The groups, Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), have submitted a memorandum to Rajesh Das, Inspector General of Police (south zone). In the memorandum, they allege that plainclothesmen were conducting searches in Muslim residential areas randomly and visiting mosques at odd hours in the name of inquiries.

The cycle bomb went off in Madurai on May 1. Syed Ibrahim, district president of the PFI, alleged that it has become a regular practice for the police to swoop down on Muslims after every bomb blast.

District president of SDPI, Jaffer Sulthan said although investigations have proved that no Muslim outfit was behind some of the recent blast incidents across the country, police target them regularly.

Paganeri village comes under Kalayarkoil taluk of Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu.

According to EFI, the Hindu fundamentalists beat up the Christians, burned their Bibles and tracts, seized their vehicle key and destroyed their megaphone.

The Christian group, led by an evangelist identified only as Jessudoss from Kandanur, had gone to the area in a van fitted with a megaphone. They filed a complaint at the Paganeri police station against the attackers, but officers took no action.

The Christians then went to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, who immediately sent officers to the site. They worked out an agreement between the assailants and the victims with the help of the village head. The fundamentalists returned the vehicle key to the pastor after the mediation. Later in the evening, however, the BJP members returned and beat up Jessudoss.

They apparently told him they would not hesitate to attack him again.

In another incident on April 11 in Emapur, Villupuram district  of Tamil Nadu, Hindu fundamentalists led by man identified as Balaji beat up a pastor and pressured his landlord to send him out from his rented place.

It was reported that Pastor Caleb was on his way to preach the gospel in the village when a group of fundamentalists objected to his preaching, verbally abused him and mercilessly beat him up. The fundamentalists further pressurized the pastor’s landlord to vacate the room he let out to the pastor as the Christians have been conducting the worship service in the same rented house.

More persecution reports from India:

Is PERSECUTION on the rise?

Release publishes persecution hotspots of 2012

Christians attacked, burial service denied in Chhattisgarh

Pastor accused of forceful conversion in Andhra Pradesh

Jesus film screening attacked in Himachal Pradesh

By Don Davis

OVER the past 20 years I have had many international government, state, defense and corporate officials discuss with me their challenges dealing with Israel, and with the Israeli in Israel. (I qualify in Israel because the Israeli can behave quite differently outside their borders).

However, I soon became reluctant to pass on cultural and behavioral details as some used the information to justify their own biases and hatred against Israel. Choosing rather to use the knowledge in a destructive manner against the Israeli thinking they could embarrass or pressure the local people into changing their behavior. But, that didn’t work as it made the Israelis mad and more defiant, and the people who initiated it became more miserable and spiteful.

Nevertheless, for a short time some westerners persisted in discussing Israel’s alleged shortcomings among themselves, and the frustrations turned into bitterness and thus became an obstacle (in some circles it still exists).

So, to help prevent unfair judgment of Israelis, I started to include some of our own character qualities and perceived qualities in discussions to show that everyone has positive and negative traits. For example American qualities such as prosperity, independence, liberty, hard-work, education, empathy, generosity, religiousness, and tolerance along with arrogance, uncultured behavior, brazenness, recklessness, pretentiousness, naiveté,  shallow-minded, unsighted and insulting behavior.

Eventually, behavior cultural traits and patterns became the most discussed topic, and there are three reasons why. First, there are numerous embassies or consulates in Israel. Second, the Israeli has a reputation (whether deserved or not) for being extremely difficult to deal with. Probably the most common complaints are assertions of Israelis being rude, unaccountable, unreliable, and self-centered. Third, because I am a gentile who has lived and worked in Israel many years, I have been fortunate to successfully explain what contributed to their mannerisms from a gentile point of view.

To begin with, the new State of Israel, the re-established Israel is a young country only 64 years old.

Furthermore, to most in the world, the country of Israel appears as if it is a western capitalistic society. It is not. It is striving to be partially capitalistic but is mainly socialistic in culture and Middle Eastern in behavior.

Modern Israel’s identity was ultimately formed by the repercussions prior to, during, and after World War II. The conditions forced scores of international Jews, and Jewish war refugees made up of broken families, and as orphans to immigrate.

Subsequently, the Jews lived here in a demanding environment attributed mainly to lethal Arab rejection. Israelis had to literally do everything for themselves with little dependence on anyone or any nation while enduring further death and destruction due to Muslim persecution.

Because of the enormous lack of resources, many new immigrants were placed in or joined Kibbutzim. These communal work villages were socialist and/or communistic, which in some cases had opposite values, practices and beliefs from Allied western countries.

A number of refugee children, while growing up, had no parents to love, share, protect, discipline, and educate them. Nor were there enough parental mentors, for the number of children, for personalized guidance in future trade or work professions.

