December 2004
Urgent concern for arrested
Christian leader in China: "One of the most prominent Protestant
house church leaders in China, Pastor Zhang Rongliang, was arrested on Wednesday,
December 1.... 'There is particular concern for Pastor Zhang's welfare and
safety, especially as he suffers from serious diabetes, which would affect
his ability to withstand the cruelty that can be expected in detention.'...
"Pastor Zhang
is the leader of the China for Christ Church, which is estimated to have
about 10 million members.... He has been wanted for many years and has already
spent twelve years in prison for his faith, during five separate detentions.
There is concern that he may be less able to withstand such conditions in
his current state of health.'...
"Pastor Zhang's
arrest comes in the midst of a serious crackdown on the house churches and
an increase in the number of arrests...
“...there
is the danger that he could be falsely accused of being the leader of a
cult. The Chinese authorities are afraid of large networks and adopt arbitrary
classification of groups as cults based upon political objectives rather
than doctrinal orthodoxy.”
See
2 Corinthians 4:7
Nigerian Student Murdered
in Clash over Evangelism: "Opposition
to Christian evangelism in Nigeria has resulted in the murder of Sunday
Nache Achi, a fourth-year architectural student....
Abducted from his room by masked assailants dressed in jihad style,
Achi was strangled to death...."
Persecution
Vietnamese Christians publish
open letter to their government
: "...when we carry on our religious activities and worship of God in our
homes, we are frequently disturbed by local public security police officers.
They write up reports on us, and strictly forbid us to carry on our activities
by various decrees. Our Bibles, hymnbooks, equipment for holy communion,
tithes and offerings... are often confiscated. In the course of practicing
their Christian faith, many believers have been stopped and fined and arrested,
beaten up, and publicly mocked before their communities and put into prison."
See
Persecution in Vietnam
November
Sister Jiang:
"When Sister Jiang Zongxiu went to the market last June 17 in Guizhou Province,
China, she thought it would be just another day. Along with her mother-in-law,
Jiang went through the marketplace, handing out Christian literature and
telling people about Jesus. Even when the police came and took the two women
into custody, Jiang did not become discouraged: arrest and suffering are
a regular part of the Christian walk in China. Little did the 34-year-old
wife and mother know that the next day she would enter eternity, beaten
to death while in the custody of Chinese police."
See
Phil 1:20-21
'Evil teachings'
[China]: "CHINA: Religion gets a new
name, as the government orders Marxist revival.... The May 27 directive
was top secret.... Its purpose: to
spread Marxism against 'Western' attempts
to destabilize China with religion, or 'evil teachings.' The document came
from the Central Committee, one of the highest echelons of the Chinese Communist
Party. Its date and contents help to explain why a sudden wave of Christian
arrests began in June....
"'Every local authority
has to follow this order,' said Mr. Fu, whose group translated the document
and released it on Nov. 17 in Washington.... Now he thinks the directive
will turn conditions 'harsher and harsher' for house-church Christians....
Mr. Fu knows harsh treatment firsthand. In 1996 authorities arrested him
and his wife for 'illegal evangelism.' They fled to the United States after
two months in jail. But he remains well-connected to the house-church movement....
"While
carrying out the latest crackdown with one hand, China has ladled on the
public-relations gloss with the other. In late October, five months
after issuing the orders to spread Marxism, the government said it would
allow religious groups more freedom to practice and limit officials' powers."
For more details, see
the next link:
Chinese Communist Party Secret
Document on Atheism and Religious Persecution:
"This document, entitled 'Notice on Further Strengthening Marxist Atheism
Research, Propaganda and Education' dated May 27, 2004, is a notice... issued
jointly by the Department of Propaganda of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of China (CPC), the Department
of Propaganda of the Central Committee of the CPC, the Office of
the Central Steering Committee on
Spiritual Civilization Construction,
the Communist Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC and Ministry
of Education....
"This secret notice
is issued in order to 'further boost Marxist
atheism research, propaganda, and
education.' It reflects a new assessment from the top Party leaders
in light of 'the new situation to target...
various pseudo-sciences and superstitions,
and the new trend toward Western hostile
forces’ attempting to ‘westernize’ and ‘disintegrate’ China in the name
of religion'....
"It calls for the government to keep a tight hold on all national education,
media communications, research on social sciences, spiritual civilization
construction activities of the people, the trainings conducted by the Communist
Party School....' Particular attention shall be centered on the Party cadres
and juveniles so that '…superstition
are opposed, and evil teachings and heterodox are boycotted.' It
specifically demands the Communist Party School and administrative institutions...
'increase the proportion of Marxist atheism
propaganda and education targeting local leaders.'...
"It calls to all the broadcasting, TV, newspapers, and
magazines and asks them to develop their respective advantages to earnestly
publicize Marxist atheism. ...it instructs
the key websites to strengthen their 'management over online comments and
make the internet a new tool to conduct Marxist
atheism propaganda and education.” It strongly asks all the media
and government officials to 'firmly ban all
illegal publications which disseminate superstitions and evil teachings.'
This policy seems to be a direct reference regarding the recent campaign
on closing websites, arresting individuals and banning publications with
dissident voices."
See
Brainwashing and "Education
Reform"
Prominent Beijing house church
leader faces harsh sentence: "Pastor
Cai Zhuohua, the leading minister to six house churches in Beijing, will
be formally tried in a Beijing court any day now.... Cai was waiting at
a bus stop [following a Bible study session] when three strong men approached
him and pushed him into a white van.
"...this
case has been handled directly by the Department of State Security.... VOM
also learned that the central government has labeled this case the 'most
serious case on overseas religious infiltration since the founding of the
People’s Republic of China.' Authorities were apparently shocked when they
found around 200,000 copies of the Bible and other Christian literature
in a storage room managed by pastor Cai.
"In China, only
one publisher, affiliated with the officially-sanctioned
Three-Self Patriotic Movement, is
allowed to print Bibles and other Christian literature each year, and the
numbers of these items are severely limited....
"...this
case is part of a broader national campaign that began this past June against
the underground church and so-called 'illegal' religious publications....
the authorities are considering convicting pastor Cai and his wife, along
with the other two relatives, on criminal charges such as tax evasion or
illegal business management rather than on illegal religion charges."
Prayer
and
Persecution
China's Christians suffer for
their faith:
"'They hung me up across an iron gate, then they yanked open the gate and
my whole body lifted until my chest nearly split in two. I hung like that
for four hours.' That is how Peter Xu Yongze, the founder of one of the
largest religious movements in China, described his treatment during one
of five jail sentences on account of his belief in Christianity....
"'The Communists
feel threatened by any popular ideology which is different from their own,'
he said. China's Christian population - especially those who refuse to worship
in the tightly regulated state-registered churches - is seen as one such
threat. According to Mr Wong, the number of Christians in China has continued
to rise, exacerbating this perceived threat and causing the authorities
to clamp down still further on unregistered churches."
See
John 15:20-21
and the next link:
China - 'Change’ announced in
religious policies:
"Ji Wenyuan, deputy director of the State Administration of Religious Affairs,
said China’s unique needs must be assessed first, and social stability and
harmony must be the basis for any new laws. Ji’s cautious admonition of
'change, but not yet' was borne out by a wave of arrests and raids carried
out on Christian property in recent months. One ministry reported a sharp
increase in persecution throughout September and October, with a large number
of arrests."
October
A Protestant minister who converted
from Islam risks the death penalty for apostasy:
"Hamid Pourmand is a Protestant minister of the Assemblies of God Church.
He converted from Islam several years ago. Since September he has been held
in prison at an undisclosed location and under Iranian law he can be put
to death for 'apostasy against Islam'."
Romans 8:26-27
Christians murdered in North
Korea:
"North Korean Protestants are said to be 'very, very strong believers,'
resisting material inducements in prison to recant their faith, but when
they stubbornly refuse to recant they are then shot. The state is said to
be watching the increase in contacts between North Korea and the rest of
the world 'very carefully'....
