A pastor in India was attacked after refusing to give money for worship of tribal deities, leading to the threat of the Christians' expulsion from the village. After helping settle the issue, the local police denied the incident occurred.
Pastor Lakshman Oraon, a local of Manika in India's state of Jharkhand, revealed to Morning Star News that the animist elders of Jungur village have beaten him after he refused to help fund their ritual worship.
He said that he and other Christians were summoned by the elders. After having verbally abused for his refusal to contribute money, Pastor Oraon was threatened with expulsion from the village, along with his fellow Christians. Then, they tied his hands on his back and the leaders kicked him on the floor, in the presence of almost a hundred pagan worshipers.
"When they tied me and started kicking me, I was not at all angry. The Lord reminded me of the verses in Matt. 5:11-12. I received great strength from these words. There was a smile on my face all through," Pastor Oraon stated.
"I did not shout or cry before them. I was praying, praising the Lord, remembering His sacrifice for me on the cross," he also said.
He further said that a mob surrounded him and took turns to kick and punch him, continuing for more than an hour. His Christian companions were warned not to take photos or their phones will be seized and they will be beaten like him.
They were only allowed to return home when one of the village elders requested the mob to release him.
To address their possible expulsion from Jungur village, they took information from Alliance Defending Freedom India.
Pastor Oraon then coordinated with Manika police station to help settle the issue.
"We sent petitions to the Station House Officer (SHO) at Manika Police Station, the superintendent of police and also the district collector. The SHO called both parties to the police station and effected a compromise that we would not file any case against them, and that they will not excommunicate us from the village," he said.
The tribal leaders continued their demand for money and the SHO told the pastor's group to give in to their request. The pastor and his Christian companions followed the SHO and gave the money.
"We are praying for the salvation of village leaders and the devotees of tribal deities. The police assured us that they will be a phone call away if any problem arises, and that we will not face any troubles from the villagers after giving the money," he added.
Morning Star News tried to ask information about the pastor's harassment in Jungur village, but the Manika Police Station's SHO denied that the incident took place.
The pastor said that his family used to be bothered by evil spirits and to get rid of one, they had to perform rituals and recite spells. But it would only result to more evil spirits bothering them. Also, this led to his family members getting sick and dying, which deeply grieved them.
But in 2011, he came to know Jesus Christ when a Christian shared him the gospel. He and his wife then turned their lives to Christ.
"Since then, the neighbors started noticing the transformation in our lives - we were free from all the evil spirits. We went to church as a family and sang joyfully at home. This was something new for the people who knew us. They asked us to share the gospel with them, and today we have at least 35 members gathering for worship on Sundays at our home church," the pastor revealed.
Believers in India are heavily persecuted. The Telegraph said that violence against Christians is linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. Religious advocates also stated that persecution of Christians intensified after Modi came into power in 2014.
