Date: Tuesday 24 February 2004
Subj: China (1): Crackdown on house-churches.
To: World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty News & Analysis
From: WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer, Elizabeth Kendal
CRACKDOWN ON HOUSE-CHURCHES
In January 2004, top cadres of China's Religious Affairs Bureau and the policy-making United Front Work Department met for the annual National Religious Working Conference.
During that meeting, communist leaders screened a new, four-hour digital video, "The Cross: Jesus in China", written and directed by pro-democracy leader and Christian Yuan Zhiming, and produced by USA-based "China Soul for Christ". The cadres were also briefed on the new book, "Jesus in Beijing", by journalist and former TIME magazine correspondent in Beijing, David Aikman.
Timothy C. Morgan reports for Christianity Today magazine that "Both the video and book document the stunning growth and vibrancy of Christianity in China. The video has been classified as 'political matter', and Public Security Bureau officers are confiscating CDV copies of the widely distributed series and other Christian literature". (Link 1)
AsiaNews reports, "At a National Religious-Work conference in January, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Jia Qinglin, urged all party groups nation-wide to recommit to supervising religious activities and to guard against the influence of foreign church affiliated groups. He declared that the energy of the people must be directed instead to building up a prosperous society. The State Council has given 450 million yuan (around 56 million euro) to the Religious Affairs Bureau, to build up a team of expert cadres and eliminate unregistered religious groups. Suspicious factions are to be rooted out and replaced by 'patriotic' forces, religious sources said." (Link 2)
CBN News published a report by Gary Lane that included statements by Peter Xu (pastor of the "Born Again" movement) and Tianyun Samuel (Brother Yun, author of the book "Heavenly Man"). Both have been imprisoned several times in China for their Christian activity. Both have found refuge in the U.S.A.
Gary Lane quotes Peter Xu as saying, "The Cross [video] is a look at the growth of the house church movement in China, but the hardliners say it is subversive and undermines national religious policy. They have called for all copies of the DVD in China to be confiscated, and the house church leaders depicted in the video to be detained for questioning." (Link 3)
Gary Lane notes in his report that "Xu's sister Deborah, who was arrested January 24th because of her evangelistic activities, cannot be found. Xu says, 'We don't know where she is.we don't know where she is locked in. Her health is very weak.' Xu asks that Christians worldwide pray for his sister, and other Christians who have been arrested for the sake of the Gospel." (See also WEA RLC Prayer bulletin, link 4)
LEGITIMISING PERSECUTION
On 19 February, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) published an article entitled, "Temple fire leads to crackdown on religious activity", by Nailene Chou Wiest in Beijing. Wiest reports that fire in a bamboo prayer hall that killed 40 elderly women folk-Buddhist worshippers in Wufeng village, Haining county, Zhejiang province on Sunday 15 February, (see link 5), "has been used as grounds for provincial authorities, citing safety concerns, to clamp down on popular religious activities.
"The crackdown coincides with a new nationwide campaign intensifying the suppression of unregistered religious groups."
The AsiaNews article reports, "The fire in Zhejiang has given justification to officials for the crackdown, citing it as a prime example of the effect of superstition and foolishness. 'The Hianing
fire gave Zhejiang provincial bureaus new reasons to stamp out unregistered religious groups in the name of public safety,' a church source in Hangzhou stated." (Link 2)
SCMP reported, "As the families mourned the dead, the Zhejiang provincial department of public security and fire prevention units sent 11 work teams to demolish unauthorised meeting places across the province and condemned the 'superstitious practices' for causing the deaths."
KEEPING THE PARTY PURE
On Thursday 19 February, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) published an exhaustive list of taboo activities that could lead to a party member being expelled. A 19 February SCMP article entitled "Communist Party lists 178 things members cannot do", reports that "Besides the usual political no-nos, like opposing Marxism, Leninism, Maoism and Deng Xiaoping thought, the 178-article list published in the leading People's Daily also included apparently criminal acts such as accepting bribes, extortion and economic crimes.
"Other off-limit activities punishable by internal party sanction include visiting prostitutes, keeping mistresses, gambling, using illegal drugs or joining religious and 'cult' like groups."
The SCMP followed this on 20 February with an article entitled "Cadres face expulsion under new vice rules", which elaborated that the rules cover all party members and even retired leaders. "Party members can now be expelled for a wide range of activities. These include opposing party policy, economic crimes such as accepting bribes, joining religious groups, engaging in adultery or polygamy, watching pornographic shows, visiting prostitutes, gambling and using drugs."
If nothing else, this list of wicked, depraved, punishable sins demonstrates the status of religion in the CCP mind.
Links
1) China Arrests Dozens of Prominent Christians
By Timothy C. Morgan with David Neff in Washington, D.C. 18 Feb 2004
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/107/31.0.html
2) Underground communities: more persecutions after the temple blaze
Beijing (AsiaNews) 20 Feb 2004
http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=392
3) Faith Amidst Persecution: Many Chinese Churches Destroyed
By Gary Lane, Chief International Correspondent, CBN, 20 Feb 2004
http://cbn.org/CBNNews/News/040220a.asp
4) RLP 259 18 Feb 2004. China: Church Demolition and Arrests
http://www.worldevangelical.org/persec_China_18feb04.html
5) Haining city closes illegal worship houses after fatal fire
18 Feb 2004
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-02/18/content_1320678.htm
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Friday, February 20, 2004
India: Liberty, persecution, and conspiracy theories.
