CRTC whitewashes report

In June 4, 2009, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission published its “Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-329: Review of broadcasting in new media.”  Included were extremely interesting remarks on free expression from Commissioner Timothy Denton in his concurring opinion:

The history of the regulation of speech in this country does not engender confidence that such powers will be used wisely. Canada has experienced several instances in recent times where regulatory commissions of another type and armed with a different mission have challenged the right to say controversial things. The struggles of Ezra Levant, Mark Steyn and others have served as important warnings that regulatory authorities charged with combating racism, hatred, and other evils have consistently expanded their mandates, have abused their powers and eroded fundamental liberties. Wherever there is official orthodoxy, disagreement is heresy, and where there is heresy, there is usually an inquisition to root it out. After centuries ridding ourselves of thought control agencies, 20th century Canada re-invented them.

Strangely enough, this paragraph was removed from the report yesterday.  Want to see for yourself?  Check out the two versions on Stephen Taylor’s blog.

One has to ask, why would the CRTC remove this paragraph with it reference to recent court battle defending to right to freedom of expression in the media and its concerns over the abusive powers of the Human Rights Commissions in Canada?  Any suggestions?

Maryam and Marzieh – In danger of being forgotten in Iran

 
Two Iranian Christian women, Maryam Rustampoor (27) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30), continue to be held in Evin prison in Iran because of their Christian faith, unfairly labelled as ‘anti-government activists’, because of the hostility of the government towards practising Christians.

In the aftermath of the political turmoil in Iran, they are now in danger of being forgotten. One church leader from Iran said, “With so many hundreds of protestors now in the prison system, Maryam and Marzieh are likely to be forgotten.”

Arrested on March 5 , 2009, the two young women have now been in prison for four months. After being in solitary confinement for three weeks in May and early June, they were then put one small cell together for about two weeks. Then, following the arrests of thousands of protestors after the disputed presidential elections, Marzieh and Maryam were moved to a larger cell to make room for new prisoners. About 600 women were brought Evin prison during the days of the protests. There is still no clarity regarding their case. In one court session in June a judge told them that he would make sure they were both executed as ‘apostates’. Maryam and Marzieh have responded with courage, however, telling the judge to “expedite his sentence.”

“Maryam and Marzieh have demonstrated great courage and trust in God. They believe the promise of Jesus that they will be given the words to speak when they are taken before judges,” says Sam Yeghnazar, founder of Elam Ministries.

Please continue to pray for Maryam and Marzieh as they suffer in prison in Iran. Pray they will continue to experience the strengthening presence of God and that they will be a witness of the love and grace of Christ in Evin prison. We invite you to post a prayer on our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.

Please also consider Maryam and Marzieh in prison at:

Evin Prison
Saadat Abad
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Yes, you can write in English but if you wish to compose a letter in Farsi, our US sister mission has an online tool that can help you. Click here.

Please note
When writing a letter, never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs or Prisoner Alert. It is not dangerous for a prisoner to receive letters from individuals, but if an organization is mentioned they may be accused of links with ‘foreign organizations’ and receive harsher sentences. Also, please do not state anything negative about their government.

VOMC provides free online tools for pastors/teachers

Having spoken at churches, conferences, colleges and other numerous others settings many, many times over the past decade, I know that many church leaders and teachers feel that the topic of persecution and the Persecuted Church are topics that are best left to the “experts.” 

I must disagree. What many forget is that the New Testament was written by persecuted Christians to persecuted Christians. The theme of suffering for righteousness permeates the Old Testament. Throughout history, persecution has been the norm for most Christians almost everywhere. This is true even today. The Scriptures are replete with admonitions not only on how to stand firm in the midst of persecution but on the church’s obligation and privilege of standing together with those who are persecuted for their faith in Christ. Hence, this is a subject that church leaders should have some knowledge of and be prepared to share on. One need not be an expert in order to be effective and knowledgeable.

