phipps
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I didn't know that about the Sufis. You learn something everyday.
Christian Persecution.
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Mohammed_123
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I did read that the parable of Jesus and the fig tree, is actually about Gnosis.
Bible Gateway passage: Mark 11:12-25 - New International Version
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts - The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he...
Mohammed_123
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phipps
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Gnosticism is not taught in the Bible at all! It certainly would not have been taught by Jesus.I did read that the parable of Jesus and the fig tree, is actually about Gnosis.
Bible Gateway passage: Mark 11:12-25 - New International Version
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts - The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he...www.biblegateway.com
Christian gnosticism was a fusion of Hellenism (Greek culture, philosophy, and religion which is paganism) and Christianity. The apostles tried to correct the gnostic beliefs that had crept into the Christian Church at that time. Biblical Christianity is about if we believe there is a God in heaven then we are to know and obey His divine will. We are not to pick and choose what we will obey and discard what we feel we don't want to. That is compromise.
There are few lessons to be learnt from the story of the withered fig tree. I'll deal with only one of them.
The Bible talks a bit about fig trees and they are supposed to produce good fruit, not no fruit or bad fruit. In Galatians 5:22-23, the Bible states: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Also Jesus said, "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:17-20). This is talking about what will happen to all people who have not produced good fruit in their lives and had a relationship with Jesus. They will be punished in hellfire and die eternally.
When Jesus cursed the fig tree and it withered, it was about what was going to happen to the entire Jewish nation. The fig tree had leaves but no fruit. God had chosen them as His people to spread the gospel around the world. But by Jesus' time, they had rejected Him even though they had the temple and still observed the ceremonies and ceremonial Sabbaths that all pointed to Him. So they had all the forms and the trappings of religion without the power of Jesus/God.
The Jewish nation was supposed to bring forth the fruits. So too is the Christian Church and individual Christians. We all have a responsibility to be productive. If we all have the fruit of the Holy Spirit, it leads to the gospel being preached around the world and souls being converted to Christ.
Unfortunately Israel failed in that task as a nation and it was cut down spiritually. They were no longer God's chosen people as a nation. God's chosen people are now all those who accept Jesus as their personal Saviour and obey Him regardless of race. tongue or nation from around the world. We all come to Christ individually now.
Jesus predicted what was going to happen to the Jewish nation (not only in Mark 11) and what will eventually happen to the world on a much larger scale.
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phipps
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120 Christians Forced to Reconvert to Hinduism.
Around 120 tribal Christians belonging to two villages in the Koraput district of India’s eastern state of Odisha were forcefully reconverted to Hinduism on Sunday during a ceremony known as “ghar wapsi” or “homecoming.”
The ghar wapsi ceremony includes Hindu and tribal rituals to “cleanse” former Hindus who had accepted Christ and wash away any remnants of the Christian faith. During these rituals, men often have their heads shaved. In some cases, radical Hindus have forced Christians to drink the blood of a chicken mixed with cow dung.
Just before the forced reconversions, local members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dharma Prasar, a fringe fundamentalist Hindu group, reportedly gathered at the temple where the ceremony occurred.
During the ceremony, 83 men from 19 families were pressured to return to Hinduism. Several women and girls then gave in to pressure to reconvert. According to some of these people, they had followed Christianity because it was the religion of their relatives, dating back four generations. They reconverted following pressure from local Hindu nationalists and local government authorities, who stopped providing the families with subsidized food staples, like rice and lentils. Hindu leaders also barred the families from accessing a local well.
www.persecution.org
Around 120 tribal Christians belonging to two villages in the Koraput district of India’s eastern state of Odisha were forcefully reconverted to Hinduism on Sunday during a ceremony known as “ghar wapsi” or “homecoming.”
The ghar wapsi ceremony includes Hindu and tribal rituals to “cleanse” former Hindus who had accepted Christ and wash away any remnants of the Christian faith. During these rituals, men often have their heads shaved. In some cases, radical Hindus have forced Christians to drink the blood of a chicken mixed with cow dung.
Just before the forced reconversions, local members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dharma Prasar, a fringe fundamentalist Hindu group, reportedly gathered at the temple where the ceremony occurred.
During the ceremony, 83 men from 19 families were pressured to return to Hinduism. Several women and girls then gave in to pressure to reconvert. According to some of these people, they had followed Christianity because it was the religion of their relatives, dating back four generations. They reconverted following pressure from local Hindu nationalists and local government authorities, who stopped providing the families with subsidized food staples, like rice and lentils. Hindu leaders also barred the families from accessing a local well.
120 Christians Forced to Reconvert to Hinduism - International Christian Concern
Around 120 tribal Christians belonging to two villages in the Koraput district of India’s eastern state of Odisha were forcefully reconverted to Hinduism on Sunday during a ceremony known as “ghar wapsi” or “homecoming.”
www.persecution.org
Mohammed_123
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phipps
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Six Lao Christians Arrested at Prayer Meeting.
Authorities recently arrested a pastor and five Christians during the middle of a prayer gathering in Tahae village, Khammouane Province.