Date: Friday 20 February 2004
Subj: India: Liberty, persecution, and conspiracy theories.
To: World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty News & Analysis
From: WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer, Elizabeth Kendal
The Hindu nationalist movement in India is collectively known as the "Sangh Parivar". This movement, which advocates for the establishment of a Hindu state, consists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council, VHP), an organization to promote the Hindu religion; the VHP's militant youth wing, the Bajrang Dal; the militant Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps, RSS), possibly the world's largest paramilitary organization, combining Hindu ideology and martial arts; and a political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP rode to power in the 1998 elections on a radical platform of Hindutva (Indian "Hinduness" and the promotion of a Hindu state) and the promise to develop nuclear arms. They campaigned with the slogan, "One nation, one people, one culture." India has not been
the same since.
Religious tensions have escalated, communities are polarizing along religious lines, and persecution of non-Hindus has escalated across the nation. Religious freedom, which is guaranteed by the constitution, is now being defined to exclude the right to convert. Textbooks have been re-written ("Saffronised") and culture is being Hinduised according to Hindutva ideology. (The BJP wants to ban the eating of beef.)
The approaching elections (probably April 2004) are a matter for all Christians and advocates of peace and liberty to be greatly concerned about. Mr. Vajpayee's ruling BJP is going to the polls
early expecting to capitalise on state election successes, a strong economy, the prospect of good harvests, and improved Pakistan ties. The BJP is also excited by the fact that they now have a Gandhi in their fold. Varun Gandhi, the nephew of Congress Party leader Sonia Gandi, has elected to throw his weight behind the BJP and assist Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in the BJP's campaign for re-election. (South China Morning Post, 20 Feb 2004).
India is home to more than one billion people: 79.8% (792 million) are Hindus, 12.5% (126.7 million) are Muslims, and only 2.4% (25 million) are Christian. Should not God be concerned about that great nation? (Jonah 4:11) Advocates must advocate and intercessors must pray.
DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY
India is the world's largest democracy. However, as Bhushan Raj, Chairman of the Coalition for Safe Democracy points out, democracy is one thing, liberty is another.
Bhushan Raj believes the Indian elections will be free and fair. He is concerned however, that "those elected can be castesist, racist, fascist or religious nationalists". Raj continues, "For people in India, democracy still means liberal democracy. This refers to a political system marked not only by free and fair elections but also rule of law, a separation of powers, and the protection of basic liberties of speech, assembly, religion and property. This bundle of freedom, what might be termed as 'constitutional liberalism', has nothing to do with democracy and the two need not always go together. This is the challenge facing India. What is at stake is not democracy but constitutional freedoms.
"The BJP has appealed to the electorate to elect them by a two-thirds majority so that it can change the constitution. If a BJP-NDA alliance comes to power in the coming national elections, democracy will flourish but liberty will not. Democracy is one public virtue but not the only one. Constitutional liberalism has to be safeguarded. Without this, democracy will become an empty shell."
Paul Marshall of Freedom House writes, "To expand its support and hold its political coalition together, the national BJP moderates its stance, but then it courts extremists to appeal to its base. Meanwhile, it is Hinduizing the school curriculum, undercutting minority rights and supporting laws forbidding lower castes to change their religion to escape their low status under Hinduism.
"India continues to have proud democratic institutions, but the growth of often-violent Hindu nationalism threatens its tolerant traditions and pluralistic democracy. If religious extremism
continues to grow, it will, as we have learned elsewhere, drag India's democracy, economy and foreign policy down with it. We cannot afford to be silent against that threat, even when the
country is an important partner and ally of the United States in the war against terrorism." (Link 1)
COMMUNAL TENSIONS AND SECTARIAN VIOLENCE
The Sangh Parivar's propagation of Hindutva through all its VHP, RSS and BJP "wings" leads inevitably to attacks against Christians.
The Hindu Press of India reported on 10 February, "Seven women and a man were forcibly tonsured [heads shaved] in an Orissa village for embracing Christianity. Some 20 Christians, including the women victims and two infants, fled the village fearing more attacks on them." The Christians said that they became Christian seven years and had never had any trouble until now. (Link 2)
Abhijeet Prabhuof of Compass Direct News (CD) reported on this incident from Bangalore India. The CD report (17 Feb) notes that two of the women were 15-year-old girls and that when the women refused to return to Hinduism, the extremists beat them, stripped them, and forced them to walk naked through their village before shaving their heads. CD also reported that those who fled took shelter in an evangelical church in the capital city of Bhubaneshwar where they are now receiving pastoral care and support.
Abhijeet Prabhuof spoke to local Christian workers from Bhubaneshwar who "told Compass that Hindu extremists are actively working in the area to 'create awareness about the evils of Christianity' among the villagers. Representatives of Hindu organizations such as the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been appointed in each village to report any signs of missionary or evangelistic activity."
A January report by CD also reveals this practise of Hindu organisations actively propagating anti-Christian sentiment and fomenting sectarian conflict. CD reported on the case of Sujata, the 9-year-old daughter of a fruit-seller in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, who was raped, murdered and then dumped in a Catholic mission school compound.
The following day, a 500-strong mob, mobilised by militant Hindu groups such as the Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) and the VHP, gathered outside the school grounds "chanting anti-Christian slogans, and pelting stones at staff and vehicles in the compound" and "demanding the arrest of mission school staff". Seven staff members, including the principal, Father John Sunni, were arrested to placate the crowd.
Vijayesh Lal, writing for CD, reported that Manoj Jadhav, arrested a few days later, confessed to the heinous crime. Despite this, Khumsing Maharaj, the local leader of the VHP, claimed Jadhav was not responsible for the crime and threatened to take drastic steps if the "real culprits" were not caught. Hindu militants were then imported to exacerbate the situation which escalated to riot levels. Homes were burnt and churches ransacked. The police failed to intervene.
CD reports, "Arjun Pal, a member of the Hindu organization Seva Bharati, was killed in the clashes that day. Chief Minister Uma Bharati, a Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) hardliner, later paid tribute to Arjun Pal and said the sum of Rs.100,000 ($2,200) had been paid to his family as compensation.
"On January 21, the situation remained tense. Anti-Christian pamphlets were distributed openly in bus terminals, at marketplaces and at the funeral of Arjun Pal -- now described as a martyr for the Hindu cause.
"The pamphlets warned against conversion drives sponsored by 'anti-nationalist forces and missionaries,' urging Hindus to band together and defend India as a Hindu nation.
"Throughout Jhabua, banners and pamphlets continue to accuse Christians of the murder. Many still believe the accusations, even though an investigative team led by minister of state Kailash Vijayvargiya returned from Jhabua convinced that school personnel are innocent.
"Local government minister Kailash Vijayvargiya believes the violent clashes in Jhabua were the result of a 'well-planned' conspiracy against the school. He has called for a judicial inquiry into the incident."
-----------------------------------------------
CONSPIRACY THEORIES GO WILD
TEHELKA CLAIMS - evangelicals, missions, NGOs, "spies", the CIA, USAID, and the US government are conspiring together to convert, in order to subjugate, India.
-----------------------------------------------
Tehelka is an Indian news website that rose to fame two years ago when it exposed corruption in defence deals involving India's top political leaders. The then leader of the BJP, Bangaru Laxman, and several other significant leaders were subsequently forced to resign and BJP forced Tehelka to close.
Tehelka was relaunched on 30 January 2004, and its debut edition devoted eleven pages to the cover story, "Preparing the Harvest", by V. K. Shashikumar. The main thrust of this article is the claim that "religious expansionism" on a never-before-witnessed scale, is taking place in India thanks to intimate links between evangelical Christian missions and NGO's (Indian and foreign), the CIA, USAID, and the American government of G.W. Bush.
The writer talks about the "enormous, well-coordinated and strategised religious conversion plan" of American evangelicals. He alleges that research done by evangelical missions such as AD2000, Joshua project, Operation World, Southern Baptists etc, is used by U.S. government intelligence organisations. Shashikumar writes, "When AD2000 was conceived for India, the plan was based on a military model with the intent to invade, occupy, control, or subjugate its population."
V. K. Shashikumar alleges that G.W. Bush's faith-based initiative is a strategy to fund the advance of Christianity with US taxpayer's money. He claims the conversion plot is advancing due to the "unique collaboration between the US government and US-based evangelical mission agencies".
Under a section entitled "Holistic development tactics", Shashikumar alleges that Christian NGOs (specifically targeting World Vision) claim to be doing humanitarian work when they really have a conversion agenda and government funds for that purpose. He claims Christian ministries are "exploiting" those with HIV/AIDS, using them as a means to employ their conversion conspiracy. He claims it is the Bush government's alleged desire to advance conversions that drives American foreign policy and foreign aid budget (rather than a desire promote justice and freedom, or to do good and bring relief to those in need following the model of the Good Samaritan as taught by Jesus Christ).
This is a highly inflammatory article, with "imaginings" presented as fact. It is full of rubbish, but that will not prevent it from being used to incite fear, loathing and even violence.
Another Tehelka writer, Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, also wrote about the spread of Christianity in India, claiming once again that it was "a sinister and subversive strategy, hatched in the US, backed by the Bush administration over the years". Nagvenkar interviewed Indian mission directors and evangelists (all named) who were please to tell him about Church growth, conversions and baptisms.
Information was freely given because Nagvenkar and Shashikumar lied about their identity and purpose. The two Tehelka journalists created new identities for themselves - new names, email addresses and business cards, and posed as Christian journalists for a fictitious Christian newspaper.
Vishal Arora writes for the Evangelical Fellowship of India (which Tehelka names as a proponent of conversions) that, while Tehelka claimed to be publishing something "Top Secret", all it did was publish "what has been openly accepted by Christians for ages, that they have a biblical mandate to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ and to serve the poor and needy". (Link 3)
Vishal Arora's response is brilliant. After refuting a list of contentious accusations, he points out that the Tehelka reports simply demonstrate "the transparency of the Christian mission work.
