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Post by Midnight on Apr 20, 2019 3:15:42 GMT -5
China closing Christian churches in Easter crackdown
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Post by maybetoday on Apr 20, 2019 15:22:47 GMT -5
Muslim Fulani Herdsmen Massacre Christians After Baby Dedication in Nigeria
By Morning Star News on April 19, 2019 JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed 17 Christians who had gathered after a baby dedication at a church in central Nigeria, including the mother of the child, sources said. Safaratu John Kabiru Ali, the mother of the baby, was slain in the attack on Sunday (April 14) in Konshu-Numa village, in Nasarawa state’s Akwanga County, which also took the lives of people ranging in age from 10 to 80. The baby’s father, John Kabiru Ali, was shot and is in critical condition, sources said. He is receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, in Nasarawa state. The attack took place at about 7 p.m. as Christians in the predominantly Christian community gathered to eat after the child was dedicated that morning at the Ruhaniya Baptist Church in the village. The massacred Christians were buried on Wednesday (April 17) after a funeral service at the Baptist church. A resident of Akwanga town who lost relatives in the shooting, Jacob Tantse, told Morning Star News that 17 Christians were killed, including 10 members of the Ruhaniya Baptist Church, five members of Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC), one member of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), and a musician playing for guests. Tantse identified those killed as Ali Nkene, 80; Gode Kako, 13; Afiniki Kako, 10; Matthew Emmanuel, 28; Tafiya Baya, 17; Sarakuna Haruna, 21; Amos Julius, 60; Mary Amos, 40; Sunday Adebayo John, 21; Talatu Mada, 40; Saratu Kabiru John, 21; Justina Barrau, 60; Simon Anfani, 37; Kadon Sule, 20; Ayuba Bulus, 11; Haruna Bawa, 22; and the musician, Samame Andaha, 28. He also said eight Christians, including the host of the event, John Kabiru Ali, were wounded in the attack. “They include members of the various congregations of the Baptist, Catholic, and ERCC churches,” Tantse said. He identified those wounded as John Kabiru Ali, 32; Maikasuwa Engila, 30; Biyaya Engila, 60; Ayuba Maikano, 80; Juliana Clement, 47; Gode Tijani, 30; Nicholas Danzaria, 26; and Alkali Raba, 43. The wounded are from ERCC churches in Ngah Bar-Numa and Angwan Pa-Numa villages; the Roman Catholic Church in Nghah-Numa; the ECWA church in Gyan-Numa; the Ruhaniya Baptist Church in Konshu-Numa; and the Nasara Baptist Church in Numa, he said. Samuel Meshi, chairman of the Akwanga Local Government Council, told Morning Star News that area Christians had done nothing to provoke the attack by the Muslim Fulani herdsmen. “They just started shooting sporadically on a community that was just having a feast of dedication of a child after a church service earlier in the day on Sunday, 14 April, at a Baptist church in the area,” Meshi said. “The killings occurred in the evening of that day. Unfortunately, these persons were killed in cold blood for just no reason.” Pastor Samson Gamu Yare, community leader of the Mada ethnic group in Nasarawa state, reportedly described the killings as “barbaric.” He called on the federal government to urgently take measures towards curtailing the menace of herdsmen attacks on his people. Nigeria ranked 12th on Open Doors’ 2019 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution. Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Muslims living primarily in the north and middle belt account for 45 percent. link
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Post by bloodbought on Apr 21, 2019 1:11:48 GMT -5
40+ killed, 280 injured in 6 blasts at Sri Lankan hotels and churches on Easter Sunday (VIDEO)
Published time: 21 Apr, 2019 04:34 Edited time: 21 Apr, 2019 06:01 40+ killed, 280 injured in 6 blasts at Sri Lankan hotels and churches on Easter Sunday (VIDEO)  Six explosions rocked Catholic churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka as Christians began Easter Sunday celebrations, with more than 40 killed and hundreds injured, local authorities confirmed. The blasts occurred at around 8:45am local time at St. Anthony’s Church in Colombo and St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, a Catholic-majority town outside of the capital. The Zion Church in Batticaloa on the eastern coast was also targeted. At around the same time, the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury five-star hotels were also hit, police confirmed. All attacks appear to have been coordinated. AtAt least 42 people were killed, media reported, citing police. Alleged footage of the aftermath, shared on social media, showed chaos and large-scale destruction inside at least one of the churches. link
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Apr 21, 2019 17:46:41 GMT -5
MAN STORMS GERMAN CHURCH, INJURES 24 PEOPLE IN MASS PANIC
BY BENJAMIN WEINTHAL APRIL 21, 2019 20:25 A man stormed a church in Munich on Saturday, causing injuries to at least 24 people as the parishioners fled the service. The assailant, described as an “African” man by some media outlets, caused the mass panic and injuries. The congregants were treated for light injuries and returned to the service. Videos posted online show the inside of the St. Paul’s Parish church in disarray. The police arrested the man on Saturday evening in the church. According to German media reports, the police said on Sunday the man made "noisily unintelligible words that frightened the congregants who were within earshot.” While it was initially reported that the man had shouted "Allahu Akhbar" as he stormed the church, those reports have not been confirmed. link
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Post by Berean on Apr 21, 2019 21:52:41 GMT -5
Sunday, Apr 21st 2019 Sri Lankan police arrest seven terror suspects after 'being warned of Easter attack by Muslim extremists TEN DAYS before suicide bombers killed 207 people'
Eight explosions killed approximately 207 people in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday Sri Lanka's police chief issued an intelligence alert 10 days ago, reports indicate It was said he warned that suicide bombers planned to hit 'prominent churches' Seven suspects have been arrested following the blasts in Sri Lanka today By HENRY MARTIN FOR MAILONLINE and AFP PUBLISHED: 05:23 EDT, 21 April 2019 | UPDATED: 10:42 EDT, 21 April 2019 Sri Lanka's police chief warned of potential suicide bombing plots on 'prominent churches' from Islamic extremists ten days before today's attacks which killed 207 people, according to reports. Seven suspects have been arrested so far after the blasts hit high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, injuring as many as 500 people. The cause was not immediately clear, and there have been no claims of responsibility so far, though the country remains deeply scarred by its 1983-2009 civil war, when Tamil rebels fought to create an independent homeland. Recently a religious divide has taken hold in the country, which is 70 percent are Buddhist, 13 per cent Hindu, 10 per cent Muslim, and seven per cent Christian, according to the country's 2012 census. Documents seen by news agency AFP reveal that Sri Lanka's police chief Pujuth Jayasundara issued an intelligence alert to top officers 10 days ago, warning that suicide bombers planned to hit 'prominent churches'. Full story with pictures and video at link |
