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Special Report
A World Spinning Backward
All over the world, religious persecution is on the rise. You can probably guess where it’s hitting now.
America’s First Amendment helps safeguard something that is not only precious but rare.
Rather than celebrating the triumph of democratic capitalism, the world appears to be dividing between generally liberal Western-oriented states and a gaggle of authoritarian systems united only in their disdain for individual freedom and dignity — and not just for democratic politics and free markets. A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion found increasing restrictions on religious liberty between 2006 and 2009.
Two years ago, Pew reported that 70 percent of humanity suffered from either government persecution of or social hostility to religion. Add more moderate restrictions of the sort which Americans would still reject and an incredible 86 percent of the world’s peoples did not enjoy genuine religious liberty.
That trend is growing. According to Pew’s new study, “more than 2.2 billion people — about a third of the world’s population — live in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities involving religion are increasing. About 1% live in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities are decreasing.”
In many cases these restrictions are not minor. Explained Pew: “The number of countries in which governments used at least some measure of force against religious groups or individuals rose from 91 (46%) in the period ending in mid-2008 to 101 (51%) in the period ending in mid-2009. This violence was wide-ranging, including individuals being killed, physically abused, imprisoned, detained or displaced from their homes, as well as damage to or destruction of personal or religious properties.”
These are astonishing, and horrifying, findings in what is supposed to be an enlightened age. As much as Americans want to believe that everyone else would be like Americans if given a chance, the so-called Arab Spring so far has matched a desire for political liberation with a preference for religious intolerance. Tyranny may end up being transformed rather than eliminated.
The most serious problem remains countries with Islamic majorities or some provinces with Islamic majorities. Those which suffered increases in government persecution or social attacks included Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Only communist or formerly communist nations demonstrated such rising hostility toward religion.
By simple number, the most persecuted faith is Christianity: 130 countries (two-thirds of those studied) limit or harass Christians. Muslims face pressure in 117 nations, while Jews — despite their smaller numbers — are at risk in 75 states. Hindus and Buddhists face restrictions in 27 and 16 countries, respectively. Other religions, such as Baha’i, Zoroastrians, and Sikhs, are victimized in 84 nations.
Pew noted that “restrictions on religion are particularly common in countries that prohibit blasphemy, apostasy or defamation of religion. While such laws are sometimes promoted as a way to protect religion, in practice they more often serve to punish religious minorities whose beliefs are deemed unorthodox or heretical.” Indeed, Pew devoted an entire section to these restrictions, imposed by 44 different governments. Again, the Middle East has the worst record. 60 percent of countries in the Middle East/North Africa have and enforce blasphemy statutes; another 20 percent have passed statutes but don’t apply them.
Blasphemy prosecutions have become notorious in Pakistan. These laws began with the British, were strengthened by a military dictator seeking religious support, and now are disproportionately used against Christians, often to settle property or other disputes. Muslims who urge reform of the laws are at risk. Punjab governor Salman Taseer was vocal in his criticism of the blasphemy statute and was murdered in January.
In all, 30 times as many people now suffer from more religious oppression as enjoy greater spiritual liberty. So, the question emerges: what is responsible for this alarming trend?
One finding suggests an unusual form of global polarization. Explained the Pew report: “The substantial increases tend to be in countries where restrictions and hostilities are already high, while the decreases tend to be in countries where restrictions and hostilities are already low.” That is, authoritarian states are growing more repressive while liberal nations are growing freer.
But while the Americas remains the most religiously free region in the world, social oppression is breaking out even in Western democratic nations.
Until recently, Europe seemed an unlikely venue for religious oppression. However, Pew found that “Europe had the largest proportion of countries in which social hostilities related to religion were on the rise from mid-2006 to mid-2009. Indeed, five of the 10 countries in the world that had a substantial increase in social hostilities were in Europe: Bulgaria, Denmark, Russia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.” Italy showed a lesser but still noticeable increase.
Russia also showed a dangerous upswing in religious-oriented terrorism. “In Russia…more than 1,100 casualties resulted from religion-related terrorist attacks during the two-year period ending in mid-2009. This was more than double the number of casualties recorded in the previous reporting period. This includes people who were killed, wounded, displaced from their homes, kidnapped or had their property destroyed in religion-related terrorist attacks.”
Only one thing is certain: liberty is both rare and precious. Unfortunately, people in much of the world are free in neither their personal nor their political lives. And, as the Pew report details, a majority of the world’s population does not enjoy full spiritual liberty, but instead faces varying degrees of restrictions in and punishments for worshiping God. These threats have been increasing. History obviously has more than its share of surprises left for us.
The First Amendment must never be taken for granted.
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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RT| 8.30.11 @ 6:33AM
>>>... liberty is both rare and precious. ..The First Amendment must never be taken for granted.
RT| 8.30.11 @ 6:35AM
...nor the Second Amendment, which enables it.
Great article.
lily | 8.30.11 @ 9:50PM
The Show Must Go On"). As far as the elites are concerned any thing is better than Christianity - even if that means persecution of women and gays.
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Kevin Dunn| 8.30.11 @ 6:49AM
The report that pressures against religion are increasing in the United Kingdom raises more questions than it answers: which religion (s) are coming under pressure? Christianity or Islam? And from whom is the pressure coming? Mullahs or the government?
Michael Tomlinson| 8.30.11 @ 7:19AM
Christianity is the religion suffering persecution in all of Europe while Muslims carve out enclaves in European cities where agents of the democratically elected governments fear to go for fear of violence against them by Muslim extremists enforcing shaira in their self-created ghettos. If anything these treasonous Muslims are compelling weak and timid European governments to abet their undermining of democracy and freedom in the name of tolerating the most intolerant religion in the world (i.e., Islam).
martin j smith| 8.30.11 @ 7:33AM
To some degree I blame the Socialist so called democracies of the EU and the US and Canada as well for this situation in this respect: The fear or whatever the motive ( call it PC or whatever ) of calling out Radical Islam and what it is, the desire to fall all over Radical Muslims to show our "tolerance" for religion ( but actually only their religion ) the unwillingness to confront the undermining of Western Society by gradually eroding OUR traditions( in all other religions and
in the ways of civil society ) the willingness to bend over backwards to appease even in the face of insideous murder of our own troops in our own country. These have been the ingredients that to some extent have ENCOURAGED Muslim ( Radical ) intolerance. We said its OK.
Two examples: The 9/11 Mosque --Support for the Mosque and not for the Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed
The undermining of the State of Israel.
Oh do not get me wrong there are numerous other examples.
But this where I am on the issue of intolerance. It is the intolerance of Western Socialism that is partly to blame. The Islamists, well they must answer for themselves.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 11:21AM
Very astute observations. Socialism is itself a secular religion, it requires Faith to adhere to it. Much LikeIslam. Socialism makes a total demand upon the individual. In fact they both subordinate the individual to the collective or the larger community. Islam claims to order the state as does Socialism. It is in this regard that they differ from Christianity which espouses the worth of the individual even against the claims of the state. Martin Luther put it well when he wrote his hymn "The body they may kill, Christs' Truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever." In a nutshell there lies the difference. Socialism is a dehumanizing Faith.
JP| 8.30.11 @ 7:34AM
It goes without saying that what most of the nations where religious persecution is as normal as the rising sun are Islamic nations. Much farther behind Islam (but still significant) are secular nations. In the case of Islam, all infidel religions are persecuted equally; in secular nations (namely those in Euroland) it is Christians who are discriminated against. I use discrimination, as most Europeans are secular agnostics. The few Christians remaining suffer the same kind of ridicule that Christains in North America suffer (usually Christians are singled out as intolerant rightwingers, troublemakers, and outsiders). In worst cases they are arrested (see Germany's prosecution of Christian Homeschoolers. Absent is the prosecution of German Muslims living in No-Go Zones who refuse to send thier children to state schools).
In the US, Christians are the majority. But, the ruling elite treats them as a bothersome minority that must be whipped into shape. I think deep down people who call themselves Christian have no confidence in that the ruling elite will protect thier rights. Hence, the Culturekampf in the US. The ruling elite often makes alliances with Islam for the simple fact that they prefer Islam over Christianity. The Baby Boomers have a deep seated aversion to Christianity, that probably stems from thier continued fight with Mom and Dad (in most cases, Mom and Dad have long ago gone to thier reward -but as Pink Floyd once sang, "The Show Must Go On"). As far as the elites are concerned any thing is better than Christianity - even if that means persecution of women and gays.
