The Stories Behind the Facts
In today's Weekly Reminder, I sent out these summaries of persecution in four countries. In that e-mail, though, I did not link to the stories that are behind these facts, and they are powerful stories. Here is the same text, with links!
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The past few weeks have been full of news from our persecuted brothers and sisters overseas. Here are some of the most pressing prayer requests – and some of the amazing praises of God’s work at hand in the darkest regions of the world!
India
Even though India has taken great strides forward in recent years, Christian persecution is on the rise. This week, a pastor in Karnataka was stripped, beaten, and humiliated for his faith. His attackers even attempted to cover him in kerosene and light him on fire! Militant Hindus in the same city have attacked church services, destroying Bibles and hymnbooks, and assaulting worshippers. In other Indian states, pastors have been held under “anti-conversion” laws, misapplied and mis-construed by officials that only want to stop the spread of the gospel.
The good news of the gospel is spreading quickly in India, especially among the Dalit “Untouchables.” By the thousands, Dalits are rejecting the Hinduism that has enslaved them for centuries. Pray for those that minister among them; these evangelists are the targets for militant Hindu groups. Pray also for the effectiveness of their work, and the salvation of many. Buddhism is a popular choice among those seeking to escape the Hindu caste system, but pray that the strength of the gospel would grow!
Iraq
Persecution continues in full force against Iraqi Christians. Thousands of families have fled to other nations, where they often struggle to earn enough for survival.
For those that remain, though, the situation is often even worse. Christians are regularly threatened, attacked, and even martyred. Christians face persecution for ransom, “protection” taxes, and the guns of masked attackers.
Indonesia
In a huge and unexpected praise, Indonesian authorities released three Sunday School teachers that were imprisoned for their evangelism. While these three women of faith have been warned to discontinue their work, they are maintaining their shining witness to Jesus Christ. “Compared with the Lord’s love and what He has given me,” one said after release, “it is worth it.”
Eritrea
A small country in northern Africa, Eritrea has begun to grow in prominence as a nation that persecutes its Christians. A couple of weeks ago, officials raided an “unregistered” church, arresting the pastor and over 80 others. That was not the end, though, as this week authorities arrested more believers that refuse to follow the government’s religious mandates.
These countries are just the tip of the iceberg. As the Kingdom of Christ grows, so do the attacks on believers. Let us use our freedom and the power of prayer to bless them today!
June 14th, 2007 at 1:35 am
It is a bit unfair to bundle eritrea as christian prosecutor, as half of the country are mailnly Orthodox Christians of deep faith.
The government was trying to curb (tom dick and harry) people with money coming from outside creating all sort of religiondenominations in return for money donations. To control this the government asked in 2002 for all denominations to register themselves.
Authorities generally have not hindered the four groups that filled out their registration applications: the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Faith Mission Church, and the Baha’i Faith which are freely worshiping.
I know people will say freedom of worship and all that, but the complications this creates is that people from other denominations trying to convert from the already Orthodox christian pool. If you ask me this looks similar to rivilary between church of england and chatolicism that was going long time ago.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Thanks for your thoughts, Simon. You are certainly correct that the Eritrean response to Evangelical Christianity is very different than in many other countries that are said to persecute Christians. The government has no blanket ban on Christianity on the whole–far from it! That being said, if you do not worship in the ways the government allows, you face the very real possibility of arrest and detention.
Like a number of other countries, Eritrea has a system of “registration.” The Eritrean system, though, has effectively banned all but the sanctioned religious practices. The government is far from open to registration by evangelical groups, effectively restricting Christian practice. Going even further, those people that carry out their “unregistered” Christianity face active repression, which has recently included the stories I linked to here.
The way Eritrea handles religion is terrific for those that have Orthodox beliefs. Those whose consciences dictate otherwise, though, face very real persecution–not just the results of a difference of opinion with other Christians, but the result of repressive government action.