"The so called expose reads like another one-sided thesis projecting Christian conversion in India as a social menace, neglecting the undeniable contribution by Christians in our country in the field of education, health care and social development."
Rev. Dr. J. B. Singha, the Managing Editor of Voice of Asia responded to Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal pointing out how ridiculous it is to "equate a Sikh being baptized to a crime being hatched". Dr. Singha challenges Tejpal: "Christians in India have been systematically tortured by your community. In fact, you have proved to be a total coward by not raising a conscientious voice against: the rapes of Christian nuns, the heinous crimes against the 9 and 10-year-old children of Missionary Staines when they were burnt alive, against the violation of young tribal girls, the murder and killing of innocent priests and Christian workers. Is this not a Tejpal conspiracy?"
The whole thing leaves one wondering if the Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal may have been "bought" and Tehelka revived by the RSS/VHP/BJP in a quid pro quo deal.
Vishal Arora (EFI) concludes, "This is disturbing indeed, as it comes at a time when one of the social evils our nation needs to fight is the harvest of communal hate, as also recently witnessed in Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh."
The BJP is unlikely to raise a voice in support of Christian missions and NGOs. The Tehelka report was merely following in the footsteps of BJP cabinet minister Arun Shouri, who, in his book "Harvesting Our Souls" (2000) has already called for state intervention to protect the social fabric of India from "missionaries, their design, their claims".
Elizabeth Kendal
Links
1) Make the Tough Decisions. By Paul Marshall
The Washington Times, 14 January 2004
http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/country/india/Make%20the%20Toug
h%20Decisions.htm
2) Seven Christian women, one man assaulted in Orissa village
Press Trust of India, Kendrapara, 15 Feb 2004
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_573555,000900030010.htm
3) Tehelka investigation: "Top Secret" or another anti-Christian
thesis? By Vishal Arora. February 2004 Issue I - The Bi Monthly
Edition of EFI NEWS Magazine. http://www.efionline.org/
Subj: India: Liberty, persecution, and conspiracy theories.
To: World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty News & Analysis
From: WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer, Elizabeth Kendal
The Hindu nationalist movement in India is collectively known as the "Sangh Parivar". This movement, which advocates for the establishment of a Hindu state, consists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council, VHP), an organization to promote the Hindu religion; the VHP's militant youth wing, the Bajrang Dal; the militant Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (National Volunteer Corps, RSS), possibly the world's largest paramilitary organization, combining Hindu ideology and martial arts; and a political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP rode to power in the 1998 elections on a radical platform of Hindutva (Indian "Hinduness" and the promotion of a Hindu state) and the promise to develop nuclear arms. They campaigned with the slogan, "One nation, one people, one culture." India has not been
the same since.
Religious tensions have escalated, communities are polarizing along religious lines, and persecution of non-Hindus has escalated across the nation. Religious freedom, which is guaranteed by the constitution, is now being defined to exclude the right to convert. Textbooks have been re-written ("Saffronised") and culture is being Hinduised according to Hindutva ideology. (The BJP wants to ban the eating of beef.)
The approaching elections (probably April 2004) are a matter for all Christians and advocates of peace and liberty to be greatly concerned about. Mr. Vajpayee's ruling BJP is going to the polls
early expecting to capitalise on state election successes, a strong economy, the prospect of good harvests, and improved Pakistan ties. The BJP is also excited by the fact that they now have a Gandhi in their fold. Varun Gandhi, the nephew of Congress Party leader Sonia Gandi, has elected to throw his weight behind the BJP and assist Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in the BJP's campaign for re-election. (South China Morning Post, 20 Feb 2004).
India is home to more than one billion people: 79.8% (792 million) are Hindus, 12.5% (126.7 million) are Muslims, and only 2.4% (25 million) are Christian. Should not God be concerned about that great nation? (Jonah 4:11) Advocates must advocate and intercessors must pray.
DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY
India is the world's largest democracy. However, as Bhushan Raj, Chairman of the Coalition for Safe Democracy points out, democracy is one thing, liberty is another.
Bhushan Raj believes the Indian elections will be free and fair. He is concerned however, that "those elected can be castesist, racist, fascist or religious nationalists". Raj continues, "For people in India, democracy still means liberal democracy. This refers to a political system marked not only by free and fair elections but also rule of law, a separation of powers, and the protection of basic liberties of speech, assembly, religion and property. This bundle of freedom, what might be termed as 'constitutional liberalism', has nothing to do with democracy and the two need not always go together. This is the challenge facing India. What is at stake is not democracy but constitutional freedoms.
"The BJP has appealed to the electorate to elect them by a two-thirds majority so that it can change the constitution. If a BJP-NDA alliance comes to power in the coming national elections, democracy will flourish but liberty will not. Democracy is one public virtue but not the only one. Constitutional liberalism has to be safeguarded. Without this, democracy will become an empty shell."
Paul Marshall of Freedom House writes, "To expand its support and hold its political coalition together, the national BJP moderates its stance, but then it courts extremists to appeal to its base. Meanwhile, it is Hinduizing the school curriculum, undercutting minority rights and supporting laws forbidding lower castes to change their religion to escape their low status under Hinduism.
