Persecuted Christians Worldwide

Written by: Elizabeth
Oath of God Ministries

Introduction

In 2 Timothy 3:12, Apostle Paul informs Timothy that a Christian who is genuinely living for Christ Jesus will suffer some form of persecution during his or her lifetime.  Paul also qualified the type of Christian who will suffer persecution.  “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”  In other words, persecution will not necessarily happen to the carnal Christian who is living for himself in a materialistic world filled with a self-centered compromise which is enmity against God.  This Christian may reap what he has sowed with consequences for living in the world or at the Bema Seat of Christ but might otherwise escape persecution here on earth.  Should this individual be captured and threatened, it’s possible he will deny Christ Jesus.  In fact, not everyone who calls himself Christian is a practicing or genuine Christian.  

The Christian who desires a godly life and pursues it will suffer some degree of persecution.  This is especially true of Christians living in countries where the Christian faith is outlawed or where state-run churches have become the established rule.  In these regions of the world, many Christians will suffer death once their beliefs are discovered by others.  At this time in history, the American-born Christian may experience a milder form of persecution through mockery and jeering on issues pertaining to state vs church but nothing like the persecution which is experienced by our brethren in Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, or Yemen to name just a few.  Christ Jesus assured his disciples, and it holds true for us as well, that “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”  (John 15:18)

Similar to the Nazi boycotts of Jewish shops in prewar Germany, in 2015, Christian shops in Egypt were burned and looted with graffiti scribbled across the blackened store facades reading “Boycott Christians”.  In Pakistan, the surrounding populations severely discriminate against Christians.  The Christian Pakistani is offered only the most menial positions and income only to return home to abject poverty and drug-infested neighborhoods. In some countries such as Columbia – it is organized crime that executes Christians and the corrupt government that allows it to continue.  In North Korea, a country that institutionalizes agnosticism or atheism, a Christian holding a bible, caught praying or engaging in bible teaching, runs the risk of being arrested and sent to a labor camp for 15 years or more which in itself is a death sentence.  

In the end-days, persecution against Christians will increase.  It will become a worldwide phenomenon.  It will not necessarily be isolated to the countries now known for persecuting Christians but it will take place in every country and on a worldwide basis.  Oath of God Ministries believes that as the world’s stopwatch travels faster and further into the end times, persecution against Christians in America will gain momentum as well.  Scripture makes it clear that in the future and during the tribulation years those of faith will be beheaded.   “Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.”  (Rev 20:4)  Yet in 2015, everyone on a worldwide basis realized that both Jews and Christians alike as well as political or religious dissidents to ISIS’s ideology, were being beheaded especially those who lived in Islamic countries.  These beheadings included other Muslims.  In fact, beheading became ISIS’s preferred method of killing infidels although it is not exclusive to this militant rebel group.  The beheading of Christians is increasing but it is by no means a new phenomenon.  Although this method of killing Christians on a worldwide basis has significantly tempered – it will resume in greater numbers as we enter the years of tribulation according to the Bible.  

 

Too Many Persecuted, Too Many Dying – Past and Present

According to an article in Forbes, written by Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, titled One in Seven Christian Minorities under Threat in 2022.  Dr. Ochab writes that research from Open Doors shows that persecution of Christians has reached the highest levels since the World Watch List began nearly 30 years ago. Open Doors is a non-denominational mission supporting persecuted Christians in the world.  Dr. Ochab is a human rights advocate, author, and co-founder of the Coalition for Genocide Response. She monitors not only the persecution of Christians but also Daesh genocide in Syria and Iraq, Boko Haram atrocities in West Africa, and the situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and of the Uyghurs in China. This article, however, focuses only on the persecution of Christians on a worldwide basis.  She quotes Open Doors, “Across 76 countries, more than 360 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith – an increase of 20 million since last year.” 312 million Christians live in the top 50 countries alone. One in every seven Christians live under at least high levels of persecution or discrimination for their faith.”

