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Congressman gets standing O for nailing IRS chief
May 17, 2013 - During the Friday’s House Ways and Means Committee hearing about the scandal of the IRS targeting conservative
groups, Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa. grilled former IRS Chief Steve Miller who just resigned under pressure. Kelly said to Miller,
- “When the IRS comes in, you’re not allowed to be shoddy, you’re not allowed to be run horribly, you’re not allowed to make mistakes, you’re
not allowed to do one d— thing that doesn’t come in compliance,” Kelly blasted. “If you do, you’re held responsible right then.”
When Kelly called the situation "an outrage for all America,” the gallery erupted in applause.
- Source: WND
May 14, 2013 - In the light of recent news that the IRS has been inappropriate targeting of groups with "tea party" and other conservative
buzzwords, Franklin Graham revealed that The Billy Graham Evangelical Association and Samaritan Purse were both audited last year , apparently because
they encouraged voters to vote with Christian principles in mmind.
- Both the BGEA and Samaritan's Purse passed the audits and retained their tax-exempt status. But Franklin Graham says the audits, which
"wasted" ministry time and money, were not "coincidence" or "justifiable."
- Source: Christianity Today
- pdf file of the Letter -
In IRS scandal, echoes of Watergate
May 13, 2013 - Recent disclosures that the IRS is deliberately targeting groups sympathetic to the Tea Party or advocating patriotism or
constitutional rights has hit the news as another scandal that affects the White House. Commentator George T. Will notes that 40 years ago a similar complaint
helped bring down President Nixon during the Watergate Scandal era.
- Source: George T. Will - Washington Post
US Dept. of State Accused of Enabling Nigerian Islamist Group Boko Haram
May 1, 2013 -
- A Nigerian human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, has accused the U.S. Department of State of enabling Islamist militant group Boko Haram by
mischaracterizing their actions in that country which have resulted in the death of more than 1,000 Christians and other civilians since 2012.
The Department of State failed to designate Boko Haram a terror group, and now it claims that they are economically motivated and should receive
more money to assist their operations.
- Source: Christian Post
Nigeria: The Deadliest Place to Be a Christian
Apr. 29, 2014 -
- According to various report, over 900 Christian were killed in Nigeria in 2012 for no other reason than subscribing to the Christian faith.
Many victims died at the hands of Islamic militants attached to the extremist group Boko Haram.
Already this year some 128 people have been killed.
- Source: International Christian Concern - Religion Today
Pastor Saeed Abedini Severely Beaten, Fainting From Internal Bleeding
Apr. 15, 2013 - The American Center for Law and Justice reports that U.S. pastor Saeed Abedini has been severely beaten in Evin Prison
in Tehran, and is experiencing fainting spells. He is not receiving proper medical care. He has been building an orphanage for children in Iran, and
was arrested last year, tried for "endangering national security," and sentenced to eight years in prison.
- The ACLJ called that a "sham trail," however, noting that the real reason behind Abedini's sentence was his faith.
- Source: Christian Post
Egypt's Copts Need Protection: What's Morsi Waiting For?
Apr. 15, 2013 - The Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt is experiencing the worst persecution in their 2000 year history. A week
ago last Sunday, at the end of a funeral service at their Cathedral, some 200 Muslims attacked them, killing one man and injuring dozens
of others. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II said that there had been no clear action by the state against the perpetrators.
- Source: Christian Post
-
Egyptian Religious Ministry Bans Interactions With Evangelical Church - Christian Post
Military warned 'evangelicals' No. 1 threat
Apr. 6, 2013 -
- Soldiers in the U.S. military have been told in a training briefing that evangelical Christians are the No. 1 extremist threat to
America – ahead of groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, KKK, Nation of Islam, al-Qaida, Hamas and others
At an Army reserve unit in Pennsylvania, a training brief titled “Extremism and Extremist Organizations,” also listed Catholicism and
ultra-orthodox Judaism as extremist organizations. Extremists were defined as people who believe their beliefs, customs and traditions are
the only ‘right way.’
- Source: WND
Website stunner: 'Legalize Jesus'
Mar. 25, 2013 - Check out the new Hollywood-style website that exposes the rising tide of persecution against Christians!
- Source: WND
- Rise of Islam fuels Christian persecution - WND
Anti-Christian Pogrom in Pakistan
Mar. 18, 2013 - Muslims in Badami Bagh, a suburb of the city of Lahore in Pakistan, burned about 170 homes of Christians. They
claimed that the town’s residents has spoken disrespectfully about Prophet Muhammad.
- Source: The Voice of Russia
Activists Scold U.S. Over Pastor Imprisoned in Iran
Mar. 18, 2013 - When the U.S. State Department failed to show up for a hearing on Mar. 13 about Iran's treatment of religious minorities,
and pastor Saeed Abedini's imprisonment in Tehran's Evin prison, Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice,
complained,
- "The State Department is AWOL -- they are absent without leave."
- Source: Religion Today
Persecution Rises in China as Plan Begins to End House Churches
Feb. 19,. 2013 - The Chinese government has begun a three-phase plan to eliminate unregistered house churches.
The first phase began last year, from January to June. The State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) secretly investigated house
churches across the country and created files on them. It is estimated that there are between 45 million and 60 million house-church members.
The government has banned the term "house church."
The second phase, which is being implemented now, is to try to convince churches to become part of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement(TSPM),
the legal, government-controlled church. Most underground Christian object to TSPM beliefs. If they do join TSPM they will be called
"house gatherings."
