Persecution

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[edit] State of Persecution

[edit] United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Article 18

  • The UN Declaration on Human Rights states that:
  • Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

[edit] Get the Word Out

  • In an item appearing in the Feb. 9th , 2007 Brigada Today, Alan asked for resources to raise awareness of the persecuted church. He was looking for interview footage or something with stats that wouldn't necessarily zero in one particular country.

If you know of resources he might use, please click "Edit" and enter them here.

  • Please pray for us: praying for persecuted churches in 52 nations is a prayer guide (a book) developed by Open Doors with Brother Andrew featuring profiles of 52 of the most-restricted countries around the world. (Justin Long did the research and writing and Open Doors added in stories of persecuted individuals and churches.)
  • [1] Compass Direct is a regular newswire featuring news stories about the persecuted church. There's at least one new story every week, and a monthly wrap up usually featuring about 30 or 40 stories. Momentum Magazine uses these to encapsulate its Persecution page.
  • Human Rights Watch is another regular newswire.
  • Forum 18 is another regular newswire.
  • The Jubilee Campaign is another regular newswire.
  • Christians In Crisis is a ministry with a focus on raising intercessors and awareness for the persecuted church. We encourage HOPE prayer groups (Houses of Prayer Everywhere) for the purpose of uniting in focused, strategic prayer for the persecuted church worldwide, the people who persecute them and for all those needing to come to salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; we offer a weekly e-mail Persecution News Alert, compiling news from many sources to aid in prayer; have a Crisis Prayer Team for handling URGENT prayer requests received from individuals and ministries who have immediate need for prayer. These requests are distributed to the Crisis Team daily.