Accordingly, each person did what was right, in his/her personal opinion, and got away with it as long as it did not grossly affect someone else. Those kids are now parents and grandparents and have passed the same conduct to the current generation (because they didn’t know any different). Besides, their displayed behavior normally was without malice. Instead, it was for survival in a highly competitive atmosphere that had limited resources, in a volatile region.

It also appears that from 1948 until about 1995 Israel and Israelis lived isolated, excluded from most of the world due to several kinds of world boycotts both economically and diplomatically. There was very little etiquette contact or western business experience with the “outside” world except for a select few government, military and business individuals, despite that Israelis travel overseas for vacations.

Consequently Israelis lived in a constant “inner circle or closed world” centered on their beliefs and traditions of their culture and religion with superficial or no consistent interaction with gentiles.

As a result only a minority of Israelis had the opportunity or means to learn proper protocols and business tactics according to western standards unless they moved abroad. Although in those years, the Israelis were fully engaged with defending themselves. How they looked, appeared or sounded to the world public was secondary.

Back then, their world perception may have been a bit one-sided anyway. Apart from school and the saturated, negative news coverage of Israel, most of Israeli exposure and perception to gentile culture originated from American television, international films, book novels, and tourists.

Additionally, Israel is a small country and could be illustrated as one big extended family. Almost everyone knows everybody or knows of, or knows someone who knows someone, etc.

Hence, there might be a lack of esteem for anyone who is a high achiever or who has an important position because, after all they are part of the family, and family members tell each other precisely what they think whether they are out ranked or not.

Moreover, all Israelis are expected to serve mandatory military service due to inadequate workforce numbers, the relentless regional threats of war and terrorism, and the bleak reality of perpetual conflict. In contrast, Americans join the military because they want to. This constitutes a major difference in pride, behavior, expectations, performance and mentality because Israelis live as if they are going to die young.

Nonetheless, regardless of the western diplomatic, military and business accusations in the last 20 years, Israel has made monumental adaptations in the field of western customs, public behavior and business practices as a result of persistent re-education.

What’s more, Israel is overcoming their trials to become a dominate, world renown center for cutting edge high tech businesses and creative technologies that are invented, patented and exported.

Yet, some may contend Israel has a lot more to learn in the diplomatic arena. Perhaps, yes. But, just because nations may not like Israeli politicians’ replies or decisions or Israelis steadfastly defending their international and domestic rights does not signify disrespect or misbehavior.

I know from personal experience that Israel has come a long way in a short time. And, I counter the critics because the Israelis continually strive to improve.

Read more columns by the writer

Don Davis has over 20 years experience in analytic research particularly regarding Israeli, Middle Eastern culture, behavior and historical patterns. Don is based in Israel, from where he monitors and evaluates worldwide information on finance, technologies, industries, and the military/political environment for a US consulting company.

Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12).

By Robin Sam

ALTHOUGH a short verse, 1 Samuel 2:12 is very profound in its import. Eli had two sons  – Hophni and Phinehas. They were not only irreligious but also immoral. Unlike their dad, who was a faithful priest of the Lord, the sons openly stood for everything that was scandalous, disgraceful, disreputable and appalling. While one translation calls them ‘worthless men’, another dubs them as ‘scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord.’ Only one version has anything relatively less harsh to say about them. The God’s Word translation calls them ‘good-for-nothing priests’ who had no faith in the Lord. The KJV is simple and direct in its interpretation. It says they were ‘sons of Belial’ who ‘knew not the Lord.’

That verse is a very sad statement. It is telling in more ways than one. It indirectly talks about the utter futility of Eli’s ministry in his own home while it is more direct in calling a spade a spade – when it comes to describing what manner of men his sons were.

What was wrong with Hophni and Phinehas? What was their crime or wrongdoing that earned them one of the severest condemnations given in the Bible?

Look for a moment at some of the phrases or words used to describe them:

    ‘Worthless men’ (1st Samuel 2:12)

    ‘They would not listen to the voice of their father’ (1st Samuel 2:25)

   ‘The sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD’ (1st Samuel 2:17)

    ‘The men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt’ (1st Samuel 2:17)

    ‘They did not know the Lord’ (1st Samuel 2:12)

They neither had respect for their father nor for his office as the priest of God. I don’t think Hophni and Phinehas turned into indolent, idle and loose men of worthless character overnight. They were in the making for a long time.

I guess the sons of Eli were allowed to grow up in this manner. Perhaps their father Eli was so occupied with his duties in the priestly office that he felt it was alright to neglect his family.

That is the message every believer and every worker of God married with children needs to take from 1 Samuel 2:12.

