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NepalHostile
Christian Persecution in Nepal
Overview:
The government of Nepal is taking an increasingly strong stand against religious conversion. Despite the 2015 constitution that guaranteed religious freedom, Parliament criminalized converting someone to another religion. Christian communities are small, but they boldly witness for Christ despite harassment and risk.
Major Religion:
81.3 percent of Nepalis are Hindus. Hinduism is more prominent in the south, along the Indian border, and Buddhism is more prominent in the north. There are small Muslim and Christian minorities as well as a growing Marxist (atheistic communist) movement.
Persecutor:
Nepal is a collectivist culture in which significant decisions are made by the head of the family or the community leader; decisions by other individuals are unacceptable and opposed. Families, communities, Marxist groups and Hindu groups pressure Christians, who also experience some government interference. Muslims and Buddhists also persecute Christians, especially in response to evangelism and conversions in rural areas.
What It Means To Follow Christ In Nepal
There is a small, visible Christian community in Nepal, but believers experience opposition from extremists among the Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Marxist groups. Christians face false accusations, harassment and beatings from family and communities. They also face opposition from local Hindu nationalists who envision Nepal becoming a “pure” Hindu nation. Christians are considered to be untouchables and are ostracized by society. They are seen as people who “destroy culture” and promote foreign religions.
Access To Bibles:
Bibles are legal, but many people cannot afford them. There is no access to Bibles in remote areas and villages. Distribution is difficult in Nepal’s mountainous areas. Give Bibles
VOM Work:
VOM responds to persecution, distributes Bibles, trains pastors and provides Christian literature and tools for evangelism. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Prayer Requests:
- Pray that Christians whose churches have been attacked by Hindu mobs will reflect God's love to their persecutors.
- Pray for Bindu and her three daughters. Bindu's husband abandoned them after they placed their faith in Christ.
- Pray for the salvation of Hindu monks who hear the gospel through the witness of bold front-line workers.
- Pray that Nepali believers will stand firm in their faith as Hindu nationalists promote opposition to Christians.
- Pray for Christian workers who share the gospel in some of the most remote and spiritually dark villages in the region.
- Pray that every Christian in the country will have a copy of God's Word.