by Mk_India_staff December 13, 2020
Visa Fraud Alert: Nathan Rehn, Thane Rehn and First Baptist Church of Monterey
We have filed a complaint against a church and its pastor, who is connected to one of the most notorious Hinduphobes there is:
@AudreyTruschke. Her FIL Nathan Rehn has been caught violating Indian visa laws, and it’s high time @HMOIndia and @MEAIndia did something about it. pic.twitter.com/YooZOsDMBx
First Baptist Church is based in Monterey, California, USA. It is headed by Nathan Rehn, who is the father-in-law of Audrey Truschke. Many of you might know her as an apologist for Mughal rule in India.
In her own words, she is “a historian, author, and activist”. She is Associate Professor of South Asian History at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. She earned a BA at the University of Chicago in Religious Studies and a PhD in history from Columbia University. “When Audrey isn’t writing about the Mughals, Sanskrit texts, or Hindu-Muslim interactions” she continues “she is often calling attention to abuses of history and human rights in contemporary South Asia. Her other frequent activities include condemning sexism and Islamophobia, reading, and spending time with her family”.
Ms. Truschke is a known Hinduphobe who has lauded Mughal rulers, even one as tyrannical as Aurangzeb, while deliberately showing Hinduism in a bad light. She was mentored by such Hinduphobes like Sheldon Pollock, a so-called Sanskrit scholar who deliberately mistranslates Hindu texts and itihaas, and Wendy Doniger, a so-called Freudian psychoanalyst (even though she wasn’t trained as one) who ascribes what she thinks are Freudian attributes to Hindu devatas. Perhaps you might have seen this notorious tweet in which she claims Sita accused Lakshmana of lusting after her and calling Sri Ram a misogynist:
Browsing through her twitter profile reveals she has a soft spot for illegal immigrants, and participates in activism to abolish the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. But she does not seem to extend that graciousness to anyone that challenges her rehabilitation of Aurangzeb, as one Dr Murali K Vadivelu did some time back. She threatened to have him kicked out of an event where she was speaking and taking questions.
Mr. Rehn’s entire family is featured on the website for First Baptish Church of Monterey, Truschke included. So there is reason to believe she very much supports the agenda of her father-in-law to carry out conversions in India. Her husband is Thane Rehn, who has been caught preaching in India in violation of visa conditions:
Mr Rehn has made multiple visits himself to India, in violation of visa conditions.
Mr. Rehn for many years supported a ministry called Bless India, which was headed by one Devadas Mekala and his family. However, in 2012, Mr. Rehn stopped supporting the Mekala family’s orphanages due to “sin” issues. Perhaps it is safe to assume the worst took place in their orphanages. Sexual abuse of orphans is rampant in Christian institutions.
In any case, that is not the main concern. Our concern is of the visa violation done by Mr. Rehn, and Thane Rehn.
Whatever visa these people hold in India, they are in violation of the terms and conditions of the visa. If they hold a missionary visa, visa holders cannot use it for proselytizing and can only join a missionary organization APPROVED by the government of India. In order to be approved by the government of India to operate within the country, an organization must receive a certificate indicating it is compliant with the Foreign Contributions Regulatory Act. If they hold a tourist visa, they can only use it for non-business purposes, such as tourism or visiting family and friends.
A complaint has been filed by the Mission Kaali team:
Portion of the complaint filed by the Mission Kaali legal team
Once again, we humbly request you also file a complaint as an individual; you can do so at this link. We will be regularly updating you on the complaints we file against Christian organizations that subvert Indian laws to further their aims, and we ask you to do your part. We also humbly request you like this post, and share this post with friends and family. Let them know what missionaries are doing. Remember, complaints are listened to by the government, more than social media posts. Your complaints will help in getting FCRA certificates cancelled and these organizations permanently blacklisted!
Audrey Truschke will have to be a separate issue, especially if she plans to visit India anytime soon.
We published a guide to filing complaints, which you can view HERE. You have a lot more power than you think you do; even missionaries are starting to take notice and they are getting worried.
Jai Maa Kaali!