"Protestant sources maintained that the main objection to Christianity is
its incompatibility with state ideology, which demands sole faith -- of
a markedly religious nature -- in the communist leadership, which is officially
still headed by 'Eternal President' Kim Il Sung, despite his death in 1994."
Philippians 1:20-21
Blasts rock 5 Christian churches
in Iraq:
"Thousands of Christians have fled Iraq since the fall of the regime of
Saddam Hussein. The church bombings, while claiming no casualties, appeared
calculated to intimidate the remaining believers, estimated to number about
800,000."
Chronology of Conquests
in the Name of Allah
Christian Convert Doctor Killed
by Suspected Militants:
"A Bangladeshi Christian doctor who converted from Islam 15 years ago has
been killed by men local media described as militants. ... The daily mentioned
that local people cited the manner in which Mondol was slain -- his throat
was slit -- as consistent with the way the 'warriors' operate."
Please pray for peace
and protection for the faithful Christian converts is Islamic lands.
See
Romans 8:26-27
Chinese Christian killed after
allegedly refusing to give in to extortion demand:
"...officials reportedly chained [Kaihuo Huang's] hands and feet for 26
hours and ordered him to pay a 6000 renmenbi – RMB – ( about $700) fine
on behalf of his church. 'We thought that religious freedom is clearly stated
in our 'constitution,' [his daughter] said. ...
"Shixiong Li, founder
of the Committee for Investigation on Persecution of Religion in China,
or CIPRC (www.china21.org), wrote 'This
is the real ‘religious freedom' that tens of millions house church Christians
are facing under the ‘protection' from the public state ‘constitution' and
the suppression from the secret ‘practicing policies. ... The mass people
have no place to appeal. ... The plight the Chinese believers have been
suffering is much more injustice than the ‘injustice' in the TV dramas showing
the dark time in China history."
See
2 Corinthians 4:7
Canadians Face Challenges in
Values: "The Royal
Bank of Canada began a new program to 'highlight the importance of sexual
preference as one of RBC's primary diversity elements.' ...RBC employees
are encouraged to put a multi-colored triangle on their cubicle, demonstrating
that this is a 'Safe Space' for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
co-workers. ...
"In
Manitoba, marriage commissioners received a letter from the director of
vital statistics for the province telling them they would be expected to
marry gay and lesbian couples or they are to resign. At least two have done
so. ...
"In
the face of increasing pressure by gay activists to silence the voice of
Bible-believing Christians, we believe that it is critically important that
church leaders and teachers understand and educate others on the biblical
teachings concerning homosexuality. Sadly, the Church in Canada has been
largely silent on an issue that is being used to curtail our religious freedoms."
Only our sovereign God can preserve our Christian freedom in the face of
the growing obstacles."
See
Prayer
and
Ban truth - Reap Tyranny
The same trends
are changing values in other parts of the world. But churches that
emphasize dialogue and inclusiveness are more acceptable.
September
Christians in China Appeal Labor Camp Punishment
.
"The relatives of three Christians being held in labor camps in mainland
China have appealed to local authorities for an explanation of their crimes.
A letter of appeal was also received by Christians in Hong Kong, detailing
the arrests of the three men, who were sentenced to 're-education through
labor' camps without trial.... China has rejected charges of religious repression
published in last week’s report of the United States Commission on Religious
Freedom."
2 Cor 4:7
Iran arrests 80 evangelicals:
"Iranian police invaded the annual conference of Iran’s Assemblies of God
and arrested at least 80 church leaders at the church’s denominational center
near Tehran as part of the worst crack down on evangelical believers in
a decade.... Although most of the evangelical leaders were released, ten
male pastors were still in custody, and their where whereabouts are unknown
to their families, who have not been allowed to contact them."
Mark 13:10-12
China - Officials tighten
control over Christianity.
"Evidence is emerging of a renewed crackdown on 'illegal religious
activities' in China.... Several government meetings held this year have
encouraged provincial leaders to step up their efforts to control house
church movements, leading to a wave of mass arrests in June, July and August....
Partly in reaction to a controversial book
and DVD documentary released earlier this year, the government has also
downplayed the growth of the church in China."
See
He is Lord!
GFA missionaries held hostage
in India to be killed within 48 Hours:
"Anti-Christian elements in Bihar have captured, severely beaten and are
threatening to kill GFA native missionary Pastor Manrathan and his wife....
An anti-Christian mob from six villages holds the Gospel workers tied to
a sacred tree, demanding 25,000 rupees as a ransom for desecrating their
village with the Gospel. If the exorbitant amount is not received within
48 hours, they plan to kill the missionaries as a sacrifice to
their deities. There are no police in the isolated area to intervene....
"The
anti-Christian group spearheading the incident is the same one that burned
missionary Graham Staines and his two children alive in Orissa several years
ago."
Romans 8:26-27
August
Distress, Harassment
continue for Vietnam's Montagnards: "Government
authorities continue to apply unrelenting pressure on tribal Christians
in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The most recent phase of the long-standing
conflict commenced in April 2004, when thousands of Montagnards joined protests
against the confiscation of tribal lands and the severe repression of the
Christian faith. The government subsequently sent a special 'peace corps'to
the poverty-stricken region. But the corps really serves as 'spies and guards.'...
After its arrival, eight men in Dak Lak province were arrested and severely
beaten. Church sources report that eight men were killed in Gia Lai province....”
See
many more examples of
Communist persecution
of Christians in Vietnam.
Five Evangelists Abducted
(India): "On July 24, a group of militant Hindus opposed to the work of
evangelists in the area of Karnataka, India, abducted five workers with
Gospel for Asia, accusing them of robbery. The five men, Lokesh, Yesuraj,
Kumar, Anil and Ramesh, had previously received threats because of their
evangelistic work in the area. When a robbery took place in the area, the
five were falsely accused of the crime and abducted by a group opposed to
their message....
"Pray that these servants of God will be released
and will not be seriously harmed. Pray for the continued ministry of the
Gospel in the area." For more information on India and the dangers experienced
by Christians there, go to
http://www.persecution.net/country/india.htm
July
At Least Eleven Killed in Coordinated
Church Bombings in Iraq:
"At least five churches were attacked in Baghdad and Mosul. News agencies
are reporting at least eleven people killed and dozens injured. The first
blast occurred outside an Armenian church in Baghdad as evening services
were beginning. Stained glass windows were blown out as a car bomb exploded
....Violent attacks have been common in Iraq since the occupation by the
US-led coalition, but few of the attacks have been specifically targeted
at Iraq's Christian community, described by an interior ministry spokesman
as one of Iraq's most respected groups."
Matthew 24:9
and
Romans 8:26-27
Hindu Mob Storms Church Being
Built in Village of India:
"A group of 20 people stormed a church that was being built in the village
of Rohiyal Talal in the Surat district. Police said the mob damaged the
church's side walls, iron grills and windowpanes late Sunday.... Police
have identified the accused but still haven't made any arrests. Officials
confirmed the involvement of three members of the right-wing Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (World Hindu Council)."
Matthew 24:9
Hindu extrememists kidnap
pastor's wife: "Local
police have refused to make any attempt to find Manulaben Dinana, 23. They
have also refused to question the kidnappers who were identified by eyewitnesses
as members of a local group of Hindu extremists."
Pastor gets prison for sermon:
"A Swedish court has sentenced Ake Green, a pastor belonging to the Pentecostal
movement, to a month in prison, under a law against incitement, after he
was found guilty of having offended homosexuals in a sermon...."
See
Ban truth - Reap Tyranny
Judge refuses to investicate
alleged fraud by Muslim guardian.
"An Islamic court in Jordan has rejected
a teenage Christian girl’s lawsuit to cancel her Muslim uncle’s legal guardianship.
The June 20 ruling was a setback for Christian widow Siham Qandah, whose
estranged brother Abdullah al-Muhtadi has been trying for six years to take
custody of her daughter Rawan, 15, and son Fadi, 14, to raise as Muslims."