The village chief and security officials made the arrests on June 22 at Pastor Mum’s house. Those arrested, who ranged in age from 23 to 50, have been detained at Xaibouathong district prison. Human rights groups have stated that the village chief arrested the believers as part of his efforts to crack down on the spread of Christianity in his village.
Since 2019, roughly 40 to 50 Christians have met at Mum’s house for prayer, worship, and fellowship. The previous village chief was allegedly more tolerant of Christians living in the area, but the election of the current village chief, Lang, has led to more harassment toward Christians.
www.persecution.org
Authorities recently arrested a pastor and five Christians during the middle of a prayer gathering in Tahae village, Khammouane Province.
The village chief and security officials made the arrests on June 22 at Pastor Mum’s house. Those arrested, who ranged in age from 23 to 50, have been detained at Xaibouathong district prison. Human rights groups have stated that the village chief arrested the believers as part of his efforts to crack down on the spread of Christianity in his village.
Since 2019, roughly 40 to 50 Christians have met at Mum’s house for prayer, worship, and fellowship. The previous village chief was allegedly more tolerant of Christians living in the area, but the election of the current village chief, Lang, has led to more harassment toward Christians.
Six Lao Christians Arrested at Prayer Meeting - International Christian Concern
Authorities recently arrested a pastor and five Christians during the middle of a prayer gathering in Tahae village, Khammouane Province.
www.persecution.org
phipps
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Christians could go to prison for sharing Gospel of Jesus in Israel!
In what may seem like a strange action in the nation that gave birth to Jesus Christ of Nazareth, some lawmakers in Israel are now looking to send Christians to prison for sharing the Gospel of Jesus in their country.
Legislation has been introduced by Knesset Members Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, two ultra-Orthodox members of Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, seeking to toss people in prison for spreading the Good News of eternal life offered by the Son of God.
The proposed law makes it illegal to share Christian messages in conversation in person, online, as well as in print or by email.
Violators would be imprisoned for a year, with the punishment doubled to two years if believers are witnessing to someone under the age of 18.
Online reaction has been swift, with comments including:
"Just so you're clear. They want to lock you up for believing in Jesus Christ
"
"Because Jews are actually putting their faith in Christ. Major threat to the pharisees."
"Image the backlash if someone wanted to do this with Judaism. Don't expect any Republicans to denounce their donors for trying to ban Jesus."
"We gotta protect our citizens from being brainwashed by the followers of a guy who [checks notes] healed the sick and told people to love their neighbor. "
"Why is that news? Israel has for millennia believe that when the Messiah returns, it will be as a king, 'to set up his kingdom here on earth, and destroy their enemies.' Since Christ Jesus didn't do that when he was here, they naturally denied him. You know, that same kind of stuff Christians believe he's going to do …Soon! 'Return as a king,' to set up his kingdom, and destroy their enemies." Both Jews and Christians are expecting the same thing. Only when He does return, Christians will deny Him, this time, because He's not coming to set up a Kingdom, and rule on this earth, and He certainly isn't going to come in the fashion that the ancient texts describe."
"The synagogue of satan wants to throw you in jail for speaking of Christ."
"There is no such thing as Judeo-Christianity. Jews have been persecuting Christians for 2,000 years and they continue to this day. They are of their Father the Devil. Any 'Christian' who supports Israel and Judaism hates Jesus and God."
"Desperation. The hard-core Jewish Orthodox political faction is terrified of Jews waking up to the lies of Judaism and returning to their biblical roots, i.e. Christ."
"Such a bill will never become law while Netanyahu is prime minister."
"What if I call him 'Yeshua'? Would that be OK?"
Read the rest in the link below.
www.wnd.com
In what may seem like a strange action in the nation that gave birth to Jesus Christ of Nazareth, some lawmakers in Israel are now looking to send Christians to prison for sharing the Gospel of Jesus in their country.
Legislation has been introduced by Knesset Members Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, two ultra-Orthodox members of Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, seeking to toss people in prison for spreading the Good News of eternal life offered by the Son of God.
The proposed law makes it illegal to share Christian messages in conversation in person, online, as well as in print or by email.
Violators would be imprisoned for a year, with the punishment doubled to two years if believers are witnessing to someone under the age of 18.
Online reaction has been swift, with comments including:
"Just so you're clear. They want to lock you up for believing in Jesus Christ
""Because Jews are actually putting their faith in Christ. Major threat to the pharisees."
"Image the backlash if someone wanted to do this with Judaism. Don't expect any Republicans to denounce their donors for trying to ban Jesus."
"We gotta protect our citizens from being brainwashed by the followers of a guy who [checks notes] healed the sick and told people to love their neighbor. "
"Why is that news? Israel has for millennia believe that when the Messiah returns, it will be as a king, 'to set up his kingdom here on earth, and destroy their enemies.' Since Christ Jesus didn't do that when he was here, they naturally denied him. You know, that same kind of stuff Christians believe he's going to do …Soon! 'Return as a king,' to set up his kingdom, and destroy their enemies." Both Jews and Christians are expecting the same thing. Only when He does return, Christians will deny Him, this time, because He's not coming to set up a Kingdom, and rule on this earth, and He certainly isn't going to come in the fashion that the ancient texts describe."
"The synagogue of satan wants to throw you in jail for speaking of Christ."
"There is no such thing as Judeo-Christianity. Jews have been persecuting Christians for 2,000 years and they continue to this day. They are of their Father the Devil. Any 'Christian' who supports Israel and Judaism hates Jesus and God."
"Desperation. The hard-core Jewish Orthodox political faction is terrified of Jews waking up to the lies of Judaism and returning to their biblical roots, i.e. Christ."
"Such a bill will never become law while Netanyahu is prime minister."
"What if I call him 'Yeshua'? Would that be OK?"
Read the rest in the link below.
Christians could go to prison for sharing Gospel of Jesus in Israel! * WorldNetDaily * by Joe Kovacs
In what may seem like a strange action in the nation that gave birth to Jesus Christ of Nazareth, some lawmakers in Israel are now looking to send Christians to prison for sharing the Gospel of Jesus in their country.
www.wnd.com
AspiringSoul
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gnosis and gnosticism are not the same thing.
one just means 'knowledge' which in the context refers to a mystical knowledge connected by heart eg Jesus will reject many and say 'i never KNEW you'.
When Jesus said he is the true vine, he also said 'you are the branches' and therefore those who are 'in him' are the ones who are in this shared 'gnosis'.
God, christians are fucking imbeciles when it comes to this shit.
one just means 'knowledge' which in the context refers to a mystical knowledge connected by heart eg Jesus will reject many and say 'i never KNEW you'.
When Jesus said he is the true vine, he also said 'you are the branches' and therefore those who are 'in him' are the ones who are in this shared 'gnosis'.
God, christians are fucking imbeciles when it comes to this shit.
AspiringSoul
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The majority of muslims are sunni. Most of the sunnis follow sufi islam. The only ones who don't are the wobblers from yahudi arabia.
phipps
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China Continues Efforts to Erase Christianity from Within.
9/13/2024 China (International Christian Concern) — For decades, China’s ruling party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has tried to control and restrain Christianity within its borders. Its ultimate hope is to see the faith disappear from China altogether.
In 1982, the CCP released its position statement on religion, which asserts that, over the long haul, socialism will eventually take the place of religion.
“Only after the gradual development … of a socialist civilization, with its own material and spiritual values, will … religion gradually disappear,” the statement reads. “Only when we enter this new age will all that shows a religious face in the present world finally disappear.”
Additionally, CCP members are expressly told they must be atheists and are forbidden from following God.
A member of the CCP “belongs to a Marxist political party, and there can be no doubt at all that [they] must be an atheist and not a theist,” the statement explains.
While Chinese citizens are given a form of religious freedom, they are closely monitored to ensure that no anti-China or anti-socialist platforms are spoken about within churches.
To achieve full socialist control over its people, China employs many tactics to muzzle those it views as a threat, often targeting Christianity as a result.
Christians who have spoken out against socialism have been arrested and imprisoned for their faith, and churches that have garnered too much influence for Christ have been shuttered. In addition to overt persecution, the Chinese government has devised more insidious strategies to strike at the heart of Christianity.
One such tactic is sinicization, the process whereby Chinese officials have called for religious institutions to make China and socialist ideas their highest priority and align their ministries with the ideas of socialism. In carrying this process out, authorities reportedly removed crosses from various Christian churches in 2020 because their crosses were higher than their displays of the country’s flag.
In a post on X, Evangelist Franklin Graham expressed solidarity with the persecuted Christians.
“Removing the crosses won’t change the truth of the message of the cross and the power of Jesus Christ to transform lives and save souls for eternity,” Graham stated.
Other moves to demote Christianity beneath socialism came in 2017 when members of the CCP allegedly visited many Christian households in Yugan County. More than 1 million people reside there, and an estimated 10% of its citizens are Christian. Party officials encouraged thousands of Christians to take down crosses and images of Jesus hanging in their homes and replace them with pictures of China’s president, Xi Jinping. CCP officials reportedly told the citizens that socialism and President Xi would help them with health and financial worries instead of their Savior Jesus Christ. Though denied by the government, reports from villagers claim they were threatened with losing state benefits if they didn’t comply.
Additionally, in 2014, a dozen or more Christian churches were either demolished or had their crosses removed. The New York Times reported that it obtained “an internal government document” that evidenced the Chinese government had intentionally targeted the churches to reduce Christian influence in the country. The document “specifie[d] only one religion, Christianity, and one symbol, crosses.”
Another not-so-subtle strategy the Chinese government employs is targeting human rights lawyers in China who defend religious freedoms for citizens. In 2015, authorities arrested, tortured, detained, and disappeared about 300 attorneys for “stirring up troubles” and “creating public disorder.” Several attorneys who were detained reported being tortured and abused while in custody, including being electrocuted, beaten, forcibly drugged, and deprived of sleep. According to the family of lawyer Li Chunfu, he suffered symptoms of paranoia and schizophrenia once released after being forced to ingest drugs, and attorney Jiang Tianyong reportedly lost parts of his memory after many forced druggings while in detention.
