Lenny
12-02-2005, 08:01 AM
Mexico: town council decides to 'end the evangelical religion'
About 150 evangelicals in 40 families were expelled from their homes in San Nicolas, Hidalgo state, Mexico, at the end of October, following a town council vote.
The day after the expulsion decision, townspeople blocked access to property belonging to the Independent Christian Pentecostal Church. They forcibly took away tools and materials to be used for constructing a church building.
"The evangelicals have not done work projects and have not contributed anything to the community," a San Nicolas official told La Jornada newspaper. The Rev Pedro Olvera Rivera, of the Independent Christian Pentecostal denomination said evangelicals are leaders of the committee for community services and have been working hard in that capacity.
According to La Jornada, "Of the population of 8,000 inhabitants, 70 percent consider themselves Catholics and have decided to end the evangelical religion." A local Catholic priest has tried to persuade the town to practice religious freedom, once announcing through a loudspeaker, "We are all children of God," but townspeople cut off the amplification as he spoke. Roman Catholic authorities are considering removing the priest from San Nicolas, according to the Rev Pedro Olvera. Catholic town leader Noe Gerardo threatened reporters who were present that they would be burned and no longer allowed into San Nicolas if they repeated the priest's message. Religious persecution began there about 14 years ago when evangelicals' water and electricity services were suspended. Five years ago, one believer was killed and the Bethel Temple was destroyed. Since then, the Pentecostals have been meeting in a home and more families have converted. Ponciano Rodriguez, an evangelical Christian but previously a leading enemy of Evangelicals, died in August, and Roman Catholics refused to grant permission to bury him in the town cemetery.
Chiapas: 'Only Catholics may live to the town'
In the state of Chiapas, officials of San Antonio Las Rosas have decreed that only Catholics may live in the town. Last July, three evangelicals were jailed for 24 hours in the town to try to force them to move out. The three had to pay 1,000 pesos each (approximately £60) to be freed. On September 25, local authorities cut the electricity to evangelical families, causing them to protest, further angering the Roman Catholics, said Pastor Alonso in La Jornada.
About 150 evangelicals in 40 families were expelled from their homes in San Nicolas, Hidalgo state, Mexico, at the end of October, following a town council vote.
The day after the expulsion decision, townspeople blocked access to property belonging to the Independent Christian Pentecostal Church. They forcibly took away tools and materials to be used for constructing a church building.
"The evangelicals have not done work projects and have not contributed anything to the community," a San Nicolas official told La Jornada newspaper. The Rev Pedro Olvera Rivera, of the Independent Christian Pentecostal denomination said evangelicals are leaders of the committee for community services and have been working hard in that capacity.
According to La Jornada, "Of the population of 8,000 inhabitants, 70 percent consider themselves Catholics and have decided to end the evangelical religion." A local Catholic priest has tried to persuade the town to practice religious freedom, once announcing through a loudspeaker, "We are all children of God," but townspeople cut off the amplification as he spoke. Roman Catholic authorities are considering removing the priest from San Nicolas, according to the Rev Pedro Olvera. Catholic town leader Noe Gerardo threatened reporters who were present that they would be burned and no longer allowed into San Nicolas if they repeated the priest's message. Religious persecution began there about 14 years ago when evangelicals' water and electricity services were suspended. Five years ago, one believer was killed and the Bethel Temple was destroyed. Since then, the Pentecostals have been meeting in a home and more families have converted. Ponciano Rodriguez, an evangelical Christian but previously a leading enemy of Evangelicals, died in August, and Roman Catholics refused to grant permission to bury him in the town cemetery.
Chiapas: 'Only Catholics may live to the town'
In the state of Chiapas, officials of San Antonio Las Rosas have decreed that only Catholics may live in the town. Last July, three evangelicals were jailed for 24 hours in the town to try to force them to move out. The three had to pay 1,000 pesos each (approximately £60) to be freed. On September 25, local authorities cut the electricity to evangelical families, causing them to protest, further angering the Roman Catholics, said Pastor Alonso in La Jornada.