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Post by Berean on Apr 21, 2019 21:54:46 GMT -5
We know the RCC isn't a true Christian church, but most of the world thinks it is, so I'm including this here. 2019: Catholic Churches Are Being Desecrated Throughout France
By ARTHUR LYONS Since the beginning of 2019, France has seen a torrent of attacks which have included arson, vandalism, and desecration of a number of its historic Catholic churches. The defacers have torn down crosses, knocked down tabernacles, smashed statues, and have destroyed the Eucharist, igniting fears of a rise in widespread anti-Catholic sentiment across the country. On Sunday the 17th of March, just following midday mass, the historic Church of St. Sulpice in Paris was set ablaze, Newsweek reported. Although nobody was injured, French authorities are currently still looking into the attack, which firefighters have attributed to arson. First constructed in the 17th century, the Church of St. Sulpice is home to three paintings done by Eugene Delacroix, a French Romanic artist. The church was used in the movie adaptation of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. According to the Catholic publication La Croix International, just last month, in north-central France at the St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Houilles, a statue of the Virgin Mary was found smashed, and the churches altar cross had been hurled onto the ground. In the same month, an altar cloth was burned and statues of saints and crosses were all smashed at Saint-Alain Cathedral in Lavaur, in south-central France. Following the vandalism, the city’s Mayor, Bernard Canyon, in a public statement said, “God will forgive. Not me.” In Nimes, a southern city located near the Spanish border, vandals smeared a cross with human excrement and looted the altar of the church of Notre-Dame des Enfants (Our Lady of the Children). Consecrated hosts used in communion ceremonies, which are believed by Catholics to be the body of Jesus Crist, were found sprinkled among the trash outside of the church building. Bishop Robert Wattebled of Nimes, in a statement given to the press, said, “This greatly affects our diocesan community. The sign of the cross and the Blessed Sacrament have been the subject of serious injurious actions.” “This act of profanation hurts us all in our deepest convictions,” he added. According to the leading Catholic magazine, The Tablet, since February alone, there has been a record high 47 documented attacks on church and religious sites. The Observatory of Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe, which is based in Vienna, reported a 25 percent increase in attacks on Catholic churches in the first two months of 2019, compared to the same time period last year. Ellen Fatini, the group’s executive director, told Newsweek that although the motive in many of these attacks was unknown, France was facing a growing problem of anti-Christian violence – especially by neo-feminist and left-wing anarchist groups. She stated, “I think there is a rising hostility in France against the church and its symbols,” but “it seems to be more against Christianity and the symbols of Christianity. These attacks are on symbols that are really sacred to parishioners, to Catholics. Desecration of consecrated hosts is a very personal attack on Catholicism and Christianity, more than spray-painting a slogan on the outside wall of a church.” In her comments, she said that although France has a had a long secular tradition, that it was undoubtedly a culturally Christian country, and that any “attack on the church as a symbol of religion was also an attack on authority and patrimony. “The pressure is coming from the radical secularists or anti-religion groups as well as feminist activists who tend to target churches as a symbol of the patriarchy that needs to be dismantled,” Fatini continued. On the 9th of February, the altar at the church of Notre-Dame in Dijon was also broken into. The vandals removed the hosts from the tabernacle and scattered crumbs across the floor. French Prime Minister Edouard Phillipe met with French church leaders to denounce the attacks. He said in a statement that, “In our secular Republic, places of worship are respected. Such acts shock me and must be unanimously condemned. Senior officials with the Catholic Church in France also have expressed their heartache at the rise in attacks and the defilement of symbols of their faith. link |
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Post by Midnight on Apr 22, 2019 1:14:13 GMT -5
Journalist Blames “Western Christian Missionaries” After Islamic Terror Attacks in Sri Lanka
“Don’t send your prayers”. Published 10 hours ago on 21 April, 2019 Paul Joseph Watson A left-wing journalist reacted to the horrific Islamic terror attacks in Sri Lanka which killed over 200 people by blaming “Western Christian Missionaries”. “There is no excuse for terror attacks against innocent people but as a journalist I saw Western Christian missionaries unscrupulpusly converting Buddhist orphans for food and shelter after the Asian tsunami. Don’t send your prayers,” tweeted Andy West. The fact that West chose the aftermath of an attack with specifically targeted Catholic churches to announce his disdain for Christianity was particularly vile, but he wasn’t finished. When challenged on the tweet, West doubled down, remarking, “So prayers aren’t needed. In fact prayers are proven beyond doubt to have no effect. What might help, however, is ending the Western campaign to convert people of other religions in exchange for charity.” After a backlash, West immediately tried to portray himself as the victim, tweeting, “And so come the aggressive, abusive zealots making my point for me.” Scott Presler was so incensed by the tweet that he even reported it to the police as a hate crime. link
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Post by shalom on Apr 25, 2019 16:52:34 GMT -5
Watch American Muslims Stone Christians in Dearborn, Michigan
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Post by Midnight on Apr 26, 2019 2:28:53 GMT -5
Sri Lanka Massacre Part of ‘Ugly, Predictable Pattern’ of Christian Persecution
THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.25 Apr 2019476 The author of a major study on worldwide Christian persecution said that the tragedy of the recent slaughter of Christians in Sri Lanka is how unsurprising it is. “On major Christian feast days, somewhere in the world, some number of Christians are likely to be killed for no reason other than that they chose to attend religious services,” wrote John L. Allen Jr., author of The Global War on Christians, in a Tuesday op-ed in the Washington Post. “Because Christmas and Easter are the holiest days on the Christian calendar, churches tend to be especially full, presenting ripe targets for anti-Christian hatred,” Allen noted. While world leaders like Angela Merkel declare that the attacks are “shocking,” Allen wrote, in reality “the shocking thing about the carnage is that it is not shocking – and instead forms part of an ugly, predictable global pattern.” Although Christians today are the most persecuted religious community on the planet, much of the persecution goes unreported in the western media, Allen noted. “Estimates of how many Christians are killed daily around the world because of their faith vary widely, from thousands to the tens of thousands, but it is certain that at any hour of the day, a Christian somewhere is being martyred. Much of this violence, though, occurs in places the Western media typically overlook,” he said. Allen is not alone in calling out the widespread, under-reported scourge of anti-Christian persecution. In a Spectator article this week titled “Sri Lanka and the global war on Christians,” Stephen Daisley noted the staggering figures associated with this worldwide phenomenon. “The number of Christians who experience high levels of persecution has risen 14 per cent in a year, taking the number to a staggering 245 million. Globally, one in every nine Christians is a victim of persecution,” Daisley wrote. “Whether conducted by Islamists, totalitarian atheists or religious nationalists, we are witnessing a global war on Christians. Only we don’t seem all that interested in witnessing it,” he lamented. According to John Allen, there are no signs that violent Christian persecution will be dying down any time soon. If states were serious about combating Christian persecution, Allen suggests, they would promote “systematic education in religious tolerance” as well as instituting “aggressive security measures at Christian sites on major feast days.” “Until such a mobilization occurs, Christians will continue to be forced to celebrate Christmas and Easter in the grim and certain knowledge that some of their fellow celebrants around the world will not live to see the next day,” he said. link
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on Apr 26, 2019 22:06:57 GMT -5
Pennsylvania Church Burns for the Second Time in One Week
NATE CHURCH 26 Apr 20191 The Iglesia Pentecostal Church de Bethlehem in Pennsylvania burned for the second time on Thursday — after the first was determined arson. Another “heartbreaking” blaze consumed the church roof in the wee hours of Thursday morning. “They already burned what we love so much, the inside, you know so what else I guess until they see it to the ground. I guess they won’t let it go,” church leader and pastor’s daughter Nitza Colon told CNN affiliate WFMZ. “I said ‘who would do such a thing, I mean what else can they burn in the building?'” The previous fire began just two days before, early Tuesday morning, in the church’s sanctuary. After a brief investigation, the Bethlehem city fire marshal determined that it was deliberately started. The motive, however, remains unclear. Wilmer J. Ortiz Torres, 43, — a former member of the parish — was arrested Friday for arson, burglary, and trespassing, according to WFMZ. Bethlehem police chief Mark DiLuzio said that Torres may have had personal issues with the church. No injuries were reported, and the second fire burned itself out before firefighters could arrive to extinguish it. A police statement confirmed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) would be assisting with the investigation and had offered a $5,000 reward for information before an arrest had been made. WFMZ reported, “It appears to be an isolated incident and police do not believe there is an ongoing danger to the community.” As the investigation and repairs continue, First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem will offer congregants a space to worship. link
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Post by schwartzie on Apr 28, 2019 16:38:11 GMT -5
Village in India’s Chhattisgarh State Uses Local Ordinance to Make Christianity Illegal
04/25/2019 India (International Christian Concern) – Under India’s constitution, people’s right to religious freedom is broadly protected by Article 25. In practice, however, this right has become overshadowed by conflicting laws and the actions local governments. This fact of life in India was recently demonstrated by unconstitutional actions taken by village leaders in the village of Penkodo, located in India’s Chhattisgarh state. In Penkodo, village leaders passed a resolution that both condemned and prohibited the practice of Christianity. To justify these unconstitutional actions, the village leaders used local laws allowing them to pass village resolutions aimed at protecting their traditional customs and culture. According to local reports, the residents of Penkodo became irritated with local Christians because they were not participating in traditional Adivasi festivals. Village leaders asked the Christians to stop practicing their faith, but the Christians refused. Upset, the village leaders drafted an official ordinance on April 13, condemning Christianity and claiming it was harming local practices and traditions. The ordinance also declared that the local church should be destroyed and that all Christians should be driven out of the village. Steadfast, the Christians informed the village leaders that they would not stop going to church or following Jesus. They also reportedly said that if the village leaders destroyed the church, they would take legal action to protect their religious rights. To date, the situation in Penkodo has not been resolved. Local authorities have encouraged both sides to compromise with each other, but this has not produced positive results. link
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Post by bloodbought on May 7, 2019 21:22:40 GMT -5
25 CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA KILLED BY BOKO HARAM IN DOOR-TO-DOOR ATTACKS
May 2, 2019 by Lindy Lowry in Africa, Stories of Persecution They came at night. And they came with death on their minds. On Monday, April 29, around 8 pm, Boko Haram fighters invaded the Christian community of Kuda near Madagali in Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria. The terrorists surrounded the community and went door to door, killing as many as 25 people. The next day, they returned. As security agents and community members prepared for the burials of their loved ones, Boko Haram members were spotted approaching for a second attack on the grieving community. As a result, funeral preparations were abandoned as bereaved believers, those from neighboring communities and security agents fled. Since the attack, many more villagers have fled the town. Christian leaders in the area told Open Doors, “We are in danger, we have no one to fight for us to end this killing of our people.” The incident is the latest in a long line of attacks by Boko Haram in the area–a stronghold for fighters loyal to Abubakar Shekau (known to be the leader of Boko Haram) and they operate from hideouts in the forests nearby, stealing supplies, killing villagers and attacking security forces. More than 27,000 people have been killed in the decades-long bloody insurgency and 2 million others displaced by Boko Haram. PRAYING FOR THE CHURCH IN MADAGALI Our field workers serving Nigeria have asked Christians throughout the world to pray fervently and specifically. Pray for the Lord’s grace to the church in Madagali area as believers there face this renewed instability. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work in the lives of all those who have been affected by these attacks and residents dealing with the fear of future attacks. Pray with those who have left the village to find greater safety. And pray that security will be restored soon. link
