Plight of persecuted Christians
There are a myriad malevolent examples of the persecution of Christians around the world, ranging from political persecution to imprisonment and murder. And the persecution occurs not only in Third World dictatorships, but even in the USA, land of the "free and the brave", where the persecution comprises political harassment.The New Yorker magazine (April 13, 2018) erupted in a kind of temper tantrum because Chick-fil-A (a fast-food chain) is establishing itself in New York. The magazine opined that Chick-fil-A's arrival "feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism". The magazine emphasised the shocking fact that the fast-food's headquarters in Atlanta is adorned with Bible verses. Even worse, "its stores close on Sundays", and the restaurant's founder, Samuel Truett Cathy, actually believes that the sacramental union of one man and one woman (hitherto known as "marriage") should be defined by the church and not co-opted by the state.
And here in Australia some big business sponsors of rugby, aided and abetted by the ever-excitable LGBT warriors, have also been muttering discontent because rugby great, Israel Folau, quoted from the Bible about unrepentant homosexuals. One of the more strident advocates of the LGBT agenda is the proud homosexual CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce. He has been pontificating that he is considering withdrawing sponsorship from Folau's rugby team; but as CEO of Qantas he seems to have no problem in partnering Qantas with the (Muslim) Emirates airline or with Qantas flying to Muslim destinations, countries which take a fairly harsh view of homosexuality.
In less democratic countries the persecution of Christians extends to imprisonment and murder. In Pakistan, dozens of Christians are imprisoned on false accusations of blasphemy. The most well-known case is that of Asia Bibi, the mother of five, who has been on death row for several years. Her final appeal against her death sentence continues to be postponed because no judge wants to adjudicate the case. If they uphold her conviction, they will incur the opprobrium of the world. If they acquit her, they will be assassinated, as happened to the Muslim governor of Punjab who spoke out against Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
A leading Pakistan bishop has appealed for prayer after Christians in Quetta suffered their third attack in five months. Five Christian men were injured after four attackers on motorbikes started shooting at people near a church in Quetta's Essa Nagri Christian neighbourhood. The attack on April 15 came about two weeks after a family of four Catholics from Lahore were gunned down outside a relative's house during an Easter visit to the city. According to a missionary group, the attackers left a pamphlet at the scene of the crime describing the killing as "the first episode of genocide against Christians".
In Nigeria the jihadist terrorist group, Boko Haram (a name which translates as "opposing the education of girls"), kidnaps and sexually enslaves school girls. Boko Haram is particularly harsh on Christian girls. In Egypt, despite the efforts of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to protect Christians, Islamic radicals continue to damage or destroy churches and kill worshippers.
The persecution of Christians occurs also in secular, democratic India, especially in the province of Bihar. In some villages Hindu radicals prevent Christians from accessing communal water supplies and damage or destroy church buildings.
In China the communist government regards the growth of Christianity as a threat and seeks to control Catholic bishops and to ban Protestant house churches.
However, there are some glimmers of light on the horizon. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an international Catholic charity, reports that, thanks to the vanquishing of ISIS and the help of generous donors, Iraq's Christians are going home. Mass has been celebrated in Mosul, and Christians are going back to Nineveh. Voice of the Martyrs, an international interdenominational organization, is also performing a valiant service, as is Barnabas Fund, in providing Bibles for persecuted Christians all over the world.
Persecuted Christians and the agencies which help them need our prayers and our financial support.