Indian Bishop Calls for Protection for Christians and Not Just for Cows

India has often been accused of caring for cows far more than it seems to care for humans and this line of debate has been used most recently by Bishop Baselios Cleemis, the Major Bishop in India, in a plea for the sanctity of Christian life to be recognised.

Last week a nun was raped in West Bengal and, since then, a number of churches in India have been destroyed by Hindu nationalists who don't see the virtue in a plurality of faith values. In February a large number of Christians were arrested for protesting against the violence meted out to them.

Cardinal Cleemis said that India had a duty to protect the people and not just cows. While some states in India have banned the slaughter of cows and/or the sale of beef there is little evidence that hardline violence against Christians and churches is being given the same consideration. The nun who was raped was in her 70s and while violence against women is another problem of epic proportions in India, there seems to be an accepted view that this rape was motivated by religious hatred.

Please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in India in what seems to be an ever increasing tide of persecution against them in parts of the world.