Dr. John Dayal, member of the National Integration Council of India; Mehmood Madani, member of Parliament; Archbishop Raphael Cheenath from Orissa; Delhi Archbishop Vincent Concessao; the Rev. Dr. Babu Joseph, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India; Joseph Dias from the Catholic Secular Front; the Rev. Madhu Chandra of the All India Christian Council, and Jenis Francis of the Federation of Catholic Associations.

"More than 50,000 Christians are living as refugees following the violence in Orissa," Mathai told reporters. "All the political parties are sitting as mute spectators."

Christians make up 2.4 percent of the state's population, or 897,861 of the 36.7 million people.
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Evangelical Leaders: Pregnancy Doesn't Derail Palin Support
Adelle M. Banks


September 5, 2008

(RNS) -- Evangelical leaders say the announcement that GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's teenage daughter is pregnant will not diminish their support for her candidacy.

Palin, a first-term governor of Alaska, issued a statement with her husband, Todd, saying that they are proud of their daughter Bristol's "decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents."

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson issued a statement within hours of the Monday (Sept. 1) announcement, congratulating the Palins for choosing to continue the pregnancy of a 17-year-old.

"They should be commended once again for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances," he said.

Evangelical leaders have previously praised the governor for choosing to give birth to her fifth child, Trig, despite his diagnosis with Down syndrome.

Asked Tuesday if the family's announcement would dampen evangelicals' general support for McCain's vice presidential pick, Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law, said "absolutely not."

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said the governor's daughter is "following her mother and father's example of choosing life in the midst of a difficult situation."
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Religion Today Summaries - Sept. 4, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Anglican Church, Vatican Condemn Orissa Violence
    * Haiti: Hurricane Season Slams Ministries
    * Political Sermons on Web Earn Tax Exemption Review
    * Relief Agencies Prepare for Still More Storms

 

Anglican Church, Vatican Condemn Orissa Violence

About 16,000 Christians have fled and at least 16 people have been killed in India's Orissa state, the Christian Post reports. The head of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, called on Christians to speak out. "I hope that Christians and people of faith around the world will make known their horror at this violence, their support for the rebuilding of lives and the churches, orphanages and schools destroyed, and for work towards future reconciliation," he said. Likewise, the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, said the international community must demonstrate the same commitment to wiping out growing "Christianophobia" as to tackling anti-Semitism or Islamophobia. Violence between Hindu extremists and Christians has continued even after Maoists claimed responsibility for the death of militant, extremist Hindu leader blamed on Christians.

Haiti: Hurricane Season Slams Ministries

Mission News Network reports that Haiti had no time to recover from Hurricane Gustav before Hurricane Hanna struck on Tuesday, again causing massive flooding. Floods and mudslides from the storms have killed more than 100 people. Eva DeHart of For Haiti With Love told MNN that families are desperate for food, even standing outside the ministry's gates during Hanna's fury. Haiti was already enduring a food crisis before the storms hit, and the active hurricane season threatens to worsen the situation, as blocked roads inhibit food distribution. DeHart said, "Gonaives is totally flooded, and areas of Cap Haitien are starting to flood. Nobody is allowed out on the streets. It was food distribution day, but nobody is allowed out on the streets."

Political Sermons on Web Earn Tax Exemption Review

Sermons posted on the Internet may land politically-minded pastors in trouble if they're not careful, the New York Times reports. This year the Internal Revenue Service began actively watching the Internet for churches who violate their tax exempt status by supporting or opposing candidates from the pulpit. YouTube and Google, paired with the increased Web presence of churches, has made it easier for the IRS and watchdog groups to find pastors who perhaps thought only their congregations would hear the message. Several churches' tax exempt status is under review and may be revoked this year thanks to such monitoring. "The I.R.S. goes, and it's scouring the Internet looking for trouble," said Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for a conservative Christian group called the Alliance Defense Fund, which defends clergy members accused of partisan activities. "It is our contention that in church it is the pastor who should determine what is said, not the I.R.S."

Relief Agencies Prepare for Still More Storms

Although Hurricane Gustav is gone, it's not over yet, ASSIST News Service reports. "Three more storms are coming on the heels of Gustav -- Hurricane Hannah is expected to strike as soon as Friday, followed by potential hurricanes Ike and Josephine. Significant flooding is expected throughout the region as all eyes remain on the levees," said Hal Donaldson, president of relief organization Convoy of Hope. "Gustav also caused flooding in some Florida locations, including Orlando and Sanford. In Louisiana, all parishes remain closed with roads blocked as 1.4 million people remain without power (estimated to be down another two to three weeks), and boil water orders are in effect in two parishes," Donaldson said. Mickey Caison, director of the SBC North American Mission Board's adult mobilization team told Baptist Press, "Reports are that evacuees are running out of money and some restaurants are running out of food -- especially along the I-20 corridor. So we've got to step up to help them at these peripheral evacuation centers."
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Christian Bookstore Owner Awaits Trial in China
Sarah Page


September 8, 2008

DUBLIN (CDN) -- Beijing Christian bookstore owner Shi Weihan is awaiting the outcome of an August 19 court appearance and may be back in court within 10 days, according to Compass sources.

