Nepal Cracks Down on Christianity
Christianity has spread like wildfire throughout the Hindu-majority country of Nepal, prompting officials there to make it illegal to evangelize or convert anyone in the country.
https://www.trunews.com/article/nepal-cracks-down-on-christianity
The government of Nepal has made sharing the Gospel and converting non-Christians over to believers illegal. The Hindu-majority country, located in the Himalayas and bordering India and Tibet, calls itself a “democratic republic,” but has ignored calls to allow greater religious freedom by further cracking down on Christianity. The law signed Oct. 23 by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari is similar to anti-blasphemy laws imposed in Muslim-majority countries. It states (translated to English):
>No one should involve or encourage in conversion of religion. No one should convert a person from one religion to another religion or profess them own religion and belief with similar intention by using or not using any means of attraction and by disturbing religion or belief of any ethnic groups or community that being practiced since ancient times. If found guilty; there will be punishment of five years of imprisonment and penalty of 50,000 rupees (approximately $485). If foreigners are found guilty; they will have to be deported within seven days after completing the imprisonment in third clause.
Nepal, previously a Hindu monarchy, became a “secular” state—meaning other religions, including Christianity, were permitted—10 years ago. It has since worked to form a new constitution, and at one point, leaders considered restoring Hinduism as the nation’s official religion. Hindus make up about 80 percent of Nepal’s population of approximately 29 million. Christians are estimated to number roughly 375,000 in the country. But, faith in Christ is spreading like wildfire throughout Nepal. Just 10 years ago, there were only about 100,000 Christians in the country; 50 years ago, there were less than 1,000.