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Special Report
Religious Liberty Lost Worldwide
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has released its annual report.
(Page 2 of 3)
Most striking is the veritable destruction of Iraq’s Christian community, which predates the arrival of Islam. The original population of 1.4 million is down to about 500,000. The USCIRF quotes “Christian leaders warning that the result of this flight may be ‘the end of Christianity in Iraq.’”
*Nigeria. An estimated 12,000 have died in sectarian violence over the last decade. Reports the USCIRF, “The government of Nigeria continues to respond inadequately and ineffectively to recurrent communal and sectarian violence.” The tragic result has been more violence: “Years of inaction by Nigeria’s federal, state and local governments as created a climate of impunity, resulting in thousands of deaths.”
Although Christians and Muslims share responsibility, violence has been concentrated in the Muslim-majority states to the north, where Sharia law has been widely imposed. The legislation is supposed to be applicable only to Muslims, but “some states in recent years have instituted or tolerated discriminatory practices based on religious precepts,” including bans on public religious activities, notes the USCIRF.
*North Korea. This probably is the most repressive state on earth. Observes the Commission: “The government controls most aspects of daily life, including religious activity, which is allowed only in government-operated religious ‘federations’ or in a small number of government-approved ‘house churches.’ Other public and private religious activity is prohibited. Anyone discovered engaging in clandestine religious activity is subject to discrimination, arrest, arbitrary detention, disappearance, torture, and public execution.”
*Pakistan. The Commission paints a dark picture: “Systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief continue in Pakistan. Religiously discriminatory legislation, such as the anti-Ahmadi laws and blasphemy laws foster an atmosphere of intolerance. Sectarian and religiously-motivated violence is chronic, and the government has failed to protect members of religious minorities from such violence and to bring perpetrators to justice. Growing religious extremism threatens the freedoms of expression and religion or belief, as well as other human rights, for everyone in Pakistan, particularly women, members of religious minorities, and those in the majority Muslim community who hold views deemed un-Islamic by extremists.”
The blasphemy laws are routinely abused, resulting “in the lengthy detention of, and sometimes violence against,” religious minorities. Most frightening has been persistent sectarian violence.
*Saudi Arabia. This U.S. ally avidly promotes religious totalitarianism. The USCIRF points to “Systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom continue in Saudi Arabia.” Forget King Abdullah’s liberalizing pretensions: “the Saudi government persists in banning all forms of public religious expression other than that of the government’s own interpretation of one school of Sunni Islam and also interferes with private religious practice.” Despite official promises to tolerate expatriate workers worshipping in their homes, the government’s religious police regularly raid such gatherings and arrest non-Muslims. Lengthy imprisonment and torture await those arrested for religious offenses.
*Sudan. With the end of Sudan’s civil war, the situation has improved in south Sudan, where Christians and animists predominate. But religious persecution remains distressingly common.
Reports the Commission: “Systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief continue to occur in Sudan. Violations include: the efforts by the Arab Muslim-dominated government in Khartoum to impose Sharia on Muslims and non-Muslims alike; governmental promotion of Sudan’s identity as being Arab and Muslims, thus effectively relegating non-Aras and non-Muslims to a secondary status in the society; the criminalization of conversion from Islam, a crime punishable by death, and the intense scrutiny, intimidation, and even torture of suspected converts by government security personnel; the denial of the rights of non-Muslims to public religious expression and persuasion, while allowing Muslims to proselytize; and the difficulty in obtaining permission to build churches, as compared to government funding of mosque construction.”
*Turkmenistan. Human rights have improved in recent years, but abuses remain rife. According to the USCIRF, the country’s religious law includes: “intrusive registration criteria; the requirement that the government be informed of all financial support received from abroad; a ban on worship in private homes and the public wearing of religious garb except by religious leaders; and severe and discriminatory restrictions on religious education.”
There is no recognition of conscientious objectors. The government interferes with internal church governance. Unregistered religious groups face systematic legal disabilities. Production of religious literature is banned. Worse, “in recent years, members of religious communities, including Muslims, Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses and a Hare Krishna, reportedly received prison terms or were sent into internal exile due to their religious convictions.”
*Uzbekistan. Reports the Commission: “The Uzbek government harshly penalizes individuals for independent religious activity, regardless of their religious affiliation. A restrictive religion law severely limits the rights of all religious communities and facilitates the Uzbek government’s control over them, particularly the majority Muslim community.”
Religions must register with the government: “Unregistered religious congregations may be subject to massive fines and police raids, as well as threats of physical violence, detentions, and arrest.” Yet the authorities routinely refuse to accept registrations from disfavored churches, including Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pentecostals, and others. The government also misuses laws against “extremism” to persecute the same groups, as well as Muslims.