John 15:20-21
June
Key Christian Leaders Arrested
in Eritrea
:
"Helen Berhane, 29, a member of the Rema Evangelical Church in Asmara, was
arrested. She had recently released a recording that was popular among the
youth. Refusing to sign papers that would require her to recant her faith
and stop singing, she is imprisoned in a shipping container at the Mai Serwa
military camp....
"...police
attempted to arrest Pastor Tesfatsion Hagos of the Rema Evangelical Church
in Asmara, but failed to find him at home. Four days later, he was arrested
while visiting the port city of Massawa. Pastor Hagos is married with three
children. His whereabouts are unknown. ...Pray for strength and boldness
in the midst of the imprisonment of these and hundreds of other Christians
in
Eritrea."
Romans 8:26-27
Pakistani Christian dies after
attack by policeman:
Samuel Masih, a Pakistani Christian who had been accused of blasphemy under
Pakistan’s strict Law 295... was arrested August 23, 2003 and was accused
of throwing waste against the side of a mosque. He was held in the Lahore
Central Jail until, suffering from tuberculosis, he was transferred to a
local hospital on May 22. Two days later, early in the morning, Masih was
attacked by one of the policemen assigned to guard his room. The policeman,
a Muslim, reportedly told investigators that it was his religious duty,
as a Muslim, to kill the Christian man. 'I have offered my religious duty
for killing the man. I'm spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences,'
he is reported to have said."
Persecution
May
Faith.
Onward, Christian Soldiers:
"In a packed classroom... 35 young Christians stand behind their desks singing
the Hallelujah prayer. These students have pledged the next three years
of their lives to this illegal seminary, one of the many run across China
by members of the Chinese Protestant underground.... If the students want
to leave the school, they must do so one or two at a time, at night, so
as not to make the neighbors suspicious. They often go weeks without venturing
outdoors. After the last Hallelujah, they open the windows.
"
Meanwhile, under-ground churches
are expanding with lightning speed. Some of these groups oppose all state
controls. Others are willing to register, but the government won't accept
them. Faced with the accelerating growth of so-called house churches, the
government has cracked down hard—bulldozing many of them and increasing
the number of arrests....
"
Yu says the government taps
his phone and monitors his e-mail, but the surveillance doesn't frighten
him. 'I have more confidence now, whereas before [I converted] I was afraid
of being persecuted,' Yu says. 'Now that I'm a Christian, I know my faith
will enable me to overcome the torture I might face in prison.'
"
It's that kind of bravery that
terrifies the Communist Party. It sees the Protestant and Catholic churches,
in part, as responsible for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
"
John 16:33
Muslims slaughter 600 Christians
(Nigeria): "'Bodies of pregnant women were ripped open and... burned.'...
Twelve churches have been burned.... 'Even little children were killed.'
"...defiant mobs of Muslim youths armed with clubs and machetes
and cutlasses'... went from house to house looking for Christian victims
and in some cases trapped the occupants inside and torched the houses....
While Muslims have complained that the police have killed innocent civilians
as a result, they do not mean the scores of hacked bodies that lie in the
streets and in charred buildings and vehicles according to residents."
"...locals fear the number of deaths will continue to grow
since an order was circulated by Umar Ibrahim Kabo, the most senior Muslim
cleric in Kano, for all Christians to leave the area by yesterday."
2 Cor 4:16
Pastor Murdered for Evangelistic
Work in Somalia:
"Pastor Shueb Maalim Madkheyr was killed and his body burned beyond recognition....
Starting in mid-April, Pastor Shueb had been going into villages in the
area, seeking to plant underground churches and sharing the Gospel with
teenagers. Word began to spread that Shueb was teaching the Bible to children.
On April 25, he was confronted by two armed men and accused of poisoning
the minds of young teenagers. According to witnesses, a heated discussion
on religion ensued. One of the armed men then shot and killed him. It is
believed that the armed men may have been part of an Islamic militia group....
"Pastor Shueb was married to Dhaba Dimbile and had five children between
the ages of eight months and thirteen years. Pray for the friends and family
of Pastor Shueb as they deal with this tragic loss. Pray for the continued
ministry of sharing the Gospel in this difficult country.... Pray that those
responsible for his death will discover the love and forgiveness found through
Jesus Christ."
Romans 8:26-27
New Sharia Laws Introduced in
Zamfara State (Nigeria):
"This would specifically cause many small churches to close. At the launch
of 'Sharia Phase 2,' on April 29, the state governor, Ahmed Sani declared
that all non-Islamic places of worship would soon be destroyed. This comes
despite freedom of religion being enshrined in Nigeria's constitution. Pray
for believers in Zamfara State, as they face these new challenges. Pray
that they would continue to serve Christ without hesitation."
See
Glossary of Islamic Terms
Boy Dies After Facing Torture
(Pakistan): "A young
Pakistani Christian faced brutal torture, leading to his death, at the hands
of the students and staff of an Islamic religious school.... Javeed Anjum
was returning to his home.... Seeing water taps at an Islamic school, he
helped himself when a staff member of the school approached. When the staff
member found out that Javeed was a Christian, he was taken inside the school.
There the students and staff gathered around him and ordered that he embrace
Islam by reciting the Islamic creed. When he refused, they began to beat
him.... Javeed was kept at the school for five days, facing beatings and
torture in an attempt to force a conversion, but he steadfastly refused
to deny Christ.... On May 2, Javeed died of kidney failure, as a result
of the beatings....
"Pray for strength and healing for each one impacted by this death. Pray
for those involved in Javeed's torture, that they will experience the love
of Christ, even through seeing the faithfulness of Javeed."
Romans 8:26-27
Sung Seo Pao:
"Hmong Christian leader Sung Seo Pao is still being held in Hong Ca Prison
serving an eleven year sentence for spreading religion. He was released
after serving eight months in jail in 1990 on the condition that he would
not preach the gospel. However, Seo Pao could not contain his love for Jesus
and was again arrested May 22, 1995. He had not seen his family until November
of 2002 when his wife and one of their six children were able to travel
to the prison to visit.... This hard labor was made even more difficult
by a lack of sufficient food...."
"Please
pray that he will remain a faithful witness to those around him. Also ask
the Lord to watch over his family while he is in prison."
Romans 8:26-27
April
Muslim mobs burn Christian homes:
"Muslim militants in eastern Indonesia burned down several hundred homes
in an overnight attack on a mainly Christian area where 26 people were killed
in three days of fighting.... Maluku, which has been about half Christian
and half Muslim, came under attack between 1999 and 2002 from a radical
Islamic group called Laskar Jihad, or Army of Holy Warriors, which aimed
to make Indonesia an Islamic state....Many of its members have joined the
al-Qaida-linked terror network.... Indonesia has the largest Muslim population
in the world, with more than 180 million."
Chronology of Conquests in
the Name of Allah
Somali
Muslim clerics protest at "Christian" aid: "Islamic clerics have
accused Western aid workers of trying to convert children in a southern
Somali town to Christianity, an initiative they say risks adding religious
strife to the country's many problems. ...'If these groups don't stop, the
Somalia people have a right to jihad (struggle),' the politically influential
group based in the capital Mogadishu said."
Mark 13:10-12
Pastor arrested, church building
destroyed in Zhejiang, China:
"The pastor’s home, which is where church meetings were held, had already
been declared the site of 'illegal religious meetings' when members of the
congregation met on March 8 to do some work on the building.... Three days
later, 300 Public Security Bureau, paramilitary police and government workers
converged on the building, badly damaging it during a half-hour rampage.
The group was led by Wang Tao, the Director of the Religious Affairs Bureau....
"The congregation gathered for Easter Sunday services at the home of Liu
Mingliang, Pastor Liu’s oldest son. PSB officers again raided the service,
arresting Mingliang and breaking up the service.... The family has been
given 'Criminal Detention' paperwork for both Pastor Liu and for Liu Mingliang.
