A pastor in Russia could face six years in jail or a fine of 1 million rubles ($9,583USD) for preaching “on the basis of Holy Scripture” that the invasion of Ukraine was wrong and Christians should not fight in it, a religious rights outlet reported.
India’s famed Emperor Ashoka was an ancient convert from Hinduism to Buddhism. He demonstrated that a person is NOT forced by others to convert from one religion to another. Today, “religious conversions are forced,” is the flawed premise of all anti-conversion laws of India. Who could have forced mighty Emperor Ashoka to change his religion? The Emperor’s famous religious conversion was his choice.
The situation for Iranian people is more dangerous now than before the recent war with Israel and the United States of America. Even more so for Christians who represent a growing minority religion in the staunchly Shia theocracy. Under threat, the ruling regime has increased its morality terror with brutal force.
In a perfect world, where legal systems hold political power to account and protect minorities against human rights abuses we might expect an end to persecution. But we do not live in a perfect world. People with power continue to act with impunity against those who think and live differently to them. Christians have a way to cope with this reality and a real and living hope for a future free of persecution.
New political winds are blowing with increasing force as the push-back against globalization grows with increasing nationalisms. The demand to pledge allegiance to something other than God in Christ will put renewed pressure on the Church and we need to be prepared to hold true to our faith. Here is a stern warning that Christians must take to heart.
An 18-year-old Catholic woman in Pakistan said police have refused to arrest a Muslim who abducted and raped her at gunpoint last week.
As persecution of Christians continues to rise globally, churches across India joined an international prayer initiative during the first two Sundays of November, with strong participation reported from cities and towns nationwide.
A former Army general in Nigeria said his death sentence following riots more than 30 years ago was the result of Muslim military leaders controlling a sham tribunal.
Expressing alarm over an increase in false blasphemy accusations in Pakistan, the UN Human Rights Committee last week urged repeal or amending of the country’s harsh blasphemy laws.
A local group of Muslim extremists on Oct. 30 killed an evangelist in eastern Uganda after he and another Christian refused to convert to Islam, the other Christian said.
Fearing Islamist rage, residents in an area of Lahore on Nov. 3 fled their homes after a Christian was arrested under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, sources said.
The 12th General Assembly of the Latin Evangelical Alliance (AEL) concluded on Sept. 12 in Cartagena with a clear and forceful message: the evangelical churches of Ibero-America are determined to take a leading role in shaping public life. United in purpose, they pledged to defend religious freedom, the family, and the right to life, while deepening their unity and expanding their social engagement.
