Pastor in India arrested after baptizing 16

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by Nirmala Carvalho   th (5)

Rev Timothy Chaitanya Murmu, Pentecostal minister in the village of Manohar (Odisha), has been in prison for the past four days on false charges of forced conversion.

Police in Anandpur arrested the clergyman last Wednesday for baptising 16 tribal people. According to the indictment, he allegedly “forced” them to embrace Christianity in exchange for money.

“In September 2014, Rev Murmu celebrated the baptism of 16 tribal residents in the village of Baniajodi,” Sajan George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), told AsiaNews.

“The ceremony took place only after obtaining 16 notarized affidavits in which the catechumens said they had embraced Christianity of their own free will.”

However, “the pastor did not present his certificate of baptism, which occurred in 1980,” the GCIC leader noted. “Based on this legal technicality, required by the anti-conversion law, police arrested him.”

A so-called “anti-conversion law” is in place in Odisha, which theoretically bans all conversions achieved by force or monetary exchange.

However, the authorities often used it to persecute Christians, on false allegations of forced conversions.

Please pray for the release of Pastor Murmu as well as this area of India to change its discriminatory laws. Also, please pray for the perpetrators, that they may be saved and see the love of Christ..–AsiaNews.it

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Wonder how does GOD TALK ? What is his language ? How does he speak? Why does he chose a few people of a particular region ONLY while neglecting the rest of them ? Why is GOD SO BIASED for humanity ? How is his VOICE ? is it Soft, Harsh, Smooth, Rought ? WHo has heard the voice of GOD ? WHy doesnt GOD talk NOW when the whole of Humanity is in MESS ? How can he have a son when he is not in form ? WHy cant he have a daughter ? WHy so Gender Biased God?

    • People often talk about God speaking with a “still small voice,” gently impressing His thoughts on a person’s heart and mind. While God used the family of Abraham and the nation of Israel to bring forth a Messiah, God’s love is for the whole world and Jesus asked His followers to take his message to the ends of the earth. God has a great love for women and elevated their status, demonstrated by the way Jesus spoke to the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery. In every society influenced by Christianity, gender biases have diminished.

      • Statistics, not rhetoric please! Staying behind a grand self-delusion is not sufficient.

    • Read the Bible Vilok, especially the first few verses of Hebrews chapter one, verses 1-8, and of Johns Gospel chapter one. He came in flesh to die for our sins, (as He cannot die, but the body can and did,) to have an atonement (for our sins,) by which we may come to Him and enjoy Him and He, us.
      He came in flesh. “He was in the world, the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not.” (John chapter one vs 10.)
      “Great is the revelation (‘musterion’ in Greek) of God! God was manifested in the flesh, seen of angels, preached to the non-Jews, believed on in the world and received up into Glory.” (I Timothy 3:16
      Jesus (the Name means, God our Saviour,” is the Almighty God in flesh.
      When you begin to call upon His name you will begin to find Him.
      I did not believe in Christianity or the resurrection. But a few years later, I called upon the Name of Jesus and had a real visitation from Him! You may simply experience His peace in your heart, but call on Him sincerely friend. Tell Him you want to know if He is real. If you are sincere and humble, even if you have doubts or unbelief, He will help you.
      I have had many miracles done me through Him. he has changed my whole life. I have His peace, love and joy in my heart now too. He loves you, so give him a try.
      ALL your questions will be answered by Him in His time and way.
      When I first came to Him (began calling upon Him,) I had a million questions. He has truly answered them all.
      It is wonderful knowing Him as the one true and living God who answers prayer.
      I recommend that you be content to lay all your questions aside for now and begin to call upon Him, as I did. God be with you.

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