"India continues to have proud democratic institutions, but the growth of often-violent Hindu nationalism threatens its tolerant traditions and pluralistic democracy. If religious extremism
continues to grow, it will, as we have learned elsewhere, drag India's democracy, economy and foreign policy down with it. We cannot afford to be silent against that threat, even when the
country is an important partner and ally of the United States in the war against terrorism." (Link 1)
COMMUNAL TENSIONS AND SECTARIAN VIOLENCE
The Sangh Parivar's propagation of Hindutva through all its VHP, RSS and BJP "wings" leads inevitably to attacks against Christians.
The Hindu Press of India reported on 10 February, "Seven women and a man were forcibly tonsured [heads shaved] in an Orissa village for embracing Christianity. Some 20 Christians, including the women victims and two infants, fled the village fearing more attacks on them." The Christians said that they became Christian seven years and had never had any trouble until now. (Link 2)
Abhijeet Prabhuof of Compass Direct News (CD) reported on this incident from Bangalore India. The CD report (17 Feb) notes that two of the women were 15-year-old girls and that when the women refused to return to Hinduism, the extremists beat them, stripped them, and forced them to walk naked through their village before shaving their heads. CD also reported that those who fled took shelter in an evangelical church in the capital city of Bhubaneshwar where they are now receiving pastoral care and support.
Abhijeet Prabhuof spoke to local Christian workers from Bhubaneshwar who "told Compass that Hindu extremists are actively working in the area to 'create awareness about the evils of Christianity' among the villagers. Representatives of Hindu organizations such as the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been appointed in each village to report any signs of missionary or evangelistic activity."
A January report by CD also reveals this practise of Hindu organisations actively propagating anti-Christian sentiment and fomenting sectarian conflict. CD reported on the case of Sujata, the 9-year-old daughter of a fruit-seller in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, who was raped, murdered and then dumped in a Catholic mission school compound.
The following day, a 500-strong mob, mobilised by militant Hindu groups such as the Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) and the VHP, gathered outside the school grounds "chanting anti-Christian slogans, and pelting stones at staff and vehicles in the compound" and "demanding the arrest of mission school staff". Seven staff members, including the principal, Father John Sunni, were arrested to placate the crowd.
Vijayesh Lal, writing for CD, reported that Manoj Jadhav, arrested a few days later, confessed to the heinous crime. Despite this, Khumsing Maharaj, the local leader of the VHP, claimed Jadhav was not responsible for the crime and threatened to take drastic steps if the "real culprits" were not caught. Hindu militants were then imported to exacerbate the situation which escalated to riot levels. Homes were burnt and churches ransacked. The police failed to intervene.
CD reports, "Arjun Pal, a member of the Hindu organization Seva Bharati, was killed in the clashes that day. Chief Minister Uma Bharati, a Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) hardliner, later paid tribute to Arjun Pal and said the sum of Rs.100,000 ($2,200) had been paid to his family as compensation.
"On January 21, the situation remained tense. Anti-Christian pamphlets were distributed openly in bus terminals, at marketplaces and at the funeral of Arjun Pal -- now described as a martyr for the Hindu cause.
"The pamphlets warned against conversion drives sponsored by 'anti-nationalist forces and missionaries,' urging Hindus to band together and defend India as a Hindu nation.
"Throughout Jhabua, banners and pamphlets continue to accuse Christians of the murder. Many still believe the accusations, even though an investigative team led by minister of state Kailash Vijayvargiya returned from Jhabua convinced that school personnel are innocent.
"Local government minister Kailash Vijayvargiya believes the violent clashes in Jhabua were the result of a 'well-planned' conspiracy against the school. He has called for a judicial inquiry into the incident."
-----------------------------------------------
CONSPIRACY THEORIES GO WILD
TEHELKA CLAIMS - evangelicals, missions, NGOs, "spies", the CIA, USAID, and the US government are conspiring together to convert, in order to subjugate, India.
-----------------------------------------------
Tehelka is an Indian news website that rose to fame two years ago when it exposed corruption in defence deals involving India's top political leaders. The then leader of the BJP, Bangaru Laxman, and several other significant leaders were subsequently forced to resign and BJP forced Tehelka to close.
Tehelka was relaunched on 30 January 2004, and its debut edition devoted eleven pages to the cover story, "Preparing the Harvest", by V. K. Shashikumar. The main thrust of this article is the claim that "religious expansionism" on a never-before-witnessed scale, is taking place in India thanks to intimate links between evangelical Christian missions and NGO's (Indian and foreign), the CIA, USAID, and the American government of G.W. Bush.
The writer talks about the "enormous, well-coordinated and strategised religious conversion plan" of American evangelicals. He alleges that research done by evangelical missions such as AD2000, Joshua project, Operation World, Southern Baptists etc, is used by U.S. government intelligence organisations. Shashikumar writes, "When AD2000 was conceived for India, the plan was based on a military model with the intent to invade, occupy, control, or subjugate its population."
V. K. Shashikumar alleges that G.W. Bush's faith-based initiative is a strategy to fund the advance of Christianity with US taxpayer's money. He claims the conversion plot is advancing due to the "unique collaboration between the US government and US-based evangelical mission agencies".
