Afghanistan.
Afghan Christians Isolated as Taliban Celebrates Three Years in Power.
We don’t hear much about Afghanistan anymore, but let’s not forget about it. The situation there is just as dire as it ever was, maybe more so, since many NGO’s have left the country due to the impossibility of working under the Taliban regime.
The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of its takeover of Afghanistan (Aug.15/2021) on Wednesday.
Christians have endured intense governmental and societal pressure and scrutiny. They have faced regular raids on their homes and frequently received threats against their jobs and families. They have also lost educational and economic opportunities.
The regime has continually worked to repress and significantly stifle any action or behavior that does not conform with their strict interpretation of Islam.
Despite promises that it would rule with ideological moderation and restraint, the Taliban has implemented an extreme version of Sharia law in the country since regaining power. The enforcement of Sharia law includes “public executions, lashings and floggings, stoning, beatings, and acts of public humiliation, such as forced head shaving.”
Even smaller than it was before the Taliban’s takeover, the Afghan church is in a precarious position. Taliban restrictions have severely limited contact with the outside world, and any efforts to send assistance to the church are met with numerous legal and logistical difficulties. The Afghan church remains mostly isolated from the global Body of Christ.
Please Pray for our Persecuted bros and sisters in Afghanistan and that they would know that they are not forgotten.
China.
In late June, Chinese authorities discussed placing major new restrictions on Christians and religion in general. The discussions, which occurred during two meetings, highlight how the Communist government is increasingly pressuring China’s vibrant underground church.
With mostly leaders of the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) church in attendance, meeting organizers affirmed that China’s Communist Party needed to gain further control of Christianity in China.
Officials reiterated that church leaders must make President Xi Jinping’s teachings on socialism and other communist teachings central to any preaching and sermons in Chinese churches. Communist officials urged TSPM church leaders to surrender more control over church affairs, including preaching.
During this conference with many high-level communist officials, keynote speaker Shi Taifeng, minister of the Central United Front Work Department, stated, “Sinicization (to make more Chinese or bring under Chinese influence) of religion is the only way to actively guide religions to adapt to socialist society.”
Sinicization then is where religion becomes subservient to Jinping’s teachings and communist ideology. In China, religions that do not undergo Sinicization are considered a threat to social harmony and progress.
Please Pray that the Church in China would not bow down to the Communist Party’s dictates, but stand firmly on the Word of God as proclaimed in the Bible.
Nigeria.
A Silent Slaughter: The Ongoing Persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
In recent weeks, Nigeria has faced severe violence and insecurity, highlighting a deepening crisis for Christians.
Islamic Fulani extremists have killed numerous Christians in North Central Nigeria, particularly in Benue and Plateau states. The militants even killed a Fulani leader advocating for peace. Bandits in the Northwest persist in abducting Christians and preventing them from farming.
- On Sunday, July 14, suspected Fulani extremists launched attacks on Benue communities, killing 13 Christian farmers. In the village of Egwuma in Agatu, Jacob Terna, a former IDP camp manager, reported additional attacks on displaced individuals, resulting in one death, one injury, and five missing persons.
- On Thursday, July 18, Yakubu Muhammad, a prominent member of the 17-man Peace Implementation Committee of Irigwe/Fulani-Bassa County, was assassinated in Jebbu-Bassa. He was an active member of the committee and the leader of the Fulani Youth, providing intelligence to security officials and Christian leaders to help prevent attacks on Christian communities in Bassa County, Plateau state.
- In addition to Islamic Fulani extremist attacks, Christians in Southern Kaduna also face kidnappings by bandits targeting Christians for ransom. Recently, 57 Christians were abducted, and 11 were killed after failing to pay ransom. These incidents have severely disrupted community life, particularly farming and church activities.
- Around 11 p.m. on July 19, Islamic Fulani militants launched yet another attack on the Mbacher community of Katsina-Ala local government area, killing 18 Christians and wounding many others. The militants reportedly went from house to house, gathering villagers, which they brought to another location and shot them. The attack was described as a calculated attempt to wipe out the people and added that it was purely an act of terrorism.
- The Stefanos Foundation recently reported increasing cases of abductions and forced marriages of underage Christian girls in northern Nigeria. A notable case involved Cecelia Mathias, abducted and married to a 55-year-old man after being forcibly converted to Islam. This troubling trend underscores the urgent need for action to protect vulnerable girls.
Please Pray for our Christian bros and sisters in Nigeria, and for the country as a whole, including the leaders of the country.
Source: http://www.persecution.org
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