Denied proper medication and diet for his diabetes, Shi is almost "unrecognizable" due to severe weight loss, according to family members.

Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers initially arrested Shi on November 28, charging him with "illegal business practices" after he allegedly published Christian literature without authorization for distribution to house churches. Court officials ordered his release on January 4, citing insufficient evidence. 

Officers arrested him again on March 19 and reportedly forced him to sign a "confession" convicting him of engaging in the printing and distribution of a large number of illegal publications. 

They also forced Shi's Antioch Eternal Life Church to close in June.

Shi's bookstore, located near the Olympic Village, continued to operate during the Games.

Secretive Legal Process

Initially the Beijing PSB denied having Shi in custody, with officials claiming they did not know his whereabouts. After Shi's attorney Zhang Xingshui applied pressure, officers finally admitted having him and allowed a single visit with his attorney.

They also labeled Shi a "dangerous religious element."

Shi's family and friends expected a trial would take place on June 19, the date that marked the end of three months of detention without charges. Chinese law prohibits the PSB from holding Chinese citizens for more than two months without formal charges, and Shi's family and friends thought the three-month mark might have been significant. (See Compass Direct News, "Christian Bookstore Owner Still Without Trial," June 20.)

No trial, however, took place on that day.

Authorities recently moved Shi from the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau back to the Haidian District Detention Center where he was held after his first arrest in November 2007.

Shi may have been held virtually "incommunicado" during the Games because of fears that he would use foreign connections to embarrass China during the event, one source who preferred to go unnamed told Compass. Shi has many foreign clients and friends.

"Perhaps the government regarded him as a potential organizer of public dissent, although many who know Shi affirm that he is a peaceful, patriotic and gentle man, not given to drawing attention to himself," the source added. 

Shi's store operated legally and sold only books for which he had obtained government permission. Under his Holy Spirit Trading Co., however, Shi printed Bibles and Christian literature without authorization for distribution to local house churches, according to Asia Times Online.

Shi's wife and two daughters are under great strain as a result of his arrest. Sources have asked for prayer that the family's "strength and faith will not falter."
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Religion News Summaries - Sept. 8, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Excessive Flooding Blocks Aid to Hurricane Victims in Haiti
    * Do Americans Really Know Who Evangelicals Are?
    * Iran: House Churches Growing in Iran Despite Persecution
    * Judge Rejects Challenge to N.Y. Gay Marriage Rules

 

Excessive Flooding Blocks Aid to Hurricane Victims in Haiti

After a flyover of the Gonaives area of Haiti, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has learned that flooding will temporarily prevent missionaries and relief workers from reaching victims stranded there, according to the ministry. Slammed by Tropical Depressions Fay and Gustav, and most recently Tropical Storm Hanna, the damage appears to be worse than the record devastation caused by Hurricane Jeanne in 2004. "There are about 110,000 people there, and the town is completely flooded from knee-deep to 10 feet of water," said Will White, MAF pilot. "A lot of the people have moved to the tops of their houses. The town is completely cut off by water." Although MAF operates several air strips in Haiti, Thursday was the first day MAF was permitted to begin transporting missionaries to aid storm victims in Haiti. White said the biggest threats now are waterborne illnesses due to lack of clean water.

Do Americans Really Know Who Evangelicals Are?

The Christian Post reports that the "evangelical" category is harder to define than one would think, even among those who describe themselves as part of the group. A new study by Ellison Research shows that 36 percent of average adult Americans have no idea what defines an "evangelical Christian." "I'm not sure; all I can think of is Billy Graham," said one 40 year-old woman from Florida who does not attend worship services, in the survey. Fourteen percent of those who described themselves as evangelical still couldn't give a definition. Richard Cizik, vice president for Governmental Affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals, admitted that the category does not have an exact definition.