Though many of the attorneys have been released, they continue to be harassed and monitored nine years after the incident.
In contrast to persecuting Christians, the Chinese government has softened its views on indigenous Chinese and folk religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Reports assert that China sees Christianity as foreign and, therefore, a threat to its power and views indigenous religions as devices to bring the attention of Chinese citizens back to the nation of China. According to Reuters, the government also began to embrace the deity Mazu of the sea, widely worshiped by the Taiwanese, in an attempt to garner more influence and power among the Taiwanese people.
Despite the rampant persecution, Chinese Christians persist in their faith. Pew Research data from 2018 estimates anywhere from 20 to 81 million Christians were living in China.
www.persecution.org
9/13/2024 China (International Christian Concern) — For decades, China’s ruling party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has tried to control and restrain Christianity within its borders. Its ultimate hope is to see the faith disappear from China altogether.
In 1982, the CCP released its position statement on religion, which asserts that, over the long haul, socialism will eventually take the place of religion.
“Only after the gradual development … of a socialist civilization, with its own material and spiritual values, will … religion gradually disappear,” the statement reads. “Only when we enter this new age will all that shows a religious face in the present world finally disappear.”
Additionally, CCP members are expressly told they must be atheists and are forbidden from following God.
A member of the CCP “belongs to a Marxist political party, and there can be no doubt at all that [they] must be an atheist and not a theist,” the statement explains.
While Chinese citizens are given a form of religious freedom, they are closely monitored to ensure that no anti-China or anti-socialist platforms are spoken about within churches.
To achieve full socialist control over its people, China employs many tactics to muzzle those it views as a threat, often targeting Christianity as a result.
Christians who have spoken out against socialism have been arrested and imprisoned for their faith, and churches that have garnered too much influence for Christ have been shuttered. In addition to overt persecution, the Chinese government has devised more insidious strategies to strike at the heart of Christianity.
One such tactic is sinicization, the process whereby Chinese officials have called for religious institutions to make China and socialist ideas their highest priority and align their ministries with the ideas of socialism. In carrying this process out, authorities reportedly removed crosses from various Christian churches in 2020 because their crosses were higher than their displays of the country’s flag.
In a post on X, Evangelist Franklin Graham expressed solidarity with the persecuted Christians.
“Removing the crosses won’t change the truth of the message of the cross and the power of Jesus Christ to transform lives and save souls for eternity,” Graham stated.
Other moves to demote Christianity beneath socialism came in 2017 when members of the CCP allegedly visited many Christian households in Yugan County. More than 1 million people reside there, and an estimated 10% of its citizens are Christian. Party officials encouraged thousands of Christians to take down crosses and images of Jesus hanging in their homes and replace them with pictures of China’s president, Xi Jinping. CCP officials reportedly told the citizens that socialism and President Xi would help them with health and financial worries instead of their Savior Jesus Christ. Though denied by the government, reports from villagers claim they were threatened with losing state benefits if they didn’t comply.
Additionally, in 2014, a dozen or more Christian churches were either demolished or had their crosses removed. The New York Times reported that it obtained “an internal government document” that evidenced the Chinese government had intentionally targeted the churches to reduce Christian influence in the country. The document “specifie[d] only one religion, Christianity, and one symbol, crosses.”
Another not-so-subtle strategy the Chinese government employs is targeting human rights lawyers in China who defend religious freedoms for citizens. In 2015, authorities arrested, tortured, detained, and disappeared about 300 attorneys for “stirring up troubles” and “creating public disorder.” Several attorneys who were detained reported being tortured and abused while in custody, including being electrocuted, beaten, forcibly drugged, and deprived of sleep. According to the family of lawyer Li Chunfu, he suffered symptoms of paranoia and schizophrenia once released after being forced to ingest drugs, and attorney Jiang Tianyong reportedly lost parts of his memory after many forced druggings while in detention.
Though many of the attorneys have been released, they continue to be harassed and monitored nine years after the incident.
In contrast to persecuting Christians, the Chinese government has softened its views on indigenous Chinese and folk religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Reports assert that China sees Christianity as foreign and, therefore, a threat to its power and views indigenous religions as devices to bring the attention of Chinese citizens back to the nation of China. According to Reuters, the government also began to embrace the deity Mazu of the sea, widely worshiped by the Taiwanese, in an attempt to garner more influence and power among the Taiwanese people.
Despite the rampant persecution, Chinese Christians persist in their faith. Pew Research data from 2018 estimates anywhere from 20 to 81 million Christians were living in China.
China Continues Efforts to Erase Christianity from Within - International Christian Concern
For decades, China’s ruling party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has tried to control and restrain Christianity within its borders. Its ultimate hope is to see the faith disappear from China altogether.
www.persecution.org
phipps
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Pastor Terrorized, Arrested For 'Reading the Bible Aloud' Scores 'Complete Victory'.