Nietzsche predicted that with the Death of God, both Reason and Feeling would decay. He also understood better than most that Nature abhors a vaccum. Islam is waiting in the wings. When it does come full force here, it won't be with a violent bang. It will probably be some pop-culture icon who for publicity reasons converts in a very showy and public way. And being a nation based on pop-culture, our Youth will surely follow. Then the fun begins.
Ed| 8.30.11 @ 11:56AM
JP - We Baby Boomers are a deeply divided generation, and this division goes back to the 60's. Over the years, many of us have become more conservative and/or libertarian.
The Anti-Christian Boomers are a vocal minority, who currently are in charge of the Ruling Class. But, since the Ruling Class had such low birth rates (and high abortion rates) when they were younger, they and their children are about to be swept aside in a demographic tidal wave.
By the end of this century, Traditional Christians, Muslims, and Orthodox Jews will dominate the U.S. population, along with a significant Hindu minority. Demography is destiny.
Quartermaster| 8.30.11 @ 6:54PM
It's a little known fact that Himmler wished the German people were Muslim. He believed the Muslim warrior was fearless. That may have been the truth during the years of the Muslim conquest, but was not so in his time.
It is significant that the left likes Muslims, but despises Christians.
POST American| 8.30.11 @ 7:34AM
"---Every culture is absurd to every other
culture."
-D H Lawrence
Essays 1919
"We ARE using MASSIVE third world
immigration to DESTROY British culture
beyond repair, once and for all --FOREVER."
-Fmr PM TONY BLAIR
(Daily Mail interview)
Globalism = EUGENICS
EUGENICS = Destruction of the REAL cultures
and REAL economies in every way, on every level, everywhere.
------------------ANY QUESTIONS?--------------------
Dan Mathewson| 8.30.11 @ 7:31PM
What, if any? If not, how much?
Brian Mc| 8.30.11 @ 7:39AM
I always took our religious liberties for granted until the voice of two religions began to become more shrill over the years. I am, of course, referring to Atheists and Muslims. Frankly, I'm offended that they are offended.
Michael Tomlinson| 8.30.11 @ 8:26AM
Brian Mc one need only look at the atheist states (the defunct USSR, China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, etc.) and all Muslim nations to see how intolerant and bloodthirsty both groups are when they have power.
Kingofthenet| 8.30.11 @ 11:50AM
Atheism is no more a 'Religion', than NOT collecting stamps is a hobby.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 12:16PM
Actually KOTN as atheism requires adherence to particular tenents regarding Religion it is itself a Faith. If one chooses to seperate religion from Faith fine as not all Faith is religious.
Kingofthenet| 8.30.11 @ 2:05PM
The default on ALL questions is NO, it's a basic legal Principal, everything need to be proven TRUE otherwise we would have to prove our innocence rather than the state proving our guilt (Not a Society I would want to live in) I can't PROVE the lack of existence of supernatural entities, I also don't need to. YOU need to prove God's, Leprechauns, or Unicorns exist. Faith is not that we BOTH have unprovable positions, so we both have 'Faith', you are the one making the claim, you need to back it up.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 2:27PM
King:
Faith is just that, it need not be proven. Wasn't it Lincoln who said, "one side must be and both sides may be wrong."?
YeloStalyn| 8.30.11 @ 2:56PM
Matters of morality are not logical problems with"default" answers. If that was the case, we would live like the animal kingdom. Their default is barbarism. The only "default" answer to if their is a god is "I don't know." So, to say with certainty that there ISN'T a god is a move away from a default. With equal lacks of proof to go to one side or the other, both are just as rational (or irrational). As such, there must be a compelling reason to accept one over the other as they are both moves away from "I don't know."
When you were born, your first thoughts about dieties was, naturally, "I don't know." As is all of ours. We may quickly adhere to one side or another based on our upbringing and culture... but we had to start out without a claim and then choose one. Atheism is a positive claim that there are no gods. As a positive claim about a truth of the universe (there is a truth... either there IS or there ISN'T a god) requires you to prove it or have faith. You, sir, have faith. Just as I do to believe that God is real.
MOS was 71331| 8.30.11 @ 12:45PM
I take your point about NOT collecting stamps is not a hobby. Unfortunately, while the people "NOT collecting stamps" rarely concern themselves with the people who do collect stamps, many atheists claim to be upset by those who espouse religious beliefs. And while atheists in the US seldom use force against believers, many of them happily use legal processes to get the government to use force on their behalf.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 12:49PM
MOS,
Interesting point. If there is no God, then "why do the heathen rage"?
Dave Williams| 8.30.11 @ 1:41PM
Oh, please. I'm a proud atheist, and I don't "rage." If people want to forsake reason for craven worship of any nutty beliefs they like, fine -- knock yourselves out. But I resent like hell having "In God we trust" on our money, when I do no such thing, and being told by hordes of smug "loving" christians that after death, my soul will suffer eternal torment irrespective of how much good I've brought into the world. Live and let live.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 2:31PM
Dave: Your Faith is admirable. Let us all hope it is not in vain.
YeloStalyn| 8.30.11 @ 3:02PM
You live in a nation founded by Christians. As such, it was their perogitive to weave Christian theology into our fabric. Therefore, if you don't like the nation they created... you can leave or you can, beacuse they left you a mechanism to do it (hint, it's not the courts), change it. To resent "In God we trust" on our money is to resent staying here. It's like if I go to a smoking bar and bitch about the smoke. It was a smoking bar before I got there. To expect it to be something else is stupid.
Also, I would suggest you get a better understanding of Christian theology. You're idea that your good works justify you ignores the concept of sin and God's Holy and Divine nature... as well as His justice.
Besides... how is caring about one's soul's eternal resting place anathema to "love" as you seem to imply?
And as for not "raging" then what do you call all of the negative tones you use towards Christians in your post? Nutty beliefs, "resent like hell" the "In God we trust", "smug "loving"" christians [sic]. If you truely didnt' care because you lacked "rage" you would have left it at that.
diviz| 8.30.11 @ 3:07PM
So you're saying that the founders' first amendment does not protect religious belief?
Delta Zelda| 8.30.11 @ 7:18PM
Why does what I believe bother you so much? My belief does not add to or take from whatever you believe. I have asked a number of atheists this and no one can tell me.
diviz| 8.30.11 @ 2:53PM
Atheists tend to get upset when they or their children are coerced into saying prayers (the post 1954 pledge of allegence), pay for religious propagande ("in god we trust" on money), or support religion based initiatives.
If the religious types would respect the beliefs of atheists there wouldn't be a problem.
YeloStalyn| 8.30.11 @ 3:05PM
It's a Christian nation, founded for a people of faith. Look up the words of the founders. If you don't like the traditions of the people who have put into their own laws a protection for YOU to not be Christian... then you can leave. It's not an athiest nation. Never was, never was supposed to be, and God willing, never will be. But that doesn't mean that we, Christians, can't, won't or don't accept you... we do. Never forget that it was a Christian who wanted to keep the government from telling you that you have to believe in God.
diviz| 8.30.11 @ 3:11PM
You seem to be divided on whether or not government is permitted to impose religious beliefs on citizens.
If the founders wanted to prevent government from commanding citizens to believe in God, why do you think it is acceptable now to impose religious beliefs?
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 4:02PM
diviz:
You seem to posit that respect for the atheist requires silence from the believers. All are free to believe as they wish and to express themselves as they see fit. Free exercise requies we allow others to speak not silence them in the name of the god Tolerance.
diviz| 8.30.11 @ 4:15PM
How is an atheist prefering that he and his family not be coerced into prayer the equivalent of coercivly silencing the prayers of the religious?
This is the importance of the distinction between private and government activity it is when the religious chose to impose on the time and money of the non-religious for religious reasons that the issue of what the first amendmentmeans arises.
For example if every coin were stamped with "there is no god" that would be violate the 1st, if every coin were stamped "i believe in god" that would be a violation of the 1st. If every coin were silent on the matter, that is not a violation of the 1st because it does not coerce any group into a religious statemetn with which they disagree.
Quartermaster| 8.30.11 @ 6:59PM
You seem to think that someone is forcing you to pray, or accept a religious belief. Your sort are doing your best to shove your belief down the throats of everyone else. No one is forcing you to believe anything, or do anything, yet you rage.
