January 26, 2012
January 16, 2012
Southern state remains most volatile place for third straight year.
NEW DELHI, January 13 (CDN) — Attacks on Christians accelerated over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays in the south Indian state of Karnataka, which was identified as the most unsafe place for the religious minority for the third consecutive year in 2011.
With 49 cases of violence and hostility against Christians in 2011, Karnataka remained the state with the highest incidence of persecution, according to the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s annual report, “Battered and Bruised…”
The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), which is based in Karnataka’s capital of Bengaluru and initially reported most of the incidents, also documented at least six anti-Christian attacks between Christmas Eve 2011 and New Year’s Day.
On the evening of Jan. 1, about 20 men disrupted the New Year’s Day worship service of the Blessing Youth Mission Church at the house of a believer in Hunnur village, in Jamkhandi division of Bagalkot district. Suspected Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal, the men manhandled pastor Siddu Seemanth Gunike, accusing him of forcibly and fraudulently converting Hindus. Local police intervened and rescued the pastor and other Christians.
On New Year’s Eve, more than 10 men trespassed onto the premises of the Karnataka Calvary Fellowship Church, in the Ganeshgudi area in Joida division of North Canara district, and disrupted a service of thanksgiving. Believed to be Hindu nationalists, the men forced the church to stop the service. Police arrived but only to summon the pastor, identified as P.R. Jose, to the police station the following morning. After GCIC’s intervention, however, a senior police official assured the Christians of security.
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Please also pray for Christians all throughout India. India is a restricted nation with approximately two and a half percent of the population as professing Christians. Learn more at Persecution.com.
September 3, 2010
Since Friday's are the days we focus on helping you to pray more specifically for the persecuted church, I wanted to refresh your memory about praying for the restricted nations.
One of the nations I have a burden for is Pakistan. As you know, Pakistan is mostly Muslim and with the recent floods and the devastation from that, they are in dire need of our prayers and our support.
However, there are numerous nations that are restricted nations, and I want to encourage you today to go to our Restricted Nations page, and find a nation that you will commit to pray for this month.
May 12, 2010
At the beginning of the year I challenged you to pick a restricted nation every month that you were going to pray for. Today I wanted to remind you of that commitment by sharing that I am praying for Kuwait this month. Leave a comment and tell me who you're praying for.
You may pick a nation from our Restricted Nations page by clicking here.
Kuwait has Sunni Islam as the state religion. Kuwait has a diverse Christian community and a relatively liberal Islamic regime.
Category: Restricted NationMarch 9, 2010
Turkey  |
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| DESCRIPTION | Turkey has
experienced political turmoil caused by the struggle between secular
proponents, urban moderates and rural Islamist forces vying for
government control. Talks over membership in the European Union have
repeatedly faltered. There appears to be no sign that Turkey will
embrace true religious freedom. In August 2007, Turkey took a step back
toward a religiously controlled state when they elected as president a
former proponent of political Islam. Category: Restricted Nation Religion: Muslim 99.64%, Christian 0.32% Ideology: Islam Head of State: President Abdullah Gul Despite government claims and a constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, Christians do not enjoy freedom of religion in many areas. Politicians, police and the growing Islamist movement are hostile to anything Christian. Foreign missionaries are not given visas. The media portrays Christians as foreign government agents and spreads rumors that Christians bribe young people with money and sex. The public tends to believe these false accusations. A VOM contact has reported people throwing things at him, spitting at him and verbally abusing him for talking about Christ. He was also interrogated by the police after handing out New Testaments. On Feb. 12, 2009, a Turkish Bible Society bookstore in the city of Adana was vandalized by Muslim extremists for the second time in a week. A court trial continues for two men accused of killing two Turkish Christians and one German Christian in Malatya in 2007. |
February 1, 2010
Last month we started the new year by setting a goal to pray for at least one restricted nation. Since today is February 1st, I wanted to remind all of you to pick a new country to pray for, or to keep praying for the country you had picked last month. Last month I prayed for Libya and this month I'll be praying for Columbia. What restricted nation are you picking this month?
If you need some help picking a restricted nation, please visit our Restricted Nation website. Thanks and I look forward to your responses!
December 2, 2009
This morning I was talking to a friend who was telling me they were going to the Philippines soon and that got me thinking about how the Lord has used Filipino friends in my life to take me to church when I was younger. I also have a wonderful Filipino Christian neighbor who I absolutely love, and the culture of the Philippines is something I also love. So as I was thinking about all of the blessings that I have been given, as a result of my friends from that nation, I had to share with you all that sadly, there is a part of the Philippines called Mindanao that is suffering from Muslim persecution.