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Post by shalom on May 14, 2019 14:00:29 GMT -5
Jihadists Bomb Christian School in Syria, Killing Four Children
THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.14 May 2019302 Jihadists bombed the Syria Christian village of Al-Sekelbiya (Suqaylabiyah) Sunday, killing at least four children during a catechism lesson along with their teacher and leaving another six children injured, according to local media. The Islamists who launched the missiles belong to the terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was previously affiliated with the al Qaeda, reported Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that four catechism students between the ages of six and ten years — Jessica, Bashar, Angy, and Suheir — died in the missile attack, which targeted the catechetical school of Al-Sekelbiya. Other reports have placed the number of children who died at five. Franciscan Father Hanna Jallouf, parish priest of the Latin church of Knaye, in Idlib, said that “rebels bombed the Christian city of Al-Sekelbiya. They hit the catechetical center killing 5 children and their catechist.” “The situation is precarious because of the clashes between the regular army and the rebels,” said Father Jallouf. “That is why many have had to leave their homes and have come with us. They live under the trees with the earth for their bed and the sky as their blanket.” “Many people die because of this dirty war. We hope that this massacre ends soon,” the priest said. link
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Post by shalom on May 15, 2019 18:48:25 GMT -5
Jihadists Bomb Christian School in Syria, Killing Four Children
THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.14 May 2019629 1:35 Jihadists bombed the Syria Christian village of Al-Sekelbiya (Suqaylabiyah) Sunday, killing at least four children during a catechism lesson along with their teacher and leaving another six children injured, according to local media. The Islamists who launched the missiles belong to the terror group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was previously affiliated with the al Qaeda, reported Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The Pontifical Foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that four catechism students between the ages of six and ten years — Jessica, Bashar, Angy, and Suheir — died in the missile attack, which targeted the catechetical school of Al-Sekelbiya. Other reports have placed the number of children who died at five. Franciscan Father Hanna Jallouf, parish priest of the Latin church of Knaye, in Idlib, said that “rebels bombed the Christian city of Al-Sekelbiya. They hit the catechetical center killing 5 children and their catechist.” “The situation is precarious because of the clashes between the regular army and the rebels,” said Father Jallouf. “That is why many have had to leave their homes and have come with us. They live under the trees with the earth for their bed and the sky as their blanket.” “Many people die because of this dirty war. We hope that this massacre ends soon,” the priest said. link
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Post by Honoria on May 21, 2019 19:59:00 GMT -5
Muslims in Africa Have Destroyed 100,000 Homes & Murdered Over 5000 Christians
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Post by PurplePuppy on May 23, 2019 13:41:02 GMT -5
Nigerian pastor, 16 worshipers kidnapped by gunmen who stormed choir practice
By Samuel Smith, CP Reporter | Tuesday, May 21, 2019 An evangelical pastor, his daughter, and more than a dozen other churchgoers were reportedly abducted while one person was killed after a team of gunmen attacked villages in the troubled Kaduna state of Nigeria on Sunday. According to Nnamdi Obasi of the International Crisis Group, Rev. Zakariah Ido, 11 girls and five men were abducted from an Evangelical Church Winning All congregation in the village of Dankande in the Birnin Gwari local government area in the early hours of Sunday morning. He tweeted that sources claimed that as many as 20 gunmen were responsible for the attack. The Nigerian online newspaper TheCable reported that the gunmen also impacted a village in the Igabi local government area of Kaduna. “It was at about 12:30 midnight. We had combined choir practice in the church with other neighboring communities. We normally hold the combine choir practice from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m,” an unnamed witness told The Cable about the church attack in Dankande. The source explained that the armed men surrounded the church and began shooting. “Everybody was terrified but there was no how we could run because they had already surrounded the church,” the witness explained. According to The Nation, among those abducted at the church are pastor Ido’s daughter and the son of an Assemblies of God pastor. Pastor Nath Waziri, the district church council secretary, told The Nation that the gunmen asked everyone at the church to surrender their phones and demanded to know who the pastor was. “After threatening the choristers they became afraid and showed them the pastor home,” Wazir was quoted as saying. “They took him away and his daughter with 15 others amongst which there is the son of the pastor of Assemblies of God Church.” The Evangelical Church Winning All is one of the country’s largest Christian denominations with over 6,000 congregations. While it hasn’t been confirmed who is responsible for the attack and abduction, ThisDay newspaper spoke with an eyewitness who claimed that 30 Fulani extremists armed with guns and machetes were responsible for the attack in the village of Guguwa-Kwate in Igabi local government area. ”We are helpless because there is nothing we can do other than to report to the police when such incidents happened,” the eyewitness said. “We have no arms and we cannot stand them, we are just at their mercy because they are well armed and they always come in large numbers.” The witness detailed how his nephew was killed by the gunmen during an attack on a home. “They entered one house and were beating people,” the source said. “They kidnapped one man and a woman in the house.” The witness added that it was the fifth time that gunmen had invaded their community. “About two months ago, they abducted two people in the farm,” the witness said. “The other person was killed even after we paid them ransom.” Christian farming communities throughout the middle belt of Nigeria have faced increasing attacks at the hands of Fulani extremists over the last couple of years with thousands being killed and countless homes and churches being destroyed. In the last several months, the Kaduna state has been hit hard with Fulani violence. In March, the governor had to institute a dusk-to-dawn curfew. While farmer-herder conflicts in the Middle Belt are nothing new, Christians in Nigeria say that the Fulani attacks have escalated in brutality and taken on a religious element in recent years. “It is really simplifying catastrophic incidents in Nigeria by saying ‘herder-farmer conflict’ and that does not solve the problem,” Stephen Enada, who co-founded the nongovernmental organization International Committee on Nigeria, told CP in March. “We need to face reality on the ground and call a spade a spade. In Southern Kaduna, a village is almost wiped out and over 200 people have been killed in the last week.” Nigeria ranks as the 12th-worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA’s 2019 World Watch List. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended that the State Department designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern" for religious freedom violations. link
