India: beating on the clergy

from Compass Direct

MUMBAI, India, January 10 (Compass Direct News) – Seven youths beat Pastor Robert Kennedy of Bangalore in Karnataka state on Sunday (January 7), after asking him to “pray for a sick friend.” The pastor required 16 stitches to his head and back after the assault.

In neighboring Andhra Pradesh state, Hindu extremists beat two pastors on January 6 and 7, and another on December 28, after warning them to cease Christian activities in their villages.

Pastor Kennedy and the small congregation of Jesus Preeti Church had gathered for worship for about and hour on Sunday morning when seven young men entered the house church and sat down. They talked among themselves, and one of them made calls on his mobile phone as Kennedy preached.

At about 12:30 p.m., when the service had ended and the believers had left, the youths approached Kennedy and asked him to accompany them to the home of a sick friend who needed prayer.

Since the house was supposedly nearby, Kennedy asked some of the young men to bring the patient to the church for prayer.

As three in the group made their way towards the front door, the others turned on the pastor and beat him severely.

“Suddenly all four attacked me, slapping my face, back and chest,” Kennedy told Compass. “One of them grabbed the microphone stand and struck me across the back, causing a deep gash, and blood began flowing out.”

The three who had not yet left the church came back and slapped the pastor, who had fallen to the floor. They then struck him with the circular base of the microphone stand, causing severe bleeding.

“They said to me, ‘You were telling everyone that Christ shed his blood – now you do the same,’” Kennedy added.

The youths also beat a church member identified only as Rajendran, who by chance returned to the church.

Kennedy believed his assailants were members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) or some other Hindu extremist group, since “they were mocking the teachings of Christ.”

Ten minutes after the assault began, the youths left. Rajendran called for assistance from other church members and Kennedy was taken to a nearby clinic, where he received 13 stitches to his back and three stitches to his head.

Kennedy later filed an official complaint at the Rajgopal police station. At press time no arrests had been made....