It doesn’t matter how busy a professional you are. You may be jet-setting around the world, earning accolade and success in your chosen field of work. You may be justifying the long and frequent absences from your home as something sacrificial done for the welfare of your wife and children. Perhaps you are a stay-at-home mom or dad – ever-present at home watching your children grow. Perhaps you quit your job or decided to remain unemployed for the sake of your children. But being a stay-at-home parent does not automatically guarantee that your children will be paragons of virtue.

The question is not – what have you provided for them? The real question worth asking is whom have you pointed out to them? Have you pointed Jesus Christ to them?

Eli was a failure as a dad because he tolerated the evil in his sons. He was a partaker of his sons’ evil. Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever. If He hated evil in the sons of Eli in those days, then be assured that even today He hates sin in our lives and our children’s, no less.

Parenting offers more challenges today than ever. Do you know why? These are ‘perilous times’ (2 Timothy 3:1) and ‘your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour’ (1 Peter 5:8). The enemy knows he has only a short time left and he will do everything in his means to destroy the family, the Christian family to be more precise.

What then must we do?

In Judges 13:8 we see a wonderful prayer by Manoah. Let me quote it here for you:

Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, and said, “O my Lord, please let the Man of God whom You sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born.”

If we have neglected our duty as parents, then Manoah’s prayer is a great starting point in good parenting. Can we like Manoah pray: ‘Lord, fill your Holy Spirit in us again and teach us what we shall do for the child(ren)’?

Apostle Paul commended his traveling companion Timothy not for his seafaring skills or nautical knowledge but for his Christian upbringing. In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul says of Timothy: ‘…from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.’

Do our children have a good grounding in the Bible? If not, it’s not too late to start now.

Timothy was able to continue in the things which he had learned and been assured of because his foundation was in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Robin Sam is the editor of The Christian Messenger. You can reach him at editor [at] christianmessenger [dot] in

According to reports, the village head and about 300 villagers instigated by the Hindu fundamentalists refused the burial of Jaikant Pawar, a convert Christian, who died of complications arising from asthma.

On the previous day, Pawar was taken to a nearby village, Pakhanpur, for treatment. However, the next morning he felt severe chest pain and an ambulance was called. Unfortunately he died before the ambulance arrived and his body was sent back to his village.

As the local pastor, Dhaniram Nag and the believers were taking the body of Pawar for burial service from his house, the fundamentalists suddenly surrounded his house shouting anti-Christian slogans. They abused the Christians and challenged the pastor and the believers to bring dead back to life. They then started beating the pastor, his wife and other believers including children and women.

As they continued attacking the small Christian community, the fundamentalists dragged the believers out from their houses and the small children were pushed and thrown. The beating went on till the pastor and the believers fell unconscious.

After much wrangling, the district officials helped the Christians bury Pawar in a graveyard in Belgal.

About 10 believers were injured in the attacks. A case has been lodged with the police. Please pray for Champa, the wife of Jaikant Pawar, the bereaved family and the ministry in this area.

In an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Osteen said as long as the likely GOP presidential nominee believes that Jesus is the Son of God then he subscribes to the Christian faith.

“When I hear Mitt Romney say that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God–that he’s the Christ, raised from the dead, that he’s his Savior–that’s good enough for me,” Osteen said in the interview.

Osteen has also said that Mormons fall under the Christian tent although he said the Mormon faith is ‘not traditional Christianity.’

“Mormonism is a little different, but I still see them as brothers in Christ,” the pastor argued.

Romney’s faith has largely remained an outlier in this presidential cycle, though some have expressed skepticism at the likely Republican nominee’s religious views.

Although Christians do not subscribe to the view that Mormons are followers of Christ, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints identify themselves as Christians.

However, recent polls show a majority of Americans are open to having a Mormon as president.

Interestingly, even Barack Obama had to face heat over his faith. A small minority of Americans continue to question whether President Barack Obama is a Christian.

In the CNN interview, Osteen also came in support of Obama.

Countering the speculation, Osteen said Tuesday he has spent time with the president and has no doubt about his faith.

“I believe with all my heart that he’s a Christian, as he says he is,” Osteen said.

Related reports:

75 percent of pastors say Mormons not Christians: poll

Republican governor makes his voice heard through memoir

Bill Keller takes on Glenn Beck for Mormonism

Beware! Mormon church is on expansion mode!

During the roughly 6.5 years covered by the journals, Mary struggles with drug addiction, has a few brief part-time jobs, periodically works as a prostitute, has her fourth abortion, maintains relationships with several men, and is HIV-positive. The writing is raw and honest and profane and vulgar and full of tragic, fleeting, unfocused hopes and tissue-thin plans to improve her life.

