Spreading the C-Virus

According to a report in Reuters yesterday, computer specialist Didier Stevens put up a simple text advertisement on the Internet offering downloads of a computer virus for people who did not have any. Surprisingly, he found as many as 409 people clicking on the ad saying "Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here!" during a 6-month advertising campaign on Google's Adword. There was no virus involved but only an experiment aiming to show these kinds of advertising systems can be used for malicious intent. I will leave you to decide what else this campaign revealed about the kind of person who would actually click on such an ad.

I am just putting the last touches on our June newsletter today. The feature article is entitled, "Spreading the C-Virus" and focuses on the persecution facing Christians in Burma (Myanmar). According to a Burmese pastor who is interviewed in the article, there is a saying that if you are Christian and you are Chin (a minority tribe) you have the C-virus. "As a Chin and a Christian, you are automatically considered a second-class citizen," he says. "You will not get promoted in any government employment, so you do not have much hope."

How many of us would remain faithful to our faith if we had to live daily with the pressures that Burmese and other persecuted believers do? Being viewed as sick, infected with a virus. second-class, disposable....

You will want to read the June edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter. Those who agreed to be interviewed for this article risked their lives and safety to do so. They wanted you to know what it means for them to follow Christ in this restrictive nation. You should subscribe today if you are not already receiving our monthly newsletter so as not to miss it.