This that in mind, we have produced a free downloadable file called the Preacher’s Pack with a number of resources especially designed to assist pastors, church leaders and teachers in introducing their church or class to the reality of persecution today and in preparing a message or lesson on the persecution of Christians around the world. [Click here to download it now]

It is our goal with this download to provide you with enough tools to do just this and to know where to get additional information and help as needed. I am confident that having delved into this subject, you will find that it is one that will deepen your faith and that of those you lead and influence.

If you have any questions or suggestions on how we can improve it, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Eritrea detains 15 monks

The Dutch office of Open Doors is reporting that 15 Eritrean Orthodox monks have been arrested because of their plans to publicize the Eritrean government’s interference in the affairs of their church. In particular the monks oppose the replacement of the Orthodox Patriarch “Abune” Antonios by the government with their own designated official. According to Orthodox tradition, the patriarch can only be replaced for “immoral” activities. 

Open Doors spokesman Klaas Muurling said, "The arrests of monks are remarkable as they are part of the Eritrean Orthodox Church which has been officially recognized by the government. Since 2002 only Islam, the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran church have been permitted in the country.  Persecution mainly focused on Christians outside these churches. It are especially Christians who want carry out their beliefs actively who are arrested.”

The whereabouts and identities and the present circumstances of the fifteen monks are unknown. In Eritrea at present, at least 2,800 Christians are locked up in prisons, underground cells, shipping containers, military concentration camps and labour camps. The circumstances in which they find themselves are can be only be described as pitiful.

Please remember these men in your prayers. We encourage you to post a prayer on their behalf on our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall.

Taking the harder road

One of the ongoing points of discussion here at The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada is how we can transition from being a mission that primarily responds to persecution to one that equips persecuted Christians to respond to incidents of religious violence with limited or no outside assistance.  How can we move from being perceived as being like the knight who rides in on a white horse with dollar bills flying out his pockets rescuing the downtrodden to being a servant who assists the local church to meet local needs of persecuted believers as locally as possible?  Reliance on outside aid inevitably delays response, may not always be appropriate, is liable to be abused or duplicated, can create an unhealthy dependency, and can actually increase persecution as persecutors resent what they perceive to be outside interference.

The problem is, for many organizations like The Voice of the Martyrs, being primarily a reactive ministry is far easier to do and hence, if there is no underlying philosophical drive to do otherwise, it will almost always be the fallback position that we will take and where we will place our focus. 

But why is it easier?   Why is it easier to be reactive rather than proactive in serving the persecuted?  First of all, relief aid is far easier to raise money for. Aid is easy to describe and donors can see the need and as they give, they are able to see results.  That brings us the second reason why relief aid is easier - there are immediate, measurable results. You can see the results and you can tell your donors what you have used their donations for. You can easily take pictures and videos of people receiving the aid. Hence, the third reason of taking the easier path – relief aid is easier to depict pictorially.  How do you take pictures for your donors of how you have motivated or equipped Indian Christians to provide assistance to other Indian Christians? Pictures of training sessions are boring. Much better to have a picture of a doe-eyes little girl clutching a bowl of rice gracing the cover of your magazine.

The fourth reason organizations gravitate towards aid rather than development is that relief aid is typically easier to plan and implement, especially if you are not overly concerned about involving local Christians in the process, many of whom are probably just glad that you are doing something.  With relief program, the western mission can call the shots and implement programs that have worked in other countries and which you already have resources for and expertise in. Of course, mistakes can be made. I recently was reading the comments section of a website in Pakistan where a local Christian mentioned that her village had just received a shipment of used clothing from a western mission. Unfortunately, she complained, the clothing they received was heavy winter wear received just as the heat of summer was arriving.  The clothing was of no value to them.  She wondered why this organization thought that winter clothing would be an appropriate response to their immediate need. 

Lastly, relief aid requires far less expertise and specially trained personnel. Equipping local believers to respond to persecution effectively and biblically takes a different set of skills and training than the logistics of providing relief aid.  The scramble for donations and the pressure to be seen “doing something” makes the development and/or training of such personnel less of a priority than it should be. It is far easier just to react. 

Please pray for us as we continue these vital discussions. We want to be an organization that is not only seen to be doing good but actually does good both in the short and long term.  This is the harder road to take but it is one we believe we need to take.

This week in persecuted church history (July 5-11)

Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:7b (ESV)

July 5, 2003: Father George Ibrahim is brutally murdered in the early hours of the day as six armed assailants enter his home in Renala Khord, Pakistan and shoot him and his parish assistant.

July 5, 2007: Two Pentecostal pastors are shot and killed by assailants suspected to be members of the leftist guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the village of El Dorado. At approximately 8:00 p.m., a group of armed men wearing camouflage clothing take Pastor Humberto Mendez (63) and Pastor Joel Cruz Garcia (27) from their homes. The next day, both of their bodies are found with gunshot wounds to the head.

July 5, 2007:  Rev. Pau Za Khen (62), pastor of the Upper Myanmar Evangelical Lutheran Church, is beheaded by an unidentified group in the town of Churachanpur, Manipur, India.  Pastor Khen was abducted from his daughter's home by four men the day before. His decapitated body is found in a field outside of town the following morning. His hands are tied behind his back and he is blindfolded.

July 6, 1054: Church legates of the Roman pope march into the church of Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and place a bull on the altar, excommunicating him. So began of the Great Schism between the Catholics and the Orthodox.

July 6, 1415: Jan Hus, Bohemian preacher and forerunner of Protestantism, is burned as a heretic in Constance, Germany.

July 6, 1535: Sir Thomas More (b. 1478), who had recently resigned as Lord Chancellor of England, is executed for treason. He had sided with the pope against Henry VIII in the matter of the king's divorce. He was sentenced to be hanged, but Henry commuted the sentence to beheading.

July 7, 2007: Neng Mua is shot dead by Laotian authorities, one of 13 Christian villagers killed after being falsely accused of stirring rebel dissent.

July 8, 2005: A large mob forms north in eastern Ethiopia near Bahir Dar, intending to kill a local Ethiopian missionary named "Stephen". His house is burned and he is dragged into the bush.  Police managed to intervene, but the mob turn on the police and wound two of them. Stephen is taken into custody where police beat him and allow other prisoners to attack him.  He is finally released after paying 2000 Birr ($285.00 CDN). 

July 9, 1925: The Scopes "Monkey Trial" begins in Day ton, Tennessee, as John Scopes is tried for teaching evolution to his students. Though William Jennings Bryan, acting as prosecuting attorney, won the courtroom battle, the creationists lost where public opinion was concerned. Chagrined, fundamentalist Christians largely withdrew from American culture.

July 10, 2007: The Ministry of Cults and Religions in Cambodia bans Christian groups from door-to-door evangelism on the grounds that it "disrupts society."

July 10, 2008: Twenty-eight-year-old Sayid Ali Sheik Luqman Hussein, a convert from Islam, is approached on July 8 by two Muslim men in in Afgyoye, a town 18 miles from Mogadishu, Somalia. They ask him if he faces Mecca when he prays. Hussein tells them that, as a Christian, he does not have to face a specific direction to pray because God is omnipresent. The two Muslim men return two days later armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and a semi-automatic handgun and shoot Hussein to death.

July 11, 1656: Barbados expatriates Ann Austin and Mary Fisher become the first Quakers to arrive in America. Officials promptly arrest them and deport them back to England five weeks later.

July 11, 1681: Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh, is executed, having been found guilty of treason. He was the last Catholic to die for his faith in England and the first Irish martyr to be beatified.

July 11, 1886: Protestant missionary Horace Underwood secretly baptizes Mr. Toh Sa No in Korea—the first recorded Protestant baptism in that country. However, an underground church was probably already active in Korea, begun by Korean workmen who had heard the gospel in China.

July 11, 2005: Four Americans participating in a Bible reading session in Mumbai, India are attacked by 30-40 Hindu youths because they believe the Americans are trying to convert Hindus.  Three of those attacked are treated for cuts and bruises but are not seriously hurt. While investigating the incident, officials decide that the Americans are in violation of their visitor's visa and order their deportation.

