Hello All, Grace and Peace be to you from our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
I love the freedom I have to be able to read my BIBLE, pray, and attend Church without fear of being arrested, beaten, imprisoned or killed. I can worship completely without fear, but it's not like that in many countries around the world!
Uzbekistan, Laos, Mauritania, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and North Korea are the top ten countries where being a Christian is highly illegal. Christians live in fear of severe persecution.
Uzbekistan has an authoritarian government that is predominantly Islamic. The constitution may allow for religious freedoms, to practice evangelism, importing religious literature and offering private religious instruction, but to practice anything other than Islam is forbidden by law. Christians have been threatened, detained, fined, forced to leave villages due to cutting off their electricity and water supply. The authorities do this to get Christians to renounce their faith, but instead they go into hiding and underground Churches.
In Laos, Buddhism is the predominant religion, but there are 200,000 Christians, and despite the persecutions, Christians continue in their faith. The Laotian authorities place Christians under strict surveillance, and place them under intense pressure to get them to renounce their faith. the Laotian government believes that Christianity is an unpatriotic, Western idea that disrupts their way of life.
Mauritania is an Islamic republic, and Christianity is illegal and punishable by death.
Yemen is an Islamic republic, and Christianity is illegal and punishable by death. Converts from Islam encounter opposition from the authorities and extremist groups who threaten 'apostates' with death if they do not turn back to Islam. During 2008 several were arrested, physically harmed and threatened. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but also affirms Islam as the state religion and Shariah as the source of all legislation. Citizens cannot convert from Islam; evangelism among them is forbidden.
Afghanistan is an Islamic republic, and Christianity is illegal and punishable by death. The constitution states 'no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of Islam.' Most Christians are secret believers unable even to own a Bible. If exposed, Christians face fierce reprisals from family, community and the Taliban, including expulsion from their homes, verbal and physical abuse, intimidation, beatings, loss of employment, imprisonment and even death. There is no visible Church; yet the Church continues to grow.
Maldives, is an Islamic republic that prohibits the practice of any other religion. It is believed it will keep the national unity and maintain the government's power. Native Christians have to worship in secret. Foreigners can practice their religion in private and are allowed to have one BIBLE, but only for personal use.
Somalia, where Islam is the official religion, Christians are heavily persecuted. Christians are forced to worship in secret. If caught, Christians are beaten, raped, and killed. In 2008, ten Christians were killed including four teachers for their faith in JESUS.
Saudi Arabia, is a place where Christians are heavily persecuted. Islam is the official religion, and the open practice of any other religion other than Islam is forbidden. Christians are forced to worship in secret, and when Christians are caught they are beaten, tortured, and killed. Saudi's call killing a Christian an "Honor Killing". Little girls who are caught in worship of JESUS have to be raped before killing, because in the Islamic religion, a virgin cannot be killed.
Iran is an Islamic republic. There is a growing number of Muslim's converting to Christianity, and though it is a celebratory occasion, they must worship in secret.Christians live in fear everyday of being caught. The government sends secret police to watch for Christian activity. When caught, they are arrested and tortured.
North Korea, is the most dangerous place for Christians. The North Korean constitution guarantees religious freedoms, but in reality it is forbidden. The North Korean government has a government ran religion as a cover of religious freedom, but in reality 70% of North Koreans are non-religious.
Kim Jung II, is the leader of North Korea, and is revered as a god. If people do not serve him or worship him publicly, they pay a heavy price. Christians will not worship Kim Jung II, so they are arrested and put in labor camps. The conditions of the camp are horrible. There is no sanitation, no medicine for the ill, and very little to no food. The Christians are the last to be fed in the prison camp. There are reportedly about 40, 000 Christians in the prison camps. Their only crime...being Christian.
Many Christians die every day in the camps, and their bodies are thrown at the base of the mountain, and is seen by all the prisoners in the camp. An escaped prisoner, filled with much emotion, said, she saw so many bodies at the base of the mountain that it made her sick. She had never seen so much death. Why did they have to die? Because they were Christians!
She also said, that she was arrested for being a Christian, and they punish up to 3 generations of family. Her mom, dad, and kids were all arrested and placed in the camps. She has no idea if her parents and kids are still living. She made her way out somehow, but many die in the camps.
Christians, go to Open Doors and get involved. I ordered a video from Open Doors, called World Watch North Korea. It opened my eyes to the reality of the horrific, torturous treatment human beings are being subject to, all because they chose CHRIST. There are things we Christians living in America can do to help.
We can pray, send letters to the incarcerated, give money to help send BIBLES, and other necessities. Open Doors has an organization in South Korea, helping those in need of medicine, food, shelter, and much more. Once health is restored, they train up the Christians to go back into North Korea, taking BIBLES, and much needed supplies to those who are in need.
GOD is definitely working in the lives of the North Korean's, and GOD is asking us to help. Get involved! You never know what impact you could have on a life or lives! The outcome will be seen in the KINGDOM!
GOD bless you.
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