Christian Deaths Double on 2014 World Watch List

More ‘killed for faith’ in Syria in 2013 than in whole world during 2012.

Christian Deaths Double in 2014 World Watch List

Nearly twice as many Christians died for their faith in the past year than in 2012, according to Open Doors International’s 2014 World Watch List.

Open Doors International, a charity that supports Christians under pressure for their faith, said 2,123 Christians were reported to have been killed during the 12 months ending Oct. 31, 2012. That compares to 1,201 during the previous 12 months. During the most recent period, more Christians were killed in Syria alone than were killed globally in the previous year.

The World Watch List, which annually monitors the media worldwide for all reported incidents, emphasizes that this is the “very, very minimum” count – only those who have been documented as killed.

Estimates of the total number killed range from around 7,000 or 8,000, according to the International Institute for Religious Freedom’s Thomas Schirrmacher, to the lofty 100,000 estimate of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity.

Beyond those killed, the World Watch List recommends that three more categories of Christians should be considered: Christians whose death is never reported; Christians killed due to increased vulnerability, such as those in conflict areas; and Christians who die due to long-term discrimination.

Taking these into account, as well as those whose deaths are reported by the media, the World Watch List suggests Schirrmacher’s estimation is roughly accurate, although the figure may be higher still.

“Christians aren’t always directly killed, but are so much squeezed with regulations and vulnerabilities that they just perish – not at once, but in the course of years. If we would include them in the counting, it would be an enormous number of people. However, the precise number of Christians who die due to these factors is very difficult to quantify,” according to the World Watch List.

Not surprisingly, Syria heads the list of the countries in which the most Christians were killed for their faith (1,213), followed by Nigeria (612), Pakistan (88) and Egypt (83).

Of the top 10, six are in Africa – with Kenya (20), Angola (16), Niger (15) and the Central African Republic (9) joining Nigeria and Egypt on the list.

The World Watch List states that the number of Christians killed in the Central African Republic is especially likely to have been under-reported because “most analysts still failed to recognize the religious dimension of the conflict”. The list says the same is true of North Korea, where “it is extremely difficult to get public information”.

Beyond the number of Christians killed, the World Watch List focuses upon other instances of violence, including: physical aggression; threats; the destruction of churches or other Christian buildings; attempts to destroy churches or Christian buildings; the closure of churches or Christian buildings; house expulsion or destruction; kidnap for ransom or intimidation; sexual assault; arrests; and displacement.

Considering only the sum of violent incidents recorded, Egypt (167) tops the list, followed by India (125) and Nigeria (118).

– ©2014 World Watch Monitor

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Christian deaths double in 2014 World Watch List

--New Year 2014 Blessings,

  Bill Hunt

Muslim & Christian Women Violence

Gender-based violence ‘wielded mercilessly’ in Muslim countries. Christian women vulnerable due to profound lack of equality, claims new report.

 

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (WWM)

By Hélène Fisher

(WORLD WATCH MONITOR, June 13, 2013) The conclusion of a new report by the US Hudson Institute researcher Lela Gilbert is clear and unequivocal: gender-based violence plays a key strategic role in the plans of those who wish to eradicate Christians and Christian belief from Muslim lands.

Gender-Based Violence as an expression of Christian Persecution in Muslim Lands, written for the World Watch List, describes how a profound lack of equality between men and women in Muslim countries means that all women in these societies are structurally vulnerable to systematic violence and discrimination in their daily lives. A parallel review of statistics on Christian persecution in these lands is made in order to infer a picture of the plight of Christian women in Muslim lands.

The resulting image is striking: the combined status of being both Christian and female significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing aggression and repression in society and at home. Gilbert focuses on Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt in her disclosure of the appalling legal and social situation for women living in Sharia law-based societies. 

 

Anecdotal evidence is supported by extracts from US State Department Reports on the four countries in question. They focus on rape and domestic violence, societal exclusion, oppressive dress codes, lack of legal protection for women, female genital mutilation, child abuse, and child marriage. 