...a 'criminal detention' will last an indefinite period of time.“
See
Persecution
&
Prayer
Persecution briefs -
Eight Pastors killed in Nigeria: "Religious violence that erupted
in the Nigerian state of Plateau a few weeks ago has resulted in the deaths
of eight pastors and 1,500 Christian believers, and the destruction of 173
churches.... Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency reported that
religious violence in Plateau and Nasarawa states has resulted in the displacement
of 25,000 people."
Matthew 24:9
EU 'covered up' attacks on Jews
by young Muslims: "The
EU suppressed a report last year by German academics concluding that Arab
gangs were largely responsible for a sudden surge in the anti-Jewish violence,
allegedly because the findings were politically unpalatable."
Jeremiah 17:5
Christian Girls in Egypt Tricked
into Converting
(Scroll down to
title):
"Leaders
of the Coptic Church in Egypt are expressing serious concerns over recent
tactics exercised by militant Muslim shop owners to trick Coptic girls into
signing official conversion documents. Reports from the American Coptic
Association claim that when Coptic girls go to some of these stores, they
are told that they have won a contest. In order to receive their prize,
they need to go upstairs and sign a document confirming the receipt. Often
they do not read carefully enough to realize that they are actually signing
an official confirmation that they have converted to Islam. Those young
women who resist have been accused of theft and strip-searched. There have
also been several reports of rape and despite efforts by family members,
the girls are not returned to their families."
Persecution
Testimonies of those who have
suffered for the Truth in Scotland since the year 1680: "This
Martyr, tho' both young in years, and of the weaker sex, was so singularly
assisted of the Lord in his cause, and had such discoveries of his special
love to her soul, that she was nothing terrified by her adversaries: When
she was brought ... to the council-house, to be carried to her execution...
she was observed to say with a surprising cheerfulness and air of heavenly
ravishment, 'Behold I hear my beloved saying unto me, Arise my love, my
fair one, and come away.'"
Preparing for Persecution
March
Elderly Chinese Christian Prisoner
Crippled for Evangelizing
(Scroll down to title)
: "Chen Jingmao is a seventy-two
year old South China Church leader, in prison since July 2001 for his ministry,
including the 'active recruitment of evil cult members.' The main evidence
of his 'crime' was sending his granddaughter for Sunday School Teacher's
training. According to a March 29 report from China Aid, the imprisoned
Chen was seriously beaten and crippled on February 6 as a punishment for
leading fifty of his fellow inmates to faith in Jesus Christ. Both of his
legs were broken and he must now be carried everywhere he goes."
Mark 13:10-12
Criminal Charges Against Eritrean
Evangelicals: "For
the first time since May 2002 when evangelical Christianity was declared
illegal in Eritrea, criminal charges have been laid against those who are
not a part of the officially recognized churches. ...authorities have begun
raiding private homes, arresting families caught praying and reading the
Bible together. ... Habeteab has been charged with trying to start 'a new
religion.' ... On
February 25, the Persecution
and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of fifty-one evangelicals. Forty-six
of these remain in prison, likely facing torture.
"Earlier
this month, Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki warned that efforts to 'distract
from the unity of the Eritrean people and distort the true meaning of religion'
by these unlawful religious groups would not be tolerated.... At least three
hundred and seventy-three Protestant Christians are presently imprisoned
for their faith.
"Pray
for strength and faithfulness for the many believers living in fear of arrest
and torture. Pray for endurance for those facing torture for their faith.
Pray that the Eritrean government will reverse its decision to outlaw most
religious groups."
Romans 8:26-27
Mexican Evangelicals Ordered
to Leave Town: "According to a March
8 report from Compass Direct, eighteen families from the indigenous Huichol
tribe, consisting of more than eighty adults and children, have been threatened
with expulsion from a second community in less than two years because of
their faith in Jesus Christ. The story of these families began in 1988,
when a small group of converts from Santa Catarina began construction of
a church building. Because of their faith, believers of all ages faced prison
and torture, from seniors to a six-month-old baby."
February
Indian Newspaper Attributes
'Evangelism Boom' to U.S. Government
(New Delhi):
"Tehelka, a weekly newspaper launched on January 30, accused the U.S. government
of having a 'conversion agenda' for India. The 11-page cover story in the
inaugural issue portrayed Christian missionary work as a 'sinister and disturbing
phenomenon' that should 'ring alarm bells within the intelligence agencies
in India.'
"A second report on February 7 claimed mission organizations
were using the HIV/AIDS crisis as an opportunity for evangelism. ... Christians
fear the reports will fuel religious tensions throughout India."
Matthew
24:9
UN urged to probe North Korea
'gas chamber': "A US-based
Jewish human rights group has urged the United Nations to investigate claims
that North Korea conducted gas chamber experiments on political prisoners,
comparing the alleged acts to those in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany....
As many as 200,000 people are held in North Korean prison camps, from petty
criminals to political dissidents and religious activists...."
- including thousands
of Christians who have -- according to earlier reports -- faced torture
and near starvation.
Romans 8:26-27
January
Car Bombing at Bible Society
in Pakistan Injuries Eleven:
"A car bombing outside the Bible
Society office in Karachi in southern Pakistan on January 15, 2004, injured
at least eleven people. Prior to the attack, police had received notice
that the Bible Society office would be targeted ...
Voice of
the Martyr spokesman, Glenn Penner, said, "I have a deep concern that this
is only the beginning of a rising swell of violence against Christians in
Pakistan. Islamic militantism is by no means under control in this nation.
We need to be praying for the government of Pakistan and praying that Christians
will be wise in knowing how to conduct themselves in these increasingly
dangerous days."
Romans 8:26-27
Pray for South Korean Christian
jailed in China: "A Christian human rights group has called for
prayer for a South Korean Christian humanitarian worker who was sentenced
to a nine year jail sentence in early December for aiding a small group
of North Korean refugees in defecting to South Korea.... Reverend
Choi, Bong-il... 'a courageous South Korean national who provided humanitarian
aid to North Koreans hiding in China by offering them with shelter, food,
clothing, and Biblical truths.”
Romans 8:26-27
December
Russia: Church stolen at Christmas
:
"...the new 'owners' of a Methodist church in Moscow 'violently and with
the use of force' evicted Pastor Kim-Jun-Kyu, his family including two young
children, and a range of other church officials, without even giving them
time to dress before throwing them onto the cold street at 7 am.
"...'the violence
was accompanied by nationalistic expressions and crude insults towards the
Protestants,' and has called for a special night of prayer for the church
on 2 to 3 January 2004....
"...guards
engaged by the company Khant, which claims it now owns the building... often
made insulting remarks about the Methodists, calling them 'sectarians'."
See
Solidarity Versus Christianity
19 Christians arrested for distributing
tracts: "Nineteen
Christians distributing leaflets during the Southeast Asian Games in Ho
Chi Minh City were arrested by Vietnamese police."
Phil 1:20-21
Is Zimbabwe on the brink of
genocide? "The following is taken from the 8 stages in genocide
identified by Genocide Watch, and then applied to the Zimbabwe situation.
[These steps fit historical patterns for persecution of Jews and Christians
as well]
1.
Classification... "Zimbabwe has two
major ethnic divisions – Shona and Ndebele – and a number of racial divisions.
2.
Symbolization. Essentially, here we
are talking about stereotyping of people and groups of people, and the processes
aimed at dividing up societies that are always composed of diverse groups
into 'in' and 'out' groups....
3.
Dehumanization. "This can take many
forms and does not need to conform to the crude approach of the Nazis to
the Jews. It is essentially building upon the stereotyping process by attributing
the problems in the society to the 'out' group, focusing hate and dislike
against this group, and encouraging actions against this group....
4.
Organization. "...genocide is always
organized, usually by the state. Special army units or militias are often
trained and armed, and plans are made for genocidal killings.... genocide
can include campaigns of systematic torture, displacement of groups, and
deprivation of food and resources....
