By John Cosenza

In April 2017, the Pew Research Center published a report titled “Global Restriction on Religion Rise Modestly in 2015, Reversing Downward Trend.” The report investigated government harassment and social hostility toward religious minorities and found that approximately 79% of the world’s population lived in countries with “high or very high levels of restrictions and/or hostilities in 2015,” up from 74% in 2014.[1] Moreover, the analysis found that among the top 25 most populated countries Russia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Nigeria have the highest levels of government restrictions and social hostilities involving religion. Pakistan’s inclusion in this list is no real surprise, given that it is an Islamic theocracy in which the Quran—not its constitution—guides society both civically and socially. The inclusion of India—often termed the world’s largest democracy—is slightly more surprising.

India has proven to be something of a paradox; a country that has adopted western principles and economic reforms, but still experiences high levels of religious and social persecution. Indeed, India’s Muslim and Christian communities experience increasing government-sponsored and societal persecution year after year. Sean Nelson of ADF International reports, “During the period of 2014 to 2018, India witnessed a sharp increase of violence targeting religious minorities. For example, in August 2018, there were 14 attacks. This year, there were 33 attacks in August. Every single month you see [a similar increase].”[2]

International human rights activists and government officials often attribute this increased religious persecution to the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Modi’s political career is checkered and he has been accused of allowing and even inciting anti-Muslim riots during his time as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002. According to Open Doors CEO David Curry, incidents of anti-Christian persecution have “increased by 200 percent since Modi took office.”[3] The political beliefs and agendas of Modi and his political party are questionable. Curry continues, “his political party and allies have outlined their views, which clearly discriminate against Muslims and Christians.”[4] Other political leaders are also accused of promoting the idea that non-Hindu ideas have no place in their country.

This is the root cause of anti-Christian persecution. Not Christianity itself, but its ideals; most notably the promotion of freedom of thought and individualism which pose a threat to the established Hindu political class. Oxford University fellow Larry Siedentop argues,

“Christianity created the conditions necessary for economic and political liberalism to flourish, first by threatening the aristocratic models of the ancient citizen class, and second by redirecting human curiosity toward the individual soul and its afterlife. Liberal thought is the offspring of Christianity because liberalism rests on the moral assumptions provided by Christianity.”[5]

The idea that God grants you individuality and freedom of thought undermines political movements that promote collectivism. Christian thought disrupted India’s caste system which has enabled a class-based society and societal persecution for thousands of years. Throughout India, Christian schools have been built “to educate masses thereby upsetting the existing caste system; furthermore, Christianity preaches a classless gospel. Persecution of Christians in India takes place under the guise that Christian Missionaries are covertly trying to convert Hindu-Indian society to the western cult of individualism.”[6] Christianity’s promotion of a society based on the individual rather than class sharply undercuts the existing caste system and questions its need to exist at all. In the eyes of upper Hindu classes, this cannot be allowed to happen. Christianity’s promotion of the individual is, unfortunately, clashing with a nationalist movement that promotes ‘Hindu only’ ideas.

The Trump administration has promoted international religious freedom as a major presidential objective, but has failed to act in India. President Trump has befriended Modi because he knows he must secure a strong partnership with the largest democracy in the world. But however important the partnership with India may be, the Trump administration needs to uphold the standards established during its own Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. President Trump ought to take advantage of his friendship with Prime Minster Modi and encourage him to implement meaningful reforms, including the protection of religious minorities and, most importantly, the freedom of thought. Until India reforms its society to be more accepting of non-Hindu ideas and values, the country will continue to be plagued by religiously-motivated violence and discrimination.

John Cosenza is a Market Research Analyst at Zitter Health Insights as well as a part time Research Consultant at the Mitchell Firm, a Washington D.C. based lobbying and consultancy firm. John graduated from Marist College with a dual degree in History & Political Science and graduated from Norwich University with a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy & International Business. John is an experienced professional with a unique combination of primary and secondary research skills as well as writing skills. He has experience working in the private and non-profit sector conducting secondary, qualitative, and quantitative research for multiple organizations including the world’s largest marketing and advertising agency, an international marketing consultancy firm, and a Washington, D.C. based Non-Government Organization (NGO). In addition to his research, John has co-authored multiple articles with Mr. John T. Pinna of the Mitchell firm focusing on international human rights issues and international religious persecution. John continues to work with political, think tank, and NGO leaders in the Washington D.C. metro area to advocate for international religious freedom. He can be reached at [email protected] or www.linkedin.com/in/john-cosenza/

[1] Pew Research Center, (2017). “Global Restrictions on Religion Rise Modestly in 2015, Reversing Downward Trend.”

[2] Smith, Samuel (2019). “Over 1,000 Incidents of Christian Persecution in India Reported Since 2014; 219 in 2019.” The Christian Post, 2019.

[3] Brennan, David (2019). “Christian Persecution in India is ‘Very Troubling; Franklin Graham Says, But Backs Trump Friendship with Modi.” Newsweek, 2019.

[4] Ibid, 2019.

[5] Mendenhall, Allen (2015). “Sanctifying the Individual: Does the West owe its Individualism to Christianity?” Letter and Spirit, 2015.

[6] Melanchthon, Monica (2003). “Persecution of Indian Christians.” Journal of Theology Dialog. Volume 41, Issue 2, May 21, 2003.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of International Christian Concern or any of its affiliates