Oath of God Ministries believes that whenever persecuted Christians can be airlifted out of extreme persecution – it should be done and supported.  For example, the Nazarene Project states on its website, “To liberate the captive, to free the enslaved, and to rescue, rebuild and restore the lives of Christians and other persecuted religious and ethnic minorities wherever and whenever they are in need.”  Glenn Beck is the founder of the Nazarene Project.  Some Christians will say but he is a Mormon.  Yes, Glenn Beck is a Mormon who is doing more work to rescue and help restore the lives of persecuted Christians than what the everyday Christian is doing.  Instead of criticizing what a Mormom is doing – perhaps Christians should instead repent for their own complacency and laziness.  According to (CBN) Christian Broadcasting Network – Glenn Beck raised over 28 million dollars to rescue persecuted Christians from Afghanistan.  

In 2019, the UN took strides to stamp out persecution against religious groups.  According to UN News, Miguel Angel Moratinos said, said that the aim of the Plan is to provide “concrete and action-oriented recommendations that can help ensure that religious sites are safe and that worshipers can observe their rituals in peace.”  However, the UN’s efforts have yet to provide results for persecuted Christians as well as other persecuted religions.  

Less than a decade earlier, and well in advance of ISIS’s 2014 and 2015 rampage across many Mideast nations, the persecution of Christians was steadily increasing.  During the ISIS rampage across the Mideast, it became impossible to keep an accurate account of all the assaults against Christians given the turmoil in the Mideast.  Two years earlier on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor in Paris for Reuters wrote an article titled “About 100 million Christians Persecuted Around the World: Report” where he provided an alarming update on the growing numbers of Christians being persecuted worldwide.  He wrote, “About 100 million Christians are persecuted around the world, with conditions worsening for them most rapidly in Syria and Ethiopia, according to an annual report by a group (Open Doors) supporting oppressed Christians worldwide.”

Other excerpts from the same report quoted, “Open Doors, a non-denominational Christian group, listed North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan as the three toughest countries for Christians last year.  There are over 65 countries where Christians are persecuted,” said the report released on Tuesday by Open Doors.”  In 2022 – nothing seems to have changed except for the exponential increase in the number of Christians being persecuted.  

One year later, Tom Henegan, wrote another article indicating that the situation was not getting better but actually worse.  His article dated February 8, 2014 titled, “Reported Christian Martyr Deaths Double 2013: Report”, in which he quotes Open Doors as saying, “On Wednesday it had documented 2,123 “martyr” killings, compared with 1,201 in 2012.  There were 1,213 such deaths in Syria alone last year.  Open Doors added, “This is a very minimal count based on what has been reported in the media and we can confirm,” said Frans Veerman, head of research for Open Doors.  Estimates by other Christian groups put the annual figure as high as 8,000.

Horrific murders against Christians were occurring much earlier than 2013 or 2014.  According to Christian Today, 5/18/2006 “At around 6:30 a.m. on 29th October 2005, the men attacked four girls – Theresia Morangke, aged 15; Alfita Poliwo, 17; Yarni Sambue, 15; and Noviana Malewa, 15 – as they walked to a Christian school in Poso district.  The first three girls were beheaded; Noviana Malewa received serious injuries to her face and neck but survived the attack.  Noviana was able to survive and describe in detail her attackers to police.”  

In a completely separate incident, a mother was beheaded in front of her two daughters in Somalia.  According to Charisma News, dated 3/20/2014 “A Christian mother of two and her cousin were beheaded by al-Shabab Islamic extremists once their faith was discovered.  Before the two were martyred in front of many witnesses, sources report that the Islamic extremists said, “We know these two people are Christians who recently came back from Kenya—we want to wipe out any underground Christian living inside of mujahidin [jihadists’] area.”  Separately, in Syria where it was well documented a Catholic priest and another Christian were beheaded before a cheering crowd of Syrian insurgents who alleged that the Christians aided and abetted the enemy, President Bashar Assad’s military. 

During an interview with Voice of America, Father Gabriel of Mort Smuni Church in Mardin, a small Turkish city near the Syrian border stated, “In Syria, the conditions for Christians is very bad,” he said. “Last week they have kidnapped 12 nuns and, before, two bishops, and they killed many, many Christians and kidnaped many persons and told them you must be Muslims.  Before the war in Iraq, there were about 2.5 million Christians, but now I think only 500,000 people [Christians] staying in Iraq,” he said.”  It will be Syria also.  Many, many persons are trying to go out of Syria to European countries.”  Father Gabriel’s church has been helping the Christian refugees fleeing from Syria.  At the time of the interview over 100 Christian families were receiving assistance from his church.  