5.
Polarization. "...groups are driven
apart, and the press and media are particularly important in forcing and
maintaining the polarisation. In Zimbabwe, the government-controlled press,
television and radio now operate in a flagrant manner with all pretence
at impartiality gone...."
Romans 1:22-32
and the first two link
here
Wife of Chinese Christian Prisoner
Appeals to Christians Around the World to Pray:
"Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, the Church of Christ in the world....
My husband, Dr. Xu Yonghai, is a Christian believer. ... Since the day I
met him until the day he was arrested, he has been spreading the gospel.
Besides his professional job as a doctor, he dedicated most of his time
to the Lord. He shares the gospel to everyone he knows and dedicated his
only house (which is only 10 square metres in size) as a house church and
by God's grace, many people have come to believe in the Lord in that house....
"Every Sunday, brothers
and sisters gather together at that house, praying, singing and having Bible
studies. In order to prepare for church services, my husband often read
the Bible and studied the Lord's lessons when he returned early on Sunday
morning from his Saturday night shift without taking any rest. Though facing
all types of persecution, yet he relied on Christ and our house church meetings
persisted until the government forcibly destroyed our house....
"His arrest today is a great irony to the phenomenon of social injustice.
I am convinced that my husband is innocent, having committed no crime. I
call upon the Chinese government to release my husband. I plead to the brothers
and sisters in the Lord to pray...."
November
Chinese House Church Raided;
Members Fined and Detained: "...ten
Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers raided the Sunday service of a house
church ... in Longjing City, Jilin Province where thirty Christians were
meeting. All of the Bibles, hymn books and benches were confiscated and
the house was declared an 'illegal religious site.' ... Mr. Zheng, the director
of the Longjing City PSB office, told them that if the believers were found
there again, all of them would be formally arrested."
Human
nature doesn't change. The Puritans faced a similar plight in 17th century
England. That's why they risked their lives to find religious freedom in
America. It's also why our founding fathers wrote a Constitution that protected
the people against big government. Pray for the persecuted Chinese Christians.
And pray that America wakes up to its drift away from God and freedom!
See
Ban truth
- Reap Tyranny and
Thanksgiving
links.
China sends Bible owners to
labor camp: "Owners of Bibles are the target of a crackdown on
"illegal religious organizations" by police in southern China's Guangxi
province. Up to 40 policemen descended on the homes of Christians in villages
in Xilin county in the middle of the night, ransacking them in search of
Bibles and other religious materials."
John 15:20
Zhang Beaten in Custody (China):
"According to an official at the prison camp, who spoke to VOM sources,
guards considered this the first lesson in his 're-education.' 'Zhang Yi-nan
is a strong man,' said the official, 'but he was terribly beaten. His hands
were bleeding badly.'
"Pray for
physical, emotional and spiritual strength for Zhang Yi-nan. Pray for healing
and protection from further physical harm. Pray that his faith in Christ
will be strengthened, even as the officials try to destroy it."
Romans 8:26
Buddhist Militants Brutalize
Evangelicals (Sri Lanka):
"At 6:30 p.m., a large crowd arrived, including a few Buddhist monks, disrupting
the service. The mob accused the pastor of showing disrespect for Buddha
by putting a statue of Buddha on the floor, when, in actuality, the mob
placed the statue on the floor and demanded that the pastor worship it.
When he refused, he was beaten.... The pastor and another member were held
hostage by the mob until the police arrived. ... some of the monks demanded
that the church stop all Christian activity in the area."
John 16:33
Exploding the myth of church-state
separation:
"In Texas, a U.S. District judge decreed that any student uttering the word
'Jesus' at his school's graduation would be arrested and locked up.... In
Missouri, when fourth-grader Raymond Raines bowed his head in prayer before
his lunch in the cafeteria of Waring Elementary School in St. Louis, his
teacher allegedly ordered him out of his seat, in full view of other students
present, and sent him to the principal’s office."
See
Brave children who suffered
for Jesus
Beaten for Distributing Bibles
(Turkey)
: "Two
Christians, Yakup Cindilli (32) and Tufan Orhan, were beaten for distributing
New Testaments on October 23 in... northwestern Turkey and left semi-conscious
in a field.... [T]he next day Cindilli slipped into a coma because of a
blood clot on his brain and is in critical condition. Local police have
arrested three suspects....
"Pray that he will fully recover and that he and Orhan will continue their
ministry of evangelism, in spite of opposition. Pray for their attackers,
that they will see the grace and love of Jesus Christ through the lives
of Cindilli, Orhan and other believers."
John
15:7-8
One Christian Released; One
Sentenced to 'Re-Education' (China):
"Xiao Bi-gaung, a Christian leader and advocate for the underground house
churches in China has been released from prison since a link could not be
found to prove the charges that he was involved in activities that 'subverted
the Chinese government and socialist system.'... Zhang Yi-nan, however,
has been sentenced to two years of 're-education through labor.' A source
within the Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) told VOM sources that 'Zhang
doesn't have a criminal problem. He has a mind problem. He is too superstitious.'...
[because he trusts
God?]
"We encourage Christians to politely protest this conviction to the Chinese
Embassy in your country."
See
Brainwashing and "Education
Reform
Evangelist Beaten and Refused
Treatment for Converting Dalits (India): "...an evangelist in...
South India, T.J. Mathew, was returning home on his bike from the home of
a fellow believer when he was attacked and beaten unconscious.... However,
when he was taken to the Siddapura hospital, he was refused admittance....
The attackers complained to the police that Mathew was converting Dalits
(low caste Hindus) to Christianity. Mathew was expected to return to Siddapura
on October 28 and a baptismal service is planned on November 7, when about
ten converts from Hinduism are expected to be baptized. Pray for a full
recovery for Brother Mathew and protection from further attacks."
Phil 1:20-21
October
Nine Indonesian Christians
killed by masked raiders.
"Villagers in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, are fleeing for
their lives in reaction to recent attacks on four villages.... Bands of
masked raiders armed with automatic weapons sought out Christians for attack.
Police reported nine people were killed and 11 were hospitalized."
Mark 13:10
Meanwhile,
back in the USA -
See
Recent News
September
Indonesian authorities
illegally detain Christian leader: "Christians in Indonesia have issued
an urgent call for prayer for the release of the Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, whose
prison detention in Palu, Central Sulawesi, should have come to an end on
September 15.... The High Court of Central Sulawesi has already extended
Damanik’s imprisonment five times....
"Sources in Indonesia say his trial and imprisonment are
part of the Indonesian government’s
attempt to blame the minority Christian community for the violence in Poso.
Conflict between Muslims and Christians there has caused hundreds of deaths
and injuries, and created tens of thousands of homeless people...."
Mark 13:10
India prepares National
'Anti-Conversion Rule'
:
"India’s coalition government, led by the Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is about to introduce fresh rules
to prevent religious conversion across the nation. Entitled 'Change of Religion
of the Members of SC/ST (Regulation and Approval) Rule,' the law will come
into effect once published in the official gazette."
Matthew 24:9
Mass arrest of 170 House
Church Christians in China:
"Mass arrest of 170 House Church Christians in Chian's Henan Province. The
believers had assembled for worship when Public Security Bureau officers
raided the meeting place. After the arrest, the police started processing
the detainees to identify the leaders. They are presently holding 14 leaders,
while the rest of the Christians were forced to pay fines before being fingerprinted,
warned, and released. The 14 leaders face more serious charges and may be
imprisoned. It is usual in such arrests for the leaders to be beaten and
tortured...."
Khartoum threatens southern
Sudanese churches: "Sudan’s Khartoum
regime presented a threatening memorandum in early August to Christian leaders
in Juba after the southern Sudanese church leaders refused to back the government’s
position on peace negotiations."