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Post by J.J.Gibbs on May 24, 2019 23:36:57 GMT -5
Iraq Christians Face Extinction
May 24, 2019 Iraq Christians Face Extinction Christian Life The Archbishop of Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, is warning the Western world that Iraq’s Christian community has shrunk from around 1.5 million to only 250,000 since 2003. After 1,400 years of persecution, Iraqi Christians now face extinction. The Archbishop warned that the killing of Christians and Yazidis is helping to spread Islam. According to the BBC, while recently in London, the Rt. Rev. Bashar Warda claimed, “Christianity in Iraq, one of the oldest Churches, if not the oldest Church in the world, is perilously close to extinction. Those of us who remain must be ready to face martyrdom. Our tormentors confiscated our present, while seeking to wipe out our history and destroy our future. In Iraq there is no redress for those who have lost properties, homes and businesses. Tens of thousands of Christians have nothing to show for their life's work, for generations of work, in places where their families have lived, maybe, for thousands of years.” Archbishop Warda then reminded that in the past there were years of cooperation between Christians and Muslims in Iraq, a time known as the Islamic Golden Age. “Our Christian ancestors shared with Muslim Arabs a deep tradition of thought and philosophy. They engaged with them in respectful dialogue from the 8th Century. A style of scholastic dialogue had developed, and which could only occur because a succession of caliphs [Islamic political and religious leaders] tolerated minorities. As toleration ended, so did the culture and wealth which flowed from it.” Christians throughout the Middle East also face persecution such as in Egypt where Coptic Christians are under attack from jihadists who bomb their churches and try to drive them out of northern Sinai. In Saudi Arabia, the Islamist element in the rebel groups persecuted the Christian minority. However, Saudi Arabia also allowed the first Coptic Christian mass last December. The Archbishop went on to challenge the Western world to speak out against the persecution of Iraqi Christians, “Friends, we may be facing our end in the land of our ancestors. We acknowledge this. In our end, the entire world faces a moment of truth. Will a peaceful and innocent people be allowed to be persecuted and eliminated because of their faith? And, for the sake of not wanting to speak the truth to the persecutors, will the world be complicit in our elimination?” The Bible reminds us in 2 Timothy 3:12, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Therefore, as we are commanded to in James 5:16, “…pray one for another, that ye might be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,” we need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ facing extinction in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. If we don’t speak up against their persecution, who will? link
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Post by schwartzie on Jun 2, 2019 16:25:56 GMT -5
China Cracks Down on Christianity by Demolishing Churches, Confiscating Bibles
Posted by Megan Bailey The ruling party in China is attempting to increase their control over religious freedom in the country, most recently by taking a crackdown on Christianity. In the country’s province of Henan, which has one of the largest Christian populations in China, churches were raided and demolished, Bibles and holy books were confiscated and new laws were established to monitor religious activities. One Christian named Guo described an incident in which Chinese officials interrupted a church meeting and told everyone to leave. They then ordered church leaders to remove a cross, a Bible verse and a painting of the Last Supper off the wall. Guo didn’t give his full name out of fear of government repercussions. “I’ve always prayed for our country’s leaders, for our country to get stronger,” he told AP. “They were never this severe before, not since I started going to church in the 80’s. Why are they telling us to stop now?” The intensity of the government crackdowns have increased in recent months. Just this year, they have shut down hundreds of Christian house churches, seized Bibles and forced e-commerce retailers to stop selling Bibles, prevented children from attending church in some areas, urged Christians in one location to replace posters of Jesus with pictures of President Xi Jinping, and raided church meetings and interrogated hundreds of Christians from one congregation. To avoid becoming targets in the government campaign, many congregations are meeting in smaller groups in person and online. “We are trying to look more like a family that are here to chat and drink tea so no one will report us to the police,” Enoch, a 22-year-old Christian in southern China, said. “I’m really afraid it will be shut down one day,” said Enoch, who converted to Christianity three years ago. “At the state church, I felt like I was listening to a lecture. But at the family church, people know about each other and love each other.” According to the Associated Press, experts said Presiden Xi is “waging the most severe systematic suppression of Christianity in the country since religious freedom was written into the Chinese constitution in 1982.” link
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Post by ShofarSoGood on Jun 2, 2019 17:18:00 GMT -5
Pakistani Pastor Attacked in Home, Assailants Seize His Property By Mission Network News on May 30, 2019 Pakistan (MNN) — On Monday, May 27, more than 35 men attacked an FMI-supported pastor, his wife, and his college-aged daughter in his home. FMI’s Bruce Allen says Pastor Aziz was targeted to prevent his fruitful Gospel ministry from continuing. The attack caught Pastor Aziz and his family off guard. Fortunately, a police officer was walking along the street and saw the men break into Pastor Aziz’s house. The officer and his reinforcements rescued the family from their attackers. Pastor Aziz, his wife, and their daughter escaped with minor injuries, though they only have the clothes on their backs. They are now homeless as the attackers seized Pastor Aziz’s property. Allen believes Pastor Aziz was targeted because of his Muslim background and the fact he has a thriving ministry making God’s truth known among local Muslims. blasphemy Pakistani flag (Photo courtesy of FMI) “Pastor Aziz, who himself had come out of a Muslim background, has been evangelizing and church planting in the province of Balochistan,” Allen says. In Balochistan, Pastor Aziz planted three churches and has outpost ministries along the Iranian border. “These Muslim militants want to see that stopped. But we are very glad that he is alive and he is determined to continue his ministry, even though he now