This blog has been submitted by ICC representative J. Harrington.
Hatred is a powerful emotion. I was reminded of this as I browsed the world headlines this week and read about the violence that has consumed the Indian state of Orissa. In one of the most horrifying acts, a group of enraged Hindus burned down a Christian orphanage and threw a woman into the flames as she attempted to stop them from harming the children. The woman was burned alive and died from her injuries.
The incident is just one of many acts of brutality that have left at least nine people dead and have prompted the government to institute curfews and shoot people on sight. Reports claim the violence was in retaliation for the shooting death of Hindu leader Laxmananda Saraswati, who was killed on Saturday by unidentified gunmen. But in spite of the claims, the violence was not caused by the leader’s death. The violence was merely a manifestation of the hatred Hindus feel for Christians, a hatred that has been increasing steadily for years.
At times like this, I realize how revolutionary Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount truly was. For he told us not only to love our neighbors and our friends, he also told us to “love [our] enemies and pray for those who persecute [us].” Jesus’ command goes against our very nature, but he knew that hatred breeds nothing but hatred in return. So even though I feel tempted to feel anger when I read reports such as these, I know that I must follow Jesus’ command to love and pray for the Hindus, no matter how difficult.
Sadly, the Hindus in India have decided on another path. They have embraced their hatred and acted on it. They have destroyed churches, homes and Christian-owned shops, shouting such phrases as, “Kill Christians and destroy their institutions!” They believe that their acts of violence will somehow stop the spread of Christianity, and they don’t realize that their own actions are furthering the Gospel.
I will pray that the Lord touches their hearts and releases them from the hatred that consumes them. Yes, hatred is a powerful emotion. But love is even more powerful.
Violence Erupts Again in Orissa
Ramadan: A Time of Peace?
This blog has been submitted by ICC representative J. Harrington.
A good friend of mine sent out an email last week, reminding those of us on her list to keep Muslims in our thoughts and prayers as Ramadan approaches. I admittedly don’t know much about the Muslim Holy month, so I spent some time online getting information. According to Wikipedia, it is a time for “self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment” and an opportunity for all Muslims to connect with God (Allah) through “prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others.” It begins next week and ends September 30.
As I read the description, I couldn’t help but think of a recent New York Times article about the Philippines, where there have been a number of violent clashes between Muslims and the Christian majority. A few weeks ago, a group of Muslims “went on a two-day rampage in which 33 people were killed and dozens of houses burned.” Would these Muslims continue their rampage during Ramadan, I wondered, or would they try to connect with Allah by showing kindness towards others?
The NYT article explained that the violence occurred because President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo failed to sign a “peace” agreement that would have ceded a portion of the Philippine main island to Muslims so they could establish an independent Islamic state. The executive director of an institute that studies issues involving Filipino Muslims was quoted as saying, “If negotiations fail, violence will follow.”
I was rather dumbfounded by the statement, for “negotiations” can mean only one thing to the group of Muslim separatists: acquiring Filipino land for themselves, regardless of the people who live there. The “negotiation” is simple. If the government doesn’t give up its territory, the Muslims will slaughter innocent people and destroy property. I rather doubt that the Muslims there want real “negotiations” or “peace.” They just want land. And they are willing to kill to get it.
To put this in perspective, imagine how you would feel if a group of Muslim separatists suddenly went on a two-day rampage and killed hundreds (if not thousands) of people because the U.S. government refused to hand over Texas so they could form an independent Islamic state. It seems almost unimaginable.
And yet that is the choice President Arroyo faces: give up a portion of her country, or risk Muslim violence and more death. And the deaths aren’t limited to the 33 people killed in the last few weeks. The violence has been going on for decades, and thousands have been killed. Just this month alone, up to 130,000 people were displaced from their homes.
So I’m curious to see what will happen next month. Will Filipino Muslims adhere to the ideals of Ramadan and perform acts of charity, good deeds and show kindness to the people they wish to displace, or will the violence continue? Either way, I don’t think the Christians who are grieving the deaths of their loved ones care much. No matter how charitable or kind the Muslim separatists act during Ramadan, I doubt that a month of good works can make up for the decade of terror and violence they have caused.
Olympics Prove the Real Character of China
The world has been celebrating the Olympics for close to two weeks now, but China’s deceptions and lies have been the topic of more news reports than the games themselves.