House Churches Growing in Iran Despite Persecution

ASSIST News Service reports that a major crackdown against house church Christians is proceeding in Iran. And while the Islamic government could halt its nuclear program if it wanted to, it's finding it's incapable of reversing the rapid spread of Christianity there. Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs explains. "The people look around, they see the poverty, they see the discontent, they're not happy so they have questions. Why isn't it working out, we're doing it the Islamic way, why isn't our country great? So, they are ripe to hear a new way," Nettleton said. Less than one half of one percent of the Iranian population is Christian, said Gary Lane, CBN News International Correspondent. Nettleton continued: "The church is exploding in terms of numbers, but it is coming with a price. The people are arrested, they're harassed, they're persecuted, in some cases they are beaten severely. It is not an easy pathway."

Judge Rejects Challenge to N.Y. Gay Marriage Rules

Religion News Service reports that a New York judge has dismissed the first challenge to a new state policy that recognizes same-sex marriages performed out-of-state, saying the current policy is in line with state law. In a ruling on Tuesday (Sept. 2), state Supreme Court Judge Lucy Billings called the directive "consistent with New York's common law, statutory law, and constitutional separation of powers regarding recognition of marriages legally solemnized outside New York." The Alliance Defensive Fund, a prominent Christian legal organization, brought the suit in June, shortly after Gov. David Paterson ordered that same-sex couples who are married out-of-state should receive the same rights afforded to married couples.
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Hindus in Orissa Mayhem Help Protect Christians
Vishal Arora


September 9, 2008

BHUBANESWAR, (Compass Direct News) -- Asserting that most area Hindus are tolerant and peaceable, victims of ongoing anti-Christian violence in the eastern state of Orissa blamed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP) and other extremist groups for the terror of the past two weeks.

"The mobs that attacked our parishes and institutions were largely composed of extremists from the VHP and its youth wing, Bajrang Dal," said Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of the Behrampore Catholic diocese.

At least four parishes, a presbytery and a youth hostel were destroyed in Munniguda town in Rayagada district under the Behrampore diocese in the spate of violence that began following the killing of a VHP leader, Laxmanananda Saraswati, and four of his associates in Kandhamal district on August 23. Christian leaders say more than 100 lives have been lost and thousands of houses, churches and institutions damaged or destroyed in the violence.

The state government attributed the assassination of the VHP leader and his associates to Maoists who have since claimed responsibility for the murders, but the Hindu extremist groups continue to blame Christians.

Asked if he condemned the violence on Christians, VHP Orissa State President Gauri Prasad Rath told Compass that he categorically did not.

"You should ask me to condemn the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his associates with AK-47s by Christians," he said.

While the Global Council of Indian Christians says more than 100 people have been killed in the violence, the Kandhamal District Collector's Office told Compass that the death toll is only 14 people. The office reports 22,685 people are in relief camps in Kandhamal.

The same office has also reported that 2,400 buildings have been destroyed in the mayhem, though Christian leaders believe the total is much higher.

Hindus Protected Christians

Father Mathew Puthyadam, a Catholic priest in Phulbani town in Kandhamal district, told Compass that local Hindu families gave him shelter.

As mob of around 4,000 people was carrying the body of Saraswati in a procession outside his church on the night of August 24, he said, he first sought shelter with Christians.

"When the mob was destroying my parish [Christ the King Church], I went to the house of parish workers nearby and hid in a broken bathroom," Fr. Puthyadam said. "The mob somehow came to know that the house belonged to Christians, and they launched an attack on it. They beat up the two boys who live there, but they managed to escape. Thankfully, they did not come to the bathroom."

About an hour after the mob left, Fr. Puthyadam came out to the street to see if it was safe for him to leave.

"A Hindu lady told me some extremists were still roaming around," he said. "She asked me to hide in her kitchen and gave me food to eat."

Later, Fr. Puthyadam fled to a forest, and finally came to the Archbishop's House in the state capital, Bhubaneswar.

"Many among the mob were goons and thieves who were seemingly led by extremist groups," he recalled, saying he felt he had gotten a "second life" as he could have been killed.

Another priest who managed to reach Bhubaneswar after a seven-day journey from Onjamundi village in Kandhamal district praised local Hindu families for protecting him.

"On the evening of August 25, a mob of 300 people who were armed with pistols, chisels and sticks, started burning houses and churches," said Father Laxmikant Pradhan, a Catholic priest. "We could see thick smoke rising from all around. But Hindu families in the village asked Fr. Prabodha Kumar, my associate, and I to hide in their homes."

Ravindranath Pradhan, a 45-year-old former soldier of the Indian Army, told Compass that VHP supporters attacked Christian houses in his village of Gadragaon in the Rupagaon area of Kandhamal.

"We know the attackers -- they are from the VHP," he said. "We have named them in our police complaint."

Pradhan and 113 others reached Bhubaneswar on August 28 after walking for four days from Gadragaon. The homeless Christians were given shelter in a YMCA center in the capital city.