Sorry, but you are one heathen that is most certainly raging. And raving.
diviz| 8.31.11 @ 12:39AM
If money were stamped with a slogan such as "there is no god" or "allah akabar" would you consider that religious coercion. If when reciting the pledge of allegence in school it contained the words "under no god" or the students were required to recite it on their knees facing mecca would that be coercive?
None of those scenerios force you to pray or accept a religious belief, but would any of those scenerios incite you to rage.
Kingofthenet| 8.30.11 @ 1:57PM
The only force that is required is when people don't respect Church/State separation. Believe what you want, just don't expect the Govt. to advocate it. I have no problem with Holiday Trees, and other secular stuff on public property, even religious stuff as long as I or others can also put our stuff up...Like Tis the season....For REASON!
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 2:30PM
Display whatever you choose. That is after all the meaning of the free exercise clause. Simply do not deprive others' of their ability to display a chosen item.
DaveD| 8.30.11 @ 4:57PM
KofNet, atheism is as big a leap of faith as belief in any religion known to mankind. There is no way to "prove" either so you must pick your poison on gut feel (call it belief) alone.
Quartermaster| 8.30.11 @ 7:07PM
Atheists are some of the most religious people we have in this country. Atheism is quite irrational, yet they carry on trying to force "reason" down everyone else's throat.
If Atheists would actually read the founders they would quickly realize that the "wall" of separation is more like a one way glass. The Government can't establish a religion (as in having something like teh Church of England) but that does not prohibit it from being involved and it can not step on the free exercise of anyone's religion.
If an Atheist wants and "holiday Tree" or a statue to the goddess of Reason in the courthouse, they can. But the Christians can also put up a Christmas Tree, or a copy of the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Atheists, however, are all for preventing teh free exercise of religion because their true ideology is found in the French Revolution, which reached its "high" point in the communist paradises of the Soviet Union, Red China, North Korea, Cuba, and many others.
Atheism does not result in paradise, it produces hell on earth. I really don't care of those of you that parrot that religious belief like it or not. The facts stand squarely against you.
Quartermaster| 8.30.11 @ 7:07PM
Atheists are some of the most religious people we have in this country. Atheism is quite irrational, yet they carry on trying to force "reason" down everyone else's throat.
If Atheists would actually read the founders they would quickly realize that the "wall" of separation is more like a one way glass. The Government can't establish a religion (as in having something like teh Church of England) but that does not prohibit it from being involved and it can not step on the free exercise of anyone's religion.
If an Atheist wants and "holiday Tree" or a statue to the goddess of Reason in the courthouse, they can. But the Christians can also put up a Christmas Tree, or a copy of the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Atheists, however, are all for preventing teh free exercise of religion because their true ideology is found in the French Revolution, which reached its "high" point in the communist paradises of the Soviet Union, Red China, North Korea, Cuba, and many others.
Atheism does not result in paradise, it produces hell on earth. I really don't care of those of you that parrot that religious belief like it or not. The facts stand squarely against you.
DKEN| 9.1.11 @ 6:31PM
Most of America disagree with you. You need great faith to believe in atheism. Blind faith. Unthinking faith. I find it somewhat surprising that many environmentalists worship gaia openly, yet maintain that they are atheists. They really belong to the religeous sect of Hypocrits.
donserge| 8.30.11 @ 8:07AM
Satan is alive and well and wreaking havoc on planet earth.
LSinAZ| 8.30.11 @ 8:27AM
Our founders understood that many wars and atrocities were conducted in the name of some religion, hence the prohibition of the establishment of a religion in the US Constitution. This applies to All religions.
From the Crusades, to the Inquisition, to the Protestant verses Catholic wars in Ireland and Brittan, to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, to Spain under His Most Catholic Majesty, King Phillip sending his armada to England specifically to conquer and convert the Protestants, to Witch Burning by the Puritans, the Christians are also historically guilty of aggressive oppression of others. These acts simply can not be denied.
You can call names on we non-theists as is your right, and I for one will support your right to practice your faith in any manner you choose, but the use of The Law and therefore the Force of the State to impose any religion upon the rest of us is the reason for the prohibition underlying the 1st Amendment.
Ken (Old Texican)| 8.30.11 @ 8:43AM
Lsinaz,
Well stated.