(sources: Christianity Today, The Voice of the Martyrs)

Prayer: “Grant that we, who now remember these before thee, may likewise so bear witness unto thee in this world, that we may receive with them the crown of glory that fadeth not away; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” – taken from The Book of Common Prayer, Canada (1962)

This week’s featured Persecuted Church resources (July 5-11)

Here are three of our newest resources available for from The Voice of the Martyrs that you are going to love.

Safely Home (Audio Book) by Randy Alcorn

Heading on a road trip this summer?  Stuck in traffic, commuting to and from work?  Redeem the time, listening to a great Christian novel about the persecuted church in China.  Safely Home follows the story of two Harvard roommates, one American and one Chinese, who reunite in China decades after they graduate. They are shocked at what they discover about each other, how the paths they have walked have shaped their lives and loyalties in radically different ways. ($20.00. 6 CDs Approx. 7.5 hours)

The Gospel According to Job by Mike Mason

The Gospel According to Job is a rich, thoughtful and deep journey into the text of the book of Job where we learn that there are no easy answers to suffering, especially suffering due to one’s relationship with God. We discover that the mark of true faith is not happiness, but rather, having one's deepest passions engaged by the enormity of God. ($20.00. Paperback, 448 pages)

Egyptian Voices by The Voice of the Martyrs

Christianity goes back two thousand years in Egypt. Throughout that history, the followers of Christ have suffered persecution of varying kinds, continuing to the present day. For converts from Islam, the trials are particularly severe. Hear the stories of struggle and an enduring faith lived out by today’s persecuted church in Egypt and how The Voice of the Martyrs is standing with them in building God’s kingdom. (10.00. DVD, 25 minutes, 2009).

Also check out our online discount specials! VOMC t-shirts, caps, jewellery, DVDs, posters, and books – most only $5.00 or less!  New items added this week!

Persecuted Church Prayer Wall online

I am pleased to announce that our new Persecuted Church Prayer Wall is now online.  This prayer wall gives you the opportunity to write out a prayer on behalf of persecuted Christians and to post it online, just as people place prayers in the cracks of the Weeping Wall in Jerusalem.

Serving the persecuted church goes beyond advocacy, relief and development, training or supplying literature.  It also involves lifting them up to our Heavenly Father, asking for His intervention in their lives. Without prayer, all of our other efforts are simply human efforts which can never truly glorify Him.

Has God placed a specific prayer on your heart?  Please share it by posting it on our online prayer wall. As we pray, God moves in ways that we would never anticipate.

This wall will also serve as a tremendous source of encouragement to persecuted Christians who will log on to our website (and many do) and read your prayers their behalf.

Join with us in interceding for persecuted Christians around the world.

Add your prayer to our Persecuted Church Prayer Wall today. 

[You can also add a link to this prayer wall on your website or blog. Click here]

Resources for knowing the times we live in

As a follow up to our last two blogs, I would like to invite you to order a couple of resources that you will find very helpful in understanding the state of human rights here in Canada and a Christian understanding of human rights in general.  For the former, I would recommend Ezra Levant’s new book, Shakedown: How Our  Government is Undermining Democracy in the Name of Human Rights.  You can order it online from The Voice of the Martyrs for only $17.00 plus shipping. This bestselling book is a “must read” in my opinion.  Make sure your pastor gets a copy because I sincerely believe that freedom of expression (including religious freedom) is going to become an increasingly important issue here in Canada.

For a better understanding of human rights from a Christian perspective, read Human Rights - A Christian Primer by Thomas K. Johnson.  This 2008 publication is perhaps the most helpful introduction to human rights from a Christian perspective in print today.  You can also order it from The Voice of the Martyrs for $10.00 plus shipping. 

Sadly, many church leaders in Canada seem to have little or no understanding of the importance of human rights and how biblically based the concept it.  Many seem unaware of many of the religious liberty issues that swirl around them today. 

I have always been impressed by David’s selection of men who he believed were fit to be leaders when we read in 1 Chronicles 12:32 that he chose from Issachar, “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.”  This is the kind of leader that God is looking for today as well. If you are a church leader, I urge you to get these books and then pass them on to others.