Creating a Rift

Some Orissa locals believe the extremists meant to create a rift between Christian missionaries and lower-caste tribal peoples known as "Other Backward Classes" (OBCs).

Prabhu Kalyan Mahapatra, a local Hindu and freelance journalist, told Compass that he did not think the violence was the result of what media are portraying as a Hindu-Christian "clash."

In Kandhamal, there are OBCs who are lower castes but not "outcasts," Mahapatra said, noting that the OBCs were mainly traders, while Dalits and tribal peoples were laborers and the poorest of the poor. He said the OBCs exploited Dalit and tribal people.

"However, Christian missionaries provided education to Dalits and tribals, which was not liked by the OBCs for obvious reasons," he said, pointing out that several people from Dalit and tribal backgrounds had risen to become bureaucrats and members of parliament because of education provided by Christian institutions. "And the VHP took advantage of the situation and created a rift between OBCs and Christian missionaries."

Mahapatra said that locals' tolerance for Christian converts made Hindu-Christian conflict an unlikely reason for the violence. A Christian convert, Madhusudan Das, was recognized by the people of all local communities as the "father of modern Orissa," he said. Das, a lawyer, social reformer and patriot, worked for the political, social and economical uplift of people of eastern India, especially Orissa, and contributed numerous articles and poems both in Oriya and English.

"If the people of these communities respect a convert [Das], how can you say the Hindus of Orissa are not tolerant?" he asked.

Mahapatra explained how the VHP extended Saraswati's funeral procession to incite violence.

"The funeral was taken from Saraswati's ashram [religious center] in Jalespeta to his other ashram in Chakapada in Kandhamal, covering around 134 kilometers, when the distance between the two ashrams is merely 70 kilometers," he said.

The attacks on Christians began during the funeral procession, he added.

New Tensions Feared

The Orissa government yesterday put a ban on rally planned by the VHP to take the ashes of Saraswati in another public procession throughout Orissa villages beginning on Sunday (September 7), according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
 
The ban was announced by the state government in hearing of a petition filed by Archbishop Raphael Cheenath from Orissa in the Supreme Court of India.

The state government, however, fears fresh trouble on Sunday, as it is believed that the VHP may still go ahead with the processions.

"The state government has decided to rush additional force to the riot-affected areas in view of VHP's proposed 'kalas puja' [worship of the remains of a deceased] of slain Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati," reported The Indian Express newspaper today.

According to the Evangelical Fellowship of India, mobs led by extremist groups are "roaming in Kandhamal and threatening the Christians to 'reconvert' or face death."

Christians from various denominations will fast and pray for the Christians in Orissa on Sunday.

The VHP and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, a partner of the ruling government led by the Biju Janata Dal party, continue to blame Christians for the killing of Saraswati and four others in spite of the Maoist claim of responsibility for the assassination.
 
Saraswati allegedly incited the attacks on Christians and their property in Kandhamal during last Christmas season. The violence lasted for more than a week beginning December 24, and killed at least four Christians and burned 730 houses and 95 churches.
 
The 2007 attacks were allegedly carried out mainly by VHP extremists under the pretext of avenging an alleged attack on Saraswati by local Christians. Hundreds of Christians were displaced by the violence in Kandhamal, and many are still in various relief camps set up by the state government.

Christians make up 2.4 percent of Orissa's population, or 897,861 of the total 3.7 million people.
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Religion Today Summaries - Sept. 9, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Message from Orissa: 'God Is in Control'
    * Relief to Georgian Refugees Continues through Local Churches
    * Local Authorities Invade Vietnamese Church Service
    * Chinese Religious Leaders Meet with U.S. Leaders in Atlanta

 

Message from Orissa: 'God Is in Control'

ASSIST News Serice reports that Juria Bardhan, Gospel for Asia's state leader in Orissa, India, has seen dozens of churches burned to the ground in the last two weeks. He has seen missionaries and Christians beaten and killed. But during all these horrific attacks, Juria has had one thought. "We know the Lord is in control," Juria said in an interview Thursday. Juria's comments may sound naïve to Western ears, but to Christians in volatile parts of Asia, they ring true. They expect persecution rather than peace. They know that to follow Christ means choosing to bring more trouble into their lives. They also know that Christians standing strong in the face of such trials encourages others to follow Christ. "The encouraging thing is that the attackers themselves acknowledge that Orissa used to be only 2 percent Christian, and now it's 28 percent Christian," Juria said. "They don't understand that by doing this, the church will grow by leaps and bounds, and this will cause thousands to come to Christ."