has no home,” Allen says. Hope Despite Terror Despite the potential damage this attack could have caused, Allen reports Pastor Aziz’s congregations and ministries have not been put at risk. However, this is the third attack he has suffered this year, though it is the first to happen at his home. Furthermore, this particular attack stirs up traumatic memories from the past. “More than 15 years ago, he has a son who was five-years-old who was kidnapped, again, because of the family’s faith in Jesus Christ. And Aziz and Ruhab have never seen him since. “They know the personal loss and what the cost is of following Jesus Christ in Pakistan. [It] doesn’t make it easier, but when a situation like this occurs, it brings past traumas up to the surface. So, we want to pray for their emotional healing,” Allen explains. “Aziz has considered that all of his belong[ings] are lost to him, but he fully understands he is not lost to God. Even though he has been crying on the phone as he pours out his heart…Aziz’s spirits remain high.” Pray for God’s protection of Pastor Aziz, his family, and his congregation. Pray for their physical and emotional healing. Also, pray this situation would become an opportunity for Pastor Aziz’s churches to care for and serve their pastor. Ask God to protect and bless the homes which host Pastor Aziz as he and his family rebuild. Want to help Pastor Aziz and his family rebuild? Then consider giving through FMI’s Tangible Resources account to help purchase clothes, household items, and other necessities this family needs. At link |
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Post by maybetoday on Jun 18, 2019 1:47:15 GMT -5
THEY REFUSED TO DENOUNCE JESUS—PASTOR, 5 OTHERS SHOT AFTER CHURCH SERVICE IN BURKINA FASO
May 7, 2019 by Lindy Lowry in Africa, Stories of Persecution Last Sunday seemed like any Sunday for 80-year-old Pastor Pierre OuIt, who has spent 40 years serving his church and Sirgadji village community in the northeastern Soum province of Burkina Faso. On April 28, he gathered for worship with his congregation in the West African country. And like every Sunday, he preached the Word of God with the wisdom that seasoned years of life and ministry bring. But shortly after the service, an ordinary Sunday suddenly turned deadly and a church building where worshippers had just gathered became a crime scene. KILLED FOR FOLLOWING JESUS At about 1 pm, while Pastor Pierre was still talking with several congregants in the churchyard, a dozen men on motorbikes stormed the area. A local leader who wished to remain anonymous told World Watch Monitor: “The assailants asked the Christians to convert to Islam, but the pastor and the others refused.” Reportedly, the attackers gathered Pastor Pierre and the five other congregants under a tree and then confiscated their Bibles and cell phones. “Then they called them, one after the other, behind the church building where they shot them dead,” the leader said. In addition to Pastor Pierre, the attackers killed his son, Wend-Kuni, and his brother-in-law (a church deacon), Zoéyandé Sawadogo, as well as believers Sayouba and Arouna Sawadogo, and a primary school teacher, Elie Boena. Another was seriously injured and taken to a nearby hospital. The men then set the church building and two motorbikes on fire. Before they left, they stole sheep and a bag of rice from Pastor Pierre’s home. He and his five congregants were buried the same day in a ceremony that drew people from both Christian and Muslim communities. The pastor leaves behind his wife and six other children. Other locals reported that the next day, the same attackers (some of them known to village residents as “young men who’ve been radicalized”) came back into the village “searching for Christians.” The sources say the armed groups can move with impunity because of the lack of law enforcement in the area in the West African country. “I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LEAVE” Previously, Pastor Pierre told relatives about his concerns over the deterioration of security in the region, though there had been no incidents in his village. The community leader said that when he and others advised the pastor to leave the area, he refused, saying he “would rather die for his faith than leave the community he has been serving for 40 years.” In the last few months, more than 100 Christians have fled the area, moving farther south, more than 46 miles away. In February, armed men believed to be Islamist militants killed a church leader in the southeast region of Nohao, as he was returning from Togo. Last Sunday’s violence in Burkina Faso that took the life of Pastor Pierre and his five congregants appears to have been the first attack, specifically on a church building, in which believers in Burkina Faso have been killed by Islamist extremists. BURKINA FASO: A ONCE-PEACEFUL COUNTRY Burkina Faso is long known for its peaceful co-existence among religious communities, unlike neighboring Mali. But over the past two years, attacks by Islamist militants, military operations, and waves of inter-communal violence have left hundreds dead and 135,000 displaced, triggering what New Humanitarian News has called an “unprecedented” humanitarian crisis that has caught many by surprise. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, reported fatalities from attacks targeting civilians have risen by 300 percent in Mali, 500 percent in Niger, and a staggering 7,000 percent in Burkina Faso compared to the same period last year. The news agency reports that “home-grown militant groups, as well as extremists linked to al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State group, have been in the country’s north (bordering Mali) since 2016, but have expanded to new fronts in the east and southwest, threatening the stability of neighboring countries (among them Ghana, Benin, Togo and Ivory Coast). Almost a year ago, a pastor from another Assemblies of God church in the same province, and some of his relatives were kidnapped. On June 3 in the village of Bilhoré, Pierre Boéna was kidnapped by armed men, along with his son, daughter-in-law, two grandsons, and a member of his church and her twin daughter. He was later released. It’s unclear what happened to the others. The country has been the scene of several Islamist attacks, including one in January 2016 in which 29 people were killed, including a U.S. missionary and six Christians on a humanitarian trip. The same day, an Australian doctor and his wife were kidnapped in Djibo, near the Mali border. Ken and Jocelyn Elliott, who are in their 80s, had worked in Burkina Faso since the 1970s. Jocelyn was released after a month, but Ken is still missing. “ASK GOD TO GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO SPREAD LOVE”‘ FEME President Pastor Henri Yé speaks at a press conference in the capital city of Ouagadougou. (photo: FEME) The Federation of Evangelical Churches and Missions in Burkina Faso expressed its concern over the killings: A day after the killings on April 30, the federation’s president, Henri Yé, said: “It’s not only the church of Sirgadji that has been attacked; all the values of tolerance, forgiveness, and love that have always led our country have been hurt. The freedom of worship consecrated by our fundamental law [the Constitution] has been flouted.” Yé also called on all Burkina citizens, particularly Christians, not to fall into the attackers’ trap. link