A Washington pastor has scored a major victory after being arrested at least twice for preaching the Gospel in public. Pastor Matthew Meinecke's battle against Seattle officials recently came to a close, according to Nate Kellum, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute. The lawyer told CBN News how the situation began in June 24, 2022, how it was resolved — and why it matters.
"What had happened was the city of Seattle effectively made reading the Bible aloud a crime," he told CBN News. "And it first occurred on June 24, 2022. I don't know if that date sticks out to you, but that was the date that the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the Dobbs decision. That was a decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade." Meinecke was reportedly preaching during a huge protest against the decision in downtown Seattle, and Kellum said the preacher felt it would "be a perfect opportunity to share the Gospel."
"So, he took his Bible and he goes out there to read the Bible," he said. "He has very earnest pro-life beliefs, but that was not his purpose. He really just wanted to share the Gospel. Meinecke started reading from the Book of John and "it was not received well." "Some protesters started to crowd in around him, started saying some inflammatory, derogatory things, [and] made him feel uncomfortable," Kellum said. "So ... he moved off a few feet away to a new spot, but then, at that spot, some protester grabbed his Bible and started ripping the pages out of it."
And that's not all. Kellum said the situation turned physical after Meinecke grabbed another Bible and resumed reading. That's when he alleges "Antifa members got involved." "They started to pick up Pastor Meinecke," Kellum said, noting they carried him around a block before dropping him on the cement. Despite the pain and danger, Meinecke found another spot and started breaching again. That's when he was again confronted and reportedly knocked down. Kellum said the police intervened at that point, but rather than helping Monike, they said "he was the problem."
"Pastor Meinecke knew ... he had a First Amendment right to share his views," the attorney said. "And so he wasn't just willing to walk away, [and] tried to reason with the police officers, but they arrested him, and they held him for several hours in a detaining cell until after the abortion rally had ended, really thwarting his opportunity to share the Gospel."
A Washington pastor has scored a major victory after being arrested at least twice for preaching the Gospel in public. Pastor Matthew Meinecke's battle against Seattle officials recently came to a close, according to Nate Kellum, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute. The lawyer told CBN News how the situation began in June 24, 2022, how it was resolved — and why it matters.
"What had happened was the city of Seattle effectively made reading the Bible aloud a crime," he told CBN News. "And it first occurred on June 24, 2022. I don't know if that date sticks out to you, but that was the date that the U.S. Supreme Court rendered the Dobbs decision. That was a decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade." Meinecke was reportedly preaching during a huge protest against the decision in downtown Seattle, and Kellum said the preacher felt it would "be a perfect opportunity to share the Gospel."
"So, he took his Bible and he goes out there to read the Bible," he said. "He has very earnest pro-life beliefs, but that was not his purpose. He really just wanted to share the Gospel. Meinecke started reading from the Book of John and "it was not received well." "Some protesters started to crowd in around him, started saying some inflammatory, derogatory things, [and] made him feel uncomfortable," Kellum said. "So ... he moved off a few feet away to a new spot, but then, at that spot, some protester grabbed his Bible and started ripping the pages out of it."
And that's not all. Kellum said the situation turned physical after Meinecke grabbed another Bible and resumed reading. That's when he alleges "Antifa members got involved." "They started to pick up Pastor Meinecke," Kellum said, noting they carried him around a block before dropping him on the cement. Despite the pain and danger, Meinecke found another spot and started breaching again. That's when he was again confronted and reportedly knocked down. Kellum said the police intervened at that point, but rather than helping Monike, they said "he was the problem."
"Pastor Meinecke knew ... he had a First Amendment right to share his views," the attorney said. "And so he wasn't just willing to walk away, [and] tried to reason with the police officers, but they arrested him, and they held him for several hours in a detaining cell until after the abortion rally had ended, really thwarting his opportunity to share the Gospel."
phipps
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Christian Woman Sentenced to Death in Pakistan for Blasphemy.
9/20/2024 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) — A Pakistani court on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old Christian mother to death for allegedly blaspheming the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka sentenced Shagufta Kiran to death using Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws. Kiran’s lawyers plan to appeal the decision.
“We feel it’s a wrong judgment based on prejudice,” Kiran’s attorney, Rana Abdul Hameed, stated in a UCA news report. “The judge didn’t bother to look at the evidence or conduct a proper analysis.”
Charges against Kiran allegedly included “intending to outrage religious feelings” and “insulting the Prophet Muhammad,” among others.
The mother of four reportedly forwarded a WhatsApp message in September 2020 containing content deemed blasphemous against Muhammad.
Kiran was a part of several WhatsApp groups where she discussed and defended her Christian faith. Shiraz Ahmed Farooqi, a Muslim member of one of the groups, lodged a complaint against Kiran for disrespecting the prophet with her forwarded message.
Pakistani authorities arrested Kiran on July 29, 2021, in Islamabad after screenshots of the message were sent to investigators.