See
Chronology of Conquests in
the Name of Allah
and
Preparing for Persecution
New Law May Place Obstacles
On Public Religious Gatherings (Belarus):
"Those of 'minority faiths,' including Protestant Christians, may find it
more difficult to hold public events.... In June, both houses of parliament
approved a law governing public events and demonstrations, stating that
organizations may be liquidated (made illegal) if any one event results
in 'substantial harm to the rights and legal interests of citizens or organisations,
or the state or public interest.'...
"Bishop
Sergei Khomich [said], 'In one region we were told that we could not
hold baptisms in lakes and rivers because it would disturb fishermen.'"
This open-ended wording sounds like
a UN treaty.
See
Trading U.S. Rights for UN
Rules
August
Fifty-seven Teenage Evangelicals Resist Torture, Five Recant
:
"Fifty-seven teenage Eritrean Christians jailed last week under severe
punishment for having Bibles at the Sawa Military Training Camp remain locked
in metal shipping containers. Five of the 11th grade students
were released a week after their arrest when they signed an
agreement to deny their evangelical beliefs...."
2 Corinthians 4:7
Hindu militants attack
Bible School (India): "A local Bharatiya Janata
Party politician and ex-member of the legislative assembly led the group....
Assailants shouted anti-Christian slogans and accused them of converting
people in the area. They also expressed objections to the screening of a
film depicting the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Local police failed to
protect the Christians from attack and even arrested six Bible school students."
John 15:20-21
Evangelical Students
Locked in Metal Shipping Containers in Eritrea (a tiny East African
nation): "More than 60 teenage Eritrean students caught with Bibles at a
compulsory military training camp have been arrested and subjected to severe
punishment.... On August 19, they confiscated Bibles from 35 Protestant
students, put them under arrest and subjected them to severe torture. The
following day, another 27 teenage believers were incarcerated with them.
The youths are reportedly locked in metal shipping containers with no light,
high temperatures and a limited oxygen supply."
John 15:20-21
Life terms for Christian 'blasphemers'
upheld:
"A Pakistani court upheld the life sentences of two Christian men who
allegedly set fire to the Quran, Islam's holy book.... Opponents of
the blasphemy law claim it is vulnerable to abuse because only the testimony
of an accuser is needed to prosecute a suspect. International human
rights groups assert many Islamic radicals are using this law as a weapon
to persecute Christians."
See
Preparing for Persecution
Buddhist mobs attack
five churches in Sri Lanka (Aggression
Designed to Force Passage of Anti-Conversion Laws): "They stoned the building,
destroyed pews and benches, and beat two church workers so badly that they
required hospital treatment."
2 Corinthians 4:7
July
Islamists butcher new Christian
:
"After slaughtering a Muslim-turned-Christian, Islamic extremists have reportedly
returned the man's body to his Palestinian family in four pieces.
Matthew 24:9
Christians Blamed for Drought,
Attacked by Mob: "A mob of around 100 Buddhists attacked a church
in Kok Pring in south-east Cambodia during a service on Sunday, July
13, destroying the cross at the front, breaking windows, and throwing Bibles
into puddles of water. The building would have been destroyed if the police
had not intervened....
"'They were angry with
the church. They said the presence of the church has caused continuous droughts
that have prevented them from growing rice."
Our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ need
our prayer. So do the persecutors who are blinded by their gods and superstitions.
Only God can bring peace and victory.
John 15:7-8
New law worries Hong Kong Christians:
"The imposition of harsh anti-subversion laws has serious implications for
Hong Kong’s large Christian community. Many foreign mission organizations
still operate freely in Hong Kong, while churches in the autonomous region
continue their quiet support of Chinese believers on the mainland. All this
could change if the new laws are strictly enforced."
John 15:20-21
June
Christians besieged in Pakistan:
"The photos from Pakistan were anything but travel brochure material. One
showed a 9-year-old girl with dark eyes, large black burns on her legs and
a heavily bandaged right arm. Another showed a 14-year-old girl with a face
partly melted away like candle wax. The right side was a mass of charred
skin after an assailant threw acid into her eyes....
"'She was working as a maid in a Muslim house,' said
Shabazz Bhatti.... She was told by them, 'You are Christian and infidel,
and we will take revenge on you for the killings of Iraqi children.' "
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Week of Prayer Called for North
Korea (Scroll down
to title): "North Korea is possibly the most brutal oppressor of Christians
in the world today. Because of harsh repression, little news is available
and the world is often unaware of the brutality of this regime. Christians
of all ages, including young children, face imprisonment, torture and death.
Whole families are subjected to hard labour and often worked to death or
arbitrarily killed. One estimate puts the number of Christians in labour
camps for of their faith at several thousand."
John 15:7-8
Severe persecution of Christians
in Africa: "Some
Nigerian Muslims openly admit that the ultimate aim is to impose full Shari'ah
Law in a majority of Nigeria's 36 states. Once they have that majority they
can challenge the country's constitution and, eventually, declare Nigeria
a fully Islamic state."
John 15:20-21
China Arrests Eight Underground
Christians: "Police in southwestern
China have arrested eight members of an underground Christian church on
charges of
spreading 'feudalistic superstition,'
the local religious administration said on Thursday. The eight -- all members
of a unregistered church in a village in Yunnan province's Funing County
-- could be sent to labor camps after police nabbed them doing
unauthorized missionary work....
"Chinese law protects religious freedom but the Communist government forbids
all worship outside state-backed 'patriotic' religious organizations."
What an oxymoron:
China "protects religious freedom" but only if the beliefs supports government
ideology! And the celebrated "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" is
based on the same deceptive contradiction.
See
Trading U.S. Rights for UN
Rules
Pastor Gong near death after
repeated torture in a Chinese prison:
"...three guards are specifically assigned to Pastor Gong [founder of the
South China Church] each day, and every activity is watched and recorded.
He is also visited each day by a political officer. Gong is repeatedly
brainwashed in an attempt to get him to reject his faith in Christ
and to admit to so-called crimes against the state. Gong is forbidden
to talk to any of the other prisoners, and any prisoner caught talking to
him even in passing is severely punished."
See
Brainwashing and 'Education
Reform'
Captured Children Killed (Sudan:
"Last week the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on a
brutal attack on a village by government forces in Sudan in which
fifty-nine people were killed, including the region's only pastor, and sixteen
were abducted.
"...the three boys who were kidnapped, ages four and six, have all been
killed while in the custody of government forces. The remaining six women
and seven girls are reportedly being held in the Government of Sudan regional
military headquarters.... It is expected that, unless something is done
to gain their release, the women will be forcibly converted to Islam or
"married" to military officers and the girls sold as slaves.
"Last week's report indicated that the family of Pastor Jacob Manyal was
killed in the attack. It was later discovered that his wife is still alive
but in captivity. She is reportedly the 'guest' of the government Militia
Commander Chayot.... Her two sons [ages 6 and 4] were ... killed in captivity.
"In response to the attack, the
US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT)
has taken an aggressive stance against Servant's
Heart and [its] reports about the attack.... The head of the CPMT
team told them, 'We won't let your lies ruin this peace. We will do whatever
it takes to bury this report and continue to move forward with the peace
agreement.'... The US State Department was briefed by Servant's Heart on
June 9, but has remained silent.'
"Pray for Pastor Manyal's wife, Nyaduar Deang Jany, and the other twelve
still in captivity."
Psalm 62:5-8
Imprisoned Pastor Near Death
(China): "Pastor Gong Shengliang, the imprisoned founder of the
South China Church, is reportedly near death after repeated torture in a
Chinese prison. ... Gong had been severely beaten by prison police. As a
result, he is suffering from serious internal bleeding, has lost his hearing
in one ear, and has been bed-ridden for more than two weeks. At times he
has slipped into a coma. The source stated that Gong is receiving no medical
attention. He is facing daily interrogation and no one has been allowed
to personally visit him since April 14....
"The Voice of the Martyrs is calling
on Christians around the world to pray for Pastor Gong. He has remained
firm in his faith and determination, refusing to confess to false allegations
against him. Pray for his physical, psychological, and spiritual endurance."
