Monday, July 30, 2012

Persecution Update:

As we know, persecution is a sign of our times and the article below gives an update of various extreme forms of persecution from around the world:




U.S.-backed rebels are committing Christian genocide in Syria, where they are sacking churches and issuing threats that all Christians will be cleansed from rebel-held territory. A mass exodus of thousands of Christians is taking place, even as mainstream Western reporters like Robert Fisk demonize those same Christians for being supportive of the secular regime.

The bloody jihad waged against Nigeria’s Christians, which has seen hundreds killed this year alone, now includes plans to kill Christians with poisoned food, as part of the Islamic organization Boko Haram’s stated goal of purging Nigeria of all Christian presence.

During Egypt’s presidential elections, Al Ahram reported that "theMuslim Brotherhood blockaded entire streets, prevented Copts from voting at gunpoint, and threatened Christian families not to let their children go out and vote” for the secular candidate.


Categorized by theme, June’s assemblage of Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is not limited to) the following accounts, listed in alphabetical order by country, not severity.




Church Attacks

Egypt: Because many visitors were in attendance, Muslims surrounded a Coptic church during Divine Liturgy "demanding that the visiting Copts leave the church before the completion of prayers, andthreatening to burn down the church if their demand was not met.” The priest contacted police asking for aid only to be told to comply with their demands, "and do not let buses with visitors to come to the church anymore.” Christian worshippers exited halfway through liturgy to jeers outside. As they drove away, Muslims hurled stones at their buses. Also, repairs to a Coptic church that was torched and gutted a year ago by rioting Muslims were woefully inadequate, leaving the congregation with a staggering debt from further necessary repairs.

Indonesia: A Muslim mob of 300 wrecked a store that was being used for a Sunday church service on the pretext that it had not obtained "permission to hold Mass.” The mob wrecked the first floor of the store, breaking windows and damaging furniture. Police stopped them before reaching the third floor, where some 60 Christians had congregated. None of the Muslims were arrested, although 12 Christians were taken into custody for questioning. Separately, in compliance to calls by Islamic clerics, authoritiesordered 20 churches to be torn down, following the closure of 16 smaller Christian places of worship in the same district last month. The congregations continue to hold services inside their sealed-off buildings as other members stand guard outside.

Iran: Authorities ordered the closure of yet another church in the capital, Tehran, "amid a government campaign to crack down on the few recognized churches offering Farsi-speaking services,” according to a human rights group. The church originally served Assyrian background Christian members; however, "due to an increasing number of Farsi-speaking believers—mostly MBBs [Muslim Background Believers]—it [the church] has become a cause of concern for the authorities and they now ordered it to shut down.”

Kashmir: A 119-year-old church was torched by Muslims. The local bishop "said that the Muslim fundamentalists want Christians to leave the state… He said that the church had filed a case with the police but had been advised not to ‘play up’ such incidents.” Christian minorities "are coming under growing threat from Kashmir’s Muslim majority. A Christian human rights group in India said that over 400 Christians have been displaced as a result.”

Kazakhstan: Land use regulations are being exploited "as a means to prevent religious communities and their members exercising freedom of religion or belief.” Most recently, authorities "forced a Methodist church to ‘voluntarily’ close and fined the wife of the Church’s Pastor, who further paid for an announcement in newspapers saying the church was ‘liquidating itself,’” simply because "We do not want more punishment from the authorities.”

Nigeria: Islamic militants attacked several churches during every Sunday of the month with bombs and guns killing dozens of Christian worshippers, and critically wounding hundreds, including many children. Growing numbers of Christians "dare not” attend church services anymore, even as reports suggest that some police are intentionally abandoning their watch prior to such attacks.

Sudan: Authorities bulldozed two church buildings to the ground and confiscated three Catholic schools, as a response to the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, saying that such buildings are associated with now unwelcome, largely Christian South Sudanese in the Islamic-ruled country. Another church building belonging to the Full Gospel Church was destroyed in the same area two months ago, also on the claim that it belonged to South Sudanese.

Turkmenistan: An Evangelical church in the Muslim-majority nation was raided by authorities: "All adult believers at the meeting were questioned about their faith and all of their Christian literature was confiscated.” Their literature was returned two weeks later.

Apostasy, Blasphemy, Proselytism

Egypt: A Christian student handing out Christian literature in Assuit University "raised the ire of Muslim students,” resulting in clashes on campus, "amid shouts of sectarian chants,” leading to many injuries. Likewise, a Salafi leader declared on Egyptian TV that Muslims have no right "to convert to Christianity.”

Iran: Five months after five Christian converts were arrested, their condition and fate remain unknown. They are accused of "attending house church services, promoting Christianity, propagating against the regime and disturbing national security.” Being imprisoned for 130 days without word "is an obvious example of physical and mental abuse of the detainees…. one of the prison guards openly told one of these Christian detainees that all these pressures and uncertainties are intended to make them flee the country after they are released.” Also, a young Iranian woman, who recently converted to Christianity and was an outspoken activist against the Islamic regime, was found dead, slumped over her car’s steering wheel, with a single gunshot wound to her head.




8 comments:

Chris said...

Wow, we all know this is going on but seeing this selection put together on one page is quite shocking ! Even worse is we know that the above is just the tip of the iceberg...

We really do have it easy at the moment in the UK !

We all need to be praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are under threat of persecution for following the one true God !

Chris said...

Scott, thanks for this wonderful resource which is a true blessing to the believers and those generally seeking answers and the truth.

It been a little shocking seeing the recent attacks and arguments in the comments section all we can do is pray on it, ignore an continue to make positive comments that will build up Gods children !

Praise to God may he bless us with disearnment and knowledge in these troubling times..

Douglas said...

I was doing some bible study before I turned on the computer. It was in the book of Amos.
Amos 8:11-13
The days are coming", declares the sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land-not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.
In that day, the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst. THOSE DAYS ARE ALMOST HERE

Anonymous said...

And yet, stocks are UP again tonite.

NOT GOOD for anyone expecting the "end" to come soon.

I am still VERY CONCERNED that bulls
will be able to PUSH the dow thru
13, 339 in the coming week or so.

If so, THIS WORLD may go humming and
spinning ON for quite a while.

Bulls do NOT want to give up here,
even tonite, buyin' and buyin' stock. Never dies.

Stephen >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scott said...

Chris
Many thanks for the encouragement - it means a lot. Occasionally the comments (the predictable ones) gets frustrating, but we can't be diverted from watching the signs....It always always always happens with ANY mention of the pre-trib rapture. For some reason (that I have never understood) - some folks take delight in attempting to steal the joy, the hope and encouragement that comes with the pre-trib rapture. I'll never ever understand it as long as I live. Thanks again
Scott

Israeli said...

Hi Stephen, you said:
"I am still VERY CONCERNED that bulls
will be able to PUSH the dow thru
13, 339 in the coming week or so."
You speak of that particular amount over and over.
What is special about 13,339?

Thanks

Scott said...

Douglas - thats a great find and one I hadn't considered for a while - thanks for that highly pertinent scripture

Hubae said...

I am ready to go home!!!! Please continue to pray for our men and women in the military at home and abroad. Israeli hope all is well over there! Scott thank you for the updates! Maranatha......