Relief to Georgian Refugees Continues through Local Churches

Mission News Network reports that while outside aid groups are sometimes denied access to Georgian refugees, Russian Christians are providing care and relief to South Ossetia war victims who have fled into Russia. "Our main response has been to help equip our church planters in the region with Bibles and Christian literature and funds to help them purchase humanitarian aid for the thousands of refugees that have flooded into southern Russia from the conflict," says Joel Griffith, Communications Manager for Slavic Gospel Association. Griffith reported that refugees are often shell-shocked, and their needs are spiritual and emotional as well as physical.

Local Authorities Invade Vietnamese Church Service

Ten local police officers interrupted a house church service in Vietnam on Aug. 31, creating great anxiety among new converts, ASSIST News Service reports. Pastor Chinh Van Nguyen shared an email report of the incident. Nguyen said the authorities interrogated and questioned the congretation about who their leader was and "why we are doing this kind of silly thing? ... We all replied in an accord: 'We are here only to worship and praise our God, Jesus Christ, as Christians, based on the teaching of the Jesus.'" The police returned shortly after to bring Nguyen to the police station "for further investigations and interrogations," although they had no official order. According to Nguyen, minutes from the interrogation banned the church from meeting together in their unregistered house church again and if the authorities saw them re-gathering, they would do more harm.

Chinese Religious Leaders Meet with U.S. Leaders in Atlanta

The Christian Post reports that a delegation of government-recognized Chinese religious leaders has arrived in Atlanta for a meeting with American church and political leaders, including former President Jimmy Carter. Critics say the visit mimics a 2006 visit of similar nature, when Chinese officials brought historical, religious artifacts as evidence of their religious tolerance to Christians. The Chinese delegation includes leaders from the five official religions in China - Catholic, Protestant, Buddhism and Toaism. Christian churches in China must register with the government's Three Self-Patriotic church, but many resist government sanctioning to meet in house churches. The Chinese delegation will also meet with leaders in Washington, D.C.
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[nChrist]

Iran: Christian Converts Charged With Apostasy
Michael Ireland


September 10, 2008

IRAN (ANS) -- Two Christians from Muslim backgrounds were officially charged with apostasy last week at the Public and Revolutionary Court in Shiraz, Iran, raising fears for their continued well-being.

Capital punishment for apostasy is not codified in Iranian law, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) explained in a media advisory.

According to the Bill of Indictment obtained by Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), the prosecutor requested the death penalty for 53 year old Mahmoud Mohammad Matin-Azad and 40 year old Arash Ahmad-Ali Basirat by evoking the judge's constitutional obligations to refer to Shari'a law, and by citing Imam Khomeini's book, Tahrir-ul-Vasile, which stipulates the death penalty for apostasy.

CSW said that as Mr Matin-Azad and Mr Basirat, who have been detained since May 15, await a verdict, another Iranian Christian, Ramtin Soodmand, has been held without formal charge since August 21, 2008. Mr. Soodmand is the son of the late Hossein Soodmand, who was the last Christian convert from Islam to be hanged following an apostasy verdict in 1990.

Appeals from the families of Mr Matin-Azad, Mr Basirat and Mr Soodmand for information on the men's welfare and for their release on bail have been continually refused, CSW said.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide said: "The right to choose one's religion is guaranteed under international law and no individual should be subjected to harassment, let alone face capital punishment on the basis of their religious choices.

"CSW is truly concerned for the welfare of the detained men and calls upon the European Union and other key international bodies to urge the Iranian Government for their immediate release and for charges against them to be dropped."

CSW is a human rights organization which specializes in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.
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[nChrist]

Religion Today Summaries - Sept. 9, 2008
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Message from Orissa: 'God Is in Control'
    * Relief to Georgian Refugees Continues through Local Churches
    * Local Authorities Invade Vietnamese Church Service
    * Chinese Religious Leaders Meet with U.S. Leaders in Atlanta

 

Message from Orissa: 'God Is in Control'

ASSIST News Serice reports that Juria Bardhan, Gospel for Asia's state leader in Orissa, India, has seen dozens of churches burned to the ground in the last two weeks. He has seen missionaries and Christians beaten and killed. But during all these horrific attacks, Juria has had one thought. "We know the Lord is in control," Juria said in an interview Thursday. Juria's comments may sound naïve to Western ears, but to Christians in volatile parts of Asia, they ring true. They expect persecution rather than peace. They know that to follow Christ means choosing to bring more trouble into their lives. They also know that Christians standing strong in the face of such trials encourages others to follow Christ. "The encouraging thing is that the attackers themselves acknowledge that Orissa used to be only 2 percent Christian, and now it's 28 percent Christian," Juria said. "They don't understand that by doing this, the church will grow by leaps and bounds, and this will cause thousands to come to Christ."

