Tribal animists wielding axes surrounded a church building in eastern India and threatened to “chop” Christians “to pieces” before burning the church to the ground amid escalating persecution in the south Asian country.
According to Morning Star News, animists in Odisha state’s Perigaon village, Rayagada District, staged the attack on Dec. 1 after they raided Christians' homes where they seizes and burned Bibles five days earlier. Animists worship gods based on ancestors, spirits, and nature.
“After we concluded the prayers and community lunch service [on Dec. 1], a batch of around 15 tribal men came with axes, surrounded the church and threatened that they will chop us into pieces,” pastor Bibudhan Pradhan told Morning Star News....