*Vietnam. This communist state harshly restricts religious liberty. According to the USCIRF, the regime “continues to control government-approved religious communities, severely restrict independent religious practice, and repress individuals and groups viewed as challenging political authority.”
In fact, religious liberty is under sustained assault: “individuals continue to be imprisoned or detained for reasons related to their religious activity or religious freedom advocacy; police and government officials are not held fully accountable for abuses; independent religious activity remains illegal; legal protections for government-approved religious organizations are both vague and subject to arbitrary or discriminatory interpretations based on political factors; and new converts to some Protestant and Buddhist communities face discrimination and pressure to renounce their faith.” Moreover, the Commission charges that dozens of people remain in prison for their faith and religious rights advocates have been threatened and imprisoned.
About the Author
Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is the author and editor of several books, including The Politics of Plunder: Misgovernment in Washington (Transaction).
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JP| 12.7.10 @ 7:54AM
Canada and certain European nations should be added to the list.
PJ| 12.7.10 @ 8:58AM
The United States should also be put on the list too, maybe part of the "Warning" category.
Sandra| 12.7.10 @ 10:40AM
Let's start with the USA and Canada first where it is increasingly made difficult for the faithful to practice and pass on to the next generation their faith.
Of course, most of Europe, is already there. Where there is a vacuum "something else" will fill it, in this case, even the Atheist Creed of the Communists are falling to the "Religion of Submission"
uke| 12.8.10 @ 7:25AM
Earth to Wingnut: You can practice your silly superstition anywhere you like. It is fortunately being made more difficult for you and your ilk to shove than nonsense down everybody else's throats whether they want it or not.
You can sing to fairies all you like in your church, in your living room, in your car, even standing in line at Burger King. The evil atheists aren't stopping you from doing that. But if you do it in public, we're going to point and laugh, because religion is nothing but weapons grade stupidity.
When you take your sky fairy off my currency, and out of my Pledge, then I'll listen to your whining with a little more sympathy. Until then, suck it up.
Jesus loves you| 12.8.10 @ 1:34PM
Uke, you provided a good example of someone who walks in spiritual darkness, with name calling, belittling, condescension, and fear of light. You mock what you do not understand. When you were in school, did you mock your teacher in calculus class and laugh at the fairies of differentiation and integration? Calculus is a mystery to those who don’t want to learn about it. Christianity is a mystery to those who are perishing by their walk in spiritual darkness. Change your mind. Change your direction. Turn to the light.
Melvin| 12.7.10 @ 8:21AM
As long as Christians allow themselves to be slapped around and knocked to the earth. The persecution will continue.
History proves that Christians didn't thrive by turning the other cheek all the time.
Ryan| 12.7.10 @ 9:16AM
An oversimplification.
Christianity is actually BOOMING in China right now, and spreading West across the country.
It has often spread more under persecution than otherwise.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.7.10 @ 8:46AM
Doug,
Thanks for the update. Having spent considerable time in the third world, I experienced the "ghetto" religious activity.
Sharia Law truly is a bitch to live under.
MoeBlotz| 12.7.10 @ 9:17AM
Islam has so much to offer the infidels that once we accept Allah and his prophet,then read the Koran we will learn all that is good for us.
Ralph| 12.7.10 @ 10:26AM
Is this the "Nancy Pelosi" approach to religion?
MP| 12.7.10 @ 9:25AM
And herein lies the problem. Note the use of the term 'infidel'. Understand that the term is used in Islam to define anyone who is not a practicing muslim, subject to oppression, discrimination, attack and death if you do not submit to their rule or convert to their religion (BTW, did you know that the literal definition of the word Islam is submission?).
Our only hope is education and action. Political correctness needs to die a swift and natural death. You can be assured they are not constrained by any kind of 'correctness'.
Petronius| 12.7.10 @ 10:29AM
There's more to religious persecution than just the state sponsored variety of proscription, prohibition, disruption, and extermination. Try advocating self reliance and individual social autonomy at any Liberal but formerly Catholic university and see how long it takes before you get thrown off the campus. And while one needn't gainsay gay rights, do not dare to oppose it. Grape koolaid anyone?
ann| 12.7.10 @ 10:32AM
I too believe that the US should be added to the "warning" category. Each time I turn around there is another assault by some progressive, liberal athiest on my Christian beliefs and the courts in the US seem to agree. It is frightening and heartbreaking. It seems the only religion that is tolerated in the US is Islam.