Kiran denies any wrongdoing, stating she wasn’t the post’s original author and that she forwarded the post “without reading it,” Christian Daily International reported. Her husband, Rafique Masih, stated that the message had “been forwarded many times” before his wife’s arrest and raised concerns over the motivation for his wife’s detainment. Reports of blasphemy charges being levied against individuals as a device for settling disputes within Pakistan are numerous.
A United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report from December 2023 stated, “In many cases, there is no punishment for those who offer false accusations or perpetrate vigilante violence” against the accused.
The report additionally stated that, since 1987, more than 2,000 individuals “have been accused of blasphemy,” and 40 are currently facing the death penalty.
www.persecution.org
9/20/2024 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) — A Pakistani court on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old Christian mother to death for allegedly blaspheming the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka sentenced Shagufta Kiran to death using Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws. Kiran’s lawyers plan to appeal the decision.
“We feel it’s a wrong judgment based on prejudice,” Kiran’s attorney, Rana Abdul Hameed, stated in a UCA news report. “The judge didn’t bother to look at the evidence or conduct a proper analysis.”
Charges against Kiran allegedly included “intending to outrage religious feelings” and “insulting the Prophet Muhammad,” among others.
The mother of four reportedly forwarded a WhatsApp message in September 2020 containing content deemed blasphemous against Muhammad.
Kiran was a part of several WhatsApp groups where she discussed and defended her Christian faith. Shiraz Ahmed Farooqi, a Muslim member of one of the groups, lodged a complaint against Kiran for disrespecting the prophet with her forwarded message.
Pakistani authorities arrested Kiran on July 29, 2021, in Islamabad after screenshots of the message were sent to investigators.
Kiran denies any wrongdoing, stating she wasn’t the post’s original author and that she forwarded the post “without reading it,” Christian Daily International reported. Her husband, Rafique Masih, stated that the message had “been forwarded many times” before his wife’s arrest and raised concerns over the motivation for his wife’s detainment. Reports of blasphemy charges being levied against individuals as a device for settling disputes within Pakistan are numerous.
A United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report from December 2023 stated, “In many cases, there is no punishment for those who offer false accusations or perpetrate vigilante violence” against the accused.
The report additionally stated that, since 1987, more than 2,000 individuals “have been accused of blasphemy,” and 40 are currently facing the death penalty.
Christian Woman Sentenced to Death in Pakistan for Blasphemy - International Christian Concern
A Pakistani court on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old Christian mother to death for allegedly blaspheming the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
www.persecution.org
phipps
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Fresh Wave of Extremist Attacks Hit Nigeria’s Christian Communities.
9/16/2024 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) — Islamic extremists recently struck Christian communities in multiple regions of Nigeria, raising concerns about the country’s worsening security.
According to multiple reports from Kaduna state, Islamic extremists violently attacked the Kuyallo Primary Health Care Centre on Sept. 9 in the Birnin-Gwari local government area.
The attackers, believed to be members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansaru group, stormed the facility at around 9 a.m., leaving many injured. The group also abducted two female nurses and several patients.
Initially targeting a local government school, the attackers shifted their focus to the hospital after finding the school empty.
Before 2013, the Ansaru also engaged in opportunistic kidnappings of Westerners and killed several hostages, mostly Christians whom they had initially intended to use for ransom. In November 2013, the U.S. Department of State designated Ansaru as a foreign terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, both Kaduna and Niger states are grappling with another wave of insurgency, particularly around Shiroro Lake and its neighboring communities. Local reports indicate that Boko Haram, ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), and Ansaru have formed a deadly coalition in the area.
The groups are forcing Christian farmers into slave labor, cultivating their crops and tending to their stolen cattle. The farmers are often forced to sell their produce at local markets and give the profits to the Islamists. These terror activities are occurring near Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, which could pose a larger threat if swift action is not taken.
Authorities also recently thwarted an attack targeting Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) assets in Shiroro.
More than 100 Islamic militants launched an assault on DSS personnel, but Nigerian security forces, including the air force, repelled the attack, killing more than 28 insurgents. The DSS lost two operatives during the battle.
The Stefanos Foundation, a Nigerian-based advocacy group for vulnerable communities, expressed alarm over the escalating violence and called on the Nigerian government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure these regions.
“The cries of the locals in the Shiroro area must be heard, and the poor farmers liberated from the clutches of these terrorists,” the foundation stated.
www.persecution.org
9/16/2024 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) — Islamic extremists recently struck Christian communities in multiple regions of Nigeria, raising concerns about the country’s worsening security.
According to multiple reports from Kaduna state, Islamic extremists violently attacked the Kuyallo Primary Health Care Centre on Sept. 9 in the Birnin-Gwari local government area.
The attackers, believed to be members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansaru group, stormed the facility at around 9 a.m., leaving many injured. The group also abducted two female nurses and several patients.
Initially targeting a local government school, the attackers shifted their focus to the hospital after finding the school empty.
