Persecution Blog

Pray for Pastor Antonio Cruz Rodas

Local authorities in Chiapas, Mexico, recently issued an official warning to Pastor Antonio Cruz Rodas, ordering him to stop evangelizing in the area. Pastor Rodas has also received death threats.

Authorities issued the pastor a document reading, "Today we strongly state total prohibition of access to people that profess any religion different than the one in our community."

Most people in the area practice "folk Catholicism," a syncretistic blend of Catholicism and indigenous practices. Pastor Rodas says he is not afraid of being killed, and VOM contacts have asked that we pray for his continued ministry in this hostile area. Three families in the area have come to faith in Christ, and the pastor has planted two churches in communities similar to this one.

In the photo at right, a pastor in Chiapas is shown praying for one of his parishioners.

You can add your voice to the prayers for Pastor Rodas online at www.iCommitToPray.com. 

What ISIS Really Wants

There is an important article in this month’s issue of The Atlantic magazine, entitled What ISIS Really Wants. I found myself pausing often as I read to underline or highlight particular passages, as the author seems to have done a very good job of identifying the motivations of this radical Islamic group which has established a “Caliphate” that stretches across Syria and into Iraq.

In a sea of media talking heads and government officials that tend to minimize or even deny the Islamic theological motivations of Islamic State fighters, writer Graeme Wood declares with refreshing candor:

The reality is that the Islamic State is Islamic. Very Islamic. Yes, it has attracted psychopaths and adventure seekers, drawn largely from the disaffected populations of the Middle East and Europe. But the religion preached by its most ardent followers derives from coherent and even learned interpretations of Islam.

I would encourage you to take the time to read the entire article, because it is enlightening. One of the things I found most fascinating is the importance of the Caliphate, and the obligation (not suggestion) that believing Muslims have to support and join a valid Caliphate:

The caliphate, Cerantonio told me, is not just a political entity but also a vehicle for salvation. Islamic State propaganda regularly reports the pledges of baya’a (allegiance) rolling in from jihadist groups across the Muslim world. Cerantonio quoted a Prophetic saying, that to die without pledging allegiance is to die jahil (ignorant) and therefore die a “death of disbelief.” Consider how Muslims (or, for that matter, Christians) imagine God deals with the souls of people who die without learning about the one true religion. They are neither obviously saved nor definitively condemned. Similarly, Cerantonio said, the Muslim who acknowledges one omnipotent god and prays, but who dies without pledging himself to a valid caliph and incurring the obligations of that oath, has failed to live a fully Islamic life.

This is part of the reason why Muslims from around the world are flocking to Iraq and Syria to join. They see it as both their duty and as their path to salvation.

Without realizing it, Mr. Wood also points toward something I discussed with Cole Richards on VOMRadio two weeks ago:

Muslims can say that slavery is not legitimate now, and that crucifixion is wrong at this historical juncture. Many say precisely this. But they cannot condemn slavery or crucifixion outright without contradicting the Koran and the example of the Prophet. “The only principled ground that the Islamic State’s opponents could take is to say that certain core texts and traditional teachings of Islam are no longer valid,” Bernard Haykel says. That really would be an act of apostasy.

As Cole and I discussed, in the violent advance of ISIS moderate Muslims are seeing the true face of Islam. The ugly picture they see is inspiring many of them to seek some other faith or philosophy, and many are finding true peace in Christ.

ISIS is our enemy, both as Americans and as Christians. But Jesus' call to His followers is a radical one: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).

It is difficult to love what you don’t know; I challenge you to read and ponder Mr. Wood’s article, to begin to know better the enemies Jesus is calling us to love.

Todd Nettleton has served with The Voice of the Martyrs for 16 years. He’s travelled to more than 20 restricted and hostile nations and interviewed hundreds of believers who’ve faced persecution for their Christian witness. As VOM’s principle media spokesperson, Todd has done more than 2,000 interviews with media outlets ranging from Moody Radio to the BBC and Los Angeles Times. He is the host of VOM’s weekly radio show, VOMRadio. He is the principle author of Restricted Nations: North Korea and was part of the writing team for four other VOM books.

