Why Christians in India Could Face Persecution for Sharing Their Faith Online: ‘It’s Alarming’

An amended anti-conversion law in India is making it more difficult for religious minorities to share their faith.

The revised law, known as the Freedom of Religion bill, specifically targets digital media.

Its supporters claim that it protects religious rights and maintains social harmony. However, the law actually stifles free speech and specifically targets Christians.

In the state of Uttarakhand, India, the amended law has expanded restrictions against sharing one’s faith in person to include digital communications online and via phones.

Global Christian Relief CEO, Brian Orme, believes this sets a precedent.

“It is alarming. And I would say it’s definitely one of the most restrictive laws we’ve seen,” he explained. “It’s targeting anyone who speaks out and is active to convert or share their faith.”

Christians in India are still trying to understand the implications of the amended law.

“It could mean anything from sharing your testimony, sharing a Bible verse, talking about your own faith could be seen as heralding yours better than others,” Orme said. “And you could be arrested, without any other proof beyond that.”

Many pastors and evangelists are responding by removing their online content.

“They’re scrubbing their YouTube channels. They’re pulling down social media, and many of them are even contemplating whether they need to leave the state,” Orme explained.

The revised digital anti-conversion law prohibits acts that are often seen as enticing individuals to leave the Hindu faith.

“So it could even be like giving a meal to someone who’s hungry, in the name of Christ, or even just giving a meal at all,”Orme explained. “But being a Christian organization could put you at risk completely for forced conversion.”

Individuals who are arrested and charged with violating the law are presumed guilty until proven innocent, rather than innocent until proven guilty.

Orme suggests that this presumption makes it difficult for Christians to avoid conviction. Penalties for these violations range from fines of up to $12,000 to imprisonment for three years, or even life.

Additionally, the amended anti-conversion law prohibits claiming that one religion is superior to another and bans digital propaganda promoting such beliefs.

So, what is considered propaganda, and who decides what is and isn’t propaganda?

Orme explained, “That is the whole problem. And the propaganda could be defined as, again, just sharing your faith. And it really kind of explicitly says touting one faith above the other. And so who’s to say who’s the judge of what that looks like?”

Although the law does not specifically mention Christians, they are primarily targeted in the effort to suppress the explosive spread of Christianity in India.

“These types of rules are meant to squash those movements and allow Christians to again force them underground, force them to, to, I mean, again, like, not be in the public space and have a voice,” Orme insisted.

Currently, 12 Indian states have implemented strict anti-conversion laws. However, Orme predicts that Uttarakhand’s amended law—extending the restrictions to digital media—is likely to set a precedent for other states.

“I do believe that the other anti-conversion states will take this on. And again we’ll probably see another level of rising persecution, unfortunately, across India,” he said.                                                                                

Although sharing one’s faith may be challenging for Christians in India, Orme remains confident that believers will continue to share the gospel message throughout the world’s largest democracy.

He believes, “The church is having to be so much more cautious, so much more aware, but there’s still a bold thread that is moving forward to say that these laws will not stop us from worshiping and expressing our faith freely.”