The Pew forum missed the point...or Doug did above.
"Totalitarians" and "Islam" do the damage today.
The first ammendment does not require me to have my head cut off to fulfill the religious obligations of Muslims.
LSinAZ| 8.30.11 @ 9:16AM
Ken(OT), Thank you.
You are correct in that the 1st Amendment is the only thing that will save us from the imposition of Islam and Sharia in this country.
They use force and intimidation to insure compliance, which is abhorrent to my mind.
That this has crept into our society is startling to me. That any judge can consider it in any way is an aberration, and in my opinion a breach of oath of office.
I do not understand all the tenets of Islam, but what I do know of it scares me, and makes me doubly thankful that the 1st Amendment was insisted upon at the time of ratification.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 11:25AM
LS,
See my above. Socialism and Islam make a claim to the totality of the individual. They are both Faits which subordinate the individual to the collective or the community for a greater good. They in this regard are flase Faiths.
victor| 8.31.11 @ 3:50AM
Sin-in-AZ:
"to Witch Burning by the Puritans,"
"These (f)acts simply can not be denied."
Course they can.
Is the rest of your History as flawed as your world view?
No witches were burned in the colonies. None!
This has been repeated ad infinitum as demonstrated by Liberals, Libertinians and you athiests.
http://www.salemwitchtrials.com/victims.html
But that won't stop you from repeating this lie, will it?
It certainly doesn't stop any of the other fabricators from doing it, why should you be any different, eh?
"Force of the State to impose any religion upon the rest of us"
We are imposing nothing on YOU!
YOU are imposing your atheist beliefs on the rest of us with the complicit and compliant ACLU (Atheist Criminals Litigating Us).
So much so, that one of your comrades forced a country to recognize, against their will, his fruit-bat "religious" beliefs.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....cence.html
LSinAZ| 8.31.11 @ 9:18AM
Victor, I stand corrected, as they WERE HANGED verses burned. Same result, different means.
As I posted, You and your ilk are prohibited from from imposing, via the Law, your religious views upon the rest of the citizens. This is as it should be.
I impose nothing upon you, by the Law or any other means. I don't care what you choose to believe, and you should not care what I choose to believe.
victor| 8.31.11 @ 3:54AM
Sin-in-AZ:
"You can call names on we non-theists as is your right"
What names do we call you? Atheists and Unbelievers? Oooooooooh!
What do you people do? Throw us to the lions?
Burn our churches?
Burn us?
Maybe you should go here to find out, eh:
http://www.persecution.com/
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/
Then get back to me and tell me how we poor Christians are persecuting you poor atheistic non-theists, eh?
LSinAZ| 8.31.11 @ 9:27AM
Your broad brush is factually inaccurate. I have never committed any acts against you, and I don't have any lions to throw you to.
Again, I simply do not care what you choose to believe. Therefore, I have no basis for action either in support or opposition.
My focus is on the use of LAW.
Curious, do you agree with the prohibition found in the 1st Amendment?
LSinAZ| 8.31.11 @ 9:36AM
I will also point out that you changed my sign-in to
Sin - in - AZ
What "sin" do you believe I have committed? And what is the basis of this assertion? Your personal religious beliefs?
And I am grateful that you can not, by law, remove my life, liberty or my pursuit of happiness due to your beliefs. I happen to believe that you would if you could, and it chafes you that you can not.
Lord Karth| 9.1.11 @ 5:26AM
How do you reconcile your position with the fact that most of the original States did, in fact, have State-supported churches ?
Your servant,
Lord Karth
MikeBee| 8.30.11 @ 8:42AM
Doug,
Excellent article! Thank you for finally being one voice to mention this worldwide problem. Muslims believe that all persons who do not embrace their religion must be persecuted; secular humanists (mostly in Europe and the U.S.) believe that religion is the source of all war and, therefore, must be crushed. Muslims embrace autocracies to enact their "perfect" society; secular humanists embrace Communism/socialism to enact their "perfect" societies. Both together have been responsible for the killing of hundreds of millions of people during the last century.