 

Any religion that challenges the extremists’ Islamic beliefs will be severely challenged and without mercy but it has always been the Christian and the Jew who have been their prime targets.  Sadly many of these killings are now being videoed by various Islamic militant factions where the recorded acts are subsequently posted on the internet.  This propaganda technique was most apparent in both Syria and Iraq throughout 2014 and 2015.  The purpose of the postings is to prove to the world that they are incorrigible and cannot be stopped.  This propaganda also helps them recruit new rebels.

The executions are an attempt to cause considerable fear among local residents.  Many townspeople will try to flee the insurgents thereby allowing the extremists to expand their territories.  In other words, the extremists simply fill the vacuum of what has been left behind.  Those who do remain behind for one reason or another are frequently caught by the militants whereby they are forced to either convert, pay a fine or die although a fine is no guarantee for life or freedom.  Many female children and young women are forced to marry rebels which by most accounts has been the worst oppression imposed upon them.  Others are forced into the sex slave trade and are simply passed along from one man to next. 

Christians living in Muslim territories are the primary target of the Islamic extremists although anyone including other Muslims who are considered apostates by the insurgents are also at risk of being terminated.  Two Muslim children were caught eating on Ramadan and were crucified.  It has been reported that minority children (Yazedis and Christians) have also been buried alive or crucified as well.  Punishing other Muslims was seen on video when ISIS militants executed hundreds of Shia Muslims in northern Iraq.  It was considered mass murder and a crime against humanity.  In this instance, the men were rounded up and shot execution style because they were employed by the current Iraqi government, an enemy of ISIS.

 

It may seem strange to both the carnal Christian and the secular world that a devoted Christian will embrace persecution once he is held hostage by his persecutors.  He has nowhere to go but to Christ.  Circumstances do not always allow escape and in such situations, one’s persecutor must be met with courage and without denial of Christ Jesus.  We should feel empathy for our persecuted brethren but we should also be inspired and strengthened by their courage in Christ Jesus.  Their martyrdom should encourage us not to fear.  Most martyrs remain in quiet prayer as they await the swift blow from their executioner.  We can see in I Peter 2:22-24 the epitome of Christ Jesus’ composure under the most severe persecution, “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 

Christians in the western world need to repent of their superfluous behaviors and realize that persecution is very real in other regions of the world.  The persecuted are our sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus and our financial support, prayers and awareness of their suffering is critically needed.  If it were your church that was bombed or your child that was held captive – would you want the Body of Christ worldwide to pray for your needs?  Do you not believe that this type of persecution is now possible in America?   

A Typical Church Bombing:  On the Ground – Anonymity For Security Reasons

Church bombings have become commonplace throughout the world.  There have been many in Syria, Iraqi, India, Pakestan as well as many other nations.  There are simply too many to  list.  Only God can count the true number of martyrs with accuracy. 

What exactly is a typical church bombing?     

It is public news that on Sunday, September 22, 2013, the Anglican Church named All Saints Church located in Peshawar, Pakistan was visited by two suicide bombers.  Peshawar is located in the province of Khabar Pakhtunkhwa and is the capital city of this province where many government buildings and officials are stationed.  The two suicide bombers blew themselves up and killed 129 believers and injured 200 or more according to the missionaries as well as the church members on the ground.  These figures are based on eye witness accounts and the church’s attendance log.  Normally attendance on most Sundays totaled 500 to 600 believers.  Pakistani officials report a lower number with 78 people killed and 130 injured.

According to our missionary sources on the ground who have asked to remain anonymous for security purposes, the first ambulance arrived two hours after the blast.  Rather than continue waiting for medical help, many victims were carried by relatives to a nearby government hospital only ten minutes away but died unnecessarily because the doctors would not attend to them on a prompt basis.  The delay in medical care is because they were Christians.  Other victims were transported by loved ones to private hospitals with the hope of getting more immediate treatment for them.  For many other Christians, death was immediate as their body parts were scattered across the church’s grounds by the blast.  Some families lost all members with no one remaining.   One man lost a total of nine family members.  Children and infants were left orphaned.  Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, children, babies, friends and neighbors were lost in this tragedy and all of them were Christian.  One of the two priests conducting the earlier church service was killed along with his entire family.

You will never hear of these eyewitness reports from the Pakistani government or its news agencies although Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did condemn the attack and accused the vigilantes of targeting innocent people which is against the teachings of Islam.  The Jundallah claimed responsibility for the attack.