Walkthetalk| 12.7.10 @ 11:27AM
The list is incomplete. It actually includes every country in this world to some degree. The reason for this is simple. Sin. There are two kinds of people on this earth, those who focus on death, and those who focus on life. These focuses are the result of the path you choose. The dominant path, the broad path transits a land of spiritual darkness. The narrow path, the path less traveled transits a land of spiritual light. People are born in the dark path and must repent, turn to the light (turn to Jesus) to escape. This is a choice everyone is given. People will display the attributes of the chosen path. If it is the path to death, they will lie, hate, kill (abort, commit violent jihad), envy, be driven by imagined fears, and exhibit an extreme hatred of God and what he does. Since Jesus is not within the grasp of these people, they reach for Christians, God's people (those on the right, not liberal "christians"). They can not help themselves. Their attitudes are a product of their path to death. Christians can't reason with them (they don't speak that language). Their minds are dulled, their sight is occluded by the darkness, their feelings are numbed, and their sense of right and wrong is inverted. Good to them is bad, and bad is the good action. Thus, when they persecute or kill Christians those are considered as good actions. It is obvious now that the list should include all the people on the path of death. It doesn't matter what religion they adhere to: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Christianity, these people will persecute those on the path to life. Countries are listed as culprits in this article, but the people in spiritual darkness also control systems to wield power to assuage their fears and attack their "enemies:" Communism, Socialism, Liberalism, Progressivism, and even Christianity, converting it to a social gospel (social justice, peace, and utopian "christianity").
The current American regime acts in a manner that targets Christians. It is currently dominated by those committed to the dark path to death. Some even want to kill America. The thing for the people of light to do is to armor-up. The attacks will continue. They must exercise their spirits. They must get in spiritual shape and read their Bibles. Remember, "If they persecuted me (Jesus) they will persecute you." and "They hated me (Jesus) without a cause." If any want some assistance go to www.christforamericans.com Don't be caught unaware. Don't be afraid. Be strong in the spirit.
DEGinTN| 12.7.10 @ 7:42PM
walkthetalk - an excellent explanation - I will be passing on to others - this needs to be read. God Bless
Pelligrino| 12.8.10 @ 12:31AM
WalkTheTalk, there have been many posts today in all the Am. Spectator articles. The above was the best. You are correct. I experienced that kind of "dark path" all around me for years while working and living in Europe. Despite all the greatest standards for living that mankind has ever known, my work colleagues, neighbors, university students, even the parents of kids I coached....all were downcast, despondent -- ALL THE TIME. (It was like someone had shot their family pet, the dog --- but everyday.)
There was workplace discrimination against a Believer. You'd never speak openly of churchgoing or any tenets of Christian faith. It was taboo. Anyone displaying any real signs of Christian faith was usually promptly considered a loony like a Jim Jones cultist.
And this was in the best of the best places to live and work. Amongst the very educated. Amongst the successful, the privileged.
So I would agree with you "WalktheTalk," there are MANY countries and world places that need to be on the USCIRF list.
Satan does indeed prowl about as the lion seeking whom he may devour.
But, the Good News: Jesus is the answer. He never fails.
Thank you for your post, WalkTheTalk
Occam's Tool| 12.8.10 @ 12:51AM
Pellegrino,
I experienced the same thing while living in New Zealand, which has horrible child abuse and one of the highest adolescent suicide rates on the planet. Uber-secular, and is fighting to abolish Kosher at this time.
Hell is the absence of G-d. That is all that is required.
TWS| 12.9.10 @ 12:47PM
You display a complete ignorance of religious history here. Christians have been well know to persecute non-believers, or even other Christians of different denominations. Look at the Spanish Inquisition and how they treated Jews and Muslims.
Or look at the history of England in the 1600 and 1700's - Anglicans, Presbyterians, Catholics and Puritans were at war with each other over control of Parliament and influence over the crown. That war a major influence on America's founders, who saw the need to keep religion and government separate.
So how are Christians "walking in the light" when they condone, or are ignorant to, war and atrocity done in their name?
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.7.10 @ 12:12PM
Walkthetalk,
That sermon should be preached...and walked...in every church member in the country.
Well spoken!
KyMouse| 12.7.10 @ 3:49PM
I suppose that all of the governments listed have this in common: They cannot bear the thought that people place any allegiance above the one they are commanded to owe to the state.
Christianity is the most hated religion of all because it teaches the eternal worth of the individual, that each of us is ultimately accountable to God, and that He is our ultimate benefactor. Also -- that each of us will outlive, in eternity, every government and state.
Anathema!