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Post by maybetoday on Jun 24, 2019 13:02:27 GMT -5
Pakistani Christian Driver Killed in Attack
06/20/2019 Pakistan (International Christian Concern)- A 35-year old Christian auto rickshaw driver, Sagheer Masih was robbed, beaten and poisoned by three Muslim men and one woman in Pakistan in late May. Sagheer, the only Christian rickshaw driver in his community, was targeted because of religious hatred, prejudice and apparent jealously of his success. Sagheer Masih’s work ethic and personality drew several customers to him. He was well-mannered, polite and very friendly. Knowing he had the responsibility of taking care of three younger siblings after the death of his father, he ensured that he always got to work early and left late in order to gather as much money as he could to care for them. At work, he experienced discrimination because of his faith. Several of the other drivers called him “Choora” which is a derogatory word for a Christian in Pakistan, but he never saw his death coming. On the night of the incident, he stayed at work later than usual to drive for people he thought were customers. The group requested that he take them on a longer route than usual and made it clear to him that they were willing to pay an extra fee. After moments of driving, they directed him to a remote location and, at knife-point, demanded that he give them all his money. Sagheer, being scared for his life and concerned for his siblings, gave all he had, but begged that they spare his life. Instead of killing him in on the spot, they forced him to drink poison and acid and left him there to die. Sagheer Masih spent that night on laying on the street unconscious. When he was finally found, he was unable to eat or drink anything and he consistently vomited blood for almost a week. A week later, Sagheer succumbed to his injuries and was united with the Lord. It is with much sadness that ICC reports the death of a loving and caring believer. Pakistani Christians experience deep discrimination and threats on a daily basis, Sagheer’s story is unfortunately one of thousand. Please join ICC in prayer for Sagheer’s family and for the salvation of those in Pakistan currently committing the persecution against Christians. link
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Post by maybetoday on Jun 25, 2019 13:06:51 GMT -5
Indian Christians Arrested for Allegedly “Disturbing Public Peace”
06/22/2019 India (International Christian Concern)- A group of Christians were arrested by police on a train moving from the Indian city of Tamil Nadu to the Inland Town on June 12th, 2019. Although proselytizing is not illegal, other passengers on the train complained bitterly about the disturbance the Christians were causing by preaching the gospel. A video released online shows that the Christians were not causing much disturbance and were only sharing their faith with passengers who wanted to listen. According to the passengers, the group of Christians were allegedly screaming about the security they found in Jesus, and were insisting that converting to Christianity was the most appropriate thing to do. Passengers said the Christians were urging everyone to convert in a disturbing way. When the video of the Christians appeared online, the police received a lot of external pressure to charge the Christian, despite the fact that proselytizing in not illegal. Finally, they arrested them under the Railway Norms Law, which sanctions people who are nuisances or engage in obscene acts – all of which the Christians did not do. When asked about the incident, the president of the Global Council of Christians(GCIC), Sajan K George condemned “the increase of intolerance towards the Christian faith.” He also added that “the voice of the majority is getting louder, and seeks to silence that of the tiny Christian community”. link
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Post by Honoria on Jun 25, 2019 21:52:59 GMT -5
Christian Pakistani Girls Sold into Sex Trafficking in China
06/19/2019 Pakistan (International Christian Concern)- Young girls from a majority Christian community in Punjab, Pakistan were discovered to be repeatedly sold off into sex trafficking in China. These girls, who are from extremely poor Christian families, are sold with dreams of marrying some rich businessmen in China, but instead are forced into sex slavery. In one example, Natasha Masih, was given to a Chinese man by her parents in Pakistan. The man paid her bride price which is a cultural payment for marriage in exchange for pledging to take care of their daughter as she performs her role as his wife. In China, however, Natasha reported that she was kept in a hotel in a very remote location in China where she was forced to meet with several men. “I bought you in Pakistan,” she said her husband told her. “You belong to me. You are my property.” In her initial interactions with her mother, the nineteen-year-old girl could not fully explain what was happening to her, completely traumatized by the turn of events. However, she finally broke down and narrated the entire situation to her mother. After her mother heard this, she reached out to her most supportive community in Pakistan – a small evangelical church in a slum in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad. The group was able to put together a successful plan to rescue Natasha from the Chinese hotel which was 1,100 miles away. Unfortunately, Natasha is only one of hundreds of girls who experience this transnational trade from Pakistan to China. The problem is that these girls come from severely poor Christian communities and their parents are simply looking for a better life for their children. They are completely blindsided and assume their daughters are leaving Pakistan for a better life. Pakistan is a nation that deeply discriminates against Christians – they are considered second class citizens in many ways and disadvantaged in terms of job opportunities and forms of advancement. The reality of sex trafficking in Christian communities has raised some alarm for Pakistani officials, however, the government is doing all it can to keep the situation away from big media houses in order to maintain their economic relationship with China. link
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Post by maybetoday on Jun 29, 2019 16:48:47 GMT -5
Chinese Officials Continue Sunday raids on local churches, Early Rain Covenant Church congregants still not free despite bail
