Today I'd like to share with you a special treat, as we have Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for The Voice of the Martyrs USA, sharing the latest about Asia Bibi in a special report posted on ASSIST News Service.

Thank you all for signing the petition and praying for Asia and her family.  Here is Todd's article...

By P. Todd Nettleton
Special to ASSIST News Service

BARTLESVILLE, OKLA. (ANS) -- More than 560,000 people around the world have signed a petition asking the Pakistani government to release Asia Bibi, a Christian wife and mother falsely accused of blasphemy against Mohammed and sentenced to death by a Pakistani court.

 

Asia Bibi received a death sentence after being convicted of blasphemy

Bibi has appealed the conviction to the Lahore High Court, but is still in jail pending the outcome of her appeal. If the High Court upholds the guilty verdict and death sentence, the case could be appealed to Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

The online petition, at www.CallForMercy.com, was launched by The Voice of the Martyrs after 150,000 Pakistani Christians started the petition calling for justice for Asia Bibi and better protection of religious minorities in Pakistan. VOM sister offices in other countries have also promoted the petition drive, and people from more than 100 nations have signed thus far. VOM is delivering petition signatures to the Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC. The goal is to collect one million signatures asking for Bibi’s release.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

The Mass Media has its pros and cons. Like any tool we have, whether it be the written word to the big screen, it can be used for good or bad.

Our friend at Assist News Network, Dan Wooding posted the following report, Islamic Fundamentalist Mass Media Targets Egyptian Coptic Church:

CAIRO, EGYPT (ANS) -- A Middle East journalist is reporting that the majority of Coptic Christians and liberal Muslims in Egypt believe that Fundamentalist Sheikhs and their mass media have played a vital role in the latest wave of incitement against the Coptic Church, orchestrated by Egyptian State Security.

Mary Abdelmassih, writing for the Assyrian International News Agency (www.aina.org) said that the Salafi (one who follows the ways of the first Muslims) television channels, airing their programs from Egypt, supported by their affiliated fundamentalist journalists and mosque imams, have engaged in a coordinated smear campaign against the Coptic Church and its Pope, designed to terrorize the Copts.

Be sure to click the link to read the rest of the article.

The use of the current technologies to bring about persecution should not be a surprise to us as we grow closer to the second coming of Jesus Christ.

One good thing about these technologies is that we can use them for good when others use them for evil. And so Voice of the Martyrs offers an alternative. One that does not teach hate.

Remember the Christians in Egypt in prayer today.

Our good friends at Assist News Services have posted the following report: Eleven Christians Arrested by Eritrean Officials in Latest Crackdown.

It's a quick report that is not full of a lot of details as to the current condition of these eleven brothers and sisters of ours except to say that hey have been taken to undisclosed locations.

If you have been following news out of Eritrea for any time you know that this is very scary. The country has often taken believers and secluded them in those large metal shipping containers for long periods of time in horrible conditions.

These Christians were taken on the twentieth of October. Eritrea is truly a nation where a spiritual darkness permeates the land. Join with me in thanksgiving to God the Father for these brothers and sisters of ours who stand in the midst of this darkness as lights on a hill shining forth the love of Jesus.

Pray for them. Pray for the captors.

This is a follow up on a posting that Stacy shared with us in the middle of the month.

By way of reminder, here is the first paragraph of that report:

Christians in Iran are reporting that Pastor Youcef Nardarkhani has been sentenced to death for what is called a “thought crime.” VOM contacts confirm that the pastor’s trial was held in recent weeks in the 11th Chamber of The Assize Court of the province of Gilan, but a formal verdict has not yet been delivered by the court.

Today, our good friends at the Assist News Service have more information on the plight of our brother Youcef Nardarkhani. The latest info is that there has been a delay in the carrying out of his sentence of death for "thought crime."

Michael Ireland reports: 

DeMars [Jason DeMars of www.presenttruthmn.com] says Nadarkhani is currently under a sentence of death, but authorities are delaying the delivery of the verdict in order to put more pressure on him to turn away from Christ.

