We usually don't think about how Christians are persecuted, or even that they are. We need to be praying for our brother's and sister's in Christ around the world that are persecuted everyday. I really like this article. :)
~Beautifully Created 4 Christ~
Crossing The Bridge
BY WILLIAM STARK
How are Christians persecuted today? This is a question not often thought about in the Western Church today. When Christians in the West actually think about persecution, they think about Ancient Rome, the Coliseum, and things of that nature. As if Christian persecution is something that can only be found in Church history.
People rarely think about Christians suffering in modern times, even though Christianity is the most persecuted religion around the world. From Morocco to China, Christians are persecuted on a daily basis for their faith.
With that said, how are Christians persecuted today? Well, it depends on the country, the religious landscape and the historical context. Here is an example of how Christians are persecuted in Eritrea today.
Eritrea: A Police State
It’s estimated that over 2,000 Christians are imprisoned for their faith by the government in Eritrea. Sometimes called the “North Korea of Africa,” Eritrea’s totalitarian regime uses imprisonment, torture and murder to repress all forms of Christian activity that takes place outside of highly regulated government churches.
Unlike most countries in Africa where Christian are persecuted, radical Islam is not what is driving Christian persecution in Eritrea. Instead, the country’s communist regime, paranoid of losing its absolute power, is the main persecutor of Christians.
So, how are Christians persecuted today? Well, in Eritrea’s case, Christians are arrested, imprisoned, tortured and sometimes executed.
Because the government’s persecution of Christians is so terrible, thousands of Christian attempt to flee Eritrea every year. Let’s look at Asmerom’s story of how he, and other Eritrean Christians, escaped from Eritrea in search of religious freedom.
Asmerom’s Escape from Eritrea
Asmerom, an Eritrean Christian refugee, was imprisoned because of his Christian faith. Arrested for attending a house worship service, Asmerom was imprisoned in a military prison camp for over a year. In the camp, he was subjected to both physical and mental torture.
After his experience in the prison camp, Asmerom knew he had to flee Eritrea even though the journey posed many risks. “The danger starts when someone starts to think about escaping from Eritrea. If your escape plan is discovered, it is considered a crime and you can be imprisoned. [Also,] if you are caught sneaking across the border, you are either shot by border guards or sent to prison. There are many other dangers besides border guards. Many people get lost in the desert or are attacked by wild animals. Many also drown in the Tekeze River.”
Like many Christians fleeing Eritrea, Asmerom had to buy the influence of a government official to cross the border safely. “I had a friend whose wife was the relative of someone that could help me get across the border. In the end, I had to pay a military official 13,700 Eritrean Nakfa ($1,000 USD) to safely cross,” Asmerom explained.
Targeted by Traffickers
Most Christians attempting to flee Eritrea are not as fortunate as Asmerom. Many have no connections to border guards or government officials and are forced to turn to smugglers to bring them across the border. Hiring smugglers can be very risky and is another way how Christians are persecuted today.
In the most egregious cases, smugglers kidnap their ‘would be clients’ and either ransom them or sell them to human traffickers in East Africa.
“If someone suspects you or your family has money, [smugglers] will kidnap you and ask your family to pay a ransom of up to $30,000,” Asmerom said. “[In some cases,] people are sold to the Rashida people living in Sudan or Libya who will also try to ransom their prisoners. If the ransom is not paid, the Rashida will sell the person’s body parts like a business.”
Asmerom was fortunate enough to escape Eritrea safely. Now, he lives in Ethiopia and works with an association assisting Eritrean refugees. Unlike Asmerom, an untold number of Eritrean Christians continue to suffer inside and outside of Eritrea’s borders. Some remain imprisoned in Eritrea for their faith, while other are being trafficked as commodities by East Africa’s underworld.
So the next time someone asks how Christians are persecuted today, please think about the Christians suffering inside and outside of Eritrea.
Article taken from www.Percecution.org
No comments:
Post a Comment