Under a section entitled "Holistic development tactics", Shashikumar alleges that Christian NGOs (specifically targeting World Vision) claim to be doing humanitarian work when they really have a conversion agenda and government funds for that purpose. He claims Christian ministries are "exploiting" those with HIV/AIDS, using them as a means to employ their conversion conspiracy. He claims it is the Bush government's alleged desire to advance conversions that drives American foreign policy and foreign aid budget (rather than a desire promote justice and freedom, or to do good and bring relief to those in need following the model of the Good Samaritan as taught by Jesus Christ).
This is a highly inflammatory article, with "imaginings" presented as fact. It is full of rubbish, but that will not prevent it from being used to incite fear, loathing and even violence.
Another Tehelka writer, Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, also wrote about the spread of Christianity in India, claiming once again that it was "a sinister and subversive strategy, hatched in the US, backed by the Bush administration over the years". Nagvenkar interviewed Indian mission directors and evangelists (all named) who were please to tell him about Church growth, conversions and baptisms.
Information was freely given because Nagvenkar and Shashikumar lied about their identity and purpose. The two Tehelka journalists created new identities for themselves - new names, email addresses and business cards, and posed as Christian journalists for a fictitious Christian newspaper.
Vishal Arora writes for the Evangelical Fellowship of India (which Tehelka names as a proponent of conversions) that, while Tehelka claimed to be publishing something "Top Secret", all it did was publish "what has been openly accepted by Christians for ages, that they have a biblical mandate to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ and to serve the poor and needy". (Link 3)
Vishal Arora's response is brilliant. After refuting a list of contentious accusations, he points out that the Tehelka reports simply demonstrate "the transparency of the Christian mission work.
"The so called expose reads like another one-sided thesis projecting Christian conversion in India as a social menace, neglecting the undeniable contribution by Christians in our country in the field of education, health care and social development."
Rev. Dr. J. B. Singha, the Managing Editor of Voice of Asia responded to Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal pointing out how ridiculous it is to "equate a Sikh being baptized to a crime being hatched". Dr. Singha challenges Tejpal: "Christians in India have been systematically tortured by your community. In fact, you have proved to be a total coward by not raising a conscientious voice against: the rapes of Christian nuns, the heinous crimes against the 9 and 10-year-old children of Missionary Staines when they were burnt alive, against the violation of young tribal girls, the murder and killing of innocent priests and Christian workers. Is this not a Tejpal conspiracy?"
The whole thing leaves one wondering if the Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal may have been "bought" and Tehelka revived by the RSS/VHP/BJP in a quid pro quo deal.
Vishal Arora (EFI) concludes, "This is disturbing indeed, as it comes at a time when one of the social evils our nation needs to fight is the harvest of communal hate, as also recently witnessed in Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh."
The BJP is unlikely to raise a voice in support of Christian missions and NGOs. The Tehelka report was merely following in the footsteps of BJP cabinet minister Arun Shouri, who, in his book "Harvesting Our Souls" (2000) has already called for state intervention to protect the social fabric of India from "missionaries, their design, their claims".
Elizabeth Kendal
Links
1) Make the Tough Decisions. By Paul Marshall
The Washington Times, 14 January 2004
http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/country/india/Make%20the%20Toug
h%20Decisions.htm
2) Seven Christian women, one man assaulted in Orissa village
Press Trust of India, Kendrapara, 15 Feb 2004
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_573555,000900030010.htm
3) Tehelka investigation: "Top Secret" or another anti-Christian
thesis? By Vishal Arora. February 2004 Issue I - The Bi Monthly
Edition of EFI NEWS Magazine. http://www.efionline.org/
Friday, February 13, 2004
Sharia Law: Deemed Converts
Date: Friday 13 February 2004
Subj: Sharia Law: Deemed Converts
To: World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty News & Analysis
From: WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer, Elizabeth Kendal
There has been considerable confusion amongst Western Christians about the implications of Sharia Law in family matters. Some Western Christians are proposing that Western nations embrace sharia for Muslims, as a way of encouraging cultural diversity and religious freedom. However, someone who supports religious freedom cannot support sharia because sharia restricts, even denies religious freedom.
The following story of a courageous Iraqi Mandaean girl is an example of how sharia abuses the religious liberty of individuals. (Mandaeans follow the teachings of John the Baptist.)
The following report is written by Mr. John Clugston of the Sabian Mandaean Association of Australia (SMAA).
-----------------------------------------------------------
DEEMED CONVERTS
- By John Clugston
In Iraq a miserable class similar to the forced converts is that of the hapless deemed converts: i.e., those who are deemed to be Muslims by operation of law because one or other of their parents has been converted to Islam.
An example of this is the case of "Nisbai" (not her real name.) When "Nisbai" was 10 years old her father converted to Islam and her registration was changed from "Mandaean" to "Muslim". When "Nisbai" reached her majority she commenced legal proceedings seeking to have her registration as Mandaean restored.
After several years the case reached the highest court of appeal, the Court of Cassation, which in 2002 ruled as follows:
------------------------
COURT RULING:
- quoted from a certified translation of the judgment of the court.
