Missionaries face jail in India

The Sunday Times ^ | July 30, 2006 | Dean Nelson, Delhi

[vimto]

JULIA and Richard do not look like fugitives but they could be jailed under new Indian laws to stop missionaries converting low-caste Hindus to Christianity without a magistrate’s approval. A well educated British couple with young children, they left London two years ago to teach missionary work in some of India’s poorest states, such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Orissa.

Last week Madhya Pradesh became the latest state to pass an anti-religious conversion bill that could leave Christian missionaries open to criminal charges. Leaders of India’s 26m Christians say the bill is an attempt to intimidate and persecute them, while increasing votes for the Hindu nationalist BJP party. Under its provisions missionaries and their converts face up to three years in jail if they do not notify a magistrate of their intentions.

Christian leaders also fear the initiative will encourage attacks against them. India’s National Commission for Minorities has voiced concern about incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in which orphanages and schools have been targeted.

Last month police in Madhya Pradesh raided a Bible study group and arrested worshippers after complaints that they were converting Hindus. Nuns have been raped and several priests have been murdered in the past seven years. Last year 11 members of a Hindu mob that burnt an Australian missionary and his two young sons to death as they slept had their convictions overturned.

Hindu fundamentalists claim missionaries, mostly American and South Korean, prey on the ignorance of lower castes and persuade them to turn against their culture. The missionaries say they provide education and healthcare and teach the Bible to untouchables whose own religion treats them as outcasts.

[Gengis Khan]

Its not just a question of a few organisation. Its also an immigration issue. Most of these missionaries involved in illegal activities are on expired visas.

IMO foreign missionaries must not be allowed into India, they are a clear and present danger to our national security. And India government gets to decide who can come inside and who cant.

[Gengis Khan]

"Democracy without free speech............."

Why don't you read my posts once again. My point was, I am not really concerned about hate literature coming from missionaries. They are free to say whatever they want. My problem is with their association with terrorism and other illegal activities.

And as regarding democracy, free speech and America, I have heard people here say stuff like, "India will have to shed Hinduism and accept Christianity if ever it wishes to come out of 3rd world." I think we have had enough of such sermons coming from America. India is great and will become so once again being what it is.

[dixiechick2000]

"Nice to quote me out of context."


They did NOT quote you out of context.

"You kidding me? Hindu Missionaries in Mississipi??"lol. Till a couple of decades back these places were extremely intolerant of christians with a different skin color."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1674540/posts?page=96#96

"It is wrong to state that Hindu missionaries would be welcome in the SOuth."

"Can a brown hindu woman win a Senate seat from Mississipi?? We all know the answer."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1674540/posts?page=97#97


Admin Mod, there are a bunch of posts on this thread that are ignorant and offensive.

I sincerely hope you will revisit the ENTIRE thread, and review the prior posts of those involved.

Thank you WKB, Diddle E. Squat, and others.

BTW, DES, I'm from MS, too. ;o)

Bobby Jindal bump!

[dixiechick2000]

Testing...testing...


this is a test.

[Allan]

I don't think FR is the place to come to acquire spiritual knowledge.

[The Lion Roars]

I stand by what I said. A white Catholic Italian (meaning a foreigner) hold the reins of power in India. Show me a parallel ANYWHERE in the US and I will withdraw my comments. India can teach a lesson or two on tolerance.

(PS: There is nothing offensive in my posts. If you want to see offensive please scroll up and see the blatant distortions of hinduism)

[Always Right]

So you base all you claims on the activity of the states Baptist church? You are so full of crap to make such blanket statements about Christians. You are truely a bigot.

[Nightshift]

guess you missed the "NOT" at the end. Christianity was in Europe long before India unless you consider Iraq and Iran was part of India. NOT. All Indians convert their children to their religion, hence conversion. It does not matter what religion, but they all have converts. Christianity is about conversion and this is what you are against, but fail to reconize. Without the missionaries India would never have heard of Christ Jesus. Yes there are those who are in it for the money, but there are many who are in it because they want to see people saved.

[saalebhosdike]

Saved from what? Or who?