"Once the written verdict is delivered, there will be 20 days to appeal to the Supreme Court," DeMars said.

Currently, Nadarkhani's attorney is being denied any access to him, DeMars told ANS.

"However, security officials have informed the courts to temporarily delay his execution until further notice. Youcef is being kept in a security prison in Lakan, Iran, which is just south of Rasht, his hometown," said DeMars.

The authorities may intend this delay to occur because they want Pastor Youcef to deny Christ but I thank. Jesus, for delay and pray that in it Christ would be glorified.

Iran is center stage on many news shows today with their plans and stance on the world stage. Let us join in prayer for our brother and his family and pray that the Holy Spirit would bring peace and strength to them. Pray too for Pastor Youcef's jailers, that they would see Christ in our brother and hunger for the freedom and liberty found only in the blood of Christ shed for them so that they could become sons of the Most High God.

Our friends at Assist News Service posted a chilling and very sobering story of a Christian recruit who was brutally murdered.  Words fail me as I think about just how brutal some people are towards followers of Christ Jesus.  Click here to read the full story.

MIchael IrelandChief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service has written a very fascinating piece regarding a wonderful teenager who has received Christ and now is in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families because her family wanted to kill her.

The teenager testified Monday at a custody hearing in Orlando that she'd recently changed religions and is worried her relatives will do something drastic, according to WFTV in Orlando and Central Florida News 13.

"They have to kill me because I'm a Christian. It's an honor (issue)," the girl told WFTV.
Such threats are common, even in the United States, her attorney, Rosa Gonzalez, told News 13.
"She says her life is in danger and she could be killed in an honor killing," Gonzalez said after the hearing -- which was held because the teenager's parents are trying to regain custody of her.

FOX News reports that the teen, a non-citizen whose parents are from Sri Lanka, has for several weeks been staying with an Orlando couple who are pastors of a new Christian church there. She met them on a Facebook prayer group.

Her father denied his daughter's allegations to NBC 4 in Orlando, saying he never threatened to kill his daughter because she rejected Islam. He was in Florida for a court hearing, but was reportedly traveling back to Ohio Tuesday.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Assist News Service is reporting that the Pakistan Parliament was gracious enough to observe two minutes of silence for the Christians who were martyred recently in Gojra.  Here's part of the story:

By Dan Wooding and Sheraz Khurram Khan
Special to ASSIST News Service

Federal Minister for Minorities Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Pakistan Parliament on Monday condemned killings of Christians in Gojra on August 1 after Pakistan Federal Minister for Minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti presented a resolution urging parliament to condemn violence against Christians.

Pakistan Parliament unanimously passed Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti’s resolution to condemn Christians’ killings in Gojra.

The speakers extended their sympathies to the victims’ families and called for strong action against culprits.

The resolution urged the Pakistan Parliament to condemn the attack of burning of houses of Christians at Korian and Gojra and extend people’s sympathy and solidarity with the victims’ families

Read the full story here.

Maybe you have already heard the news about how the BBC has appointed a Muslim as  the head of Religion and Ethics, and if not, let me tell you about it.  According to Dan Wooding who writes at ASSIST News Service, Aaqil Ahmed's appointment is controversial because it steps away from the Christian roots of England.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, a barrister with the UK based Christian Concern for our Nation (www.ccfon.org), said, “Until now, our public national broadcaster has been charged with reflecting our country’s Christian heritage and ethos. Aaqil Ahmed’s appointment is controversial because his background and previous work at Channel 4 has revealed a noticeable bias towards Islam and multiculturalism.”

According to The Daily Telegraph, senior bishops wrote to the BBC’s Director General Mark Thompson when it was envisaged that Mr. Ahmed might be appointed, to question the BBC’s commitment to Britain's Christian audience. The Archbishop of Canterbury had also raised concerns with Mr. Thompson that the “Christian voice is being sidelined” after Mr. Ahmed was first connected to the role.

