Persecution of Christians

Christians are currently the most persecuted people group in the world. Presently, over 360 million Christians are suffering some form of persecution, over 200 million Christians suffer severe persecution.

In our short presentation of Church History (Part V) in our Study on Christianity, we have mentioned how the first believers were persecuted, brutally so by some Roman Emperors. The word 'martyr' originally meant, 'witness.' They witnessed to their faith with their lives - and deaths. Some fanatical Catholic rulers persecuted and tortured 'apostates' (as they saw them) during the Inquisition and burned witches and reformers at the stake. The last century has seen a resurgent of persecution of Christians throughout the world, especially in Islamic states and Communist or former Communist states. Radical nationalism is also a key factor in the persecution of peaceful Christian minorities.

Persecution in the Middle East, Africa and Asia

In May 2019, the BBC reported on the dramatic situation of persecution in various parts of the world, from the Middle East to Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Based on a report by Jeremy Hunt, former Foreign Secretary of the UK, the persecutions reached the level of 'near genocide.' Two years earlier, a report showed the geographical overview of global persecution. International Organisation in support of persecuted Christians, Open Doors shows the persecution and their respective levels by individual nations. Open Door's World Map of persecution index shows the global picture. World Watch Monitor provides detailed reports on individual nations. The situation is indeed dramatic, but often overlooked by Media Stream Media (MSM).

The Daily Mail, however, has been publishing some reports showing the inhumane situation in Africa and the Middle East and elsewhere. Given the extent of persecution of Christians worldwide, the media coverage is meagre and that raises questions. The organisations mentioned above, provide not only information but also practical aid. There are a lot of efforts done by NGOs and Christian organisations to help those in need and seeking to change the plight of those affected by often unspeakable suffering.

Despite the lack of media attention on this issue of Christian persecution, especially outside of Europe, Book Haram is one radical Islamic terror organisations whose atrocities are reported. Under the recently killed leader, over 30.000 people got killed and two million people displaced! In Burkina Faso, one million people have been displaced by jihadist atrocities. Horrible attacks have been carried out in these African nations, with thousands of innocent and poor Africans paying the ultimate price. Who will put an end to it and why is this ongoing?

Geopolitically, just looking at the map of persecution and knowing some things about respective nations, it is obvious that each nation's laws, religion and ideological framework play major roles in the way they treat Christians. Although it is a basic human right according to international conventions and declarations to live free of persecution irrespective of religious affiliation, Christians are those losing out the most on these rights. Those nations that persecute Christians are usually also such that mistreat other minority groups.

International Conventions

According to the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights' (Article 1) and have 'the right to life, liberty and security of person' (Article 3). The Declaration's 'rights and freedoms' are for each and everyone 'without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status' (Article 2).

According to the European Convention of Human Rights, Article 9 states the following:

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Article 10 follows with 'the right to freedom of expression.' These values are vital for democratic societies. However, most nations where Christians are being persecuted are not democracies, or at least not in the proper sense of the word. On the one hand, we must acknowledge the sovereignty of individual nations and their right to legislation according to their constitutions and traditions, on the other hand, signatories to international treaties and conventions are obliged to respect these very treaties and conventions. Several cases in recent years have both caused controversy and raised reasons for concerns. There are the physical persecutions of Christians, often violent and sometimes brutal, as mentioned above, and there are ideological and legal forms of persecution in the Western world, as the following examples show.

Persecution in the Western World

Although Jack Philipps has won two major legal battles, the attacks on him because of his beliefs continue. Less fortunate was a kind florist from Washington, who was targeted for remaining faithful to her religious beliefs and who should have been protected by the First Amendment rights. After years of legal battles, the Supreme Court refused to hear her case and she potentially faces financial ruin. Why? For referring a gay customer to another florist, gently explaining why she cannot make flower arrangements for a wedding. Some might consider this intolerant, but it should rightly be seen as her right to be faithful to her conscience. When an attorney general, human rights groups and major corporations gang up on a small business, one should realised that something is seriously wrong. Kristen Waggoner, a General Counsel of ADF, described it as 'the worst of cancel culture, weaponised through the court systems by state government and gigantic corporations. It's an insult to our nation's founding principles.' Is the Western world turning away from its foundations of free speech and conscience and right to 'freedom of expression' (Art. 10 ECHR)? Are Christians being specifically targeted by radical groups to destroy their livelihoods and subdue their values and principles? In a general way, famous actor Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) had something reasonable and important to say on free speech. Then there are the controversies over silently praying outside abortion clinics in England and elsewhere.

A further case that caused uproar in Western media is Hungary's law to protect children from homosexual sex education in schools. Hungary affirms the right and authority of parents when it comes to sexual education. It seeks to prevent the infiltration of a certain propaganda that contains sexualising children. The EU elite and others have had a ferocious reaction against what they call 'anti-gay' or 'anti-LGBT laws.' But the labelling as such already exposes a bias and shows considerable intolerance towards a different view and disrespect for a nation's sovereignty in legislation. Hungary was accused of all sorts of breaches and one PM even called for Hungary's expulsion from the EU! Yet tolerance of opinions and legislation, including sexual orientation, must go both ways. It is no secret that the LGBT seeks state and education channels to promote their views and values to children at a very young age, often undermining the authority of the parents. Check out this comment on a recent controversy on Gay Men's Choir song in the USA. What is also often overlooked in this debate and media reporting is the concern of pedophile propaganda and sexualisation. Avoiding to address this issue could have catastrophic consequences for innocent children. All children must be protected by all legal means. As a Conservative British politician has pointed out, it's one thing for two adults to practice certain things, it's completely different when adults do things to children. As in most constitutions, parents' rights and responsibilities for their children must be guarded and protected. Wrongful state interference and for certain groups to use education channels to circumvent parents to get to the children, violates basic human rights and freedoms.

While the Western world faces legal battles over basic traditional vs Neo-liberal values, most persecuted Christians in other parts of the world, are facing incredible physical suffering and even death. As stated above, this goes almost unheard of in the MSM. One should ask, Why is that? When ISIS or ISIL was ravaging parts of Syria and Iraq, horrible pictures were seen on TV; when Coptic Christians were attacked and killed in Egypt, some media coverage was available. But on the whole, daily occurrences of persecution remains extremely rare, especially in view of the gravity of the situation. Karina Walinowicz, Director of the Ordo Iuris Centre for Religious Freedom, has the following to say about worldwide persecution of Christians:

“The persecution of Christians has become stronger than ever and is impacting more and more believers around the world. This phenomenon may appear surprising, due to overall blackout of this topic in mainstream media. The world has heard about the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral, but has not heard of hundreds of others. Regretfully, current manifestations of hostility towards Christians in European countries, be it due to the spreading of radical Islam or anti-Christian secularism, are devastating not only towards Christianity, but at the same time are an attack on Europe's historical and cultural heritage.”

The point raised about the burning of the Notre Dame is important, as it received considerable media coverage, mainly due for its cultural value, yet the numerous churches vandalised and burned elsewhere in France for religious reasons, has gone scarcely reported. The Times reported on 'hundreds of French churches' vandalised. As stated above, Walinowicz pointed to the 'spreading of radical Islam and anti-Christian secularism' as major reasons for these incidents. Such incidents are, of course, much more common in nations where minority religions do not enjoy protection as they do in Western, democratic countries. The recent knife attack in Germany and the rape and killing in Austria of a 13-year old, have caused both shock and heated debates on immigration laws and the cultural and religious background of these criminals. While some explain (or justify?) metal illness as the cause of these atrocities, and blame a failed integration program, others took the chance to blacken the reputation of all immigrants. Both extremes are wrong, as individual cases must be treated individually, and in that generalisations are usually wrong. There are cultural differences that must be taken into serious consideration, and Austrian Chancellor found widespread agreement when he stated that he considers it 'intolerable for people to come to us, say they are seeking protection and then commit cruel, barbaric crimes in Austria,' of which there were several in recent years. It's a complex problem that demands urgent solutions.

Response to Persecution

In a suffering world, we are called to bring healing where there is hurt, forgiveness where there is bitterness and peace where there is war. Jesus called for His followers to be 'peacemakers' as sons of God (Matthew 5:9). From the early persecutions by the Romans to ISIS in the Middle East to Boko Haram in Africa, Christians have been suffering at the hands of intolerant and violent ideologies and executioners who didn't seek peace. One would have expeteced that in our 'tolerant and enlightened world' these things would be remain a relic of the past. They are not; they are a reality of the present! In the last century the most horrible atrocities have been committed in the name of ideology, from Hitler's Holocaust to Stalin and Moa's killing of millions of their own people. While these worst of crimes and horrors where not religious in nature, we must point out, that there was a period in Church History where a politicised church was a source of atrocities towards others, including 'heretics' as the narrow-minded church dogma at the time described them. That type politicised church had also had Christians tortured or killed, like the Huguenots massacre of Paris, for example, or the torture of Galileo Galilei for simply reporting his astrological findings. Even if historical circumstances and cultural contexts are taken into consideration, physical brutality and coercion contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ, who was an advocate of love, forgiveness and peace.