Relief to Georgian Refugees Continues through Local Churches

Mission News Network reports that while outside aid groups are sometimes denied access to Georgian refugees, Russian Christians are providing care and relief to South Ossetia war victims who have fled into Russia. "Our main response has been to help equip our church planters in the region with Bibles and Christian literature and funds to help them purchase humanitarian aid for the thousands of refugees that have flooded into southern Russia from the conflict," says Joel Griffith, Communications Manager for Slavic Gospel Association. Griffith reported that refugees are often shell-shocked, and their needs are spiritual and emotional as well as physical.

Local Authorities Invade Vietnamese Church Service

Ten local police officers interrupted a house church service in Vietnam on Aug. 31, creating great anxiety among new converts, ASSIST News Service reports. Pastor Chinh Van Nguyen shared an email report of the incident. Nguyen said the authorities interrogated and questioned the congretation about who their leader was and "why we are doing this kind of silly thing? ... We all replied in an accord: 'We are here only to worship and praise our God, Jesus Christ, as Christians, based on the teaching of the Jesus.'" The police returned shortly after to bring Nguyen to the police station "for further investigations and interrogations," although they had no official order. According to Nguyen, minutes from the interrogation banned the church from meeting together in their unregistered house church again and if the authorities saw them re-gathering, they would do more harm.

Chinese Religious Leaders Meet with U.S. Leaders in Atlanta

The Christian Post reports that a delegation of government-recognized Chinese religious leaders has arrived in Atlanta for a meeting with American church and political leaders, including former President Jimmy Carter. Critics say the visit mimics a 2006 visit of similar nature, when Chinese officials brought historical, religious artifacts as evidence of their religious tolerance to Christians. The Chinese delegation includes leaders from the five official religions in China - Catholic, Protestant, Buddhism and Toaism. Christian churches in China must register with the government's Three Self-Patriotic church, but many resist government sanctioning to meet in house churches. The Chinese delegation will also meet with leaders in Washington, D.C.

__________________________________

[nChrist]

September 11, 2008

LOS ANGELES, (Compass Direct News) -- Five arrests in three cities across Iran in August suggest a continued crackdown on Iranian Christians by authorities, sources told Compass.

The most recent of the arrests took place on Aug. 21, when Ramtin Soodmand, son of martyred Assemblies of God pastor Hossein Soodmand, turned himself in after repeated calls from the Ministry of Information in Tehran. His father was executed by the state in 1990 for leaving Islam.

Sources told Compass that for weeks Soodmand had received repeated calls from authorities telling him to travel from Mashhad, where he lives, to Tehran. Yielding to pressure, Soodmand surrendered himself to the media center of the Ministry of Information at 9 a.m. on Aug. 21 but was not heard of until 3 p.m. of the next day. He has remained in detention since then.

Shortly after his detention, Soodmand's wife, Mitra, tried to visit her husband and was told to come back later. "Your husband is going to be in jail for a very long time," sources reported that authorities told her.

Soodmand has been able to make only one phone call -- to his mother, who is blind, on Aug. 23. He told her that he was fine, but authorities did not allow him to call his wife, sources said.

Last week Soodmand's wife and two young children were finally allowed to visit him in Tehran. When they arrived, however, they found that they could only speak with him through a phone receiver and never saw him.

In the two-minute conversation, Soodmand told his wife several times, "I am fine, don't worry," sources reported. No other family members or friends have been allowed to see or speak to Soodmand. Neither his condition nor where he is being held were clear.

Sources said that authorities have also not informed his family of the charges against him.

His father, the last Iranian Christian convert from Islam executed by the Iranian government, was accused of working as "an American spy." Since then six more Protestant pastors have been assassinated by unknown killers.

The week before Ramtin Soodmand turned himself in, another Christian in Mashhad, Iman Rashidi, was arrested. Rashidi's whereabouts and condition are unknown. Rooz, a Farsi news website, reported him as under 18 years old.

Kurdish Christian Awaits Trial

A Christian member of Iran's Kurdish community, Shahin Zanboori, was arrested on Aug. 9 in the southwestern city of Arak, located in the Central Province of Iran, bordering Iraq.

Secret police detained Zanboori while he was evangelizing, sources told Compass. He was tortured during interrogation and suffered a broken arm and leg.

While in jail he told sources that he "felt God's presence in spite of the horrific treatment he received." He described being handcuffed and suspended from the ceiling while police severely beat the soles of his feet to get him to confess to crimes and give the names of all the believers he knew, according to sources.

Authorities also confiscated Zanboori's computer and cell phone.