Philippians 1:20-21
Pastor Among Fifty-nine Killed:
"Government of Sudan-led military forces recently attacked ten villages
in Eastern Upper Nile. During the unprovoked attack... the troops killed
the region's only Christian pastor.... massacred at least fifty-nine unarmed
villagers, wounded fifteen and abducted ten children and six women. ...
Many of the homes in the ten villages were set on fire by the attackers,
with many of the slain burned alive in their homes.
"Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said after the May 22nd
meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, that his government 'would
sign a peace agreement with the SPLA as quickly as possible, maybe next
month.'"
Matthew 24:9
Hitler's statement against Christianity:
"Said Hitler, 'We are not out against the hundred
and one different sects of Christianity, but against Christianity itself."
John 15:20-21
May
Baptist churches raided in former
republic: "Police raided Baptists
churches in Turkmenistan and detained all those present in one of them amid
an ongoing crack-down against non registered churches in the republic and
across the ex-Soviet Union.... '[T]hey should be put in a bus and shot!'
[said a] police officer....
"Several Baptist and other evangelical churches have refused to register
themselves with governments, arguing saying that only God is their highest
authority."
It sounds like China, doesn't
it? See
Raids on House Churches continues (China)
and
Preparing
for Persecution
Marked for Attack:
(Peru) "... Joshua Saune and his wife woke to the sound of an explosion.
Below their bedroom window the Quechua Indian church leader found a makeshift
bomb consisting of ten sticks of dynamite. Thankfully, only one of the sticks
detonated and no one was injured. However, tied to their garage door was
a red flag, symbolizing that the Shining Path had marked them for attack.
"...The
Peruvian government reports that at least 800 Quechua pastors have been
killed by the Marxist guerilla organization....
"'We
have to rely 100% on our Lord and your constant prayers. We remain steadfast
in the ministry the Lord has bestowed upon us."
Phil 1:20-21
Hatred of Jews at highest level
since WWII: "Anti-Semitism
is rising at a rate unseen since the end of World War Two, fuelled in part
by an explosion of hate sites on the Internet, Jewish leaders told an international
conference on intolerance... held at the Paris headquarters of UNESCO....
The three-day conference, which plans to combat anti-Semitism through 'education
for tolerance', is attended by religious leaders and experts."
Anti-Semitism
is evil, but the UN answer to this crisis is to enforce an unbiblical form
of "unity in diversity" which rules out God's absolute truth.
See
The UN Plan for Your Mental Health
April
North Korea: "Since
1953 about 300,000 Christians have 'disappeared.' Anyone found with a Bible
may be shot. It is estimated that 400 Christians were executed in 1999 alone....
"One woman reported seeing Christians killed when molten steel
was poured on them. She also stated that Christian prisoners were often
not given clothes and were treated like animals....
"One report estimates that 100,000 Christians are being held in labor
camps where they face torture, starvation and death. Another report indicates
that at least 6,000 Christians are being held in Prison #15 in the northern
part of the country.
Let's pray for
God's strength and endurance for our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
May the the current focus on North Korea's nuclear strength also expose
its cruelties to Christians.
John 15:20
and
Preparing for Persecution
Battle in the Heavenlies:
"...we were sitting in the midst of Africa's longest (and perhaps most brutal)
civil war....
"Sudan transport planes had dropped several large drums crammed full of
landmines and sharp pieces of metal on and near the village market and medical
clinic. When these drums hit the ground, the pieces of metal fly out in
all directions for over 500 meters, slicing into homes, trees and human
flesh....
"Tunya Jok described
the horrors as he witnessed his 4-year-old daughter shot and killed as she
fled from the soldiers. Then his 6-year-old son was captured and beheaded
by the soldiers....
"Upon his graduation
from a Bible school in northern Sudan, Andrew was visited one night by government
officers.... [He] and a number of other young men ... watched as one-by-one,
their brothers were dragged forward and tortured, their fingernails brutally
torn out, as their torturers demanded that they renounce Christ and become
Muslims. One by one they refused."
Philippians 1:20-21
Sudanese jihadists given pass
by Bush: "While the
Islamic regime ruling Sudan from the northern capital of Khartoum continues
its jihad against Christians and animists in the country's south – a bloody
campaign that has already killed some 2 million – President George W. Bush
has decided, without explanation, not to enact new sanctions on Sudan...."
Family Attacked and Threatened
with Death
(Scroll down to title):
"A family in Pakistan faces an imminent death threat if they do not renounce
their faith in Christ by Friday, April 18. According to an April 14 report
from Christian Aid, between 150-200 Muslims attacked the home of Sadeeq,
a recent convert from Islam, beating him, abusing his daughters, and giving
him an ultimatum to renounce his faith by Friday or be killed. ... Pray
for safety for the family."
Hiding Place
Convert Faces Deportation to
Iran (from Canada): "Iranian Muslims
who convert from Islam to another religion are considered apostates. The
penalty for apostasy in Iran is severe, often death. Nancy's family in Iran
is already under surveillance by the authorities....
"In an interview, Nancy said, 'My life... is in God's hands. I still have
hope. I have been afflicted, but I am not despairing. I have been persecuted,
but I am not forgotten.'
"Pray that the deportation order will be overturned. Pray that Nancy will
continue to find her strength in Christ."
2 Cor 4:7
Pakistan Christians Fear Slaughter:
"'Mohammed said fight the infidels with everything you have,' and 'Fight
the followers of the devil,' some of the Muslim clerics preached, identifying
Christians with Americans. 'Tension and fear are increasing day by day,'
a confidential spokesman told Christian Aid. 'Please pray that our Heavenly
Father will give us wisdom and courage to face this situation.'"
John 15:7-8
March
Voice of the Martyrs. "War Backlash Anticipated": "Christians
in many predominantly Muslim areas of the world await a potential backlash
from an Islamic community that (unfortunately) widely sees the 'war on terrorism'
as a crusade against Islam....
"'These militants consider Christians and other non-Muslims
as infidels and apostates and declare that it is a responsibility of every
good Muslim to kill infidels.'
"Other areas where Christians are in particular risk...
are areas such as eastern Indonesia, central Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and southern
Sudan, where existing tensions could easily escalate, destroying any tentative
peace agreements in place.
"Christians around the world need our prayers and support.
Pray that they will keep focused on the Prince of Peace and His sustaining
presence.... Pray that they will respond to any violence in a Christ-like
manner and seek to win to Christ those who are persecuting them."
2 Corinthians 4:7
Parvez Masih - Pakistan:
"Like Paul, Parvez sits in jail being made a spectacle, a theater, a public
show before angry mobs and curious authorities. Under Law 295c Brother Parvez
was accused of blaspheming Mohammed and now faces a possible death sentence.
...
"Parvez’s Muslim cell mate in the Sialkot District Jail tore his bible then
hit him in the face with a drinking glass that broke, cutting Parvez’s eye.
Since that time Parvez has been moved to a solitary cell the size of a closet.
His toilet is inside his room, and his food is handed to him through the
bars.
"On August 3, 2002, during a court hearing, Parvez... turned aside a moment
to greet Mohammed Afzil, the father of one witness who is unjustly against
him. Parvez said to him: 'You know there is nothing in this case. Come and
shake hands with me. We are Christians. We love out enemies.' Mohammed Afzil
pensively walked away."
1 Corinthians 13
Little-known world of Palestinian
Christians: "'Between Two Fires' is an Arabic idiom," Brackin
explained. 'We might say 'between a rock and a hard place.' It describes
the position of Palestinian Christians who are opposed and persecuted
on every side -- by the Israelis because they are Palestinians,
by the historical Christians because they are evangelical, by the
Muslims because they do not take an active part in the intifada...and
even by some Western Christians who tend to label all Palestinians
as terrorists, and others who think the Bible leaves no place in Israel
for non-Jews and who have been taught a theology that requires all Arabs
to be driven from the land before Jesus can return."