 

The premise of Gilbert’s research is that violence experienced by Christian women living in these countries can only be properly understood within a general context of deep-seated prejudice and aggression against women. This prejudice stems from Islamic beliefs regarding the supposedly dangerous nature of female sexuality, and the roots of these beliefs are briefly detailed along with their implications. 

 

Of note is the continued assumption in these societies that females are responsible for any sexual attack they experience. The result is that shame clings to the victim following an assault and some victims are even stoned. Gilbert argues that in the context of societies where women are defined as being of little worth and are shockingly vulnerable, it is not surprising that Christian women are the targets of even greater endemic violence as a means of driving out or neutralizing Christian communities. 

 

Nine common forms of abuse perpetrated against Christian women in this strategic intent are elaborated. A number of specific cases from Pakistan and Egypt follow, which illustrate gender-based violence as a deliberate means of destroying Christian families. 

 

This report also expresses a frustration at the lack of data available in order to fully study the scope of the problem and explains why it is so difficult to obtain reliable statistics. Perhaps because of this dearth of complete information, Gilbert takes great pains to address arguments which attempt to discount reports of Christian persecution in Muslim lands.

Much is made of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s public and unpopular acknowledgement in November 2012 that Christianity is “the most persecuted religion in the world”.... 

 

It has been said that persecution is always personal and the tone of Gilbert’s report reflects this view. Her well-documented report is both passionate and categorical in its conclusion: gender-based violence is an oft-used weapon wielded mercilessly against the most vulnerable in Muslim lands with the express goal of breaking Christians’ resolve.

Click here for the full report.

©2013 World Watch Monitor

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What Makes a Man True? by Bill Hunt

Can you recognize a True Man; are you yourself one?

“You are the Light of the World.”

(Candle Flame, www.pdphoto.org)

From king or president to worker or servant, in any position, a true man is a man of character. There are many words of quality or action we could use to describe him.

A man of God is not marked by evil.

A man of peace is not moved by panic.

A man of truth is not marred by lies.

A man of wisdom is not marked by foolishness.

A man of integrity is not moved by deceit.

A man of knowledge is not marred by ignorance.

A man of faith is not marked by fear.

A man of hope is not moved by despair.

A man of love is not marred by indifference.

A man of gentleness is not marked by meanness.

A man of forgiveness is not moved by vengeance.

A man of generosity is not marred by greed.

A man of leadership is not marked by tyranny.

A man of humility is not moved by pride.

A man of loyalty is not marred by betrayal.

A man of strength is not marked by weakness.

A man of enterprise is not moved by poverty.

A man of bravery is not marred by cowardice.

(You could, of course, list more.)

There is only one perfect man who modeled for us the Way, the Truth, and the Life. By him, we are bought, paid for, ransomed, and redeemed. There is one man to follow.

“Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13 NKJV).

– Bill Hunt

World Prayer Alert Summary:
ISTANBUL, March 16 (Compass Direct News) – In a rare crackdown on a concentrated area, Iranian authorities have arrested Christians living in the country’s third largest city in what is seen as a tactic to discourage Muslims and converts to Christianity from attending official churches. Since last month officials have arrested about 12 Christian converts in Isfahan, 340 kilometers (211 miles) south of Tehran. Authorities have arrested leaders and members of churches meeting in buildings, as well as some from underground churches, according to Mohabat News.
The targeted arrests started on Feb. 22, when intelligence officers arrested approximately seven Christians at their homes between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., Mohabat reported. The Christian Iranian news service identified those detained on Feb. 22 as Hekmat Salimi, pastor of St. Paul Anglican Church, a convert of 30 years and author of theological books; Giti Hakimpour, 78, a female pastor at St. Luke’s Anglican Church; Shahram Ghaedi, an actor; Maryam Del-Aram, 54; Shahnaz Zarifi, a mother of two; and Enayat Jafari.
Another Christian, house church member Majid Enayat, was arrested on the same day at his workplace. Of those arrested, Mohabat reported that authorities released Hakimpour on Feb. 25. On March 2, authorities arrested another convert in Isfahan, Fariborz Parsi-Nejad. None of those arrested in Isfahan last month has been officially charged. Though religious freedom monitors in Iran said it was not clear what triggered authorities to target Christians in Isfahan, one Iranian Christian outside the country said it may be yet another tactic to stop converts from attending Farsi-speaking meetings in official church buildings.
“The government is very sensitive in Isfahan, which is the only city apart from Tehran with official church buildings,” the source said on condition of anonymity. “Now the government is focusing on the church buildings to scare the people so they don’t go.”