After the last journal entry, dated April 1993, we have no more information about Mary, except this: Social Security records reveal that she died in 1997, her address at time of death listed as Unknown. Her parents are dead, and her daughter cannot be located.

Anthony Zurlo was at that auction. As he later read Mary’s journals, his heart was broken at the hopelessness he saw in its pages. Your heart may be broken as well. But Anthony also saw a version of his own life in Mary’s challenges. It is, in fact, a version of all our lives as we struggle daily to resist the habits, desires, and thought patterns that come so easily but do such damage. Anthony has transcribed the journal writings faithfully—including misspellings; various errors and oddities; and entries that are undated, misdated, or were apparently written in random blank spots and thus appear out of order—with the following exceptions:

    • Names and initials in the journal have been changed, except for Mary’s first name.

    • Profanity and vulgarity have been replaced with ____.

    • Accounts of sexual encounters have been omitted, with the omissions noted.

Also not reproduced here are many clippings pasted or slipped into the journals, mostly from magazines and primarily pertaining to fashion, drug use, sexuality, movies, and TV.

Anthony has also written an introduction and a conclusion, and at three points in the journal has added observation and commentary on Mary’s life, the nature of hope, and the many ways in which all our lives are not so unlike hers.

Fair warning: Your brain will probably fill in some of the rough language represented by blanks. Please understand that before you decide to read ‘The Book of Mary: Diary of an Addict’.

The Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation, was found to have the highest percentage (84 percent) of people who ‘know God really exists and … have no doubts about it,’ and the lowest percentage (less than one percent) of people who said they ‘don’t believe in God’ at all.

The report, titled ‘Beliefs about God across Time and Countries,’ analyzes 30 countries based on surveys from the International Social Survey Programme conducted as far back as 1991 and as recently as 2008. The survey’s findings do not include Middle Eastern countries where a Muslim majority exists.

Those surveyed were asked a number of questions to help researchers measure their collective belief in God. First, they asked a question to determine whether those surveyed were atheists, agnostics, deists, waivers (those who believe in God only some of the time), weak believers (those who believe but have doubts) or strong believers. They were also asked how their belief has changed during their lifetime, and whether or not they believed in a God “who concerns himself with every human being personally.”

“While there is a modest, general shift away from belief in God, there is enormous variation across countries in the level of believers, atheists, and intermediate groups,” the report states.

Among all the nations mentioned in the report, atheism is highest in former East Germany, where 52 percent of people don’t believe in God. Smith indicates in his analysis that ‘countries with high atheism (and low strong belief) tend to be ex-Socialist states and countries in northwest Europe. Countries with low atheism and high strong belief tend to be Catholic societies, especially in the developing world, plus the United States, Israel, and Orthodox Cyprus.’

Among Americans, 81 percent say they have always believed in God, compared to just 37 percent in Great Britain, 25 percent in Japan and 13 percent in former East Germany.

Sixty-one percent of Americans said they know God exists, while three percent identified themselves as nonbelievers.

In Japan, only nine percent of the Japanese people said they don’t believe in God, yet only four percent said they know God exists – the lowest out of all the countries surveyed. People from Japan were more likely to indicate that they fell somewhere in the middle, and they either believed in God some of the time or said they were agnostic. CP

While one of the services was held outdoors in the Bayero University in Kano, a northern city in Nigeria, the other service was being held inside a building with the audience spilling outside.

Although there was no immediate official confirmation of the casualty figure, one news agency put the toll at 20.

The attackers arrived in a car and two motorcycles, opening fire and throwing homemade bombs, causing a stampede among the worshippers. Witnesses said worshippers were gunned down as they sought to flee.

The open air service was the first to be targeted. The attackers threw explosives and fired shots. When a stampede ensued they chased the worshippers shooting them with guns. The church service held in the sporting complex was targeted next, reports said.

A crowd of people later gathered at a Kano hospital waiting to hear news about friends or family.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although the attack was similar to others carried out by the Islamist group Boko Haram.

Boko Haram claimed January 20 attacks in Kano, the largest city in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north, when coordinated bombings and shootings left at least 185 dead in the extremists’ deadliest attack yet.

The 25 Columbus Circle condo is listed with broker Tytus Ciechorski at CMB Realty. In the past, the evangelist has faced criticism for owning two Rolls Royces and private jets.

In New York, the Dollars have been holding services at venues like Madison Square Garden, Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, the Hilton, Manhattan Center, the New York Marriott at Brooklyn Bridge, Tribeca Performing Arts Center and the Javits Center.

The Congress is probing the non-profit status of World Changers and several other major televangelists.

The Dollars had bought the condo in 2005 for only $2.48 million.

However, there are no plans for the World Changers ministry to vacate New York.

According to a report, the ministry was looking for a church in the city.