Despite its secular trappings in the Western world, Easter remains a specifically Christian festival. But, in the early 21st century, Christians face extraordinary levels of persecution. As Christians reflect on the central message of their religion, the sacrifice of Jesus for the sake of humanity, it behooves us all to pause and reflect on the contemporary suffering of Christians around the world.
Much as it’s fashionable to sneer at such a notion, even in much of the West, Christianity is under violent assault. Not just from the “rainbow” left who increasingly strive to abolish Christianity from the public sphere – even as they fawn at the feet of other religions. Christians are arrested in Britain merely for “silently praying”.
In Europe, sustained violence is being levelled at Christians. Sustained Muslim immigration from the Middle-East and Sub-Saharan Africa has combined with former communist activist Angela Merkel’s unilateral decision to throw open the gates of Europe, to engender a wave of anti-Christian attacks. Attacks on churches in Europe are at all-time high. In 2019, approximately 3,000 acts of desecration and looting were recorded. In Germany alone, attacks occurred at the rate of two a day. At the same time, priests and churchgoers have been murdered at mass.
But if Europe is becoming a dangerous place to be Christian, in other regions, it’s even more deadly.
One in seven Christians suffer severe opposition for their faith […] violence against Christians is not diminishing but growing.
As has been the case since the Russian Revolution, communist countries remain some of the most hostile to Christianity.
North Korea tops the list with a score of 98 – the highest score that’s ever been recorded for any country on the list, due to an increase in arrests of Christians and house churches discovered and closed.
In China, the use of digital surveillance technology is spreading, adding to persecution and intimidation.
But it’s Muslim countries who have the most Christian blood on their hands.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, violence against Christians has reached new heights.
This year’s list saw Nigeria reach its highest rank ever, coming in as the sixth most dangerous place to be a Christian.
Believers continued to experience brutal attacks in northern Nigeria, and now the violence has spread to the south. Boko Haram, Fulani militants and other armed extremist groups have conducted raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, kidnapping, sexually assaulting and burning down houses and churches […]
There are over 360 million persecuted Christians in the world.
One doesn’t have to be a believing Christian to acknowledge that such dreadful brutality is simply intolerable. So, where are the “I’ll Walk With You” hashtags from the Western left? Where is the endless media fretting about an “Christophobic backlash”?
More importantly, what can we ordinary folk do?
Eternity News, as a Christian website, counsels prayer. But even for secular folks, just acknowledging that this horrific persecution exists is an essential start.
Learn. Show you care about your neighbours in other countries […]
Support. Embrace every Christian that is persecuted in your spiritual family, just as you care for the needs of your physical family. Keep praying. Keep giving. Keep inquiring. Keep your heart soft and open towards those who are dealing with increased violence and persecution.
Eternity News
We don’t even have to share a “spiritual family”, or pray, to keep our hearts open. We just have to acknowledge that violent persecution is wrong, and advocate for the rights to safety of some of the most persecuted people in the world.
When even the BBC admits that Christian persecution [is] “at near genocide levels”, it’s long past time to demand that our vast industry of taxpayer-funded Human Rights quangos finally take a stand. Even admitting that it is happening would be a start.