Zanboori was released on Aug. 31 to his father, who lives in Kermanshah. His trial date had been set for Monday (Sept. 8 ), but sources have yet to learn the outcome of the hearing. He is expected to be charged with spying for foreign powers -- a less serious offense than "apostasy" (leaving Islam).

In the city of Kerman in south central Iran, a couple identified as Darioush and Shirin were reportedly arrested on Aug. 8. At press time nothing more was known about their case.

Under the past three decades of Iran's Islamist regime, hundreds of citizens who have left Islam and become Christians have been arrested for weeks or months, held in unknown locations and subjected to mental and physical torture.

Possible Reasons for Crackdown

One source who works closely with Iranian refugees believes that politics are one reason for Iran's crackdown on Christians.

"Christians are viewed as potential spies allied with Israel or America," he said, adding that the overwhelming number of Iranian Christians he counsels have been visited and intimidated by police, leading them to flee from Iran.

He also believes that the apparent explosion in the number of house churches frightens Iran's government.

"They see it as something they cannot control, so they are afraid of house churches," he said.

Another expert on Iran believes Christians outside of Iran who exaggerate the number of conversions and house churches are partly responsible for the growth of persecution. When Christians claim there are thousands of house churches throughout the country, he said, Iranian authorities feel threatened .

"They [the police] are obligated to crack down on Christian activities when these activities become too public," one Iranian Christian said.
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[nChrist]

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Pakistan: Christians Receive Threat Letters
    * Megachurch Loses Property Battle to PC(USA)
    * Bishops Criticize Biden's Abortion Statements
    * ACLU Donates $1.2M to Defeat Calif. Marriage Amendment


Pakistan: Christians Receive Threat Letters

ASSIST News Service reports that at least nine Pakistani Christians of Shantinagar, a Christian village in Punjab province, have reportedly received letters threatening them to convert to Islam on Sept. 3, 2008, the Minorities Concern of Pakistan (MCP) has reported. The letters threatened death or eviction from the area in case the recipients did not convert to Islam. Last year, some Christian residents of Charsadda, Mardan and Peshawar in the conservative North West Frontier Province of Pakistan received letters threatening them to convert to Islam in 10 days or face death. Some 10 villagers of Shantinagar received an identical message twice last year, the MCP's report said. The fresh letters, it said, did not mention any deadline. In 1997 the Christian village of Shantinagar was burnt and destroyed by a mob of about 2000 after Christians were allegedly accused of desecrating the Quran, the Muslim holy book, it said.

Megachurch Loses Property Battle to PC(USA)

The Christian Post reports that the legal wrangling stemming from churches that have split from their denomination and want to keep their property continues, as a two-year legal battle over Kirk of the Hills church property ended Tuesday. The Tusla, Okla., megachurch split from the PC(USA) in 2006, citing concerns that the denomination was leaving its biblical base. Country district judge Jefferson Sellers ruled against the church, saying the church property belongs to the PC(USA) and the Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery. "We are disappointed by this decision, but not surprised," co-pastor Tom Gray said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the Oklahoma Supreme Court will correct this injustice... All we have wanted was to keep the property we purchased and have considered our home for worship, teaching and fellowship for these many decades," Gray stated.

Bishops Criticize Biden's Abortion Statements

The Democratic nominee for vice president is facing heat from the Catholic church after speaking of his "personal and private" views on when human life begins on NBC's Meet the Press, according to OneNewsNow. In a statement, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop William Lori said Sen. Joe Biden was correct in saying life begins at conception, but added that the church "does not teach this as matter of faith; it acknowledges it as a matter of objective fact." They added, "Protection of innocent human life is not an imposition of personal religious conviction but a demand of justice. House Speaker and fellow Democrat Nancy Pelosi was also recently accused have mispresenting church teaching after a similar appearance on Meet the Press.

ACLU Donates $1.2M to Defeat Calif. Marriage Amendment

Baptist Press reports that supporters of a constitutional marriage amendment in California are asking constituents to help match a $1.2 million donation the American Civil Liberties Union's northern California branch gave in recent days to help defeat the proposal. The ACLU's Sept. 3 gift to the No on 8, Equality for All campaign is the largest single gift yet to opponents of the amendment, known as Proposition 8, according to the California secretary of state's website. If passed this fall, the amendment would protect the natural definition of marriage and reverse a May decision by the California Supreme Court legalizing "gay marriage." "The ACLU is picking this fight for a reason," Steve Linder, finance director for ProtectMarriage.com, the leading organization supporting the amendment, wrote in an e-mail to constituents. "They know that if we fail, there will be nothing stopping them and their radical vision for a society dictated to by activist judges."