------------------------
Changing the religion of the minor who was considered Muslim due to the conversion of one of his parents is based on the Sharia rulings. By checking these rulings it was found that they were based on two principles; the first if one of the parents convert to Islam his minor children became Muslims. The other principle is that any person who became a Muslim whether he became Muslim on his own or by consequence, he is not allowed to reverse from it as this is considered apostasy prohibited by the rulings of Islam and it is punishable.
These two rules hold their roots in the verses of the Koran and the revered prophetical tradition and by the consensus of the learned religious scholars [Fokahaa] and those are the sources of the Islamic jurisprudence in the Islamic Sharia.
In the Koran Allah said, 'For those who believed, and their children also followed them in belief, we will have their children join them.' [sura 52:21] [al-Tur:21] and in Tafseer Kabir [great interpretation] of El-Razzie about this verse, he said the Allah linked the siblings to the parent in faith and not in infidelity; so who convert to Islam, their children are considered Muslims, and those Muslims who apostatise, their children would not be considered apostates. vol 28, p.251.
And Allah also said [3:19] 'The only religion approved by Allah is Islam' [sura 3:19] [al-Imran:19] and His saying, 'Anyone who accepts other than Islam as his religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he will be with the loser' [sura 3:85] [al-Imran:85] and His saying 'Those among you who revert from their religion, and die as disbelievers.' [sura 2:217] [The Cow:217].
This is supported by the tradition of the Prophet (pbuh) who said 'he who changed his religion, kill him', and his saying, 'It is not allowed to spill the blood of a Muslim except through one of three [reasons]: person for person, woman caught in adultery, and he who leaves his religion and part the group.'
All Muslim sects agreed to these rules by consensus except one who came lately named Sofian Elthowry [Sofian the revolutionary].
-----------------------------------------
Mr. John Clugston continues: Faced with being irremediably compelled to be Muslim, "Nisbai" fled from Iraq and has been granted refugee status in a Western country, where she is able to practise the Mandaean Religion without hindrance.
The judgment in "Nisbai"'s case was made while Saddam Hussein was still in power and maintaining an ostensibly secular regime which did impose some restraint upon Islamists. As Iraq descends into an Islamic state the situation and legal status of Mandaeans, Jews and
Christians and other non-Muslim minorities must be expected to deteriorate further.
"Nisbai" herself is now safe and free from Islam. But there are now many in Iraq in the miserable situation that she was in. Please reflect upon how distressing and humiliating and degrading it would be for anyone to be obliged on a daily basis to engage in Islamic religious observances, to recite the Koran, to attend the mosque and listen to mullahs' sermons and go through Islamic prayer rituals, while all the time conscientiously believing Islam to be a false religion and even heartily detesting it.
Moreover, a woman deemed to be Muslim could not legally marry a Mandaean (or a Christian) but could only marry a Muslim and might well be forced to do so. Any offspring of such a union would also be legally deemed to be Muslim.
Besides the Mandaean forced converts and deemed converts, the report issued by the Barnabas Fund 'Mainstream Political Leaders denounce attacks on Christian Minority', would appear to indicate that it is likely that many Christians also are in this dreadful predicament.
- John Clugston
------------------------------------------------------------
The 14 January 2004 Barnabas Fund report mentioned above reported that Iraqi intellectuals had protested that "'horrific' crimes had been committed against women in forcing them to wear the veil, but worst of all was the 'terrorising of our Christian brothers', intimidating them to become Muslims." (Link 1)
The above story is similar to that of Mrs Siham Qandah, a Jordanian Christian widow who has been fighting for nine years to retain custody of her two children, daughter Rawan (15) and son Fadi (14), who were officially deemed Muslim after baseless allegations were made that Siham's husband had converted to Islam before he died.
Siham Qandah's daughter, Rawan (15), has been unsuccessful in her attempt to start a court case in a local court in Irbid. The Sharia court is refusing to issue her with a certificate to prove that she is of mature age (which she is according to sharia). There is considerable anxiety that if the courts are successful in having Rawan committed into the custody of her estranged Muslim-cleric uncle, he may marry her to a Muslim man. (Link 2)
Christians can only support sharia if they are prepared to abandon religious liberty and betray people like "Nisbai" and her mother, Siham and her children, and all other sharia victims.
- Elizabeth Kendal
Links
1) Mainstream Political Leaders denounce attacks on Christian Minority.
Barnabas Fund, 14 Jan 2004
2) For reports on Siham's case, visit Compass Direct News
Subj: Sharia Law: Deemed Converts
To: World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty News & Analysis
From: WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer, Elizabeth Kendal
There has been considerable confusion amongst Western Christians about the implications of Sharia Law in family matters. Some Western Christians are proposing that Western nations embrace sharia for Muslims, as a way of encouraging cultural diversity and religious freedom. However, someone who supports religious freedom cannot support sharia because sharia restricts, even denies religious freedom.
The following story of a courageous Iraqi Mandaean girl is an example of how sharia abuses the religious liberty of individuals. (Mandaeans follow the teachings of John the Baptist.)
The following report is written by Mr. John Clugston of the Sabian Mandaean Association of Australia (SMAA).