According to the Voice of the Martyrs Restricted Nations page, Mindanao is an island and has a Muslim minority that is trying to establish an independent Islamic state on this island, which is predominantly Christian.
Even today the Associated Press is reporting in a piece titled Philippines, Muslim rebels to resume peace talks that the Philippine government and Muslim separatist rebels will resume peace talks in Malaysia next week. The article goes on to say:
The rebels have been fighting for Muslim self-rule for decades in Mindanao, the southern homeland of minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic Philippines. It is the biggest of at least four Muslim rebel groups that have waged a bloody rebellion in the volatile south.
Negotiations collapsed in August last year when the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a preliminary accord on an expanded Muslim autonomous region.
A deadly rampage by three rebel commanders upset by the stalled deal sparked months of clashes. The fighting killed hundreds and displaced as many as 750,000 people.
So as you think of our brothers and sisters in Christ today, who are in the land of Mindanao, please pray for them. Pray for the Lord's blessing and protection on them, and pray for the Muslims who so desperately need Jesus as their Savior.
August 17, 2009
On this Monday, I wanted to draw your attention to the nation of Oman, and ask that you take a moment to pray for believers there who are not living under complete freedom. And we thank you for taking the time to pray and tell a friend today.COUNTRY Oman 
DESCRIPTION Oman is caught in the clutches of Ibadhi Islam which is the state religion. Ruler Qaboos overthrew his father in 1970 and stopped a communist uprising in Oman. In 1996, he established a charter with more social and political reforms, but not all have been fully enacted.
Category: Restricted Nation
Religion: Muslim 92.66%, Christian 2.54%
Ideology: Islam
Head of State: Sultan/Prime Minister Qaboos bin Said al-Said
Churches and church activities for the expatriate communities are permitted, but converting Muslims is forbidden. The Christian population consists almost entirely of foreign workers. Christians are lower class citizens with regard to citizenship and legal rights.RELATED LINKS Persecution.com Story - Pakistan: Woman & Father in Prison
Persecution.com Story - Pakistan: Christian woman arrested
Persecution.com Story - India: Pastor Brutally Attacked
VOMBooks Product - Victorious Faith
VOMBooks Product - Torchlighters: The Richard Wurmbrand Story DVD
VOMBooks Product - God’s Prisoner: The Story of Richard Wurmbrand
July 14, 2009
Libya  |
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| DESCRIPTION | Libya
has been ruled single-handedly by Muammar al-Qadhafi, who is perhaps
best known for his association with other radical regimes and terrorist
groups. Qadhafi has attempted to appease Muslims by broadening Islamic
law. Religion: Muslim 96.50%, Christian 3.00% Ideology: Islam/Military dictatorship Head of State: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi Libyans are off limits for evangelism. A number of expatriates are seeking to reach Libyans, but they are hindered by the country’s secret police network. Christian literature may enter only through secretive means. There are very few Libyan believers; almost all Christians are foreign workers and the government strictly monitors them. There is a limit of one church per denomination per city. Despite the restrictions, VOM makes the gospel message available in Libya though radio and the Internet. |
July 7, 2009
Please take a few minutes today to pray for the citizens of North Korea and also the leadership. Join me in asking the Lord to set the nation free from the awful dictatorship that sadly this whole nation is under. And ask the Lord to draw the leadership and the citizens of North Korea to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
COUNTRY North Korea
DESCRIPTION North Korea is one of the most repressive and isolated regimes in the world. The country denies every kind of human right to its citizens. The country’s previous leader, Kim Il Sung, founded an ideology called "Juche," which centers on the worship of the country’s leaders. Government-organized religious activities exist solely to provide the illusion of religious freedom.
Category: Restricted Nation
Religion: Non-Religious 64.31%, Traditional ethnic 16.00%, Chondogyo 13.50%, Christian 1.69%
Ideology: One-man dictatorship/Communism
Head of State: Chairman Kim Jong Il
North Korea is the worst perpetrator of persecution against Christians in the world. Despite harsh conditions, Christians are quietly adding to their numbers daily, though the exact number is unknown. Hearts are longing for truth and for a loving relationship with their Creator. Christians must practice their faith in deep secrecy and are in constant danger, though many continue to stand strong under relentless persecution. The government considers Christians to be a stability threat, and they are hunted all over the country. Many North Koreans, including Christians, have fled to China. This year the Chinese government raised the bounty for North Korean refugees to 8,000 RMB, ($1,172 US), equal to a year’s salary. When refugees are caught, they are returned to North Korea where they face torture, imprisonment and often death. At least 25 percent of Christian prisoners are sent to political prison camps, where prisoners almost never leave. Despite this horrific oppression, some Christians have returned to North Korea to share the gospel.
