18 Jun 07
4 edits
Originally posted by blakbuzzrdOk, I did try it and this is what I came up with. This is a taste of Christian persection in today's world.
Try it.
More Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than at any other time in hisotry, says Christian Solidarity International. Global reports indicate that over 150,000 Christians were martyred last year.
http://www.worthynews.com/christian-persecution.html
So which countries persecute the most?
Sudan: Perhaps the worst of the worst today. Sudan's government is trying to force the conversion of millions of Christians to Islam leading to inslavements, massacres, rapes, and torture continuing unabated throughout the Christian south. The death toll is estimated around 2 million since hostilities insued.
Cambodia: Persecution in Cambodia reached its most terrifying pitch in the 1970's, at the had of Poi Pot's brutal Khmer Rouge. People of all faiths tempted fate and invited elimination. Today, still, Christians are afraid to take leadership positions or to share their faith publically, but Christians still face persecution.
China: Today Christians still continue to be arrested for printing and distributing illegal Bibles. People continue to be tortured and imprisoned for their faith. Most church seminars teach in addition to basic church planting skills, 1) Never turn down an invitation to preach, 2) Look for a place to run when you are finished preaching, 3) be ready to die that day. An amnesty International report confirms the use of torture in China is "widespread and systematic". China officials, however, continue to deny such claims.
Colombia: Congregations are kidnapped, pastors are killed, the church is not allowed to do its work. These are everyday occurances in Cambodia. The ongoing war between the government, the para-military groups, and the guerrillas makes its ministry very difficult and dangerous. Christians who are in assistance to all, are often in conflict with all.
Cuba: In spite of reprucussions, it is increasingly common for Cuban Christians to gather as house churches. The government does not fully accepet these new house churches and Chrisitians still encounter continous persecution.
Egypt: Known as the most open Muslim country because it has legal churches. Persecution comes in social and economic forms, but is sometimes more dramatic. For example, not to long ago Muslims in Al-Kosheh accused Christians of poisoning the water supply and planning to attack Muslim neighborhoods. A small group of believers responded vocally, and a heated argument errupted. At the end of 3 days of violence, 21 Christians were dead.
India: The government of India does not officially persecute Christians, but it has created an environment in which attacks on Chrisitans can happen with impunity. Radical Hindus have been emboldened to beat believers, destroy church buildings, burn Bibles, and carry out other atrocities.
Indonesia: The largest Muslim population in the world. There is great openness, however, to the Gospel in spite of persecution-the church is growing at 5% a year. Such persecution involves Christians threatened and churches bombed. Throughout many parts of the country, thousands of Christians have been forced to undergo Muslim conversions. Those who refuse to embrace Islam of often beheaded, and their heads are paraded through the villages to strike fear into the hearts of other Christians.
Laos: The government of Laos set a goal of completely eradicating Christianity form the country. The plans include forcing Christians to sign a document rescinding their faith, then to close meeting places, and finally to check that they make offerings to the Buddhist priests.
Malaysia: Today Malaysia is 51% Muslim and extremely resistant to other religions. In fact, a new law is being proposed that would make converting from Islam an offense punishable by 3 years in prison. The few hunfred Malay who believe in Jesus Christ have suffered social ostracism and the loss of legal rights, jobs, and sometimes home and country.
Mexico: Throughout Mexico, but especially in small villages, Catholic churches tend to mix Catholicism and Mayan pagan beliefs. They oppose Christianity's attempt to undermine their "traditional culture". In the past 30 years, at least 30,000 Christians have been expelled form their homes in San Juan Chamula, Chiapes. Others have been fined, jailed, or beaten.
Myanmar: The government of Myanmar (Burma) does not allow churches to be built and has declared house churches illegal. It is not uncommon for Christians to be "recruited" by local officials to do hard labor, particularly on Sundays because it is the Christian day of worship.
Nigeria: Nigerian Christians are not safe in the northern half of the country, where Muslims dominate government affairs. Many Christians have fled to the south, where the Muslim presence is active, but less aggressive.
North Korea: Despite brutal oppression, around half a million North Korea's 23 million inhabitants are Christians. More than 1,000,000 North Korean Christians are imprisoned in concentration camps, sometimes without food, shelter, or medical aid. Anyone discovered to have a Bible is labled a South Korean spy and is executed.
Phillippines: Although the Philippines have no official religion, pockets of the country are dominated by Muslims, and life for Christians in these areas is dangerous. Many Christians are held hostage and/or killed for their faith throughout the Philippines. Many schools are forbidden to teach Christian ideals as a result and instead indoctrinated with teachings from Mohammad.
Russia: The past persecution of Christians is well known in Russia as well when they were a part of the former Soviet Union. The KGB actively sought to prohibit and punish those of faith during its reign of terror. Religion was made illegal for some time in the former USSR. Many lost their lives and/or suffered greatly for their faith. Unfortunatly, there remains much persecution still in Russia. Government authorities continue to make life hard for known Christians as many are beaten or discriminated against. To top it all off, elsewhere in Russia Christians are also persecuted by Muslims, the Orthodox church, and Buddhists.
Vietnam: In 1975 Vietnam became a communist nation and religion was seen as a threat to national security. Therefore, a massive "re-education" campaign was set in motion. The government is finding it more effective to fine Christians than to imprison them.
http://www.epm.org/articles/pers17.html
Edit: If nothing else, I thought all of this info might bring a smile to Shav's face. Are you sure you don't want to convert to Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism or Communism Shav? I hear it can be a barrel of laughs persecuting us Christians.
Oh, and I almost forgot. Christian bashing on RHP.