VOMC welcomes Saskatchewan government’s proposal to allow commissioners to refuse to marry same-sex couples

The Voice of the Martyrs welcomes the government of Saskatchewan’s decision to propose legislation that would allow provincial marriage commissioners to refuse to perform same-sex marriages for religious reasons.  According to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Justice Minister Don Morgan announced on Friday that the government would refer two versions of new legislation containing a religious exemption to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to rule whether they would conform with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Two legislative options will be put to the court, he said. "One would grandfather the existing marriage commissioners that are reluctant or unwilling to perform a same-sex marriage and the second option would grant religious exemption for not only the existing ones, but for future marriage commissioners that would have the same concerns." 

The previous NDP government had told marriage commissioners that they had to marry gay and lesbian couples, regardless of their personal religious beliefs. On May 23, 2008 a Saskatchewan human rights tribunal ruled that marriage commissioner Orville Nichols was guilty under the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code of discriminating against a gay couple whom he refused to marry three years ago.  He was ordered to pay $2,500 in compensation to the "couple", who claimed that the refusal was "pretty devastating" to them.  They were later married by another commissioner. Nichols, who has been a marriage commissioner for 25 years, has consistently said that his refusal was based on his religious beliefs. He has since filed a suit in the Prince Albert Court of Queen's Bench, claiming the Saskatchewan government is violating the Charter rights of the province's marriage commissioners.

Of the two options that the Saskatchewan government is proposing, the second provides far better protection of religious freedoms in our opinion.  To simply grant existing commissioners their full religious rights is merely a stop gap measure that would not protect the rights of future commissioners who might change their convictions or of citizens who might in the future wish to perform the duties of a marriage commissioner but who would be denied that possibility because of his or her religious views.  Such discrimination is wrong and should be addressed with this legislation.

Please pray as the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal considers these proposals. Why not post a pray to this effect on our new online prayer wall?

So, what about Omar Shaban?

Wow.  Rarely have I seen such universal and widespread vitriol condemnation than what I have seen expressed online towards the former vice-president of the Canadian Arab Federation who celebrated Canada Day by posting "F---Canada Day" on his personal Facebook page and calling Canada a "genocidal state” because of its treatment of its aboriginal people. 

Of course, I find these comments offensive and, I would suggest, misleading.  Omar Shaban’s real issues have to do with Canada’s close relationship with Israel and our banning of Hezbollah and Hamas, listing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Hiding behind aboriginal concerns is a common and convenient place for Islamists like him to hide.  And so condemnation, ridicule, taking him to task and holding him accountable for making and standing by these comments are perfectly appropriate in a free society.  The Canadian Arab Foundation was well within its rights to ask for his resignation and Canadians are well within their rights to express their outrage at these comments, whether they are true or not. 

And that is just the point.  Omar Shaban had the right to say stupid, tasteless, even false things.  And Canadians have the right to make him pay the consequences for his stupid, tasteless comments by responding to his comments with criticism and condemnation.  He should, however, not be silenced through state-imposed censorship. Neither should anyone who ridicules, condemns, criticizes and scorns him be subject to such. Omar Shaban has the right to say these things.  And the rest of the country has the right to criticize him for saying them. Freedom of expression goes both ways and always has consequences. Sometimes we have to hear people say dumb, brutish things.  And these people will have to expect to be treated like a pariah for saying them. Freedom of expression is not for the thin-skinned.

I strongly support freedom of expression; the right to express oneself without state retaliation. However, freedom of expression does not mean that one is to be free from social retaliation, consequences imposed by other people. Above all, freedom of expression does not protect you from being criticized for your ideas.

Omar Shaban should be grateful that he lives in a country that still allows him to flip the finger at his nation without being arrested for it.  I hope it stays that way.

Remember the persecuted in Egypt

The Voice of the Martyrs is focusing on the plight of persecuted Christians in Egypt during the month of August in our monthly newsletter. We have been involved in serving our Egyptian brothers and sisters for a number of years and urge you to consider how you can practically stand together with them in their afflictions this month.

