Christian beaten for drinking water

Man suffers broken collarbone, dislocated shoulderA Christian man is recovering from a beating that left him with a broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder after he drank water from a glass reserved for the poor at a construction site in Pakistan. The report comes from Voice of the Martyrs, the Christian aid organization with a vision for working around the world to help those who are facing persecution for their Christian faith. The report said Nasir Ashraf, a Christian stonemason, was working on the construction of a room at a school near Manga Mandi outside of Lahore when he got thirsty and took a break.

"He drew water and drank from a glass chained to a cemented public water tank next to a mosque, which was reserved for 'all' poor people," the VOM report said. "Returning to the construction site, a Muslim man asked him, 'Why did you drink water from this glass since you are a Christian?'" The man then accused Nasir of polluting the glass, yanked the glass off the iron chain, broke it and threw it in a garbage can. He also summoned other militant Muslims nearby. "This man polluted our glass," he told them. The result was an incensed mob that beat Nasir, yelling that a "Christian dog" drank from their glass.

Bystanders encouraged the beating, because it would be a "good" deed that would help them in heaven, the report said.

"The attackers pushed Nasir off a ledge onto the ground, and the fall dislocated his shoulder and broke his collarbone in two places," the VOM report said. He was unconscious until he was taken to a clinic, the report said, and the physician who said some people had brought him in also told him never to make that mistake again. Nasir's father took him home and a VOM representative was alerted so that VOMedical could help with his medical treatment and recovery, officials said.

VOM was launched by Rev. Richard Wurmbrand, who wrote "Tortured for Christ" about his experiences representing Christ in war-torn Europe. His testimony, and ministry's work, has spread around the globe.

World Net Daily