- The third phase is expected to begin from 2015 through to 2025, when the government would shut down house churches that do not comply with
the requirement to join the TSPM.
- Source: Religion Today
-
How China Plans to Wipe Out House Churches - Christianity Today
- For balance on this issue:
China Isn't Trying to Wipe Out Christianity - Christianity Today
20 Churches Destroyed, 100s of 'Sons' Killed in Syria; Christian Leader Reveals Dire Reality
Feb. 9, 2013 - The Patriarch of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church revealed that twenty churches have been destroyed,
damaged or abandoned, and around a hundred Christians have been killed in recent fighting in Syria.
- Source: Christian Post
Feb. 8, 2013 - Maikel Adel Naguib Farag and Maikel Mossad Shaker were sentenced to three years in prison in Egypt for possessing
a military machine gun during a a protest in Cairo last October. The protest denounced the demolition of a church in Aswan. The military
opened fire on the demonstrators and ran over some of them with their armored vehicles.
- To date, no top-ranking military officials have been held responsible for the massacre and only three soldiers have been sentenced
with short prison terms on charges of involuntary manslaughter for their role in the deaths of fourteen protestors.
- Source: Religion Today
American Pastor Sentenced to 8 Years in Iran
Jan. 28, 2013 - An American pastor, Saeed Abedini, has been convicted on charges of setting up house churches in Iran. He
rejected the charges, but was sentenced to 8 years in prison. State Department spokesman said that the department is calling on Iran
to respect 's human rights and release him.
- Source: NewsMax
- Update Feb. 8, 2013 -
American pastor tortured in Iranian prison - WND
Religious War: North Africa's Christians Multiply Amid Persecution
Jan. 27, 2013 - Operation World reports that Christian persecution has increased since the Arab Spring in countries like Egypt,
Libya, and Algeria.
- "Yet increased pressure over the last decade has not crushed the evangelical churches, which are growing by 5 percent annually. 'A
prayer and renewal movement has burst onto the scene in recent years with many thousands from all the major churches participating.'”
- Source: Religion Today
Africa Rises, China Falls on Christian Persecution List
Jan. 9, 2013 - Open Doors, a Christian missionary organization reports that there was a vast rise in Christian persecution
in Africa last year as radical Islamists consolidated power there. Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia and Mali were especially bad for Christians.
- North Korea topped Open Doors' list for the 11th year in a row...The group estimates that as many as 70,000 Christians are
imprisoned in North Korea simply for being Christian, and the act of carrying a Bible can result in execution.
Other top violators are Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, with Syria rising rapidly.
On the other hand, China has improved, moving down on the persecution list from No. 21 in 2011 to No. 37 in 2012.
- Source: Religion Today
-
About 100 million Christians persecuted around the world: report - Reuters
-
Why President Obama Does Not Defend Persecuted Christians - By Egyptian Christian Author - Christian Post
Hobby Lobby: The First Martyr Under Obamacare?
Jan. 8, 2013 - It is interesting that December 26 is the day that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor refused judicial relief
to the Hobby Lobby craft store chain regarding their objection to the Affordable Care Act because it requires them to provide
birth control methods that may result in abortion. December 26 happens to be Stephen's Day, the day that honors Christendom's first martyr.
A statement from Hobby Lobby says, "The company will continue to provide health insurance to all qualified employees. To remain true to their
faith, it is not their intention, as a company, to pay for abortion-inducing drugs." Contraception is not the the issue, but some of the
government-approved methods will stop the growth of a fertilized egg.
As a result the government could fine Hobby Lobby $1.3 million per day! That would be the "death knell" for the company.
- Apparently, that death would be more desirable to the company's owners than potentially funding the deaths of developing human beings.
- Source: Karen Swallow Prior - Christianity Today
The Scandal of Silence: Our Persecuted Brethren
Jan. 7, 2013 - Evangelical Christians have had a serious blindspot this past year about the "outrageous, brutal and systematic
persecution of Christians — especially in the Islamic world." The U.S. government and the media have been silent too! Recording "Breakpoint
This Week," the author joined WORLD magazine columnist Mindy Belz and Ed Stetzer of LifeWay Research to discuss this problem. For example:
The Islamic group Boko Haram have been on a murderous rampage against Christians in Nigeria.
- And of course, it’s not just Nigeria. Entire Christian communities have disappeared in Iraq. In Syria, Christians are being
targeted by Islamist radicals mixed in with the Syrian opposition forces.
All over the world there are neglected stories of persecution against Christians. Will this be the year we break our silence?
- Source: John Stonestreet, BreakPoint - Religion Today
Go to: Articles before Jan. 1, 2013
Links About Persecution
WORLD WATCH LIST
PERSECUTION NEWS
- Legalize Jesus
- Morning Star News
- Religious Freedom - Christian Post
- World Watch Monitor
- Worthy Network
ARTICLES
- Persecution of Christians - Wikipedia
-
Ayaan Hirsi Ali:The Global War on Christians in the Muslim World - Newsweek
ORGANIZATIONS
- Amnesty International
- Bible League
- Christian Freedom International
- Christians In Crisis
- Compas Direct
- Defend Christians
- Hudson Institute's Center For Religious Freedom
- Human Rights Watch
- International Christian Concern
- International Day of Prayer For The Persecuted Church
- Open Doors International - Brother Andrew
- Persecution Project
- World Watch List
- The Rutherford Institute
- The Thomas More Law Center
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