Hindus in Nepal targeted for mass conversion by Christian missionary

Case ID : 90a05cd | Location : Nepal | Date of Incident : Sun, 19 January, 2025
Case ID : 90a05cd
location Nepal
date 19 January, 2025
Hindus in Nepal targeted for mass conversion by Christian missionary
Predatory Proselytisation
Attempting to convert/converting by denigrating Hinduism
Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination
Pattern of targeting Hindus

Case Summary

Christian missionary Daniel Stephan Courney carried out mass conversion activities in Nepal, continuing his controversial proselytisation efforts after similar incidents in India. On January 5, 2025, Courney, a US-origin missionary, announced his arrival in Nepal on Facebook. He engaged in distributing New Testament and religious tracts in the local language while delivering speeches promoting Christianity. Videos of his activities, including preaching in markets and near Hindu temples, were shared on social media by Liberating Truth, a Christian group in Nepal. Courney's posts often expressed disdain for Hinduism, describing it as an "idolatrous religion." In one instance, he compared Hindu prayer practices to American cultural habits, emphasizing Christian principles of private prayer. He had a history of controversial statements, including criticizing Hindu traditions and propagating Christian beliefs as superior. Courney previously engaged in similar activities in India, where he entered on a tourist visa in 2009 and stayed for over a decade. He was deported in 2017 for violating visa norms but re-entered in 2023. In Manipur, India, he supported the Kuki Christian community during conflicts with the Meitei Hindus, accusing the Indian government of persecution. His activities in Manipur included distributing Bibles and delivering speeches against Hindus and the BJP-led government. Courney’s actions extended beyond religious conversions. He also shared videos accusing Meitei Hindus of targeting Christian Kukis and spreading anti-Hindu narratives under the guise of social service.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This particular case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under the prime category of Predatory Proselytisation because there are distinct elements displaying the perpetrator's bias against Hindus and their faith. Under this, the first sub-category chosen is- Attempts to convert/converting by denigrating Hinduism. In several cases, Hindus are converted or an attempt is made to convert Hindus by denigrating their faith, Hinduism. In such cases, the Hindus associate with the non-Hindu perpetrators often by choice and then, the attempt to convert them by insulting their faith, showing the faith down etc begins. An example of this would be a non-Hindu gathering where the Hindus are attending the gathering of their own free will. However, once they attend the gathering, there is an explicit attempt to convert them by abusing their faith and hailing the faith of the perpetrator. The denigration of the Hindu faith is often based on misrepresentation of the Hindu faith, its doctrine and scriptures and insult to espoused traditions if not blatant lies about Hindu beliefs and ways. Such conversions or attempts at conversions are driven by animosity towards the Hindu faith and are therefore documented as religiously motivated hate crimes. The second sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination and within this, the tertiary category selected is- Pattern of targeting Hindus. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust which might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytization, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. In this instance, the Christian missionary attempted to convert Hindus by denigrating Hinduism. He labelled Hinduism as an "idolatrous religion" and criticised Hindu prayer practices. By doing so, he not only undermined the faith but also aimed to discredit Hindu beliefs and portray them as inferior to Christianity. This denigration serves as a tool to convince individuals that their existing faith is flawed, making them more susceptible to conversion. His speeches, alongside his religious materials, appear designed to gradually influence and indoctrinate, presenting Christianity as the only viable alternative to the perceived shortcomings of Hinduism. This manipulation takes place subtly over time, creating a favourable environment for conversion by undermining the existing religious beliefs of individuals. Further, Courney's long-standing involvement in religious conversion activities, particularly in regions with significant Hindu populations like India and Nepal, highlights a deliberate pattern of targeting Hindu communities. His past actions, including his support for Kuki Christians in India and his frequent disparaging remarks about Hindus, indicate a broader effort to challenge Hinduism and replace it with Christianity. This recurring strategy of targeting Hindus for conversion, coupled with the denigration of their religious practices, reinforces the religiously motivated nature of his actions, making this case worthy of being documented in the Hinduphobia tracker.

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Case Status


Unknown

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Perpetrators Details

Perpetrators


Christian Extremists

Perpetrators Range


One Person

Perpetrators Gender


male

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