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[nChrist]

September 12, 2008

ASSAM AND BIHAR, INDIA (ANS) -- A third wave of disastrous flooding has swept across India's Northeast state of Assam. The rising Brahmaputra river has left thousands homeless and 17 dead. Many Gospel for Asia missionaries and church members are among those affected.

Many of the flood victims are seeking shelter in government refuge and medical camps. Recognizing the dire situation, the Indian government has set aside about $156 million for relief work.

GFA missionaries are also doing whatever they can to help, but many roads, including a major Assamese highway, have been destroyed--making it difficult for the missionaries to get to the flooded areas.

Until the heavy rains and rising river waters subside, both government and GFA relief teams are hindered in their attempts to provide for the victims.

Five more villages on the river island of Majuli are now submerged. After this most recent flooding, 75 percent of the island has been devastated, and eight islanders have been killed.

The neighboring state of Bihar has also been affected by extreme flooding. More than 290 families who attend churches where GFA missionaries serve as pastor have been victimized by the rising water.

GFA missionaries in this state are working to relieve those whose homes were destroyed, but the water levels are far too high for most to travel into affected areas. Also, many relief camps are being looted by thieves, so the people are unable to receive the help they desperately need.

In Assam and Bihar, GFA missionaries are requesting prayer that the flooding will stop and that they will be able to reach the victims. They also ask for prayer that many will come to Christ as a result of seeing Him in a tangible way through their relief efforts.
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[nChrist]

Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world.
 
In today's edition:

    * Gustav, Ike Ravage Cuba; Baptists Launch Relief
    * Iran Parliament Passes Death Penalty for Apostasy Bill
    * Meeting with Chinese Religious Leaders a 'Ploy'
    * Theologians Seek to 'Reframe' Israel-Palestinian Conflict


Gustav, Ike Ravage Cuba; Baptists Launch Relief

Baptist Press reports Hurricane Ike struck Cuba Sept. 8, pushing along the length of the island before briefly moving offshore and turning back onto land southwest of Havana. Ike also raked the Bahamas and brought new flooding to Haiti, which was inundated by Hurricane Hanna the previous week. Hurricane Ike followed on the heels of another storm, Gustav, which roared over western Cuba Aug. 31 with winds gusting up to 200 miles an hour, according to news reports. An estimated 130,000 homes were damaged and crops were wiped out by Gustav. A Southern Baptist disaster assessment team will enter Cuba the week of Sept. 15 to consult with local Baptist partners about relief efforts needed in the wake of two hurricanes striking the island nation. In Haiti, Florida Baptists have distributed rice for the past two weeks to the hardest hit areas of Haiti, where widespread hunger exists after four hurricanes hit in four weeks.

Iran Parliament Passes Death Penalty for Apostasy Bill

The Christian Post reports that the Iranian Parliament has approved a bill that would punish apostasy with the death penalty. If passed, the bill would add several crimes to the list of those meriting execution, including "establishing weblogs and sites promoting corruption, prostitution, and apostasy." The bill passed with 196 in favor and only seven against, according to U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide. CSW advocacy director Alexa Papadouris commented, "It is deeply worrying to hear that just days after Matin-Azad and Basirat have been charged with apostasy at a court in Shiraz, the Iranian Parliament is debating a bill that could codify the death penalty for someone choosing their own religion." At least five Iranian Christians were arrested in August, according to Compass Direct News.

Meeting with Chinese Religious Leaders a 'Ploy'

OneNewsNow reports that a recent delegation of Chinese religious leaders who met with former President Jimmy Carter may have been a "propaganda ploy," a Voice of the Martyrs spokesman said. The group, which met in Atlanta this week to discuss opportunities for dialogue on religious freedom and tolerance, was handpicked by the communist regime of China, according to Todd Nettleton of VoM. Nettleton pointed out that the Chinese government only recognizes officially sanctioned churches. "That's really the challenge for the average American Christian who sees this story in their newspaper and maybe doesn't know about the persecution of Christians," he points out. "They don't know about the Christians who are currently in jail in China. They see this story in their local paper and think, oh, that's great, China's free -- so that's really our concern ...that people know the whole story."

Theologians Seek to 'Reframe' Israel-Palestinian Conflict

While the White House facilitates negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian officials on the creation of a Palestinian state, 65 theologians and church leaders are convening to "re-frame the religious dimensions" of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Christian Post reports that the international conference that began yesterday in Bern, Switzerland, will focus on what position Christians should take in the bitter land dispute. Those caught in the conflict see their positions as having "a divine mandate and polarized as wholly good versus wholly evil," pointed out the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, during the opening ceremony. However, Christians "must challenge and dismantle ideological attempts to attribute specific political projects and systems to God's will," he said. This may challenge the traditional support that Christians have given Israel.

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