Photographs and names of eyewitnesses have been omitted for security reasons as many Christians and missionaries are falsely accused of blasphemy against Islam which is a crime under Pakistani law.

Open Doors

Persecution of Christians is yet another realm where statistics may differ among various organizations and agencies.  The various Christian organizations which help to support the persecuted Christians may have different scales for rating worldwide persecution.  For example, one organization might rate persecution from a standpoint of intensity once a Christian is caught whereas another agency might rate persecution by the number of people killed or imprisoned over a year’s period.

In this segment, most of the reported information was obtained by Open Doors, a Christian organization that has been accessing our persecuted brethren in foreign countries and communist states for over the past 50 years.  Open Doors has consistently shown the unique ability to access persecuted brethren surviving in difficult regions with the objective of strengthening them in the midst of persecution.  Open Doors believes that when a persecuted Christian expresses love towards his enemies, which elevates his character above those who torment and persecute him, various opportunities may emerge whereby he can testify to Christ Jesus.  Nevertheless, many of these precious Christians will experience death in expressing their allegiance to Christ. 

On the other hand, prefer to help Christians escape from bondage, discrimination or danger rather than see them suffer or live within today’s modern-day slavery conditions without genuine help from others.  In these situations, the rescuer’s life on the ground level is typically in imminent danger. 

When Open Doors smuggles in bibles, literature, and finances to the persecuted ones, its goal is to enable them to reach out with compassion to their own communities, even their oppressors with the love of Christ.  Although this seems idealistic it nevertheless can result in the enemy converting to Christ Jesus.  Currently, Open Doors is working in over 60 countries.

 

 

Congressman Bradley Bryne, Alabama, Republican
“Persecution of Christians Abroad

 

2014 – The Top 10 Countries

Below you will find Open Door’s 2014 critical list of nations that persecute Christians.  Although Open Doors has listed 50 different nations that persecute Christians, we have previewed only the top 10.  This list will most likely change for 2015 given the increase in persecution throughout the mideast nations throughout late 2014 and early 2015.  Some of the leaders listed below may not currently be in office as some have been removed due to the uprisings.  The videos and the brief outlines of each country were supplied by Open Doors.  This information is provided at a single glance in a simplified format.  The list is the following:

Open Doors USA – World Watch List
Videos and information credited to Open Doors

# 1  North Korea

– Extreme Persecution for Christians

Leader – Kim Jong-Un
Government – Communist dictatorship
Main Religion –  Atheism/traditional beliefs

Population: 24.5 million (300,000 Christians)
Source of persecution: Communist oppression/ Dictatorial paranoia

2013 Rank – #1

For the 12th consecutive year, this is the place where Christian persecution is most extreme. The God-like worship of the leader, Kim Jong-Un, and his predecessors leaves no room for any other religion, and Christians face unimaginable pressure in every sphere of life. Forced to meet only in secret, they dare not share their faith even with their families, for fear of imprisonment in a labor camp.  Anyone discovered engaging in secret religious activity may be subject to arrest, disappearance, torture, even public execution.

 

#2  Somalia

– Extreme Persecution of Christians

Leader – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Government – Federal republic
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 10.3 million (A few hundred Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – # 5

Pressure is increasing on the tiny Christian community in this Muslim-majority country. Islamic leaders and government officials publicly reinforce that there is no room for Christians, and there is a strong drive to purge Christianity from Somalia. The militant Islamist group, al-Shabaab, targets Christians and local communities. Ten believers are reported to have been killed by members of al-Shabaab in 2013. There is a high level of fear and mistrust among believers, who have to hide their faith for fear of betrayal. (Open Doors)

#3  Syria



– Extreme Persecution of Christians

Leader – President Bashar al-Assad
Government – Republic
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 21.8 million (1.3 million Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – #11

As the civil conflict inside Syria becomes more and more severe, targeted violence against Christians has escalated. The Syrian opposition is increasingly ‘Islamizing’, and Christians are becoming more vulnerable in all spheres of life. Many Christians were reported to have been abducted, physically harmed or killed, and many churches damaged or destroyed. On October 21st, Islamist militias invaded the ancient Christian settlement of Sadad, killing at least 45 people, and injuring many more.  (Open Doors)

 

#4  Iraqi

– Extreme Persecution of Christians

Leader – Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
Government – Parliamentary democracy
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 35.9 million (330,000 Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – #4

There was an increase in attacks and threats against Christians in 2013. Islamist terrorist groups, influenced by the conflict in Syria, are increasing in number. One of their aims is to empty the country of Christians, and this situation is aggravated by the government’s total authority. According to a local source, every two or three days a Christian is killed, kidnapped or abused. As a minority, Christians are an easy target for kidnappers. Even in the relatively unrestricted, semi-autonomous Kurdish region, the security situation for Christians is deteriorating.