In the early centuries after Christ, Egypt was predominantly Christian and a major centre for Christian scholarship. However, from the 7th century onwards with the initial Islamic invasion in 639 AD, Muslim rule and religion have predominated this ancient land. In 969, the country was conquered by Jawhar al-Siqilli and Cairo was founded as the new capital. Egypt's Coptic Christian church never disappeared, however, despite centuries of persecution and discrimination. Today, Egypt has the Middle East's largest Christian community. Some government figures have suggested that Christians make up twelve percent of the country’s population, with Christians claiming up to twenty percent. It is probably impossible to know for sure.

Despite the prominent Christian community, the country's constitution gives preference to Muslims and Christians are treated as second-class citizens, denied political representation, and often discriminated against in education and employment. While the constitution allows for freedom of conversion, Muslims converting to Christianity have often been unable to change their religion or their name on their identification cards. Without the freedom to make this change, Christian women remain designated as Muslims and are unable to marry Christian men. Children of those designated Muslim (even if they are, in fact, Christian) are educated as Muslims and those with Islamic names are routinely turned away from entering churches by police. Consequently, Christians have frequently had false ID cards produced, only to face prosecution for falsifying government documents. However, Christians who convert to Islam face no difficulty in changing their ID cards.

Egyptian Christians face ongoing challenges in building and repairing church buildings. The government requires permits for such construction but frequently refuses to grant them to churches. When applications are approved, they are often delayed by local authorities or security officials.

Another serious problem facing Christians in Egypt is the kidnapping, and often the rape, of Christian girls who are often then forced to marry a Muslim (even their attacker).

There have been a few hopeful decisions made by the Egyptian government. Some educational materials are now recognizing the Coptic contribution to Egyptian society. As well, the Coptic Christmas was officially recognized as an official national holiday in January 2003 (the Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7). Despite these moves, Egypt has a long way to go before it can be recognized as a religiously free nation.

How can you remember (Hebrews 13:3) your Christian sisters and brothers in Egypt?

STAY INFORMED

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada recently released a report entitled "Religious Freedom in Egypt: The Case of the Christian Minority. To download this report, click here.

SHOW ENCOURAGEMENT

In June 2000, Shaiboub Arsal was given a 15 year hard labour term. He has been falsely charged with two murders that took place during 1998 violence which targeted El-Kosheh’s Coptic Christian population. You can write a letter of encouragement to Shaiboub, care of his local bishop, at the following address:

Shaiboub Arsal
c/o Bishop Wissa Diocese of Baliana
Balina
Sohag Province
Egypt

PROTEST

Write the Egyptian embassy in Ottawa urging the removal of religious affiliation from Egyptian passports, government identification cards and birth certificates. In Egypt, citizens are required to carry their personal ID cards at all times. Without it, one has no access to basic services. Believers who try to change their card undergo severe persecution, such as Mohammed Hegazy. Please write to:

His Excellency Shamel Elsayed Nasser
Ambassador
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
454 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, ON K1N 6R3

PROVIDE

The Voice of the Martyrs supports safe houses in Egypt where Muslim converts in harm’s way can safely rebuild their lives and study God’s Word. Your gifts to VOMC’s Underground Church Fund help provide the means for this vital ministry. We are also involved in advocacy work to raise awareness of the persecution in Egypt and urge Canadian government officials to pressure their Egyptian counterparts to ensure greater religious freedom for Egypt’s Christians. We are grateful for your support of our ministry which allows us to do this.

Donations to all of our projects can be made securely online by clicking on the icon on the right or sent by mail to:

The Voice of the Martyrs
P.O. Box 117, Port Credit
Mississauga, ON
L5G 4L5

PROCLAIM

Do you know Arabic-speaking Muslims in your neighbourhood with whom you
would like to share the Good News? The Voice of the Martyrs is offering to provide you with up to five free copies of the evangelistic tool, He Lived Among Us, in Arabic. This vividly illustrated comic book tells the life of Jesus and presents the gospel simply and effectively. We also have a number of copies of Sons of Ishmael, a small book in Arabic with the testimonies of Muslims who have come to faith in Jesus. Many have heard the Good News worldwide through these incredible tools. Call us today at 1.888.298.6423 to receive up to five copies of one or both of these resources at no cost. Of course, a donation to help with shipping costs would be appreciated.

