Saturday, October 9, 2010

Other Persecution News In brief:

America
Even in the larger off-campus community in the United States, things are getting increasingly tough for Christianity. Among dozens of cases happening virtually every day are that of Ron Baity a military CHRISTIAN chaplain who was relieved of his duties as honorary chaplain of the state house of representatives for refusing to stop closing his prayers in that House, “in the name of Jesus”, his Lord! (see the Lord’s promise in John 14:14) (http://radio.foxnews.com/2010/07/09/pastor-banished-from-capitol-over-jesus-prayer/). And in Michigan, Arabs Christians preaching the gospel peacefully at an Arab festival were arrested. Apparently being Arab must be synonymous with being a moslem, even in America! (www.christianpost.com/article/20100708/street-preachers-at-arab-fest-to-face-court/index.html). Even the established tradition of distributing Bibles on school campuses is being challenged at several fronts. Very vocal opponents now claim that Bibles do not provide any educational benefit to the students and that the distribution should stop. (www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=1080338)

Indonesia
A similar situation of Christian bashing is going on in reputedly moderate Indonesia, the world’s most populous moslem country, see http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100920/indonesia-church-holds-service-despite-police-blockade/. In that country, the relevant authorities refused (for years) to process the renewal request of the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) to continue using its premises. Spurred on by demonstrations by some Moslem organizations, the authorities then decided to close the premises; but Christians are defying the closure and are meeting on the grounds. Apart from official police harassment, individual moslem groups are itching to carry out Sharia justice on the members of the Church.
On Sunday Sept 12, the Rev. Luspida Simandjunktak was ambushed and struck on the head with a wooden plank while church elder Hasean Lumbantoruan Sihombing was stabbed on the stomach, while on their way to church around 9.a.m. http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100913/2-indonesian-christians-beaten-on-way-to-prayer-meeting/

Somalia!
Meanwhile in Somalia, Sharia-rule continues to rampage the country. One of the latest atrocities involved the killing of a leader of the underground Somali Church. Al Shabaab militants broke into the house of Osman Abdullah Fataho in Afgoi on July 21 and shot him dead in front of his wife and four children. The assailants then abducted the children (aged 5 – 15) to become soldiers and be indoctrinated into Islam.
http://www.worthynews.com/9269-somali-christian-killed-his-four-children-kidnapped

No comments: