Christian Web News - The newly elected Indian government, led by the moderate Congress party, is taking a strong stand against anti-conversion legislation that has restricted religious freedom in the nation. They plan to block bills introduced in a number of states by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This is very encouraging news for Christians and other minorities in the nation.
Dr. K.P. Yohannan, president of Gospel for Asia , gladly welcomed the news of the Indian government's recent stand.
"It's absolutely encouraging to see the government is upholding the constitution and its secular values of freedom of choice and liberty for the people," he said. "Continue to pray for those in authority, that they will protect the rights of the minorities in their freedom to choose."
The controversial anti-conversion laws, ironically called the "Freedom of Religion" acts, are currently active in five states: Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Two more states--Rajasthan and Arunachal Pradesh-- have passed anti-conversion legislation but not yet put it into practice. Anti-conversion legislation has also been introduced in the state of Karnataka.
The impact on these states will vary depending on whether the BJP is dominant there. In Rajasthan, an anti-conversion law had been passed but had not yet been implemented. With the consent of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the Indian government plans to nullify it there.
For Madhya Pradesh, they plan to withhold consent to the ruling BJP, which had proposed amendments that would make the law there even more stringent. Digvijay Singh, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and today a senior official in the Congress party, agrees with the federal government's concerns that the bill infringes on the religious freedom outlined in the constitution, according to ChristianToday.com.
"When I was chief minister in those 10 years, there was no case for forcible conversion," he told a media source.
Where enacted, the laws have held strict penalties for anyone declared guilty of either converting someone or of changing their religion without first informing the government 30 days beforehand. Depending on the state, this could mean two years in prison, a heavy fine, or even both.
While the laws were reportedly introduced to check religious conversions made by "force, fraud or allurement," Christians say they have been misused to attack and arrest pastors on made-up charges.
Christian Web News - Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed an appeal Wednesday with the Arizona town of Gilbert’s zoning Board of Adjustment to overturn a decision banning churches from meeting, holding Bible studies, or having any other activities in private homes.
Christian Web News - After analyzing national data, the UK based Jubilee Centre has found that cohabitations are rarely a long term lifestyle choice and the vast majority last only a short time before being converted into marriage or dissolving.
Christian Web News - So many people across our nation, young people especially, are Biblically illiterate. Confusion and intimidation of the Bible's length and complexity causes many people to give up on reading the Bible altogether.
Christian Web News - Chad Williams, President of 5Q Communications, gave some great tips for an effective web ministry at the 2010 National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, TN.
Christian Web News - On Wednesday, gunmen attacked a World Vision office in Pakistan killing at least five members of the staff, leaving seven hospitalized, and one missing.
Christian Web News - One of the last two of the U.S. Baptist missionaries jailed for trying to take orphans out of the country after the earthquake have been released by Haitian authorities.
Christian Web News - The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled that teacher-led recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, including the words "under God," does not violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Christian Web News - Could you imagine getting arrested for just striking up a conversation about religion in public? That’s what happened in 2006 to California resident Matthew Snatchko when the youth pastor initiated a conversation about God with three shoppers at the Roseville Galleria mall.
Christian Web News - On Sunday, on the streets of multiple cities in Spain, tens of thousands of people protested a new law that would allow abortion on demand.
Christian Web News - On Tuesday, a European court ordered Turkey to remove the religious affiliation section from citizens’ identification cards, calling the practice a violation of human rights.
Christian Web News - On Saturday, Kentucky Baptists kicked off their largest evangelism campaign ever, hoping to share the Gospel with 1.5 million households by Easter Sunday.
Christian Web News - In Pt.1 we primarily discussed the law of sowing. We talked about the seed and how God ordained seed to have life in itself from the very beginning starting in the book of Genesis. We also discussed how the whole purpose of the seed was to produce after its own kind.
Rev 13:16-18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Christian Web News - At a time when greed and corruption seem to run rampant and morals seem nonexistent, many people wonder where to look for role models.
For the millions of junior high, high school and college students heading back to school, the idea of returning to the classroom may be met with mixed emotions.
Christian Web News - Galatians 3:13-14. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Christian Web News - Often when we talk about sin, we use lots of examples such as abortion, homosexuality, murder, substance abuse - I could go on and on. However, I want to direct this little three letter word to the Christian who is serving God and can tell a sinner all about his or her sin. We use to call it “pointing the finger” at someone who does so many bad things.
Christian Web News - On Saturday, Kentucky Baptists kicked off their largest evangelism campaign ever, hoping to share the Gospel with 1.5 million households by Easter Sunday.
Christian Web News - At the University of Texas in San Antonio on Monday, an atheist group on campus has started a “holy book-for-porn” program.
Christian Web News - 
Rev 13:16-18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 
