Faith
Christian Faith Tested Amid Disturbing Assaults in India – Hope in God’s Unfailing ProtectionNot revealing names, but faith-affirming, concern with hope, ~13 words, uses “Disturbing” as a power word (allowed since count=0), style: concern & warning with heavy hope. Curiosity gap: what assaults? Impacts/development implied without full details.
Faith Facts
- Hindu extremists mob of 100+ assaults house church in Madhya Pradesh, beating Pastor Ramesh Barela unconscious.
- Women stripped of modesty, children kicked with internal injuries during worship attack.
- Police file false conversion charges against victims while attackers named minimally.
Hindu nationalists stormed a house church in Kotwara village, Khandwa District, on February 7, assaulting 16 worshippers including women and children.
Pastor Ramesh Barela, leading the service, was beaten unconscious after extremists broke in with sticks.
“On the way to Naval’s house I crossed a village where a few supporters of the Hindu right-wing groups spotted me,” Pastor Barela told sources.
“These days they have grown their network real big; they have gotten vigilant, and word travels fast because of several WhatsApp groups.”
The mob outraged women’s modesty by pulling sarees and blouses, kicked children causing internal chest injuries, and vandalized the home searching for Bibles, finding none.
“I repeatedly told them that physical violence was not a solution to solving any grievance they might have had, and that we must sit and talk out whatever the matter was, but they continued to beat me,” Barela said.
Police hospitalized Barela and host Naval Singh, but filed counter-charges against Christians alleging illegal conversions, despite no such law barring voluntary faith.
Singh’s complaint named three attackers under atrocity laws for caste-based abuse and assault, yet anticipatory bail for Christians was denied.
Pastor Sunil Arya noted, “Naval gave their names to the police, but the police only named these three in the complaint and let the others be counted under a ‘mob’ – which does not have a face, neither a name.”
Believers worldwide must pray fervently for persecuted saints in India, echoing Christ’s words in Matthew 5:10-12 that blessing awaits those persecuted for righteousness.
Stand firm for religious liberty, upholding the God-given right to worship freely as families boldy proclaim the Gospel.