Yea, when you think about it, I guess I have it pretty good where I am compared to my other Christian brothers and sisters around the world. God bless them one and all.
18 Jun 07
Originally posted by whodeyThere are also more christians alive today than all the previous generations combined.
Ok, I did try it and this is what I came up with. This is a taste of Christian persection in today's world.
More Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than at any other time in hisotry, says Christian Solidarity International. Global reports indicate that over 150,000 Christians were martyred last year.
http://www.worthynews.com/christia ...[text shortened]... er Christian brothers and sisters around the world. God bless them one and all.
18 Jun 07
Originally posted by whodeyQuite a lot of Christians died during WW1 and WW2 but I guess they weren't dying for their faith.
More Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than at any other time in hisotry, says Christian Solidarity International. Global reports indicate that over 150,000 Christians were martyred last year.
The 20th century had more Christians than at any other time in history.
As a percentage of total Christians the 20th Century probably saw the least number of Christians dying for their faith.
The 20th century probably also saw the most Muslims and the most Jews dying for their faith or more often because of their religion (not quite the same thing.)
Sudan: Perhaps the worst of the worst today. Sudan's government is trying to force the conversion of millions of Christians to Islam leading to inslavements, massacres, rapes, and torture continuing unabated throughout the Christian south. The death toll is estimated around 2 million since hostilities insued.
Are they really being persecuted because they are Christian and are refusing to convert to Islam? I don't know much about the Sudan conflict but I doubt if that is really the main issue.
18 Jun 07
Originally posted by twhiteheadThat's my point. I'd be interested to see how an org like Christian Solidarity International determines exactly why Christians are being killed.
Are they really being persecuted because they are Christian and are refusing to convert to Islam? I don't know much about the Sudan conflict but I doubt if that is really the main issue.
18 Jun 07
1 edit
Originally posted by whodeyCan anyone back up that figure?
The death toll is estimated around 2 million since hostilities insued.
A recent news story said that the rebels were claiming 450,000 deaths and the government figure is around 10,000.
2 million seems like serious gross exaggeration making me think that some of the other claims are probably inaccurate or exaggerated too.
According to Wikkipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janjaweed
Since 2003 they have been one of the main players in the Darfur conflict, which has pitted the largely nomadic Arab-identifying Muslim Sudanese against the sedentary non-Arab Muslim Sudanese population of the region in a battle over resource and land allocation.
Where are the Christians dying in all this? Or is wikkipedia wrong?
18 Jun 07
Originally posted by shavixmirYou sir are insane!!!!
Praise be!
Hella yeah! There's international black day, international woman's day, international gay day, international secretary day, international mother's, father's, children's and old age-pensioners day...
But there's a definate lack of international white, heterosexual, single, childless man's day.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, and I ...[text shortened]... ttle Xians hiding behind plackards at the front door.
Go forth and punch them!
19 Jun 07
Originally posted by whodeyWell, that's certainly true if you're a follower of Allan. (pig dung be upon him.)
Whoever it was, could they moderate him out of all the other threads as well?
Just kidding Shav, you know we love ya!
Edit: Just for future reference, one does not need a specific day to persecute Christians, rather, its 365 days a year! Thought that might cheer you up a bit on fathers day............assuming that is, or coarse, you are a father.
19 Jun 07
Originally posted by twhiteheadWhen I refer to Christians dying for their faith I am specifically referring to Christians suffering for practicing their faith, hence, dying in WW2 does not qualify. How is one practicing their faith dying in a war? He who lives by the sword will die by the sword. It is a matter of simple physics. Any force can expect and equal and oppossity force in return. Violence produces more violence. Therefore, what force is being exerted via Christians practicing their faith in a nonviolent way? I say the violence is on a spiritual level rather than a material level. Therefore we see an oppossite and equal response to the gospel of Christ via murdering, raping, stealing, etc. even though it is carried out in a seemingly nonviolent way.
Quite a lot of Christians died during WW1 and WW2 but I guess they weren't dying for their faith.
The 20th century had more Christians than at any other time in history.
As a percentage of total Christians the 20th Century probably saw the least number of Christians dying for their faith.
The 20th century probably also saw the most Muslims and the ...[text shortened]... lam? I don't know much about the Sudan conflict but I doubt if that is really the main issue.
19 Jun 07
Originally posted by twhiteheadIt seems to me that one will simply have to take someones word for it. Therefore, pick and choose. Are you going to pick a number produced by the government of Sudan? I think this a bit niave. After all, what would they really be admitting if the number is 2 million? Would it not be genocide? I mean, where are all the dead Muslims if the number of dead Christians totaled 2 million if it were a two sided affair?
Can anyone back up that figure?
A recent news story said that the rebels were claiming 450,000 deaths and the government figure is around 10,000.
2 million seems like serious gross exaggeration making me think that some of the other claims are probably inaccurate or exaggerated too.
According to Wikkipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janjaweed
...[text shortened]... urce and land allocation.
Where are the Christians dying in all this? Or is wikkipedia wrong?
Perhaps the rebels are correct and it is 450,000 deaths. Does this make it any better or worse?
You do raise a good objection in assuming that ALL of the southern Sudanese are "Christian". I mean, what society on earth is all "Christian"? However, you must realize that those that persecute the southern region are not Christian they are Muslim. I think for many Muslims, their faith is more a political philosophy than spiritual in nature, thus they see their religion practicing Sharia law and the Christians practicing Christianity in their respective governments. In fact, many Muslims view America and Bush as Christian Crusaders. If my religion was mostly political in nature I would assume as much as well. I really do think that they see the struggle in terms of fighting "Christianity" even though it may be far from the truth.