VOMRadio: Padina On Ministry Inside Iran

Padina was ready to kill herself on live TV to earn Allah's favor and prove the God of the Christians was powerless. Instead, she met Jesus Christ and saw Him heal her mother from sickness. She became passionate to introduce her countrymen to the Savior. Today she leads a house church network inside Iran, including training church leaders to be ready to face arrest, harassment and persecution. She'll tell us how they prepare to face persecution, and describe the ways that VOM is helping and strengthening the church in Iran today. Finally, we'll talk about specific ways to pray for Christians inside Iran.

 

You can see a video that VOM produced sharing Padina's testimony here.

"I See Nothing!"

“I see nothing” is the classic line of Sgt. Schultz from Hogan’s Heroes, the 1960s television series about prisoners of war. The line is funny and unforgettable. So what does it mean? It means to ‘turn a blind eye.’ If I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist, it hasn’t happened, and therefore I am not responsible for it. Schultz was hiding from reality—usually the antics of the prisoners of war that he was supposed to be guarding. It was a humorous statement from a character on TV, but in real life hiding one’s eyes (face, head) from reality is immature and irresponsible. It can be downright dangerous.

Being purposefully myopic (in a metaphorical sense) is being unwilling to see what is perfectly clear but may be uncomfortable or beyond one’s perceived ability to cope. It’s like the ostrich which sticks its head in the sand but leaves the rest of its body exposed, thinking because its head is covered, it is out of danger. The ostrich syndrome is when we refuse to acknowledge what is blatantly obvious.

What is blatantly obvious? That there are Christians in the world who are suffering for their faith and we need to be actively involved in ministry with them. And yes, it could eventually happen to us.

The reaction of many is that we know what is happening but we do not want to deal with it. We may confine ourselves to a very tight circle that we have drawn around ourselves in which we will focus all our energy and concern. We refuse to see what is outside the line. Our little circle is a circle of self-absorption and self-centeredness. We may have determined that what happens in the world around us has no importance for us. The imaginary wall we build around ourselves blocks our view of who might be staring back at us. Neither the little circle nor the wall is real—they do not protect us at all. It is hard to be vigilant when we ignore the danger. Eventually, our temporary sense of security will give way to the invasion of reality into our little world. How will we deal with it?

It is obvious that this is not the posture, worldview, or lifestyle God means for genuinely-committed Christians to have. We are to embrace the reality of a fallen world and seek to win it. We are to care enough to feel the pain of our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted. Ignoring it (or them!) won’t make it go away.

I realize that there are a lot of important things in our little world that require a lot of attention and it is hard to add one more thing, especially when that something is painful. There are some things that cannot be ignored, no matter how overwhelmed we are. The question comes down to this: Do we ignore persecution because we think we can’t handle it or do we acknowledge it and deal with it because God is asking us to?

Interestingly, those who acknowledge and embrace the reality of persecution and seek to work with persecuted Christians are not burdened by it but are, in fact, uplifted by it. It is a great and wonderful ministry to real people who are on the front lines of faith. It is also wonderful to associate with the heroes of the faith.

Perhaps we should change Sgt. Schultz’s famous line to “Oh! Now I see.”

[Working with real people on the front lines of faith can begin with Adopting a Front-line Worker.]

Roy Stults, PhD, is the Online Workshop Coordinator and Educational Services Coordinator for The Voice of the Martyrs. He graduated from Olivet Nazarene University (BA and MA), Nazarene Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Doctor of Missiology), and The University of Manchester (England) with a PhD (theology). A Vietnam veteran, Dr. Stults served as a missionary for 19 years and pastored U.S. churches for eight years. Prior to joining VOM, he was a Professor of Religion at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.