Author: Janet Chismar, Religion
Today
Publication: www.crosswalk.com
Date: May 30, 2001
Nestled in the Himalayan Mountains
between Tibet, China and India, the tiny nation of Bhutan is graced with
snow-capped peaks and green valleys. Countless rivers course through the
land frequently referred to as Shangri-La. Yet this beautiful country is
no paradise for the few Christians who live there.
"Bhutan prides itself as being the
only Tibetan Buddhist kingdom in the world," one Christian reported to
the International Mission Board (IMB). "There is a lot of pressure to preserve
the culture. Anything that would be threatening to that culture is considered
hostile."
Christianity, he says, is counted
as one of the biggest threats. Christians in the country need the support
of fellow believers around the world because of the fierce opposition they
receive in all areas of their lives once their faith is known.
That is why the IMB is focusing
on Bhutan during its 15th Day of Prayer and Fasting for World Evangelism.
The annual Pentecost weekend of 24 hours of prayer begins at 6 p.m. on
June 1 and concludes at 6 p.m. on June 2.
According to Randy Sprinkle, director
of the IMB's International Prayer Strategy Office, "We believe it is really
important to call churches to look beyond America to the lost world."
And lost it is. The native people,
known as "Drupka," are consumed by efforts to appease ancestors and to
ward off evil beings. They seek "atonement," but the Drukpa are one of
1,981 people groups in the world who for all practical purposes have never
heard about Jesus. These groups make up what the IMB calls The Last Frontier.
The Drukpa, who make up a majority
of Bhutan's approximately 600,000 people, do not refer to their country
as Bhutan, but rather as Druk Yul, or Land of the Thunder Dragon. Many
outsiders consider it the mythical Shangri-La.
Mired in Tibetan Buddhism and mixed
with mysticism and superstition, the Drukpa are ruled by a fear of the
spirits, says Sprinkle. Prayer wheels spin day and night, delivering prayers
to the gods with every rotation. Men and women walk counterclockwise for
hours, spinning them while mumbling mantras.
Virtually every part of life for
the Drukpa is tainted with fear of the unknown. Whether they know it or
not, one Christian told IMB, "it all goes back to the fall of man. There
is something within these people that demands they search for atonement,"
he says. "Every ritual and act they take on is surrounded by mysticism
and the search for cleansing."
What is evident in the daily lives
of the people is an awareness that they are separated from the heavenly.
The concept of a loving God, the message of salvation through Jesus Christ,
is something that needs to be presented to them," says Sprinkle.
According to a Drukpa who accepted
Christ more than 20 years ago, the Bhutanese "hold to a fatalistic view
of life. Everything is determined for you within the law of karma. Everyone
is stuck in the wheel of life, and while you can't control your ultimate
destiny, you can make the best of what you have."
The Drukpa need to hear that it
is possible to be a Bhutanese and a Christian, he adds.
"The mountains and isolation of
the people are formidable barriers to spreading the gospel among the Drukpa
and throughout Bhutan," says Spinkle, "but through prayer and the intercession
of Christians around the world, doors will be opened and national Christians
will be encouraged in their faith and will share their faith."
The Price of Believing
Public worship and evangelism by
Christians are illegal, Sprinkle adds. "Limited soul winning by the few
indigenous believers has been met with tightened restrictions. Yet, for
the last six years, the number of known believers among the Drupka has
slowly grown from fewer than 200 to nearly 300."
According to Baptist World Alliance,
believers attending churches in Bhutan in April reportedly were confronted
by authorities who recorded their names. Some ran away in fear of being
identified and punished. Police also have closed churches, interrogated
pastors and threatened them with imprisonment -- demanding that Christians
stop evangelistic activities.
Reports given to the Baptist World
Alliance in early May said Christians are being told to pledge in writing
that they will not gather to worship or evangelize. If they do, they will
face the loss of free education for their children, loss of access to free
medical care and other penalties.
"Very harsh persecution has started
in Bhutan," one Bhutanese Christian told Baptist Press. "Christians are
asked either to leave their religion or their country. In some places they
are beaten very badly. They are not allowed to gather anymore. Freedom
of religion has been taken away. Christians now face termination of employment,
expulsion from the country, cancellation of trade licenses and denial of
all state benefits."
The persecution reportedly began
to grow last year after Bhutan's king made a speech advising his people
they would be better off following one religion: Buddhism. Afterward, regional
officials intensified repression of Christians.