[edit] Recent cases

See also Martyrs

  • The Taliban's kidnapping of the South Korean aid workers in Afghanistan illustrates how that conflict is essentially religious. * In Turkey, attacks continue on Christians and churches. In an area along the Black Sea coast where an Italian Catholic priest was previously murdered, a Protestant church was vandalized and its pastor threatened.
  • Attacks on Christians are up in India. In one city, a Catholic convent school was attacked; in another town Hindu fanatics murdered a Christian convert; in another case Christian missionaries were beaten.
  • In Kazakhstan, Christians were tossed out of their home because they held an unauthorized prayer meeting.
  • A Baptist minister was arrested in Azerbaijan while conducting services.
  • Malaysia’s top court prevented a Muslim woman from legally converting to Christianity.
  • Egypt similarly discourages conversions away from Islam; while mobs recently attacked Coptic Christians thought to be planning to build a church.
  • Pakistan is preparing to execute a Christian falsely accused of blaspheming Islam and the prophet Mohammed.
  • China continues to close down Protestant home churches and promote the official "patriotic" Catholic Church over the underground, legitimate church.
  • Vietnam recently arrested and tortured Montagnard Christians.
  • In Indonesia, Christians have been arrested for blasphemy; Muslim extremists forced the Carmelite Prayer Centre in West Java to cancel a planned international conference. The mainly Christian village of Horale on the island of Seram in the Malloccan province was attacked on the night of May 2, 2008 by a mob from the neighboring village of Saleman which is predominantly Muslim. The Muslims burnt down 120 houses, three churches and the village school. Four Christians were killed and 56 wounded. Fifteen hundred acres of crops were destroyed as well as 20 fishing boats and 2 motor-cycles.
  • Ethiopia: A series of violent interfaith conflicts in the western part of the country have threatened historic tolerance and stability. On April 2, 2007, in Bambasse, a town in southwest Ethiopia, local Muslims raided the house of evangelist Tolosa Megersa, resulting in the death of six of his cattle and sheep. Five days later, the home of Full Gospel Church leader Lemmu Abdissa was raided. All his property was destroyed, including 8,815 pounds of grain.
  • On March 26, 2007, a group of Muslim youth attacked and killed evangelist Taddese Tefera Akufo, in Jima, Oromiya Region. At the time of the report, no suspects were in police detention. On October 18, 2006, in Begi and Gidami, Oromiya Region, clashes between Muslims and Protestants resulted in 9 deaths, including the death of two Protestant preachers, whose throats were slashed, and over 100 injured. Additionally, 21 churches, a mosque, and dozens of houses were burned, leading to the displacement of over 400 people. Orthodox churches were burned, although the incidents were primarily between Protestants and Muslims. On September 26, 2006, in several parts of western Ethiopia, a series of clashes occurred between the Muslim community and members of the Protestant or evangelical communities.
  • On 15 February 2008 in Gaza in Palestine the Christian bookshop and the library of the YCMA was bombed and thousands of books were destroyed. Seven families had to relocate to the West Bank, because the local authorities said they could not take care for their safety.
  • Christians were killed and wounded in a bomb attack in Ethiopia.
  • Far worse is the plight of Christians in Iraq, says Jacobson. Christians are routinely murdered and kidnapped; Christian churches are regularly destroyed; hundreds of thousands of Christians have fled Iraq.
  • It is ironic that in an age when many people once thought religion was on the wane, persecution has become a bigger issue than ever." (Christian Newswire)
  • India: Severe persecution of Christians is going on in the district in Khandamal in Orissa State of India during the Christma celebration 2007. This area is inhabited by inhibited by tribals such as Kondhs and Damas, speaking a common language Kui. At least 165 churches were burnt & demolished, a total of 500 - 600 homes have been looted and burnt, the World Vision office burnt, a number of businesses destroyed, and six persons murdered, including two pastors have been killed, and some young women molested, about 2000 Christians were beaten and injured in violence since Christmas Eve, Christmas services disturbed, by people of Hindu fundamentalists. Many Christian families have now fled their homes in fear and took refuge in the forest. A number of Christians have been forced to leave their homes and take refuge in the forest. Urgent prayer is needed for peace to be restored.
  • Zimbabwe: The ZANU PF government continues to persecute the Church of God. ‘Eight Church leaders, including a blind pastor were arrested during a meeting in front of 400 worshippers and detained in police cells in Kadoma (120 km South West of Harare).' The arrested Church leaders are Jonathan Gokovah, Pastor Raymond Motsi, Pius Wakatama, Pastor Ancelimo Magaya, Pastor Wilson Mugabe, Pastor Zvizai Chiponda, Lawrence Berejena and Gerald Mubaiwa. Pastor Moyo states, “The meeting was for Christians who felt they cannot remain silent while the country burns with companies closing, inflation (26 000%) hitting everyone hard and the majority of people suffering.”
  • Nigeria - RESCUE OF KIDNAPPED CHRISTIAN GIRLS TRIGGERS ANTI-CHRISTIAN RAMPAGE
  • On 13 May 2008, Islamists attacked the Christian community in the town of Ningi, Bauchi state, Nigeria, burning down six churches and looting and destroying Christian shops and goods. What triggered the attack was the rescue of two Christian girls, Mary Chikwodi Okoye (15) and Uche Edward (14), who had been kidnapped by Muslims in Ningi at the end of April in an attempt to force them to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men. After the police had managed to find the girls and return them to their parents on 12 May, Islamists under the auspices of a paramilitary arm of Kano state’s Sharia Commission went on rampage, attacking Christians, destroying shops and burning down churches. Kidnapping teenage Christian girls and forcing them to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men is seen as a common means to “expand Islam”. According to a local pastor, at least 13 Christian girls in Ningi have been kidnapped in recent years, and some have never been reunited with their parents. One Christian girl, Maryann Chinenye Chiazo (16) was abducted in November 2007 and is still in Muslim captivity. When her father reported the kidnapping to the police, he was told eventually by the Bauchi state Sharia Commission that his daughter had converted to Islam and was now under their custody.
  • Algeria - Algerian Christian Habiba Qawider, who converted from Islam to Christianity, may face three years’ imprisonment for “practising a religion other than Islam without official authorisation”. Habiba, who is in her 30s, had first been detained by the police on 29 March 2008 when they found Bibles and Christian literature in her bag as she travelled on a bus. During her trial on 23 May 2008, the prosecutor apparently claimed that carrying Christian books is tantamount to practising Christianity – which, under the new regulations for non-Muslim worship of 2006, is only legal in government-approved places of worship. Habiba’s case has been drawing a lot of media attention which is putting pressure on the Algerian government. Six other Algerian Christians, who were charged with “shaking the faith of Muslims” and “holding religious meetings without permission” under the 2006 regulations, may face a one year prison sentence and £3,800 fine.
  • Kenya - Jared, a Kenyan Christian leader, was assaulted by a group of Somali people next to his house in Wajir in north-eastern Kenya on the night of 12 May 2008. The attackers stabbed and clubbed Jared, who had to be taken to hospital in Nairobi for his injuries. Jared had experienced harassment and threats before: when twelve Somalis converted from Islam to Christianity and were baptised in early 2007, extremists put up posters saying that they wanted Jared’s head for Allah.
  • Iran - It is reported that over the last month, several Iranian Christian converts from Islam have been arrested by Iranian police in the city of Shiraz in southern Iran. On 11 May, two Christian couples, Homayon (48) and his wife Fariba (40) and Amir (25) and his wife Fatemeh (25) were arrested at the airport and subjected to hours of interrogation. Allegedly they were solely questioned about their faith and house church activities. While the two wives were released on the day of their arrest, Amir was detained until 14 May, and Homayon is apparently still being held. A few hours later, the police broke into the house of Hamid (58) and arrested him and his three adult children, Fatemah (28), Muhammed Ali (27) and Mojtaba (21). Hussein, Fatemah and Muhammed were released the same day, but Mojtaba is apparently still in prison. The police also confiscated all the family’s books, CDs, computers and printers. Two days later another two Christian converts from Islam, Arash and Mahmood, were arrested while talking together in a park. Both men are reported to be still detained.
  • Turkey - On 6 May 2008 three men, one of them carrying a gun, drove up to a church in Ankara. When they found the church locked, they approached a church member who was outside the church. The armed man pointed his gun at the Christian and asked where the pastor of the church was. The Christian replied that the pastor was not present. At this reply, the gunman said to the church member to tell the pastor that they “were determined to get rid of him”.