Read the Story at www.compassdirect.org

Jesus is Awesome God

The True Jesus of the Bible reveals Himself to those who seek Him.

The Transfiguration shone with the

Radiance of God's Glory.

(By Carl Heinrich Block, Danish, 1834-1890)

I found myself in a vision, just a nine year old boy, swallowed toward a down churning black hole in the cosmos. Adult men and women pulled into the bottomless force disappeared out of sight. As I reached the brink, a hand from above grabbed me into the safety of his lap. I could not see his face, but I knew it was this Jesus.

“Do I have to go down there?” I asked.

“No,” said this most gentle and beautiful male voice. “I have things I want you to do.” He spoke incredibly lovingly. I knew I was very, very safe in his lap.

Some miss this, but Jesus reveals himself

to those who seek him.

v20 “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:20-21 NIV).

Jesus is the radiance of God's Glory,

the exact representation of his Being.

v2 But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven (Heb 1:2-3 NIV).

God is One, the Trinity of persons,

so revealed by the Scriptures.

v4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deut 6:4-5 NIV).

Jesus is the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord

of Lords, the Son of God, the Most High Himself.

v8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
v9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority (Col 2:8-10 NIV). 
 

“However, it is important to note that it is the true Christ that makes someone a Christian, not the Mormon one (brother of the devil, see Mormon Beliefs for more information), or the Jehovah's Witnesses one (Michael the Archangel), the New Age Jesus (a man in tune with the divine Christ Consciousness), etc.

“The true Christ is God in flesh (John 1:1,14; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8): Jesus,” as CARM instructs <http://carm.org/dictionary-christian>.

v9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work” (John 14: 9-10 NIV).

The True Jesus of the Bible is Awesome God. He reveals Himself to those who seek Him.

--Bill Hunt

“But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the Universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s Glory and the exact representation of his Being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven” (Heb 1:2-3 NIV).

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If you have a true story, a note, a prayer request,

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Radical Sermon on the Mount

Jesus calls us to a Radical Life for God not as the World lives.

"Jesus Sermon on the Mount" by Gustave Dore, 1832-1883.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lays out radical even alarming standards for life (Matt Chap 5 NKJ).

Significance of Salt and Light

“You are the salt of the earth.” Salt seasons and flavors. Salt heals. Spoiled and rancid salt is to be thrown out. So with clarity and significance, followers of Jesus are to live their witness in the world.

“You are the light of the world.” Light illumines. The lights of a city can be seen from afar. Have you ever seen them from a jetliner in the darkness at night? Lights can be pleasing and beautiful. Lights must be placed high and strategically to shine throughout the house or room. Not hidden. “Let your light so shine before men,” Jesus adds, “that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” The deeds of the follower proclaim and are seen to affect the world.

Fulfillment of the Scriptures

Jesus came to fulfill the hundreds of Messianic prophecies in the scriptures. Every word is truth. Men are not to break the biblical commands of God, but to live and teach them accurately. In fact, the phony, self-serving examples of proud religious potentates must be well exceeded even to enter the eternal kingdom of heaven.

Anger is Murder!

Anger without a proper cause uses thoughts, words, and deeds to destroy another person. This is so strong, Jesus calls it murder, and its punishment is hell. Even name calling a person “fool” warrants serious judgment. The old forgotten adage wisely dictates, “Never say anything bad about anyone.” Therefore, Jesus says, do not offer God your prayers until you have made peace with your neighbor, your fellow worker, or your spouse!