[WKB]

Site me one recorded example of intolerance toward a hindu in Mississippi. I'll wait.

[The Lion Roars]

Cite me one recorded example of a hindu missionary in Mississipi. I'll wait too.

[WKB]

http://yp.yahoo.com/py/ypResults.py?Pyt=Typ&city=Jackson&state=MS&uzip=39201&country=us&msa=3560&cs=4&ed=lkxG9a1o2TxlAbIlfdz0OycJ3netiz3WO8s4YQDPG34O&tab=B2C&stx=hindu&stp=a&desc=hindu&doprox=1&sorttype=distance&beyond=1&stat=ClkByndLower

There are 3 hindu Churches in the Jackson metro area
Your turn.

Sita Ram Hindu Temple
(601) 948-1190 1940 Highway 80 W
Jackson, MS Map

1.9
Baps Hindu Temple
(601) 922-4343 2390 Greenway Dr
Jackson, MS Map

4.9
Hindu Temple
(601) 992-3331 173 Vernon Jones Ave
Brandon, MS Map

9.1
** Distances are in Miles from the center of Jackson, MS

[Young Scholar]

And as regarding democracy, free speech and America, I have heard people here say stuff like, "India will have to shed Hinduism and accept Christianity if ever it wishes to come out of 3rd world."

It doesn't need to shed Hinduism, but it will need to shed laws like this if it ever hopes to enter the free (and prosperous) 1st World.

[Brucifer]

Sorry to come to this thread so late. This has been an interesting and informative thread. I have been reading up on the British rule in India lately, and I can see where Christianity would not necessarily come across as a particularly loving religion to Indians. I am also quite familiar with the crusades where the Christians spent as much time murdering and robbing other Christians and Jews as they did fighting Muslims.

As a medievalist, I have also been exposed to a thoroughly dark side of Christianity's history. The number of truly horrific events connected with Christianity must make Jesus Himself weep. However, I do believe that Christianity has undergone major transformations, for the good, even in my short life.

My understanding has always been that Hindus did not proselytize; rather, if you wished to become a Hindu you were expected to behave as a good Hindu in this life in order to be born a Hindu in the next. If this is true, it is a thoroughly rigorous test of religious devotion. I respect that.

In the interest of full disclosure, my screen name "Brucifer" was never meant to have any religious overtones or implications.

I hope to see you and your Hindu associates on line again. Thanks for the posts.

[Antoninus]

Mother Theresa I thankfully an Indian and not a radical foreign missionary.

Uh, she was born in Albania.

And for the sake of my immortal soul, I pray to God that I be saved from those who wants to save my soul.

Pride goeth before the fall...

[what's up]

Most of these missionaries involved in illegal activities are on expired visas

LOL. You make no sense. You offer this as a reason for barring all missionaries?

IMO foreign missionaries must not be allowed into India

Yes, I got your opinion already.

And India government gets to decide who can come inside and who cant.

No duh.

[what's up]

Gosh! Replace 'missionaries' by, say, 'muslims'. Say that and FR will give a free ticket out, tchya?

What are you talking about?

[jome]

HEY..I think you are wrong. Saint Thomas has been to southern India, converted local Brahmin's into Christianity and established a church there. I have visited all that places in kerala. They still have his clothes, the place where he stayed and stuff.
so Christian community in India is as old as any other Christian community :)

[Gengis Khan]

So according to you Baptists arn't Christians?

And secondly Mr Always Wrong, I am not even talking about Christians, I am talking about foreign missionaries, whatever their sect or affiliations. The bigot is YOU mister.

[Always Right]

I think he is making a lame attempt to equate the evils of Christianity with the evils of Muslims. The example of 'Christian' terrorism is in a state of northern India who wants Independence and these groups are forcing people to convert to Christianity. No real Christian supports this cause and sends money for, which is a total crook. They are saying that Americans knowingly support this. If American money does end up there it is by total deception. And they talk about our propaganda. I am still not quite sure what these rebells have to do with foreign missionaries and how it justifies this ban. They just seem to have hatred towards anyone who would spread the word.