Persecution Blog

The Plague of Persecution in India

In recent days we have been covering a lot of news concerning the intense Hindu persecution of Christians in India. According to a story here India not only has a major problem with killing preborn girl babies, but also dealing with intense persecution towards Christians, including some of those who worked with the late Mother Teresa.

It is a violence that has risen to a crescendo in recent years, especially in certain states. Gujarat and Orissa are among them. In Orissa, which faces the Bay of Bengal, south of Calcutta, Australian Protestant missionary Graham Staines and his two children were killed after their car was set on fire in 1999.

Those who are hostile toward Christians accuse them of proselytizing, and therefore violating the Hindutwa, the identification between India and Hinduism asserted by intolerant Hindu nationalist currents.

In reality, out of 1.2 billion Indians, Christians of all confessions make up little more than 2 percent. And they are not expanding, but slowly declining: from 2.6 percent in 1971 to 2.3 percent in 2001.

But at the same time, Christians run one of every five elementary schools in India, one of every four houses for widows and orphans, and one out of three houses for lepers and AIDS patients. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is the nation's pride. Except among fanatical Hinduists.

In fact, the latest explosion of anti-Christian violence that took place in Orissa did not even spare the sisters and brothers of Mother Teresa. Last Christmas three of their houses in the district of Khandhamai were attacked by an enraged mob armed with swords, axes, iron rods, and clubs. The sisters and brothers had to flee into the woods. The aggressors vented themselves by devastating the houses and chapels.

Please remember to pray for Orissa today and all of our brothers and sisters in the faith who live in India.

China House Churches—Extreme Devotion, Extreme Faith

In recent months there have been increased incidents of persecution in China. Local Christians believe the Communist Chinese government has stepped up their crackdown on the house church movement in efforts to get rid of them before the Olympics this summer. A few days ago, we just received news that 21 senior house church leaders were simultaneously sentenced to a labor camp by the Linyi City Re-education Through Labor Commission.

China Aid Association reported, “The leaders were detained on December 7, 2007, when they gathered for leadership training with 249 other leaders in Hedong district, Linyi city, Shandong province. After paying fines and finishing detention ranging from a few days to a few weeks, 249 leaders were released. The 21 most senior leaders were sentenced to three years to one year and three months.” What continues to bless and challenge me is the resilience of our brothers and sisters in China and other restricted nations around the world. Despite what we see as hardships and trouble, they remain faithful and count it gain to suffer for the sake of Christ.

What a great testimony of Christ’s love. I count it a privilege to read and learn from their experiences. What I value even more is the opportunity to serve, pray and thank God for their dedication and faithfulness. Pray house churches in China will stand firm in God’s promises, despite the government’s efforts to shut them down. Let us believe God that through witnessing the faithfulness of these believers suffering persecution; many will come into the knowledge of Christ Jesus

Christian Eritrean Prisoners Released

(Compass Direct News) –Security police authorities in Eritrea released 35 evangelical Christians in the port city of Massawa over the weekend after holding them in custody for six weeks at a local police station. All the jailed Protestants were members of the government-banned Faith of Christ Church. The 35 men and women had been worshipping in a private home on January 6 when security officials raided the house and arrested those present. The group was denied visitation rights while in police custody, although official charges were never filed against them. According to Protestant sources inside Eritrea, the Massawa Christians were released on Saturday morning (February 16). Three days earlier, 10 members of the Full Gospel Church who had been incarcerated for five years in Assab’s notorious military prison were released on bail. The seven men and three women had been transferred from Assab to the Adi-Abyto prison six months ago. Local sources also reported the death in prison of the leader of some 70 Eritrean Muslims, Taha Mohammed Nur.

For more information on this story click here.

Bibles to Be Printed in China: How Did THAT Happen?

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you know that China is a communist nation and has a serious record of persecuting Christians.  You may also know that China has one of the largest underground Christian churches in the world.

However, did you know that China is about to have the largest Bible print shop in the world?  Amazing isn't it!

According to an article at OneNewsNow.com , China is planning on having Amity Press, which is a  government-sanctioned plant,  print one-million bibles per month.

But the ultimate question is why now?  Is this a political ploy on behalf of the Chinese government to appease freedom loving countries like America prior to the Olympics, or is it something bigger and grander that the Lord has in mind for His people? 

What do you think?  Please leave us a comment and discuss!

 
 

One Dead, 60 Injured in Muslim Attacks on Christians

On February 2, one Christian was killed and 60 others injured; churches, businesses and homes were set on fire in the latest Muslim attacks on Christians in Bauchi state, Nigeria.

According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts in Nigeria, “One Christian man was killed, over 60 people were seriously injured and five churches were damaged.”

This latest attack took place after two friends, a Christian lady and a Muslim man, had a disagreement. VOM contacts report, “These two were said to be friends of some sort until they had a disagreement on February 1. The Muslim man claimed that the Christian lady made some blasphemous utterances against the Prophet Muhammad. They were said to have parted ways that day without much trouble, but with a threat from the man that he would deal with the lady in his own way.”

VOM contacts added that on the following day, the Muslim man ganged up with Muslim extremists and started searching for the lady. “The lady was alerted of the attack and ran to the police station. The gang traced her to the police station and insisted the police release her. When the police did not release her, the attackers set the police station on fire. After the lady and the police escaped, the Muslim extremists attacked Christian homes, churches and shops,” VOM contacts said.