-----------------------------------------------------------
DEEMED CONVERTS
- By John Clugston
In Iraq a miserable class similar to the forced converts is that of the hapless deemed converts: i.e., those who are deemed to be Muslims by operation of law because one or other of their parents has been converted to Islam.
An example of this is the case of "Nisbai" (not her real name.) When "Nisbai" was 10 years old her father converted to Islam and her registration was changed from "Mandaean" to "Muslim". When "Nisbai" reached her majority she commenced legal proceedings seeking to have her registration as Mandaean restored.
After several years the case reached the highest court of appeal, the Court of Cassation, which in 2002 ruled as follows:
------------------------
COURT RULING:
- quoted from a certified translation of the judgment of the court.
------------------------
Changing the religion of the minor who was considered Muslim due to the conversion of one of his parents is based on the Sharia rulings. By checking these rulings it was found that they were based on two principles; the first if one of the parents convert to Islam his minor children became Muslims. The other principle is that any person who became a Muslim whether he became Muslim on his own or by consequence, he is not allowed to reverse from it as this is considered apostasy prohibited by the rulings of Islam and it is punishable.
These two rules hold their roots in the verses of the Koran and the revered prophetical tradition and by the consensus of the learned religious scholars [Fokahaa] and those are the sources of the Islamic jurisprudence in the Islamic Sharia.
In the Koran Allah said, 'For those who believed, and their children also followed them in belief, we will have their children join them.' [sura 52:21] [al-Tur:21] and in Tafseer Kabir [great interpretation] of El-Razzie about this verse, he said the Allah linked the siblings to the parent in faith and not in infidelity; so who convert to Islam, their children are considered Muslims, and those Muslims who apostatise, their children would not be considered apostates. vol 28, p.251.
And Allah also said [3:19] 'The only religion approved by Allah is Islam' [sura 3:19] [al-Imran:19] and His saying, 'Anyone who accepts other than Islam as his religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he will be with the loser' [sura 3:85] [al-Imran:85] and His saying 'Those among you who revert from their religion, and die as disbelievers.' [sura 2:217] [The Cow:217].
This is supported by the tradition of the Prophet (pbuh) who said 'he who changed his religion, kill him', and his saying, 'It is not allowed to spill the blood of a Muslim except through one of three [reasons]: person for person, woman caught in adultery, and he who leaves his religion and part the group.'
All Muslim sects agreed to these rules by consensus except one who came lately named Sofian Elthowry [Sofian the revolutionary].
-----------------------------------------
Mr. John Clugston continues: Faced with being irremediably compelled to be Muslim, "Nisbai" fled from Iraq and has been granted refugee status in a Western country, where she is able to practise the Mandaean Religion without hindrance.
The judgment in "Nisbai"'s case was made while Saddam Hussein was still in power and maintaining an ostensibly secular regime which did impose some restraint upon Islamists. As Iraq descends into an Islamic state the situation and legal status of Mandaeans, Jews and
Christians and other non-Muslim minorities must be expected to deteriorate further.
"Nisbai" herself is now safe and free from Islam. But there are now many in Iraq in the miserable situation that she was in. Please reflect upon how distressing and humiliating and degrading it would be for anyone to be obliged on a daily basis to engage in Islamic religious observances, to recite the Koran, to attend the mosque and listen to mullahs' sermons and go through Islamic prayer rituals, while all the time conscientiously believing Islam to be a false religion and even heartily detesting it.
Moreover, a woman deemed to be Muslim could not legally marry a Mandaean (or a Christian) but could only marry a Muslim and might well be forced to do so. Any offspring of such a union would also be legally deemed to be Muslim.
Besides the Mandaean forced converts and deemed converts, the report issued by the Barnabas Fund 'Mainstream Political Leaders denounce attacks on Christian Minority', would appear to indicate that it is likely that many Christians also are in this dreadful predicament.
- John Clugston
------------------------------------------------------------
The 14 January 2004 Barnabas Fund report mentioned above reported that Iraqi intellectuals had protested that "'horrific' crimes had been committed against women in forcing them to wear the veil, but worst of all was the 'terrorising of our Christian brothers', intimidating them to become Muslims." (Link 1)
The above story is similar to that of Mrs Siham Qandah, a Jordanian Christian widow who has been fighting for nine years to retain custody of her two children, daughter Rawan (15) and son Fadi (14), who were officially deemed Muslim after baseless allegations were made that Siham's husband had converted to Islam before he died.
Siham Qandah's daughter, Rawan (15), has been unsuccessful in her attempt to start a court case in a local court in Irbid. The Sharia court is refusing to issue her with a certificate to prove that she is of mature age (which she is according to sharia). There is considerable anxiety that if the courts are successful in having Rawan committed into the custody of her estranged Muslim-cleric uncle, he may marry her to a Muslim man. (Link 2)
Christians can only support sharia if they are prepared to abandon religious liberty and betray people like "Nisbai" and her mother, Siham and her children, and all other sharia victims.
- Elizabeth Kendal
Links
1) Mainstream Political Leaders denounce attacks on Christian Minority.
Barnabas Fund, 14 Jan 2004
2) For reports on Siham's case, visit Compass Direct News