Before the games even began, reports began to surface that the Chinese government was banishing Christians from Beijing. House church pastor Zhang Mingxuan and his wife Xie Fenglan were among those who were forcibly removed from their homes and moved to another part of the country. Zhang reported that the government broke up seven of his 10 house churches and prevented him from meeting with international officials. But Zhang was among the “lucky” few.
Others, like Christian activist Hua Huiqi, have been detained and arrested. He managed to escape detention but now remains in hiding. In a letter to President Bush, Hua wrote: “At the place where they detained us, they conducted an interrogation. They threatened me…Now I’m wandering outside and dare not go back home. I am writing this letter to implore you to pray for my personal safety and for the freedom of belief of us Chinese people.”
Other reports, involving Christians from overseas, also began to surface. A group of Americans were detained at Kunming International Airport, and officials seized the 300 Bibles they were planning to distribute. The Christians were accused of bringing “illegal religious literature” into the country and fined $400 each.
China has shown its true colors in other ways as well. The fireworks during the opening ceremony were enhanced with computer graphics, the little girl who sang the opening ceremony song was deemed not “cute” enough and replaced with a “cuter” little girl, and there have been questions about the age of some of China’s gymnasts. Chinese officials claim the girls are 16, but earlier reports (from the state-owned media) report that the girls were actually as young as 13. The Olympic rules state that the gymnasts must be 16 to compete.
China might have hoped that the Olympics would raise their status in the international world, but they have in fact proved to the world what many of us already knew: China’s government is based on lies and deceptions. They will never be held in any esteem unless they admit their wrongdoings and begin a process of change.
Brave Eritrean Students Locked in Metal Shipping Containers
A match was lit. A flame ignited. Before long, billows of smoke fanned out from the Sawa Defense Training Center and decorated the Eritrean sky. Tears fell to the ground and puddled at the feet of eight special students. Their tiny streams of sadness rolled towards the fire and mixed with charred paper and melted leather. Sixteen eyes looked at each other as burning ashes fell from the sky and danced upon their cheeks—like snowflakes. One nod of a head and then another. Finally, eight heads bobbed in unison. Like lamps uncovered, these eight special students stepped forward. Like the ancient patriarchs they had read so much about, these eight faithful boys picked up their crosses and cried, “Stop burning our Bibles.”
An angry soldier turned around—then another and another. With clenched jaws and pursed lips, they screamed, “Who said that?” The crowd was silent. Only the unholy crackle of 1,500 Bibles going up in flames could be heard. The incensed soldiers ran through the throng of students searching for their prey. They were intent—they would not give up. Eight special students shivered as Eritrean soldiers barreled towards them. Eight special students stood firm. In the midst of deathly black smoke, the haunted eyes of Godless soldiers glared at the eight special students—daring them to speak. Sixteen eyes glanced at one another. Eight heads nodded in unison. “Stop burning our Bibles,” they whispered with fearless conviction.
The angry soldiers growled. Sixteen hands were cuffed. Metal shipping containers arrived and eight special students were shoved inside. As the dwindling flames of 1,500 burning Bibles licked the night sky, eight specials students were taken into custody, locked inside a metal prison. Sixteen hands clasped together. Eight heads bowed in unison. “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”
Give Thanks for Living in America
It’s very easy to complain about the hardships that Christians in the U.S. endure. The courts are systematically taking away our freedom to express our faith, and society is becoming less and less tolerant towards any religion that professes to be the right way to get to heaven.
But comparatively speaking, Americans are unbelievably lucky. We have the right to attend the church of our choice, the right to wear jewelry and clothing that expresses our beliefs, and the right to talk about our faith in public.
But imagine how difficult it would be to attend a church service under the cloak of darkness, and to know that you risked being arrested or beaten for attending. Imagine not being able to share your faith with others, and knowing that you would be considered a criminal for believing in Jesus as Lord.
Imagine being among the 15 Christians who were deported from Saudi Arabia because of their beliefs. The group was originally arrested on April 25, when Saudi police raided the home of one of the Christians during a Bible study meeting. The police charged them with “holding a dance party” and raising money for terrorism, but their only real crime was believing in Jesus. The terror you would feel during the three days of imprisonment following the raid would be unimaginable.
Sadly, these Christians were “lucky.” Many risk far more than arrest, imprisonment and deportation. Just this week, two Christians paid the ultimate price when they were killed by Vietnamese security officials for participating in a peaceful demonstration to protest the imprisonment of Christians for their faith. Can you imagine how terrifying it would be to watch the security officials kill the person standing next to you, knowing that you could be next?