Ms. Williams went on to say, “The appointment could be seen as the inevitable result of our multicultural society, in which all religions are viewed as of equal value. This is the secularist point of view—that religion should be confined to the home and the church and excluded from the public square and the workplace. A cursory survey of the Christian Legal Centre’s website (www.christianlegalcentre.com) will reveal the increasing intolerance of this ideology as far as Christians are concerned.

What do you think of this development?  Please leave us a comment and remember all comments are moderated first.

Our friends at Gospel for Asia released the following statement regarding the persecution happening in Myanmar. Here's a snippet:

MYANMAR (ANS) -- In a recent crackdown on Christians in Myanmar (Burma), at least 100 churches were ordered to stop holding services. About 50 pastors were forced to sign at least five documents each to cease church services—and warned repeatedly they could face time in jail if they disobeyed.
The crackdown is of great concern to Christians in Myanmar and a serious violation of religious freedom. Most of the churches meet in homes, and Christians are now left wondering if they will be prohibited from worshipping in their own homes.

In a recent crackdown on Christians in Myanmar (Burma), at least 100 churches were ordered to stop holding services.

Some think it could be the military regime’s response to churches helping with relief for victims of Cyclone Nargis, which hit Myanmar’s coast in May 2008.

“The regime does not like the fact that Buddhists have been receiving help from churches, and fears this may possibly result in conversion,” one pastor living in exile said. “It does not want Christianity to grow in Burma. Ultimately, the regime seeks the destruction of Christianity.

What I find interesting about this story is that unbelievers even see that when the love of Christ is manifest through the good works that God calls His people to do, conversion is a result.

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

XINJIANG, CHINA (ANS) -- Eleven minors and two adults have been detained by Xinjiang Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials while attending a House Church Bible Study in Huocheng County, Qingshuihe township.

China Aid Association (CAA) says that at 9:00pm on Febuary 28, 2008 (Beijing Time), PSB officials disrupted the gathering and detained the minors along with Ms. Fu Jun (41), owner of the house, and Ms. Lu Lanxiang (42). The children, ages 16-17, were brought to the Qingshuihe township PSB office in freezing weather and were not allowed to bring adequate clothing.

Sources close to CAA say that 16-year-old Lou Nan, daughter of pastor Lou Yuanqi, who pastors the house church, is one of the detained. Pastor Lou Yuanqi was not present during the detention of the other members. Pastor Lou was detained on October 20, 2006, along with three other pastors for organizing the House Church. All four pastors served 32 days in detention where they were severely beaten by guards and inmates daily.

By calling the PSB office in which the 13 are being held, CAA confirmed that the 13 members now detained are being held by Qingshuihe township PSB officials under the charge of "illegal religious gathering." Family members have been denied visitation. The condition and wellbeing of the church members remains unknown.

In a media release, CAA says it condemns the actions of the PSB officials who have callously detained 11 minors and their Bible teachers for gathering together.

It adds: "We exhort Government officials to remain consistent in policies of religious freedom and release the members being held."

To voice your concern please contact:
Qingshuihe Township PSB Office- +86-999-3291054

Chinese Embassy in Washington DC
Address: 2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20007
Tel: (202) 338-6688, (202)5889760
Fax: (202) 588-9760

CAA says it has also learned that on Febuary 27, Beijing House Church leader pastor Cai Zhuohua was detained for 6 hours at Tiantongyuan PSB office of Changping District, Beijing.

Pastor Cai went to the PSB office to register his son's residence card at 11am and then the PSB officers abruptly detained him for the so-called "suspicion of making false documents" although all the documents pastor Cai brought are issued by the Chinese government agencies. He was released at 5pm without any charges. Pastor Cai served three years imprisonment for printing bibles in 2004.

In another case in Inner Mongolia where 40 church leaders were arrested on Febuary 20, CAA says it has learned that all were released on Febuary 21 including one missionary from South Korea. Pastor Wang Dawei, the president of Chinese House Church Alliance, Inner Mongolia branch was asked to pay 100,000yuan ($13,000 USD) for being accused of illegal Bible printing.