Friday, June 28, 2019 (Xiamen, Fujian—June 28, 2019) Church members across China still continue to grapple with persecution at the hands of government officials. Authorities in the country have settled into a practice of raiding churches during Sunday service. On June 16, authorities marched into the Shanxi-based Taiyuan Cornerstone Church, closed down the building, and hauled off worshipers. According to congregants, police coerced believers to blaspheme the church via written testimony. On the same day, police made their way into a campus of Xunsiding Church in Xiamen, Fujian. Authorities told members to halt worship and stole cell phones to prevent people from videotaping or photographing their actions. A few days earlier on June 13, Xiamen police burst into Xinzao Church while believers were engaged in a Bible study. Accompanied by officials from the local religious affairs bureau, authorities filmed attendees and interrupted fellowship, ultimately taking away the church’s minister and at least 30 believers. Church members engaged with government personnel, reminding officials how the Chinese Constitution provides protection for religious freedom (Article 36). One police officer asked believers who told them constitutions protects religious freedom. Xinzao Church’s minister was released after several hours in custody. Police noted down the ID and cell phone numbers of believers. Xinzao Church has also faced other raids. At one point, uniformed officers burst into the church and demanded worship to cease. Congregants asked officials why they broke into private property. Police grilled believers about what they were doing and threatened to take away cell phones. Local Christians say Xiamen authorities plan to close down all house churches within two years. Officials raided Living Fountain Church, Haifu Church, Jimei Church, and the Mount of Olives Church in May. Authorities reportedly told pastors of Jimei Church to cease fellowship before May 31. In May, a campus of Xunsiding Church located in Xiangan District, Xiamen, faced harassment by a large group of police. According to congregants, police came on May 16, told worshipers to stop the service, and stole cell phones to prevent people from taking videos and photos. In Sichuan, congregants of Early Rain Covenant Church noted how Pastor Wang Yi’s wife, Jiang Rong, is under residential surveillance after being sent to the home of one of her elder brothers. Jiang was released on bail on June 11. Church members also say they have been sent off to different areas under residential surveillance after being bailed out. Those sent away are not allowed to have visitors other than biological family. One congregant said the process of sending people away and placing them under residential surveillance is analogous to moving from one prison to another, since people have no freedom of speech or activity. link
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Post by Berean on Jul 25, 2019 20:33:28 GMT -5
Aid Worker: Boko Haram Killed Schoolgirl for Refusing to Renounce Christ
EDWIN MORA25 Jul 20191 4:55 Jihadis from the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL)-linked Boko Haram killed a 16-year-old Christian schoolgirl in captivity for refusing to renounce her Christian faith and convert to Islam, a kidnapped aid worker claimed in a video released this week. Grace Taku, an aid worker from the non-governmental organization (NGO) Action Against Hunger (ACF), blamed the death of the schoolgirl — Leah Sharibu — and another captive identified only as “Alice” on the Nigerian government’s failure to fight for her release. Taku herself was kidnapped along with five other ACF workers on July 18. She also held the Nigerian government responsible for the deaths of two Red Cross workers — identified only as Hauwa and Kabura — and a different aid worker, Alice. Taku’s comments were captured on a nearly three-minute video, which reportedly disseminated online Wednesday by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a breakaway Boko Haram faction. The footage purportedly shows Taku imploring her employer, the prominent Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Nigerian government to “do something” to secure their release and prevent them from suffering the same lethal fate as some of the captives, according to a transcript of the video carried by Nigeria’s Premium Times. After highlighting the death of the two Red Cross workers, Taku beseeched, fighting to hold back her tears: Do something to see that we are released. … I am begging on behalf of all of us here that please Nigeria should not allow such [death] to happen to us. And it also happen again with Leah [Sharibu] and Alice – because Nigeria could not do anything about them they were not released; they were also killed. Some analysts have questioned the claim that Sharibu is dead, urging caution about jumping to conclusions. Responding to the video in a statement issued this week, the anti-hunger NGO “strongly” demanded that ISWAP free the six aid workers, noting that they appear to be in “good health condition.” Taku stressed she was the only Christian among the six kidnapped aid workers, suggesting she is more vulnerable. Although Muslims make up the majority of the population of Nigeria, Christians make up the largest minority group in the country. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous democracy, is split in half nearly even between Christians in the south and Muslims in the north. Boko Haram is known for kidnapping Christian girls and forcing them to convert to Islam, particularly by threatening rape and following through. On February 19, 2018, ISWAP kidnapped 110 girls from a school in northeast Nigeria’s Dapchi region, including Sharibu. The jihadi group refused to release Sharibu because the girl refused to renounce her Christian faith in favor of Islam. In March, ISWAP terrorists reportedly released 104 of the girls after forcing them to recite the shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, and reaching an agreement with the African country’s military that included withdrawing Nigerian forces. Sharibu remained a prisoner, but the other five died during the release operation. The Buhari administration denies accusations that it paid a ransom to secure the release of the Dapchi girls. Olapade Agoro, the chairman of an opposition party in Nigeria, threatened to take President Buhari to the International Criminal Court in The Hague if his government did not liberate Sharibu, USA Today noted. Agoro accused the Fulani President Buhari of favoring fellow Muslims when he negotiated the release of the Dapchi girls. In audio that surfaced in August 2018, Sharibu supplicated the Nigerian government, “Treat me with compassion, I am calling on the government, particularly, the President to pity me and get me out of this serious situation.” The captive’s father, Nathan Sharibu, reportedly confirmed his daughter’s voice in the clip. Under Buhari, Nigeria has intensified de-radicalization and re-integration initiative at prisons and other state-run facilities that allow jihadis to repent, surrender, and return to society “rehabilitated.” The government already released hundreds of “repentant” Boko Haram jihadis. Hundreds more are undergoing the program. Other sectarian groups like the Muslim Fulani herdsmen, who primarily terrorize Christian farmers, killed 23,220 people, data obtained by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) showed as of last month. Boko Haram remained the deadliest terrorist group in Nigeria, closely trailed by Muslim Fulani jihadis, according to CFR. The human rights Christian group Jubilee Campaign believes Fulani attacks in Nigeria already amount to “genocide.” In December 2018, Nigerian Bishop Benjamin Argak Kwashi told Breitbart News Fulani herdsmen represent the top terrorist threat facing Christians in Nigeria. ISWAP is a splinter group of Boko Haram that swore allegiance in 2016 to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. link
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Nov 6, 2024 22:00:02 GMT -5
Nov 6, 2024 22:00:02 GMT -5