#BTColumn – The persecution of Christians

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by this author are their own and do not represent the official position of the Barbados Today.

by Flloyd N Hall

There has been a 60 per cent rise in Christians killed worldwide in 2020!

This startling information is one of the worrisome trends coming out of the annual report of Open Doors USA – a mission organization that supports persecuted Christians worldwide.

The report was presented at a press conference recently by Open Doors president and CEO, David Curry.

These are very trying times for Christians around the world.  But no more so than in Nigeria where persecution seems to be at its zenith.

“In Nigeria, over 2,200 Christians were murdered by radical Islamists. This number makes up slightly less than half of the 4,761 Christians killed for their faith worldwide, according to Open Doors statistics. Most of the Christians killed in 2020 gave up their lives to extremist groups, not governments, Curry said.” (article by Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post January 14, 2020 www.christianpost.com).

This is unbelievable – almost half of those murdered worldwide occurring in one country?  Very serious and alarming information, indeed!

Apart from Open Doors, other watchdog organizations – along with several world governments – have highlighted the fate of Christians in Nigeria.  What is more, is that year after year these governments have petitioned the Nigerian authorities to be more vigilant and ensure the protection of its Christian citizens.  But these earnest pleas have only fallen on death ears!

Curry sees the violence in Nigeria as nothing less than genocide.  And the attacks by Islamists extremists have now spilled over into neighboring countries.

The report also highlighted India and China as other hotspots for Christian persecution.  In the former, the ruling party is extremely nationalistic.  It is reported that it has told the nation that only Hindus are truly Indian; and have persuaded the police not to assist Christians who are attacked.

Now, how can minority Christians ever overcome Hindu extremism like this when it is promoted by those in government?

With regard to China, the Communist Party is using surveillance technology to persecute Christians.  “In the last year, it has integrated its social credit and video security system, enabling it to track its people and punish them for attending church.”

Here again, it is the government that is spearheading persecution.

Another worrisome trend revealed in Curry’s report is that some governments around the world opposed to Christianity have been using the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions to persecute Christians.

In India thousands of Christians have been chased from food and aid distribution points, leaving whole families destitute.  Families from villages in southern Kaduma, Nigeria, report that they receive “one sixth of the rations allocated to Muslim families!”

Further, Christians in rural areas in countries like Sudan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, and across Central Asia and North Africa, have been denied aid.

Curry lamented the fact that “Extremists […] are emboldened by government weakened by COVID-19 restrictions, knowing that they can steal food and medical supplies from already embattled Christian communities around the world.”

What a heart-wrenching report of suffering Christians around the world.  And the highlights above are merely a peek into the life of persecuted Christians.  It is hoped that it will propel us into some kind of action on their behalf.  Perhaps, we can start contributing monetary gifts individually or corporately on a monthly basis to one of the many agencies that help relieve the suffering of our Brothers and Sisters.

But each of us can assist by at least committing to regular and consistent prayer that, according to God’s will, their suffering will cease.  May God bless us as we play our role in alleviating this global problem.