Adultery of the Heart

God made men and women as beautiful creations to relate lovingly with each other giving God glory. But to slight his protective commands or even to thoughtfully entertain so doing is sin with lust and condemned as adultery. God wants relationships marked by purity of heart to cause honor and respect for one other. To so violate God's honor and glory is deserving of eternal hell.

Marriage for a Lifetime

God created marriage, but man made divorce. God condemns divorce as adultery except for the most serious justification. Remember, adultery was punishable by death. The Hebrew term here means constant and repeating sexual immorality as being a justification. With a better than 50% divorce rate in modern society, it is more apparent that irresponsible sin, anger, and lack of forgiveness may be causing unnecessary devastations of the marriage relationship. Most unfortunately, divorce causes lasting serious hurt and repercussions to each partner, the children, friends, and the costs of society–not likely worth the divorce.

Yes, Yes, and No, No!

“Above all else to thine own self be true. And then it follows as sure as the day follows night, that you cannot be false to any man.” My Dad taught me Shakespeare's line when I was a boy. Those were the days when a man's word was accepted as his bond more than a signed piece of paper. Today, I have suffered, betrayed from jobs, by fellow workers and even bosses who have no sense of honor or know the importance of truth. These words of Jesus, so important, are no longer written in too many hearts. Lying is widespread. As Jesus said, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Satanic!

Turn Your Cheek!

Sometimes I wish my Dad had never taught me this. It's not easy! “Do not defend yourself; let others speak for you.” But I do know this, when others mistreat you and falsely accuse you, God becomes your Vindicator. And the outcome of the perpetrator will be far worse than anything he or she would imagine. That is why we can actually surrender such situations; God becomes our Vindicator.

Love Even Your Enemies!

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.... Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” So there's so much more to living as a follower of Christ. Letting go of things means turning difficult situations over to God. And there is nothing so overpowering as the love or the wrath of the God of the Universe. When we step back by faith, God turns and says, “Now, I'll take care of this for you” (Sermon on the Mount, Matt. Chap. 5, NKJ).

– Bill Hunt

Pray for Godly Leadership, Guidance, Discernment, Strength, Salvation, and God's Miraculous Blessings on the People and Nations of the World!

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Is Our Christian Love True?

Being a Christian can mean persecution and death in ancient or modern times, but what is this love so truly marked in ardent believers?

How does our Christian Love compare to the Early Church? (Artist Unknown, 1901).

 

An ancient letter caused me to compare our modern practice of Christian love with that of the Early Church. Jesus clearly exemplified love for us. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,” (NIV: John 13:35).

Paul defined the church foundation for love. “Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all (NIV: Eph. 4:2-6).” Have we utterly failed? 

 

Would our attitudes of love towards one another be the same as the early Christians in the first age after Christ? A young disciple of Paul the Apostle, Mathetes, writes to Diognetus, a tutor to M. Aurelius, a Roman nobleman, a revealing letter about AD 130. This very earliest of letters from a Christian disciple is well worth contemplating. He describes the early Christians to his correspondent as follows. I here emphasize the points of discussion.

Pilgrims in common: They (the Christians) dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Abortion and marriage: They marry, as do all others. They beget children, but they do not destroy their offspring. Living spiritually: They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh.

Citizens of Heaven: They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time, surpass the laws by their lives. Persecuted: They love all men, and they are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned. They are put to death and restored to life. Materially detached: They are poor, yet make many rich. They are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all. They are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified.

Reviled: They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified. They are reviled and bless. They are insulted and repay the insult with honor. They do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. Joyful Witness: When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life. They are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks. Love exemplified: Yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their own hatred. To sum up all in one word: what the soul is in the body, the Christians are in the world. (Source of Ancient Letter: Roberts, A. and Donaldson, J., eds. “The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus.” Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1, The Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Mass., USA 1999.)

I think we would do well to weigh our love as modern Christians in the light of Christ and these early Christians. Such consideration should remind us that Christianity is not intended as a religion but a love relationship exemplified through Jesus, the Son of God. How do we really fare in living the love of Christ?

– Bill Hunt    

Christian Love is the most important thing we do.