However, history tells us that there is another side to the coin. In the past, whenever God's people have been persecuted, this persecution has been followed by mass conversions to Christianity. The blood of the martyrs sows the seeds of renewal. Al Jazeera published an interview with an important Muslim cleric, Ahmad al-Qataani, who reported that 6,000,000 Muslims were converting to Christianity annually (see ref. here: http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/sina31103.htm). While I don't believe al-Qataani's numbers, and instead believe that he was making up huge numbers to make his point, I DO believe that the numbers of Muslims converting to Christianity in the Middle East is pretty large (perhaps on the order of 10,000 - 100,000 annually, or so). There is an uprising in the Middle East; it is the uprising of Christianity. What is being overthrown is the darkest of cultures from the Dark Ages: the Muslim "religion" and its persecuting ways, and Communism/Socialism, or centralized rule. Both, seeing the handwriting on the wall, are making a lot of noise, while in the death throes.
Ryan| 8.30.11 @ 9:20AM
We're seeing this in China in particular, with Christianity on the massive rise as well.
Margie| 8.30.11 @ 11:39PM
"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the
death of His godly ones." Ps. 116:15.
"And on her forehead was a name was
written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the
Mother of the Harlots and of the Abominations
of the Earth.
And I saw the woman being drunk from
the blood of the saints, and from the blood
of the witnesses of Jesus." Rev. 17:5 & 6.
Come, Lord Jesus!
POST American| 8.30.11 @ 8:47AM
"When an ideal, ANY ideal, gets its
hands on the real levers of power
--you get PURE EVIL."
-D H Lawrence
---Notice while Christianity was, inevitably
in this TOTALLY DEPRAVED fallen universe,
used to further imperial dreams, even in this
it bears witness to the truth, God's own are
ever a tiny remnant
----not a borg.
REAL-EYES too --Globalism, and most definitely
EUGENICS, along with its cover, enviornmentalism, are IDEALS.
Revivals of Moloch if you will.
Jeamar37| 8.30.11 @ 10:02AM
There is plenty of pressure on Christians right here in the US. No prayer at 9/11 celebrations. Remove "In God we Trust..." everywhere it appears on coins, no Ten Commandments visible in courthouses or public parks. Local cemetery supervisors prohibiting graveside prayers in military cemeteries, etc.
Many people do not seem to understand the language of the First Amendments. It does NOT prohibit the practice or mention of religion, directly or indirectly in public places or at government events. The First Amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,..." The government is prohibited from establishing an official STATE religion--as it should be. The phrase prohibiting the free exercise thereof is being threatened more all the time. Few Christians or Jews feel free to exercise their religion in public places without restraint or condemnation from atheists, secularists, or Muslims
For those who don't wish to participate in religious practice what the polite thing used to be to do was to listen quietly until whatever prayer was being offered while the abstainer could be silently thinking of anything he wished but respecting the rights of others to briefly practice their faiths. It certainly does not offend me that some people are atheists, agnostics, or whatever; just please respect others sincerely held religious beliefs whatever they may be. That does not mean one needs to tolerate such things as Sharia Law which certainly respects no other religious rights and condones violence against other faiths.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 11:28AM
Correct J:
Christianity is under attack in America, and around the world, as it posits the worth of the individual even against the state. Socialism demands the individual subordinate to the collective and cannot abide the Liberty which Christianity propounds.
Petronius| 8.30.11 @ 11:33AM
Good stuff here, but we need to crack the top nut. To most people, Freedom is exemption from the power of all others. And at the same time everyone demands that the rest of the world be as they would have it. I care not what others believe. I do care about how they behave if they want to live in this country. There are 3 specific behaviors which must be proscribed due to what it costs honest citizens who don't indulge in them. These are predation, perversion, and parasitism. My standard of living is a great deal less than what it should be because I get taxed for the damages the practitioners of the above do to society. All predators should be brought to book and be forced to repay in kind or be eliminated. And as to the wanton rutting animals who get STD's, and the layabouts sprouting illegitimate kids; I didn't do anything to them. So the state shouldn't send me the bill. That is all!
CASpike| 8.30.11 @ 11:44AM
Great article, and very inciteful comments.
Al Adab, well done.
Occam's Tool| 8.30.11 @ 2:06PM
The Religion of Paul bodycount: (I'm sorry, Peace, supported BY Ron Paul)
Monthly Jihad Report (From The Religion of Peace Website)
July, 2011 Jihad Attacks: 167
Countries: 21
Religions: 5
Dead Bodies: 705
Critically Injured: 1090.
