The Rise of Persecution in South Asia
The spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of Indians and Pakistanis has entered into a new campaign of violence against these Christians. The enemy appears to be fanning the flames of hatred and division resulting in attacks against Christians and their churches. Beginning in May, conflict between Hindus and Christians began flaring up in the area of Manipur in Northern India. The conflict escalated into extreme violence with attacks against Christians and the destruction of over 300 churches. Then on Aug. 16th in Pakistan, two Christians were accused of burning the Quran by Muslims prompting mobs to attack Christian areas and churches. The Christians in South Asia are experiencing assaults on two fronts and by two separate groups, Hindu’s and Muslims. While these incidents are a catastrophe and an imminent danger to the Christians there, they have not been widely reported on by Western media. As a Christian who has a heart for the persecuted church, and who has a deep compassion and love for Indian Christians, I wish to inform believers everywhere of the situation and encourage them to keep these persecuted brethren in their heart.
Manipur
Hindu Mobs Destroy 300 Churches as Indian Govt Fueling ‘Serious Religious Persecution’
A fierce battle between Hindus and Christians is raging in a remote part of northeast India with some human rights experts blaming the country’s government for fueling the religious violence. What started as a feud over economic benefits now has the state of Manipur teetering on the brink of a civil war. Manipur means “Land of Jewels” but the state, affectionately known as the “Switzerland of India” for its natural beauty and remoteness looks more like a war zone today. Religious and ethnic clashes between the Hindu majority Meitei community and the tribal Christian Kuki minority over land and influence in the state has left at least 180 people dead and over 500 injured. “Three hundred churches have been destroyed and just imagine that if one, two, five or 10 were destroyed,” Dr. David Curry, president of Global Christian Relief, told CBN News. “We are talking about 300 churches destroyed.” Several videos on social media showed mobs also burning down churches. “The perpetrators themselves are posting videos of mob attacks on churches, they are showing the churches being burned down,” said Dr. Curry. “They literally show the police stepping aside to allow the mob to attack these Christian churches.”
The violence in Manipur has displaced more than 60,000 people internally. And it’s not just in Manipur. The New Delhi-based United Christian Forum says there have been more than 400 incidents against Christians in 22 other Indian states in the first six-months of this year. India, with 1.4 billion people, is the world’s largest democracy. Hindus make up nearly 80% of India’s population. Muslims are at 14%. Christianity is India’s third-largest religion with about 26 million followers, or about 2.3% of the population. (courtesy of CBN news, 8-15-23).
Pakistan
Over 100 arrested for attacks on churches, Christian homes in Pakistan
Scores of churches and homes belonging to Christians in Jaranwala tehsil of Faisalabad district, some 130 km from the provincial capital, were burnt down on Wednesday by a mob enraged over reports that two Christians had desecrated the Quran. A total of 21 churches have either been torched or vandalized over false accusations of blasphemy, they said, adding that copies of hundreds of Bible were set on fire. “Twenty-one churches and 35 houses of Christians including a pastor’s residence were either burnt down completely or ransacked by the mob on Wednesday,” Pak Centre for Law and Justice Napoleon Qayyum told PTI on Thursday. “Most of the Christians left the area on Wednesday to save their lives and they will return only once action is taken against those who are involved in attacks on churches and Christian houses,” Qayyum said. The move came after Christian leaders strongly condemned what they called police inaction during the whole episode. They claimed that police played the role of silent spectators when Christian families were crying for help, and delayed their response until the residents were forced to abandon their houses, leaving them at the mercy of the attackers, the Dawn newspaper reported. The vicious mob attacks are just the latest manifestation of the threat of vigilante violence which anyone can face in Pakistan after a blasphemy accusation, she said, adding that Pakistani authorities need no more evidence to see how dangerous the blasphemy laws are. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam or Islamic figures can face the death penalty. Often an accusation can cause riots and incite mobs to violence, lynching and killings.
(courtesy of M. Zulgernain, Redliff News, 8-17-23).
Pray and Support the Persecuted Church
Persecution and martyrdom are a reality in many parts of the world, and it is increasing in magnitude and frequency. Christians in many parts of the world endure extreme hardships and even suffer death for standing fast in their faith. As believers, we are all members of the Kingdom of Light who face opposition from the dark spiritual forces of the Kingdom of Darkness. We are involved in the battle on various levels and on different fronts. Some are on the front lines experiencing the actual conflict, while others are in support roles providing material and spiritual support. My request is for your support through prayers and donations to the ministries throughout the globe that directly assist these persecuted Christians. Pray for the Christians in India and Pakistan that the Lord provides for their protection and their needs. Please support Vikasitha Ministries and India Village Ministries. Their information is on the World Missions tab. Also please support The Voice of the Martyrs at http://www.persecution.com. The Voice of the Martyrs is a large ministry that supports the persecuted church worldwide and publishes monthly periodicals reporting on various regions under persecution. May God bless you and His persecuted church!
Hosea 4:6 Teaching Ministry 
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