Believers who lived in the damaged and destroyed homes have not returned because of fear they might be attacked again. This recent incident is the second attack within a few months. In December, Muslim extremists attacked believers in Yelwa Tudu, in Bauchi state. Pray for Christians in this state. Ask God to comfort the family of the deceased and those injured. Pray these believers will be encouraged to remain faithful in their walk with the Lord.

                          

Remember Paul the Persecutor Turned Apostle

This morning during my devotional time, I found myself in the book of 1 Timothy 1:12-17 which says,

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.    Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.    The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.    Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.    But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.    Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (The Apostle Paul)

I wanted to share this with you and offer you some encouragement in the event that sometimes you feel like people who persecute Christians are hopeless, and will never find Christ.  The truth is that no one is ever hopeless and as long as there is life in a person, God can reach them.

I love this passage of scripture because it is the Apostle Paul talking about how Jesus saved him - "the worst sinner of all" - and I love this passage because Paul talks about how he used to persecute Christians,  be a violent man (even killing many Christians) and a blasphemer.

But God showed him mercy.  And not only did God show him mercy, but God's grace was also poured out on him abundantly.  And so was faith and love.

This was a true miraculous conversion! 

And this is the Lord God that we all serve.  Who else but the God of the living scriptures can save a man who killed His people, and bring that man into a place of repentance and life transformation.  With God all things are possible!

So when we invite you to join with us and pray for those who persecute believers, remember the Apostle Paul, who was blessed with writing most of the New Testament, used to persecute Christians.

Joy and Hope in the Face of Hardship

Recently I shared with you how I was so blessed to share about the persecuted church with some high school students and I shared with you that part of my presentation was showing them part of the Underground Reality Vietnam DVD that The Voice of the Martyrs has produced.

Today I wanted to introduce you to one of the young me who went to Vietnam to give bibles away, by sharing with you a short video clip from Christian World News on the CBN.com website.

The young man is Brad Konemann who is from Australia and I think once you see him speak in this interview your heart will be warmed and touched as you see his faith and love for the Christians in Vietnam.

Click here to read the associated article and see the short video clip.

Time to Write Li Mei

After reading about Li Mei today and the torture she has had to go through, I just wish I could give her a big warm hug.  Since that is not possible, I'm going to write her a letter of encouragement today.  Please join me won't you?  Click here to go to Prisoner Alert.com

In July 2007, 42-year-old Li Mei and nine house church leaders were arrested, when they were discovered having a Sunday worship service. They were charged with singing Christian hymns to villagers, showing the JESUS film in a nursing home and praying for healing for a disabled elderly man. The nine were sentenced to re-education through labor for 12 to 18 months. Li Mei served part of her one-year sentence in a hospital with both hands chained to her bed. Repeated beatings and torture caused her to require a hysterectomy. She is currently serving the remainder of her sentence at home under house arrest.

We invite you to write a letter of encouragement to Li Mei. We have experienced great results when readers write to believers who have been imprisoned for their faith. The letters make a difference, often resulting in shorter prison terms. Please send a letter of encouragement and let Li Mei know you are praying for her. Also, write to the Chinese government requesting that Li Mei be released. Let your friends know about suffering believers in China and encourage them to write.

Get involved and write today.

Iran Proposes Death Penalty for Apostacy

   

The Iranian parliament is reviewing a bill for the Islamic Penal Law (Penal Code) that aims at legislating the death penalty for apostasy.

According to the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, the draft law defines an apostate as “any Muslim who clearly announces that he/she has left Islam and declares blasphemy.”

Article 225 to 227 of the law defines two kinds of apostates, namely, innate (Fetri) and parental (Melli) apostates. Parental apostates are individuals whose parents had been Muslims and the individual later decided to leave Islam, while innate apostates had one parent who was Muslim, “but after the age of maturity, without pretending to be Muslim, chooses blasphemy.”

The draft law states, “Punishment for an Innate Apostate is death. Punishment for a Parental Apostate is death, but after the final sentencing for three days he/she would be guided to the right path and encouraged to recant his/her belief and if he/she refused the death penalty would be carried out.”

The proposed law indicates that punishment for women will be life imprisonment and “hardship” will be exercised on female apostates who will be immediately released when they recant.

This law reinforces stringent laws Christian converts from Islam face in Iran. Pray for Iranian believers who live in danger because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Ask God to give them courage and increased faith as they remain faithful in their walk with the Lord.

                          

A Dangerous Christian

One of our wonderful persecution bloggers alerted me to a great post they recently wrote called A Dangerous Christian. 

Here's how the post begins...

Years ago, Mario Murillo wrote a book called, I Am the Christian the Devil Warned You About.

I couldn't help but think of that when I read a special report from Voice of the Martyrs about Pastor Hua Huiqi. In 2007, just ten minutes from the Olympic Village in Beijing, Hua was arrested and spent six months in prison. While in prison his 77-year old mother was harrassed, arrested and is still serving a two-year prison sentence for allegedly damaging government property.

Hua was released from prison on July 25, 2007, 20 pounds lighter than when he went in.

Now, here's the part that made me think "I am the Christian the devil warned you about":

Click here to read on.