 

#5  Afghanistan

– Extreme Persecution of Christians

Leader: President Hamid Karzai
Government: Islamic republic
Main Religion: Islam

Population: 35.6 million (thousands of Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism/Tribal antagonism

2013 Rank – # 2

The situation in the country remains unstable, and Islamic extremist groups continue to gain power. Christianity is still considered a ‘Western’ religion, and is seen as hostile to Afghan culture, society and Islam. Those who leave Islam are treated as apostates, and face huge pressures from family, society and local authorities. In September 2013, an Afghan MP called for the execution of converts to Christianity. There is no public church, even for ex-pats. Christian converts keep their faith secret, since any connection with Christianity is dangerous

 

#6  Saudi Arabia

– Extreme Persecution of Christians

Leader – King Abdullah
Government – Monarchy
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 29.9 million (1.25 million Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – # 2

The open practice of any religion other than Islam is forbidden here, and conversion to another faith is punishable by death. Most Christians are ex-pats from Asia or Africa. During 2013, several Christian migrant fellowships were raided by police, and tens of worshippers detained and deported. Muslim-background believers run the risk of honor killing if their faith is discovered. Yet a small but growing number of Muslims are coming to Christ and sharing their faith on the internet and satellite TV.

 

# 7  Maldives

– Extreme Persecution of Christians

Leader – President Abdulla Yameen
Government – Republic
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 333,000 (Several Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – # 6

To be Maldivian is equated with being Muslim, so officially there are no Maldivian Christians, only ex-pat Christians. The government sees itself as the protector of Islam, and the law prohibits conversion to other faiths; those who do so face losing citizenship. There is extensive social control over all individuals to correct any deviation from the path of Islam. This pressure is mirrored within families and communities. Consequently, there are no church gatherings or buildings, and the few Maldivian Christians hide their faith to avoid being discovered.

 

#  8 Pakistan

Leader: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Government: Republic
Main Religion: Islam

Population: 186.4 million (5.3 million Christians
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism/Organized corruption

2013 Rank – # 14

Pakistan’s Christians are caught in the crossfire between Islamic militant organizations that routinely target Christians, and an Islamizing culture that leaves Christians isolated from the rest of the population. The notorious blasphemy laws continue to have devastating consequences for minorities, including Christians. Women and girls from minority groups are particularly vulnerable, and sexual assaults against underage Christian girls by Muslim men continue to be reported. In September 2013, a twin bomb attack on Anglican All Saints Church in Peshawar left 89 people dead.

#  9 Iran

Leader – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Government – Islamic Republic
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 77.2 million (450,000 Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – # 8

Since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s warning in 2010 of the ever-expanding influence and numbers of house churches, the treatment of Christians has rapidly worsened. The regime tries to destroy those who reach out to converts and seekers by monitoring services, arresting converts, banning Farsi language services and closing some churches. Attacks against Christian communities have increased, and the prohibition of house church activities is enforced more strictly. Yet the regime’s harsh treatment of Christians only further fuels the flames of church growth.

 

# 10 Yemen

Leader – President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi (government recently taken over by rebels) 
Government – Republic
Main Religion – Islam

Population: 27.2 million (a few thousand Christians)
Source of persecution: Islamic extremism

2013 Rank – # 9

There is some religious freedom for foreigners here, but evangelism is prohibited, and Yemenis who leave Islam may face the death penalty. Muslim-background believers are forced to meet in secret. If their faith is discovered, they face severe persecution from authorities, family, and extremist groups who threaten ‘apostates’ with death if they do not recant. Insecurity caused by Islamist movements makes Yemen very unstable. Christians are believed to be under surveillance by extremists, and ex-pat Christians can be a specific target for these extremist groups.