John 16:2
Finding True Freedom:
"For Ms. Lee, North Korea was the 'paradise' the Great Leader proclaimed.
A loyal party and government member, she knew little of the hunger and fear
that gripped the common people. But everything turned upside down when she
was arrested in 1984. ...
"Ms.
Lee was sentenced to 13 years in a political prison - for a crime she didn’t
commit. While in prison, she experienced such inhumane treatment that one
wonders how she survived to tell about it. Yet, even in the midst of evil,
God was at work. ...
"One
day she witnessed an event she will never forget. 'Five or six elderly Christians
were lined up and forced to deny their Christianity and accept the Juche
Ideology of the State. The selected prisoners all remained silent at the
repeated command for conversion. The security officers became furious by
this and killed them by pouring molten iron on them one by one.' Although
she was not a Christian, she was amazed by the unswerving faith Christians
portrayed....
"But
after I found the joy of knowing Jesus Christ, I changed my attitude and
now have two other missions: to ask Christians around the world to pray
for the persecuted people in North Korea..."
Isaiah 45:3
February
The Beleaguered Christians of
the Palestinian-Controlled Areas:
"A Palestinian convert to Christianity living in a village near Nablus was
recently arrested by the Palestinian police. A Muslim preacher was brought
in by the police, and he attempted to convince the convert to return to
Islam. When the convert refused, he was brought before a Palestinian court
and sentenced to prison for insulting the religious leader....
"A Palestinian convert
to Christianity in Ramallah was recently visited by Palestinian policemen
at his home and warned that if he continued to preach Christianity, he would
be arrested and charged with being an Israeli spy."
With the threat of war, Muslim hostility for Christians
is rising. Let us pray that God's strength, endurance and comfort will enable
our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ to persevere and triumph.
May God use their faithful witness to bring many others to Himself.
See
2 Corinthians 4:7
North Korea remains atop persecution
list: "For years,
very little information about the church emerged from Kim Il Sung’s harsh
North Korea regime, which is now ruled by his son, Kim Jong Il. Some even
wondered if the church had survived the decades of severe oppression. Recent
years, however, have seen a relative 'flood' of information coming from
North Korean refugees fleeing to China to escape famine. They report that
the church has not only survived, but even grown, perhaps to 400,000 Christians
who worship in secret. But to visibly practice the Christian faith in North
Korea today can still result in imprisonment and death."
2 Cor 4:16
and
Her All for Him
(China)
Government Plan Against Christians
Revealed: "A top-secret
government document ... outlined a four-part plan from August 20 to October
20, 2002, leading up to the meeting of the National Congress of the Communist
Party. The first step was publicity and education, letting authorities
know what are 'illegal Christian activities' as well as educating the
public on the problem.
[training the masses to see
the "problem" from the government's hostile point of view]
"The next step was investigation,
infiltrating the illegal Christian organizations, gaining the evidence
needed as they 'prepare to terminate them.'
"The third stage of termination:
'Compulsory measures, such as subpoena, penalty, ordered confessions,
detention, may be taken against those core members, stubborn members and
those who provide places for illegal activities....
"In the final stage of
"summarization," the PSB referred to rewards "on the basis of performance
and achievement" and criticism for those who do not perform adequately."
4 Cor 2:16
More
information at
Managing change
Team Returns From Southeastern
Sudan: "Representatives
from The Voice of the Martyrs... discovered evidence of atrocities, including
the deliberate killing of young children, by troops of the Islamist government
of Sudan (GOS).... It is feared that the government of
Sudan may be preparing a major offensive
to coincide with expected US-led action against Iraq, to take advantage
of diverted world attention."
Matthew 24:9
January
(Jordan)
Court orders Christian mother jailed: "A court in northern Jordan
has ordered a Christian widow sent to jail for 30 days if she refuses to
hand over her two minor children to be raised as Muslims. ...Siham Qandah
was notified by telephone at her home in Husn on January 20 that ... unless
she immediately surrendered custody of her daughter Rawan, 14, and son Fadi,
12, to their court-appointed Muslim guardian, she would be arrested and
sent to prison." It sounds
like the Social Services (DSS) in many parts of the USA. Christian families
have become prime targets of "protective" services who equate Christian
child-raising with mental and emotional abuse.
See
Child "protection"?
Christian Family Beaten and
Left in the Cold:
"...approximately 10 unidentified men burst into the home of Brother Hua
Huiqi and his wife, Ju Mei in Beijing. Forcing all of the members of the
household, including Hua's elderly parents, to lay on the floor, the attackers
savagely beat the family, breaking one of the legs of Hua's 80-year-old
father. They then confiscated all of the home's portable heaters, leaving
the family to suffer from the cold of winter
[in minus 14 degrees Celsius]....
"Hua...
had been responsible for collecting
approximately 10,000 pieces of used
clothing for distribution among poorer church
members in the rural countryside."
2 Cor 4:7
and
Our hope
in Christ
(Scroll down to
"We suffer now, but..")
The
love and endurance of these precious brothers and sisters in Christ put
much of the American church to shame. See the first two link at
Yesterday's News
Three Pakistani Christians lose
eyesight in Christmas assault
(Click on "Breaking News"): "'They have lost their eyes in the attack, and
the other’s daughters were injured in it, and the [police and press] are
accusing THEM?” asked a shocked Christian in Lahore.
“This is their normal
tactic, especially in the Urdu papers,” sighed a churchman in Gujranwala.
“They want to put on pressure [on the Christian community], so they will
withdraw the charges against the maulvi who is accused.”
See
Four Faces of Islam
As 2 of the 3 slain missionaries
laid to rest in Yemen, co-workers see ongoing ministry:
During the funeral, several
hundred Yemenis gathered at the hospital to pay their respects. Others lined
the street for a half-mile outside the hospital gates. Mourners sang 'He
Is Lord' in Arabic and recited the Lord's Prayer.
"'Something is happening in
my heart,' said one Yemeni national. Southern Baptists trust that 'something'
is God's Spirit. People who have seen the witness of the three murdered
workers are giving serious consideration to the good news...
"
The
call of Jesus Christ to take the gospel personally to hurting individuals
far outweighs the risks of living
in a country like Yemen, Hixon said. "If you had asked any of these people,
'Would you give your life to birth
the church?' they would have replied,
'Absolutely,'" he said.
"'It's easy to love
your neighbor and to love your friends and to love your family,' he said.
"
The
miracle occurs when you love your enemy.'"
See
Her All for Him
and
Willing to Bleed for Jesus
Persecution linked
to the United Nations (May 2000):
When the United Nations declared Luang Prabang, Laos, a World Heritage City
many local people felt proud of the honor. Now the world would celebrate their
local history. What's more, they would receive the international as well as
local funds needed to restore the old Buddhist temples, cultural relics and
spiritual traditions. But since the government views Christianity as a threat
to their culture, it is now "forcibly
removing Christians from this area using the United Nations as an excuse....
"The authorities approach a village and block
the entrances and exits. They then determine who is a Christian in the village.
Those they find are forced to recant their faith in Jesus or compelled to
leave their villages. They are denied their possessions and livelihood...."
(
The Voice of the
Martyrs Magazine, November 1999)
A world blinded by the deceptive promises of globalist
leaders has little appreciation for Memorial Day, American sovereignty or the
freedom God gave us in America. The United Nations has planned changes that
will change all the rights and freedoms we take for granted. Some of the new
rules, regulations and "responsibilities" will be announced at the
Millennium Summit
( September 6-8). For a preview, you may want to see the preparatory report
from the UNA-UK
Millennium Hearing.
Remember, the mastermind and official UN reformer
behind Kofi Annan is Maurice Strong. (See the last part of
World Heritage Protection"
- UNESCO's War Against National Sovereignty) To understand the meaning
behind nice-sounding UN terms such as Human Rights, read
Trading U.S. Rights for
UN Rules
Persecution
Links 1 - Years 2000-2002
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