[edit] North Africa

  • At least one worker in North Africa believes that "a major breakthrough is in the offing in the next year or so." At the same time, he grants that "there are going to be believers suffering to the point of shedding blood at some point in the near-ish future, and some of them might even be missionaries." If this happens, pray that their blood will be the seed of both new and stronger growth in this region where the percentage of adherents to Chr1st is regularly less than 0.3%. Pray that our brothers there would remain humble when the harvest comes in. May all glory would go to the Lord of the universe.

[edit] Persecution of Christians in Iraq

[edit] India

  • The Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has adopted resolutions that targets Christians during its annual meeting. Christian communities and individuals of all denominations across India have suffered a considerable number of attacks at the hands of Hindu fundamentalists. The number of recorded incidents against Christians in 2005 is estimated to have exceeded 200, though a large number of attacks go unreported. The religious organization of the RSS, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, is often accused either of inciting, or of being directly implicated in violent attacks against Christians. A number of women have been brutally sexually assaulted in connection with attacks on churches. In some cases, police have been directly implicated in violence against Christians, or at least in failing to take proper action in response to these attacks. Pray for God's protection upon the leaders and continued boldness of the Christians to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, this kind of thing happens in many parts of India as Hindu extremists react from fear of the powerful growth of the Christian movement in the nation.
  • More than 800 attacks on Christians 2007 in Orissa state occurred during the Christmas season as Hindu extremists assaulted the believers with guns, knives and other weapons. Many were killed and others are still missing and hundreds of homes and churches were destroyed. Pray that the violence that continues there and in other parts of India will be stopped, that those perpetrating it will be brought to justice, and that the authorities will act effectively to protect the Christian minority within the country. The BJP, a party of Hindu fundamentalists, won elections in four states and hopes to take back its power on the national level. Pray that their ambitions to control the nation and persecute other religious groups will be foiled.
  • The number of reported attacks on Christians in India during 2007 surpassed 1,000 for the first time since India's independence in 1947.
  • Church leaders, evangelists and Christian communities in India continue to face harassment and violence by Hindu extremists. In one incident on 23 May 2008, a group of 30 Christians went to Bainsa town in Adilabad district, Andra Pradesh, to tell people about Jesus. When Hindu extremists in the area heard about this, they first attacked the Christians’ vehicles and then started assaulting the Christians, beating them severely. Later, when the Christians were taken to a police station, three truckloads of Hindu extremists arrived and surrounded the police station, waiting for the Christians to come out.
  • Indian anti-conversion laws exist in seven states, but are only enforced in five, where they are mostly used to prevent the legitimate evangelistic activity of Christians.
  • See also more details in persecution in Orissa.

[edit] The Persecuted Church Prayer Devotional

The Persecuted Church Prayer Devotional, Interceding for the Suffering Church by Beverly J. Pegues, WINDOW INTERNATIONAL NETWORK Co-Founder & CEO.

Did you know that more Christians were martyred in the twentieth century than all previous centuries combined? Well it’s true, and the onslaught continues unabated into the new century. This riveting book, The Persecuted Church Devotional, describes over sixty (10/40 Window) countries that are in desperate need of prayer. This one of a kind paperback book describes the past and present situation in each country and the challenges and opportunities for the future. Power-packed prayer points will equip you target your intercession on specific areas using corresponding Bible verses. This inspirational book is an excellent source of prayer information for the Persecuted Church.

  • This book can be ordered through web site [2].

[edit] Christians are persecuted daily

  • Christians worldwide are severely punished for breaking religious laws or religious tradition.
  • For instance, in China there is a crack down on unregistered house churches, disrupting worship, and arresting their leaders.
  • In parts of Central Asia where the state religion is mandated, Christians are considered traitors to their country and their families. Family members are beaten, and then thrown out of their house and onto the streets.
  • In the Middle East and parts of India and Africa, laws prohibit Christians from evangelizing, and forbid citizens from choosing Christianity over the religion into which they were born. Christians caught sharing God’s Word are chased out of town, beaten, or worse.
  • Persecution in Muslim states — the increasing application of shari’a law is creating multiplied opportunities for persecution. In Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia the courts may sentence a national to death for becoming a Christian. In most Muslim countries relatives will some times murder those who come to believe in Christ.
  • Persecution in Marxist states continue to make life very difficult for Christians — this is especially true in North Korea where profession of faith leads to imprisonment and death, and also in China, Vietnam and Laos where unregistered Christians have suffered severely.
  • Persecution in India and Nepal - Hindu extremism has led to heightened pressure and acts of terror against Christians.
  • Persecution in Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar - Buddhists have persecuted and maltreated Christians.
  • Christian persecutiuon of Buddhism has intensified in South Korea in recent years. Christians have maltreated and humilated Buddhist laity and monks, and burned down and vandalized temples, sutras, and devotional items. [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]
  • Persecution in Western democracies (hardly to belive) — notably France, Austria and Belgium — have been seeking to pass legislation against ‘sects’, but the failure to define ‘sects’ has led to unwarranted discrimination. All over the Western world, the worship of ‘tolerance’ has led to increased pressure on those intolerant enough to believe in absolutes and right and wrong.

[edit] Comment to the 2007 South Korean hostage crisis

  • Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page said. “While the statement is made (by the South Korean government) that missionary work will stop, God’s work will not stop in Afghanistan.” This is why strategic intercession is so vital.

[edit] 11 November 2007 International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the Persecuted Church

[edit] Christianity Today

  • September 10, 2007
  • Support Strong for Danger Zone Missions
  • Despite kidnappings, active U.S. Christians still encourage mission trips to embattled nations. 884 active Christians were surveyed.
  • Read Christianity Today

[edit] Organizations

[edit] World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission

  • The purpose of the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) is to promote freedom of religion for all faiths worldwide as defined by Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, and in accordance with Scripture. More information: [11]

[edit] Open Doors

  • To get vital information about the Persecuted Church world wide see Open Doors.

[edit] CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY INTERNATIONAL

  • More information: [12]

[edit] FRIENDS OF THE MARTYRED CHURCH

  • More information: [13]

[edit] Frontline Fellowship

  • Serving the Persecuted Churches in Africa. More information: [14]

[edit] International Christian Concern

  • More information: [15]

[edit] International Christian Response

  • International Christian Response (ICR) works with persecuted Christians throughout the world. More information: [16]

[edit] Light for the Peoples

  • The primary aim of Light for the Peoples is that the gospel will be preached to all peoples. They give priority Unreached people groups, ethnic groups with a common language and no indigenous viable church movement.

More information: [17]

[edit] MIDDLE EAST CONCERN

  • A network of concerned Christians involved in assisting the Church in the Middle East and North Africa when it faces discrimination or persecution. More information: [18]

[edit] Praying Through The Window 9

[edit] Resources

[edit] World Persecution Map

  • Where Christians are Persecuted: * [20]

[edit] Prayer Bulletins

  • World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC) Prayer Bulletin, can be ordered e-mail: join-rl-prayer@xc.org

[edit] History of Persecution

[edit] Trends - Changes in persecution

  • Analyzing the growth in persecution from 2004 to 2008:

[edit] External Link

Retrieved from "http://www.missionmanual.org/wiki/Persecution"
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