Issues@Hand
AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs
March 2014 – Timothy Samuel Shah, associate director of the Religious Freedom Project at Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, says victims of Christian persecution have been ignored and will continue to be ignored until five myths are dispelled.
Myth #1 Christian persecution only happens in the Middle East. Shah said, “The fact is that Christian persecution is spiking well beyond the Middle East. And it is spreading to countries known for their relative stability and religious moderation such as India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.”
Myth #2 Christians aren’t greatly impacted by persecution. “According to non-partisan sources such as Pew,” Shah said, “the reality is that more Christians face more persecution in more countries than any other religious community.”
Myth #3 Whatever persecution there is, the damage is superficial, more a loss of multicultural diversity than anything else. Shah said societies that encourage the persecution of Christians do themselves major political and economic harm.
Myth #4 Christians bring persecution upon themselves by proselytizing. Shah said, “Christians may proselytize, but more often their faith motivates them to build hospitals, serve the poor, educate children and aid victims of disaster.”
Myth #5 Persecution couldn’t happen here. Shah said, “Non-partisan sources such as Pew show that government restrictions and social hostility against religion, including Christianity, have risen dramatically in recent years.” The rises in persecution are happening in countries that previously encouraged Christianity.
Open Doors, a ministry focusing on Christian persecution, releases a list every year of the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians across the world. But today, the most dangerous country for Christians is not in the Middle East; it is North Korea. Other dangerous countries on the list include Syria, Iraq, China, Kenya and Indonesia. Many of the countries were once friendly to Christianity, but now seek its demise.
religiontoday.com, 12/10/13; worldwatchlist.us, 12/16/13
