India (MNN) — Anti-conversion laws in India, ironically called “freedom of religion” laws, supercharge Christian persecution. Thirteen states have passed one of these statutes. The current ruling party in India is the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In theory, these laws protect people from conversions through coercion, deceit, or forced marriages by requiring advance notice of a person’s change in religion. In practice, they are used to harass religious minorities—usually Christians. 

For example, six pastors and another Christian were arrested for allegedly “luring people to convert” at a birthday party. The host of the party, who had invited the pastors, denied that they ever tried to entice anyone. Their only accuser was an uninvited troublemaker. The host had actually called the police on that accuser for offering liquor, causing a commotion, and threatening to beat the Christians. Instead, the police came and arrested the Christians.

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs, USA, says, “But in spite of all the questions and all the holes in this case, you have seven people who are going to prison for five years. And that is just a microcosm of how these anti-conversion laws are misused.” 

Along with leaving six churches leaderless and in fear, the verdict has potentially dire consequences for the pastors. Conditions in these prisons are brutal.

“We heard from a pastor who was hung upside down and beaten repeatedly in prison. We heard from another pastor who was given almost no food,” Nettleton says.

Yet imprisoned pastors have also shared stories of supernatural protection and encouragement while in prison. One pastor met a Muslim man who took him under his wing like a big brother and said, “This is my friend. Nobody messes with him.”

(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs)

Another pastor was so discouraged that he prayed another pastor would be arrested to come to the prison and encourage him. Miraculously, another pastor was arrested and placed in the same prison, in the bed right across the aisle from him. When this other pastor arrived at the prison, he told the first pastor that the church had been praying for him. 

God is working, even as more states consider anti-conversion laws and evangelism becomes exponentially more difficult. Nettleton says it is very hard for Christians to imagine all the ways that these anti-conversion laws can be used against them.

“Under some of these anti-conversion laws, the government will come into churches and say, ‘You’re serving tea and cookies before the service. That’s an enticement. That’s an illegal enticement. You’re giving people tea and cookies to change their religion,’” Nettleton says. 

On top of anti-conversion laws, India is cracking down on foreign funding for faith-based organizations. Nettleton says that the government is now requiring these organizations to disclose how they are using all their money, in essence letting the government pre-approve Christian activity in the country. This poses many problems, considering the BJP is not supportive of Christian ministry in India. 

Nettleton says that tightening restrictions do not change the call for Christians to stand with persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. It does call for more creative solutions about how to support them. 

Pray for Christians in prison and against the spirit of discouragement. Most importantly, pray that God would make Himself known in India despite the many legal obstacles. Find out more about how you can support the work of The Voice of the Martyrs here. 

 

Header image: Photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA