Intolerance in India
Over the past 20 years the worldwide persecution of Christians has entered the consciousness of American believers. Religious freedom has become a potent rallying cry. That is an excellent development—provided we avoid turning the issue into a partisan weapon in the confrontation between Christianity and Islam. While those two faiths often do encounter each other violently, most world religions, including those faiths that Westerners view quite favorably, have their own disturbing records of persecution and violence.
India, in particular, has a troubled record on religious freedom, and the offenders are Hindus, not Muslims. And the violence seems bound to increase.
India's importance on the global stage needs no stressing. Within two decades it will be the world's most populous nation. Its surging economy is racing to catch up with China's. It also has a significant Christian population—officially about 25 million, but quite possibly close to 40 million. That large discrepancy in numbers points to a major gap in India's vaunted record of multifaith tolerance.
