Posted on 06/14/2007 5:57:53 AM PDT by kellynla
Laxmi Narayan Gowda, an independent pastor and representative of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), was recovering in a hospital at press time with swelling and numerous bruises.
The incident took place at about 7 p.m. in Hessarghatta, about 30 kilometers from Bangalore, when a group of about 50 people barged into the pastors house and threatened him with violence unless he moved out of the area, said Sam Joseph, a Karnataka-based leader of the All India Christian Council (AICC).
The group returned with 100 more people shortly after, cornered Pastor Gowda in a room in his house, and began assaulting him in front of his wife and two small children.
Extremists of the Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council), allegedly led the mob.
One of the assailants threw kerosene on the pastor, and others started burning Bibles. Someone tossed a burning Bible onto Pastor Gowda, but miraculously he did not catch fire, Joseph told Compass.
The extremists then stripped the pastor naked and hung a board around his neck that said, I am the one who was converting people, before parading him through the area.
By this time, the mob had swollen to about 1,000, as more people joined in to harass and torture the pastor, Joseph added.
Local police arrived about an hour later, after one of the pastors relatives called them by telephone.
The assailants burned at least 250 Bibles and also vandalized furniture and equipment.
Police had not registered a case against the attackers at press time. When Compass spoke to Inspector R. Malesh of the Soladevanhalli police station, he said the victim did not want to file a complaint.
We have requested the Christians to give us a complaint in writing, but they do not want to press charges against the attackers, he said.
Malesh claimed that the mob consisted of local people who did not belong to any Hindu extremist groups. Some of Pastor Gowdas neighbors attacked, he said, because they do not want Christian prayers and meetings to take place in his house.
A local source, however, told Compass on condition of anonymity that the attack was pre-planned and directed by an unidentified lawyer. The lawyer suggested to the crowd that if they hit the pastor as a mob, then there would be no possibility of prosecution, said the source.
Before Pastor Gowda accepted Christ about 15 years ago, the source said, he was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organization of numerous Hindu extremist groups in India.
The attackers seemingly wanted to punish Pastor Gowda for converting to Christianity from their Hindu nationalistic ideology, and warn others against dong so, added the source.
Pastor Gowda has been working in the area for the last 12 years. The source also said the pastor was firm in his faith following the attack.
Dr. Sam Paul, AICCs public affairs secretary, said that although Karnataka was known for anti-Christian attacks, the situation has become more volatile in the state since the Janata Dal-Secular party, in coalition with the Hindu nationalistic Bharatiya Janata Party, took power from the Congress Party in February 2006.
Extremists in Karnataka are emboldened as the police usually turn up after the incident, he said. There are also times when the police encourage anti-social elements to harass Christians.
Paul also stressed the need to educate Indias people about true conversion, in particular that it does not mean that one becomes anti-national.
Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the GCIC, told Compass that he was thankful to God for saving the life of one of his organizations representatives.
“I.e. you can spread lies and then when challenged on their content back off and claim “oh, that’s just what somebody said, I didn’t check any facts.” This is a liberal media ethic. It does not belong on FR.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1850018/posts?page=54#54
Surely you’re not biased. [Backslash Sarcasm.]
Provide proof for your article. Show that the SBC has winked and nodded at abominations, if you can.
Which article? Give me the exact one. I have pasted many here.
Koo koo cha choo, you are the walrus.
If you cannot follow the subthread to the particular one, then that shows you are just being argumentative.
Is that your new tactic? Lol!
Why didn’t you warn me before? I regret having wasted time with you.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/717775.stm
Thanks for showing once again that where your ***** should be, there is only rabbit-food. Even Hindus would be ashamed of you, walrus.
Quit being a pain. If you really wanted a reply to it you would have the taken that little trouble to point out the article, but the fact that you didn’t clearly reveals your intentions to pick a personal fight, rather than the arguments. Losers do that.
My my, such clear thoughts of reason, from you. Thanks for helping others see where you come from! When you grow up, give me a ping.
NASA just handed me a satellite photo of you while you were saying that. If I'm not mistaken, this is you while at your infantile, boorish, oafish rant:
<< One of the assailants threw kerosene on the pastor, and others started burning Bibles. Someone tossed a burning Bible onto Pastor Gowda, but miraculously he did not catch fire, Joseph told Compass. >>
miraculously = God’s intervention.....
That would be reminiscent of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego in the book of Daniel (Chapter 3, Verses 8-30).
Basically, these 3 refused to worship the image of gold set up by King Nebuchadnezzar, so he ordered the furnace heated up 7 times hotter than usual. The fire was so hot that it killed the soldiers who took Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego up.
As they were in the furnace, the King saw there was a 4th being with them that appeared to the King to be a son of the gods, and called for them to come out. The fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their head singed.
Then the King said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego, who has sent his angel & rescued his servants!” The King then decreed that no one in his nation may speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego.
God watches over his servants, and it sounds like he was with that Pastor, when he did not catch fire despite all the kerosene.
Regardless, God bless that wonderful Pastor for holding strong in his faith!!
you are a man is a dog is a cat is a pig is a boy is a monkey. and a walrus. goo goo-gajoob. ain’t oster blender theology fun.
?
Hey carrotallowalrusnakelephantigeraccoon!
Get yourself any modern bible commentary. That might keep you from falling for the grosser gaffes, in the process browning off your country’s Christian friends while in the meantime the Slammies are devouring your sons and daughters with a literal sword.
Regarding what?
Just wow. You must've been highly educated!
And, this is all reminiscent of guess Who?
Christians put it on pretty stained glass windows and sing exquisite hymns (and true, He is worthy of that) but to put it in modern parlance, He got grabbed, mugged, paraded, slashed, spiked, and bled to death.
“A servant is not greater than his Master.”
You are wrong, Theo.
There is but one God, manifest in the three Persons of the Trinity: the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus. Any other system of religion is false, inspired by Satan (you don’t think *God* would propagate a religion that’s not true, do you?). Harsh, perhaps, but accurate.
We’re in America, though. You’re free to believe and say whatever you’d like.
I don't think so:-)
But I do have the freedom to see.
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