An Alarm Is Being Sounded - Are We Hearing It Ring?

I read an interesting article this past week, written by Raymond Ibrahim, a writer and correspondent with the Middle East Forum.  You can find this article at: www.meforum.org/3718/christian-persecution.  The article is titled, "The Existential Elephant in the 'Christian Persecution' Room."  The article was a confirmation of a reality that somehow we seek to avoid, yet we must understand if we are to know the nature of persecution of Christians taking place around the world, a persecution that has doubled the number of martyrs this past year from those of 2012. 

The article indicates those 50 worst nations around the globe that persecute Christians.  Topping the list was North Korea and the radical regime of Kim Jong-Un - really a continuation of the radicalization of governmental leaders in Korea for the past several decades.  But, the article goes on to state, "of the 50 worst nations for persecution, 37 of them are Muslims, or 74%. ... Those persecuting Christians in 41 of 50 nations are Muslims; that is, a whopping 82% of all persecutions around the globe is being committed by the adherents of Islam - sometimes in Christian majority nations; for example, the Central African Republic which, after the 2013 Islamic takeover, now ranks #16, 'severe persecution' (the Christian-majority nation did not even appear in the previous year's top 50)."  Allow me to quote once again, "A recent Morning Star News report listing 2013's ten most horrific anecdotes of Christian persecution around the world finds that nine out of ten - again, 90% - were committed at the hands of those professing Islam." 

Dr. Ibrahim relates that, although there was persecution of Christians in Stalinist Russia and other Iron Curtain countries, when Communism was toppled in the late 1980's and early 1990's, persecution of Christians ceased in those countries.  It can be imagined that a similar result would occur in a country like North Korea should its government be toppled.  Yet, what happens in the Muslim world when a totalitarian regime, like Saddam Hussein or Moamar Qaddafi in Libya, falls.  Persecution of Christians seems to intensify.   Dr. Ibrahim explains this phenomena: "The reason for this dichotomy is that Christian persecution by non-Muslims (mostly communists) is often rooted to a temporal regime or ideology.  Conversely, Muslim persecution of Christians is perennial, existential, and far transcends this or that regime or ruler.  It is part and parcel of the history, doctrines, and socio-political makeup of Islam - hence its tenacity; hence its ubiquity."

But, somehow as we read of Christian persecution - Syria is a great example right now with thousands of Christians being killed during the civil war there - we miss seeing the common thread.  Perhaps it is an oversight.  But I rather believe it is intentional on our part.  Perhaps it is our fear of the radicalized Muslims and what they are capable of doing - we saw it on 9/11, and we have seen it elsewhere around the globe.  Perhaps it is just our way of being optimistic - we want to think the best of all people.  Perhaps it is our ignorance of the teachings of Islam and of their eschatological teachings of a worldwide caliphate ruled by the twelfth Iman.  Perhaps it is a combination of all the above.  But we need to begin making the connection between radical Islam - and I believe it is often the radicalize Muslims who are most prone toward persecuting Christians and Jews around the globe - and the persecution of believers.

Speaking of Syria, reports coming out of that country are heart-rendering.  Over two million Syrians are now considered as refugees - many taking refuge in Iraq, Lebanon (watch as the civil war in neighboring Syria begins to strike at this nation as well), and Jordan (where the majority of the refugees have fled).  Conditions are horrible.  I read a report from Franklin Graham, director of Samaritan's Purse, who recently visited a Syrian refugee camp in northern Iraq.  People are living by the hundreds of thousands in tents with little food and water and in the midst of winter's cold and wet.  Many have escaped with only the clothes on their backs.  While most of the refugees are Muslims fleeing from the Shi'ite-Sunni civil war, many are Christians fleeing the horrors of persecution being administered by both the Assad and rebel regimes.  After reading these people's stories, I could not complain as loudly about the extreme cold we are experiencing in Minnesota these days.  I have a warm home - not a covering with canvas or plastic.  I have ample food - not just a daily allowance of bread and a few grains of rice.  What an opportunity for us to reach out to these people through Samaritan's Purse or World Vision or other relief agencies, sharing food, heaters for their tents, medical supplies, and the message that we care. 

I know some of you are saying that such persecution could not happen here.  But I read an article yesterday on the IsraelNationalNews.com website.  It was titled, "Syria: Al Qaeda Training Western Citizens for Terror Abroad."  As I read this article I have to admit that I was frightened.  Al Qaeda has learned the art of exporting terror through home-grown terrorists.  According to the article, "A defector, speaking from the Turkish border - a route commonly taken by foreign Islamist fighters into Syria - said that Al Qaeda has been training recruits from Europe, the UK and the US how to make and detonate car bombs and suicide vests in anticipation of being sent home to start new terror cells." 

Friends, it can happen and it probably will.  I worry about the Olympics in the next few weeks in Sochi.  What a showcase for a terror strike!  It would perhaps have an even greater impact upon the world than the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center towers.  And we must remember the ultimate goal is the creation of a worldwide Islamic empire - freed of Jews and Christians. 

It is time for us to wake up to the reality around us.  It is time for us to rise up and support our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering persecution.  And it is time for us to prepare for those days when persecution will come to our shores.  And all the while we need to keep focused upon Jesus, who is our Lord and Captain.