Muslim mob burns homes and churches in Pakistan

International Christian Concern is reporting that 100 Christian houses and churches were set on fire on June 30 by a mob local Muslims in the village of Kasur, east of Lahore, Pakistan. Here is the report:

The riots were incited by broadcasts from local mosques. This incident is similar to a February 1997 attack when thousands of Christian houses and churches were burned and hundreds of Christians were injured.

ICC partners received the news this morning and went immediately to the scene to help injured Christians transferred to Lahore, renting two mini vans for this purpose. So far 9 burned women and 4 children have been transferred to Lahore for further medical treatment. All of them have been injured by throwing acid on them. Local police have arrived on the scene but the situation is out of control as thousands of Muslims have gathered for this purpose.

Jubilee Campaign, Release International, the Pakistan Christian Post, and others have confirmed the attack and is reporting that Christian homes are being looted of their valuables. Pakistan’s Daily Times gives more details:

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Christian families in Kasur hide from angry mobs

* Christians say blasphemy charges result of misunderstanding, argument between two boys
* DCO ‘apologises’ to Christians

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: At least 110 Christian families, almost 700 people, were forced on Tuesday night to flee Bahmniwala, a village in Kasur, after angry mobs attacked and threatened to burn their houses for allegedly committing blasphemy.

The families sought safety in the fields surrounding their village, even as local mosques urged the Muslims to unite and “teach a lesson” to the Christians, residents told Daily Times. However, locals told Daily Times the problem started when a Christian boy, Arif Mashi, was travelling on a tractor and asked a Muslim boy, Muhammad Riaz, to allow him to pass. When Riaz refused, the two quarrelled.

Following this incident, on Tuesday night, a mob attacked houses of the area’s Christian community with petrol-bombs, destroying their electricity meters and thrashing any Christians they found. On Wednesday, the Muslim community refused to communicate with the Christian community, boycotting their businesses. The Christians who returned to their homes found they had no electricity or drinking water the entire day. “Despite the presence of police, the mosques continued to urge a complete Christian boycott,” Sohail Johnson, chief coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry, said.

Human Rights and Minority Affairs Minister Kamran Michael said he had asked officials of the Revenue Department to compile an estimate of the loss suffered by the Christian community. He said justice would be ensured, adding the government would investigate the people responsible for turning the incident into a religious issue.

A committee comprising Christian and Muslim elders of the area, led by Kasur District Coordination Officer (DCO) Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, was formed on Wednesday to look into the matter and negotiate a peace deal between the two groups. The committee has been given four days to settle the matter.

DCO: The DCO said Islam did not allow cruelties against minorities. In his capacity as the DCO, he apologised to the Christians for the treatment that was meted out to them. A fact-finding mission led by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), will travel to the area today (Thursday) to probe into the matter.

Please remember our brothers and sisters in Kasur in your prayers.  We will continue to monitor this incident and update this blog as more information becomes available.

Family forgives son's killers

It always amazes me when I see the grace of God evident in the lives of those whose loved ones have been killed for Christ.  As many of you know, 39-year-old Christopher Leggett was killed by Al-Qaeda's North Africa branch on a week ago Tuesday because they claimed he was spreading Christianity in the Muslim country.  As the family prepared to bury their son yesterday, they sent a message to his killers.  Here is the report by Associated Press:

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania—The family of an American man who was slain by extremists linked to al-Qaida while doing humanitarian work in Mauritania said Monday it has forgiven his killers.

Chris Leggett, 39, was shot dead in the Mauritanian capital on June 23, not far from the school he helped run which taught computer skills to local prisoners.

An Arab TV station aired a statement issued by a North African al-Qaida group spokesman who said the group killed Leggett because he was allegedly trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

Leggett's family in the U.S. released a statement to reporters in Mauritania on Monday saying in French: "In the spirit of love, we forgive those that took the life of our remarkable son ... and we simply ask that the law is applied to those that killed him."

Leggett is to be buried Tuesday in Cleveland, Tennessee.

The Cleveland Daily Banner reports that he had spent seven years in Mauritania and that he is survived by a wife and four children.