Neighborhood Marxist| 12.7.10 @ 5:41PM
One reason you must have overlooked is that G-d's commandment "thou shalt not steal" stands in the way of progress. In a Marxist utopia, there is no property except that of the collective. Your labor also belongs to the collective. How exactly does one steal when there are no possessions?
Marksman| 12.7.10 @ 7:08PM
Your argument is specious. I shall express this by relating the two-cow economy/government. Before Marxism takes over, you have two cows. The Marxist government comes and takes one of your cows and gives it to fellow Marxists. Marxism (through those who espouse it) steals the cow using government regulation and laws. Thus Marxists flaunt G_d's Commandment.
Occam's Tool| 12.8.10 @ 12:49AM
Mr. Neighborhood Marxist: there were plenty of private possessions in Russia---if you belonged to the right class.
Ask the Kulaks how things can be stolen when there are no possessions. Ask the skeletons below the bloody earth of the Gulags. Ask the millions killed during the Stalinist Terror.
Musch can be stolen in a Marxist regime; most of all, freedom and life. Marx was the worst Jewish person ever to walk this planet.
Pelligrino| 12.8.10 @ 1:08AM
KYMouse, well said.
May I give you examples of where we have this within our own land? Spefically within an institution within our land that is -- to my great puzzlement -- always held in the highest esteem by Americans in these surveys (surveys that I would daresay none of us ever see or participate in ).
Where you see this (hatred for Christianity and Christians) applied daily: Our US military.
Secular commanders are on the "dark path" that WalkTheTalk describes above. No wonder; they come from our secular universities and a society that says "There is no God."
And these commanders -- ones with rank and great say in how and what is done -- are MANY.
Just as you are not going to have a Dean of the School of _____________ newly installed at your nearest liberal bastion University, so too will you not have today a general or admiral appointed to lead X division or Y battlegroup.
It is very, very rare indeed to find a Christian believer in any positions of upper leadership within our US military. (and I mean true believer, not the ones who pay lip service to it like a slippery politician)
You as the Christian believer soldier/trooper/airman/marine are thus a problem. Sometimes a really big problem. Yes, moral issues crop up daily in the topsy, turvey, never-slow-down, very hectic everyday active duty unit.
I personally had about half my commanders who truly saw their role as my god. Subservience in all things was the unstated requirement.
And you could endeavor to be the best trooper or officer in the unit (while trying to not compromise your Christian values), trying mightily to do ALL that commander wanted....and it was never enough.
You were still the problem. You were the non-convert, thus targeted for more work, more pain, more grief.
Your only hope of relief from this? Convert to him as your god.
(This should sound bizarre to you. Even as I write it, it is. But it is true. Over and over, true.)
I imagine that it is this way in many professions in life, many workplaces.
The difference is that the US military commander has a much sharper set of laws under the UCMJ that can be applied in many, many ways. (And the normal US Constitutional protections for US citizens do not -- most frequently do not -- apply.)
The UCMJ offers broad say-so in all things for commanders. And most of this never comes under any US public scrutiny.
Chrisitianity is indeed the most hated religion. Despite being an overall very, very benign one, one that requires its adherents to be charitable and have the demeanor of servanthood. It is a very loving faith. Love is an action verb. And it teaches me that I should obey my masters (whether good or bad).
In today's US military, all of that is not enough. The Christian remains the problem -- just as in a theocracy like Iran or Islamic totalitarian state like Saudi Arabia or the former secular USSR. You are the target.
Until you denounce your faith and prove it by deeds.
A small example: We will indeed have fully gay involvement in our military in just 4-5 short years time. If you, as a Christian officer, were to be in a place within the Pentagon to help share opposition to this (part of the officially stated duties of your office), well, let's just say mildly that you are in a world and position of unending hurt.
Unless you convert.
The God of the Bible is not your god. You see, it is your commander and your commander's commander.
Remember this when you pray for our troops and their families this Christmas season.
The issues they contend with are every social issue of our day. Every moral quandry imaginable crops up in just a short 4-5 year stint in our Armed Forces. And YES all of these impact everday unit readiness, troop morale, and our effectiveness to win on the battlefield.
If you have a true Christian friend in the military now, write him or her. Write them often. Encourage them. Let them know that you are a willing and listening ear.
Yikes!| 12.8.10 @ 5:01PM
So that's why the U.S. military did not protect the Iraqi Christian minority from the continual persecution and attack by the Iraqi Muslims. I always wondered about that. Seems to me that we need more Christians in the military willing to fight on all fronts, physical and spiritual.
San Jose Electrician | 12.8.10 @ 4:26PM
It is sad that there are still many countries that don't have religious liberty and have to be tortured/abused if don't follow the rules. It's ridiculous.
San Jose Electrician