Now, the Rama"boom" score:
Ramadan Bombathon
2011 Scorecard
Terror Attacks Dead Bodies
Day 30
In the name of 179 776
The Religion
of Peace
In the name of
All other
Religions 0 0
By
"Anti-Muslim"
Right-Wingers 0 0
Not all attacks are immediately listed on TROP
Islam's Latest Contributions to Peace
"Mohammed is God's apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless
to the unbelievers but merciful to one another" Quran 48:29
2011.08.29 (Mosul, Iraq) - A Shahid suicide bomber sends two other souls to Allah.
2011.08.29 (Tel Aviv, Israel) - A Palestinian shouting 'Allah Akbar' stabs eight nearby Israelis.
2011.08.28 (Baghdad, Iraq) - A Holy Warrior praises Allah before detonating at a Sunni mosque and laying out two dozen worshippers.
2011.08.28 (Takhar, Afghanistan) - A doctor and medical worker are murdered by Taliban bombers.
2011.08.27 (Ataq, Algeria) - Two guards at an oil facility are shot to death by al-Qaeda militants.
2011.08.27 (Mogadishu, Somalia) - A woman dies from injuries suffered from an Islamic bomb attack.
Ron Paul supports these guys against Israel, folks. Great guy.
Al Adab| 8.30.11 @ 7:35PM
An enlightening day of conversation. Sleep well friends as you remember the words of Thomas jefferson, "Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever."
POST American| 8.30.11 @ 10:29PM
--------------------FINAL WORD------------------------
--And in the middle of all this it's now confirmed
online that the Hearst set up, confessed Arminian
heretic, and tent show salvation seller, Billy
Graham is, IN FACT, what we'd always suspected
---a 33rd degreee FREEMASON.
-Likewise Pat Robertson and Jesse Jackson,
and, no doubt, Sharpton and Jeremiah Wright.
---And here you've been wondering where
God went ---and why?
Margie| 8.30.11 @ 11:54PM
Richard Wurmbrand suffered for 14 years in Communist prisons and wrote many beautifula nd insightful books both about how Communism works, and about how he lead many to Christ (Communists) while in prison.
His book "Sermons in Solitary Confinement" is wonderful.
His book, "Tortured for Christ" is amazing. It's free for the asking here:
http://www.persecution.com/pub.....lkZWJhcg==
He began what was called at the time the underground church. Because of his efforts, and the efforts of thousands of Bible believing Christians, millions of Bibles have been printed and sent to Communist countries the world over. Not only that, but physical help to the families of the persecuted.
They report on Muslims being converted, along with other unbelievers in Communist countries everywhere. They keep track of those who become imprisoned as well.
It's a good place to go to to become informed as to the persecution of believers everywhere.
He used to appear before congress as well to warn the West that if we ignored the persecution of believers in other countries, we would suffer the same fate.
He believed that Communism would eventually overtake us. Sadly, in the form of Socialism, it's brother, it's happening, and how much ;onger will it be till Christians are imprisoned for preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Bible says that the Devil knows that his time is short, and the closer it gets to Christ's return, the more havoc he will cause. His goal is to take as many with him to Hell as he can.
But God is stronger than the Devil. Cling to Him.
"Because he cleaves to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because He knows My Name." Ps. 91:14.
Bob Grant| 8.31.11 @ 12:24AM
Folks, the religious wars will be upon us shortly. Who's side will you defend?
The only way to defeat Islam ism is through strong moral conviction. Atheism, Agnosticism, or Liberalism will just get you killed.
jesse| 8.31.11 @ 1:38AM
that is not a violation of the 1st because it does not coerce any group into a religious statemetn with which they disagree
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Tony in Central PA| 8.31.11 @ 8:33PM
G.K. Chesterton said that when you abandon the big laws, you don't end up with anarchy, but with many small laws. I have come to believe this was a prophecy aimed at Europe.
So Europe abandoned Christianity in favor the Dictatorship of Relativism rife with ordinances erected by a liberal secular elite, which itself will be replace by Islam and the multitude of small laws under sharia.
jane | 10.24.11 @ 4:27PM
Religious persecution will always exist as long as there is organized religion and political agenda.