Yes, it’s very easy to complain about America. But the next time a judge outlaws the display of the Ten Commandments, or another teacher is fired for not honoring the separation between Church and State, offer thanks to the Lord. Give thanks that you live in a country that allows you to attend church, sing out loud to the Lord and attend bible study meetings. Give thanks that you don’t have to fear imprisonment or deportation. Give thanks that you don’t have to fear for your life.
Can You Repeat the Question?
Images of compasses, prayer rugs, and ritualistic prostrations danced through Sayid Hussein’s mind as he stared into the faces of his murderers. It was July 8, 2008 and his killers had just asked him a question—and Sayid had to answer. It was a question he could have easily answered five years ago—a question that would have elicited a quick and definite response. But that was then. Sayid’s hands shook as his faithful lips began to move. Sweat formed on his trembling brow as visions of his beautiful, pregnant, wife swelled in his brain. Yet, hadn’t he always known that one day they would come for him? He had. Suddenly, Sayid’s body stopped shuddering–and he accepted his cross.
“Can you repeat the question,” Sayid asked?
The two Muslim men huffed with frustration and locked their hollow eyes on Sayid. “Do you face Mecca when you pray,” they repeated?
Sayid took a deep breath and smiled gently at his executioners. He pitied them, because at one time—he “was” them. Sayid’s smile grew as his mind traveled back to the day he had accepted Christ and renounced Islam. It had been a joyous day—a day when he was finally able to throw off the fetters of fear and embrace Jesus Christ. Now he had a personal and indescribable relationship with his Heavenly Father—it was a peace that passed all understanding. Sayid prayed that one day his murderers would have this same peace.
“Answer,” one of the killers screamed!
Sayid closed his eyes and calmly replied, “As a Christian, I do not have to face a specific direction to pray, because God is omnipresent.”
This was not the answer the Muslim killers had been looking for. They vowed that Sayid would pay for his incorrect response.
Pay he did. Two days later, the Muslim “questioners” returned and killed Sayid with their AK-47 and semi-automatic handgun.
Two days later, Hussein’s beautiful wife lay sobbing on the hospital floor as the doctor left the room with her stillborn baby cradled in his arms. Pay he did.
Gruesome Attacks Go Largely Unnoticed
As the world focused their attention last week on Angelina Jolie’s new twins and further evidence of Britney Spears’ poor parenting skills, other headlines went largely unnoticed. Some—perhaps the most horrific—warranted little more than a bit of column space in the international sections of major news outlets.
For those who glanced over the world news, given the importance of celebrity updates, the headlines were as follows: In Brazil, a 20-year-old man beheaded his 17-year-old British girlfriend, Cara Marie Burg. In Canada, 40-year-old Vince Weiguang Li stabbed, then beheaded a 22-year-old man on a bus as horrified passengers looked on. And in Athens, Greece, a 31-year-old man was shot by police after beheading his 25-year-old girlfriend. The attacker is now in critical condition.
One would think—given the severity of these crimes—that the international community would be on red alert. One would expect political and religious leaders to express horror, outrage and disgust, followed immediately by the denouncement of these crimes in no uncertain terms. And one would assume that the media would have publicized the fact that three beheadings occurred in one week.
But the public has heard nothing but silence in response. Not one leader—save the local law enforcement officials who handled the individual cases—has said a word.
Perhaps we have become jaded. Perhaps the act of defiling and decapitating a human being is seen as no better or worse than stabbing or shooting someone. Or perhaps no one really cares.
One thing is certain, however. Insurgents and terrorists have accomplished their goal in glorifying such a sickening act. Beheading is no longer an act by Muslim extremists, acting on the words of Allah, as written by Muhammad: “I will instill terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them” (8:12) […] “Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks” (47:4).
When American businessman Nick Berg was decapitated by Muslim militants in 2004, the world reacted with shock and horror. Where is that shock and horror now? Where is the outrage, the disgust, the repulsion for such an extreme act of cruelty and defilement?
I pray, not only for the victims and their families, but for the perpetrators. I pray for the Muslims who live with hate and anger in their hearts, and use that hate to persecute and kill “unbelievers.” And I pray for the non-Muslims who follow the hateful example of others and use their tactics against innocents. And most of all, I pray that the world wakes up and stands firmly against such atrocities.
Crossing The Bridge