Christian Pastor Killed in India

A Christian pastor was killed recently in India.

A friend of his, also a pastor (I’ll call him "Pastor H") in India, posted this message on Facebook on July 7, 2016:

"Dear spiritual brothers and sisters, friends, please pray for Pastor Maraiah, killed by Maoists in Andhra Pradesh. What a WONDERFUL TESTIMONY about [this] pastor and brother from Sarapaka."

Pastor Maraiah worked among the Koya people.

"He had been targeted by Naxales, just because he was bringing [the] Koya people to Christ," says Pastor H. "Several times he [was] warned by them [the Naxales]. His son [was] also was kidnapped earlier. Despite these [things], he never cared [about] their warning and proclaimed the Gospel and became a martyr for Christ."

Pastor H offered this prayer for his deceased friend:

"May the Lord comfort their family and church. May the Lord raise [up] many more kannaiahs. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."

On August 2, 2016, Pastor H posted this Facebook message:      

"Dear spiritual brothers and sisters, friends, as you all know, a few days back a pastor was tortured and killed by Maoists in Andhra Pradesh, but [there is] still no reaction from government. [This] coming week, me and friends [are] going to meet that pastor's family and [are] willing to support [them] financially. If anyone wants to support his family or is willing to come with me, please let me know before coming Sunday. God is going to change many Maoists [into] pastors and make them to do ministry in [the] same place. Soon, if God allows, [I] will raise support and build a church in same place. Hallelujah!!!"

Naxalites allegedly killed Pastor Mariah.

What is a “Naxalite”?

A “Naxal” or “Naxalite” is a member of any of the Communist guerrilla groups in India, mostly associated with the Communist Party of India (Maoist), according to internet sources (especially “Wikipedia”).

The term “Naxal” derives from the name of the village Naxalbari in West Bengal, where the movement had its origin. Naxalites are considered far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political sentiment and ideology.

The below information is from “Wikipedia” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalite%E2%80%93Maoist_insurgency):

The armed wing of the Naxalite–Maoists is called the PLGA (Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army) and is estimated to have between 6,500 and 9,500 cadres, mostly armed with small arms. The Naxalites control territory throughout Bihar, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh states in India and claim to be supported by the poorest of the rural population, especially the Adivasis.

In 2006, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the Naxalites the “single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country.”

It was estimated in 2007 that Naxalites were active across 40 percent of India’s geographical area in an area known as the "Red Corridor." 

What is the difference between Maoism and Naxalism? 

The below information is taken from https://www.quora.com/Naxalism-What-is-difference-between-a-Maoist-and-Naxalite.

Maoism originated in China. Naxalism originated in India.

Maoism began in China as a form of Communist theory derived from the teachings of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Developed during the 1950s and ’60s, it was applied widely as the political-and-military guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China until 1977-78. Maoism emphasized the advancement of people’s social and economic life by establishing a classless society through armed revolution. … Maoism sees the agrarian peasantry, rather than the working class, as the key revolutionary force that can basically transform capitalist society towards socialism. Maoist philosophy: “Power flows from the barrel of the gun.”

Naxalism originated In India as a rebellion against lack of development and poverty at the local level in the rural parts of eastern India. . . . Their initial ideology came from Marx and Lenin. Later, they were also influenced by Mao Zedong’s communist theory.

The difference between Maoism and Naxalism, apart from their origins, is the scale of ideologies during their uprising. Maoism desires to take control of government and run government, enforcing its ideology on a whole country.

During the uprising of Naxalism, rural-area workers revolted against their masters and landlords, protesting marginalization of the poor or rural areas. Maoism’s aim was to fundamentally transform a country towards socialism, but Naxalism, originating in India, focused on the anger of working-class people. Naxalites reportedly now follow Maoist theory to achieve the same “end results” or goals.

Through the merger of the People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), the Communist Party of India (Maoist) was formed in 2004 and aims to overthrow the government of India “through people's war.” Now, Naxalites work mostly under the influence of the CPI-Maoist, which is currently described as a terrorist organization by the Indian government because it organizes mass killings to further its ideology.

Though there were some differences in the ideology of Naxalism and the ideology of Maoism during their uprisings, the Naxalites now follow Maoist ideologies to achieve their common goals.

Many people are saddened by Pastor Maraiah's death. 

"The blood of the [Christian] martyrs is the seed of the Church." -- Quintus Septimus Florens Tertullian (Apologeticus, Chapter 50).