Before 2013, the Ansaru also engaged in opportunistic kidnappings of Westerners and killed several hostages, mostly Christians whom they had initially intended to use for ransom. In November 2013, the U.S. Department of State designated Ansaru as a foreign terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, both Kaduna and Niger states are grappling with another wave of insurgency, particularly around Shiroro Lake and its neighboring communities. Local reports indicate that Boko Haram, ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), and Ansaru have formed a deadly coalition in the area.
The groups are forcing Christian farmers into slave labor, cultivating their crops and tending to their stolen cattle. The farmers are often forced to sell their produce at local markets and give the profits to the Islamists. These terror activities are occurring near Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, which could pose a larger threat if swift action is not taken.
Authorities also recently thwarted an attack targeting Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) assets in Shiroro.
More than 100 Islamic militants launched an assault on DSS personnel, but Nigerian security forces, including the air force, repelled the attack, killing more than 28 insurgents. The DSS lost two operatives during the battle.
The Stefanos Foundation, a Nigerian-based advocacy group for vulnerable communities, expressed alarm over the escalating violence and called on the Nigerian government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure these regions.
“The cries of the locals in the Shiroro area must be heard, and the poor farmers liberated from the clutches of these terrorists,” the foundation stated.
Fresh Wave of Extremist Attacks Hit Nigeria’s Christian Communities - International Christian Concern
Islamic extremists recently struck Christian communities in multiple regions of Nigeria, raising concerns about the country’s worsening security.
www.persecution.org
phipps
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PERSECUTION IS COMING!!!
The Bible says, “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service" (John 16:2).
Is it possible that this will be literally fulfilled in our time?
Yes. The end-time coalition of world governments and religions will finally lose all sympathy for God’s people, those who refuse to join the counterfeit revival or adopt the mark of the beast. They will feel that the miracles accompanying their revival prove its validity—miracles such as the sick being healed or notorious God-haters, immoral celebrities, and well-known criminals being converted. The coalition will insist that no one be permitted to ruin this worldwide revival. Everyone will be urged to lay aside personal feelings and “fanatical teachings” (God's truth, the Sabbath, for example) and join with the rest of the world in its revival for peace and brotherhood. Those who do not agree to cooperate will be considered disloyal, unpatriotic, anarchists and, finally, dangerous fanatics who must not be tolerated. In that day, those who kill God’s people will feel they are doing God a favour.
The Bible says, “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service" (John 16:2).
Is it possible that this will be literally fulfilled in our time?
Yes. The end-time coalition of world governments and religions will finally lose all sympathy for God’s people, those who refuse to join the counterfeit revival or adopt the mark of the beast. They will feel that the miracles accompanying their revival prove its validity—miracles such as the sick being healed or notorious God-haters, immoral celebrities, and well-known criminals being converted. The coalition will insist that no one be permitted to ruin this worldwide revival. Everyone will be urged to lay aside personal feelings and “fanatical teachings” (God's truth, the Sabbath, for example) and join with the rest of the world in its revival for peace and brotherhood. Those who do not agree to cooperate will be considered disloyal, unpatriotic, anarchists and, finally, dangerous fanatics who must not be tolerated. In that day, those who kill God’s people will feel they are doing God a favour.
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phipps
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The dark ages are soon to be repeated (exterminate all heretics/fanatics).
2 Timothy 3:12, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
So it will be with all who will live godly in Christ Jesus. Persecution and reproach await all who are imbued with the Spirit of Christ. The character of the persecution changes with the times, but the principle--the spirit that underlies it--is the same that has slain the chosen of the Lord ever since the days of Abel. {AA 576.2}
Amid the gloom that settled upon the earth during the long period of papal supremacy, the light of truth could not be wholly extinguished. In every age there were witnesses for God—men who cherished faith in Christ as the only mediator between God and man, who held the Bible as the only rule of life, and who hallowed the true Sabbath. How much the world owes to these men, posterity will never know. THEY WERE BRANDED AS HERETICS, their motives impugned, their characters maligned, their writings suppressed, misrepresented, or mutilated. Yet they stood firm, and from age to age maintained their faith in its purity, as a sacred heritage for the generations to come. GC 61.1
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Pastor, family burned alive in Islamist attack after leading Muslims to Christ.
Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a pastor and his family to death after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the pastor’s brother said.
Pastor Weere Mukisa, his 25-year-old wife, Annet Namugaya, and their two daughters, 7-year-old Judith Banirye and 4-year-old Sylvia Bamukisa, died when the assailants set fire to their home shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 13, said the church leader’s brother, James Tusubira. Pastor Mukisa was 30.
The tragic attack took place in Kibale village, Mpumiro Parish, Bulange Sub-County, Namutumba District. Pastor Mukisa had led the Muslims to Christ in September.
“When the three young Muslims converted to Christ, my brother started receiving threatening messages that he should stop any contact with the three young converts, and that the act committed is against the teaching of Islam to not join the religion of infidels,” Tusubira told Morning Star News.
Tusubira said he saw flames and smoke coming from the family’s home at 2:48 a.m.
“We rushed to the scene of the incident and found the house torched and the five bodies burned beyond recognition,” he said. “Many people started arriving till the break of the day. Plastic bottles of petrol were found outside the house.”
The assailants were from a neighboring village and were known to the pastor, Tusubira said.
The killings have been reported to the police in Kibale. Officers were hunting for the suspects, who have absconded, Tusubira said.
Villagers were in great shock and fearful over the gruesome attack, he said.
“Please pray for us so that these radical Muslims who destroyed my brother and the entire family can be brought to book,” Tusubira said.
morningstarnews.org
Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a pastor and his family to death after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the pastor’s brother said.
Pastor Weere Mukisa, his 25-year-old wife, Annet Namugaya, and their two daughters, 7-year-old Judith Banirye and 4-year-old Sylvia Bamukisa, died when the assailants set fire to their home shortly before 3 a.m. on Oct. 13, said the church leader’s brother, James Tusubira. Pastor Mukisa was 30.
The tragic attack took place in Kibale village, Mpumiro Parish, Bulange Sub-County, Namutumba District. Pastor Mukisa had led the Muslims to Christ in September.
“When the three young Muslims converted to Christ, my brother started receiving threatening messages that he should stop any contact with the three young converts, and that the act committed is against the teaching of Islam to not join the religion of infidels,” Tusubira told Morning Star News.
Tusubira said he saw flames and smoke coming from the family’s home at 2:48 a.m.
“We rushed to the scene of the incident and found the house torched and the five bodies burned beyond recognition,” he said. “Many people started arriving till the break of the day. Plastic bottles of petrol were found outside the house.”
The assailants were from a neighboring village and were known to the pastor, Tusubira said.
The killings have been reported to the police in Kibale. Officers were hunting for the suspects, who have absconded, Tusubira said.
Villagers were in great shock and fearful over the gruesome attack, he said.
“Please pray for us so that these radical Muslims who destroyed my brother and the entire family can be brought to book,” Tusubira said.
Pastor, Family Killed in One of Two Islamist Attacks - Morningstar News
Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a pastor and his family to death after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the pastor’s brother said.
morningstarnews.org
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Mother burned with acid.
In Nankoma, Bugiri District, a mother of three children was beaten and burned with acid by her Muslim husband after he learned she had put her faith in Christ.
Hidaaya Nabafa, 27, was receiving hospital treatment for severe burns after the attack by Juma Nsibambi, 42, she said.
Nabafa have received Christ in August at a church in Nankoma village, undisclosed for security reasons. Keeping her faith secret, she had gone to a worship service on Oct. 9 while her husband was in Kampala.
“When I came back at 4 p.m., I found my husband at home, and he asked me about where I have been; I kept quiet for a while,” Nabafa told Morning Star News from her hospital bed. “At last, I decided to tell him the truth that I gave my life to Jesus.”
She had Christian tracts about the life of Christ, she said.
“Upon hearing my confession, he got annoyed and boxed me and started beating me up,” Nabafa said. “I tried to make an alarm for rescue, but all in vain.”
Nsibambi momentarily left, leaving her on the ground, and when he returned he poured battery acid on her, she said.
“I lost consciousness, only to find myself in the hospital bed,” said the mother of children ages 7, 5 and 2.
Neighbors arrived and took her to a hospital in Bugiri, where she was expected to continue needing treatment for a few more weeks due to the severity of the burns. She was expected to need reconstructive surgery for some parts of her body.
The attacks were the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.
morningstarnews.org
In Nankoma, Bugiri District, a mother of three children was beaten and burned with acid by her Muslim husband after he learned she had put her faith in Christ.
Hidaaya Nabafa, 27, was receiving hospital treatment for severe burns after the attack by Juma Nsibambi, 42, she said.
Nabafa have received Christ in August at a church in Nankoma village, undisclosed for security reasons. Keeping her faith secret, she had gone to a worship service on Oct. 9 while her husband was in Kampala.
“When I came back at 4 p.m., I found my husband at home, and he asked me about where I have been; I kept quiet for a while,” Nabafa told Morning Star News from her hospital bed. “At last, I decided to tell him the truth that I gave my life to Jesus.”
She had Christian tracts about the life of Christ, she said.
“Upon hearing my confession, he got annoyed and boxed me and started beating me up,” Nabafa said. “I tried to make an alarm for rescue, but all in vain.”
Nsibambi momentarily left, leaving her on the ground, and when he returned he poured battery acid on her, she said.
“I lost consciousness, only to find myself in the hospital bed,” said the mother of children ages 7, 5 and 2.
Neighbors arrived and took her to a hospital in Bugiri, where she was expected to continue needing treatment for a few more weeks due to the severity of the burns. She was expected to need reconstructive surgery for some parts of her body.
The attacks were the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.
Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.
Pastor, Family Killed in One of Two Islamist Attacks - Morningstar News
Islamist villagers in eastern Uganda burned a pastor and his family to death after he led three Muslims to faith in Christ, the pastor’s brother said.
morningstarnews.org