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Title: From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: Brother Love on May 17, 2004, 05:51:09 AM From The Voice of the Martyrs - www.persecution.com
EGYPT (ASSIST News Service) A police officer in El Minia drove a truck into a canal, killing three of the five male prisoners who were being transported in the truck. The Barnabas Fund reported that the officer arrested five Christians who were mending a church fence that had collapsed in a storm. The men were working quickly in the middle of the night, concerned that local officials would possibly halt its rebuilding. (An 1856 Ottoman Empire law kept any church from being built, repaired or even repainted without the permission of Egypt's president. The law was revised in 2003, and the decision-making is now left up to local governments. ) The arrested men were bound and put in the back of a truck. As the vehicle approached the brink of a canal, the police officer who was driving jumped out. Three of the Christians were killed, while the other two remain in critical condition in a hospital. The Egyptian media reported the event as an accident, but Christian sources confirm it was deliberately arranged. Pray the family and friends of these martyrs will be comforted in knowing their loved ones are in God's hands. Pray Egyptian Christians will not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Pray their faithful witness will demonstrate God's power to save. NIGERIA (ASSIST News Service) In past months there has been almost continuous conflict in the eastern region of Nigeria's Plateau State, predominantly between Fulani and Tarok tribes competing for land. Because the Fulani is Muslim and the Tarok is Christian, the conflict heightens the element of religious tensions. The killings started in February, followed by many retaliating raids. On May 1st, at least 67 people died and around 1,000 were injured when "Christian" Tarok militias launched a midnight reprisal attack on Muslim Fulani. It is tragic that people identified as "Christians" perpetrate such atrocities; it is doubly tragic that retaliation often targets churches, and true followers of Jesus Christ are murdered and maimed. Pray Jesus Christ will reveal His loving and forgiving heart to the Tarok leaders who associate themselves with His name. Pray God will give the leaders of both sides a desire and plan for peace. Pray faithful followers of Jesus will remain steadfast and continue to have the mind of Christ. Zamfara State, the first to introduce Shariah Law, launched its "Shariah Phase 2" on April 29th. The governor announced it would soon start demolishing all the places of worship of non-Muslims in the state, in line with the Islamic injunction to fight them wherever they are found. The demolition would be a breach of Nigeria's constitution, just as a parallel legal system?Sharia Law?is unconstitutional. Pray God will comfort and protect the Christians whose churches are destroyed. Pray that as Christians continue to worship in house churches, their faithfulness will draw their Muslim neighbors to the Lord. Pray moderate Muslims throughout Nigeria will not allow the introduction of Shariah Law in their states. PAKISTAN (VOM Sources) Javed Anjum, a young Christian who refused to convert to Islam, died this week after being severely tortured by Islamic militants. Javed was searching for water near an Islamic school, but Muslim leaders accused him of trying to steal a water pump. When he rejected the charge and told Islamic leaders that he was a Christian, he was asked to convert to Islam. When he refused, he was tortured for five days and nights, continuously being asked to convert to Islam. Javed was hospitalized for 11 days and died from kidney failure that resulted from the beatings. Pray God will bring healing peace and comfort to Javed Anjum's family and friends. Pray the authorities will bring the militants to justice. Pray the Lord God will be victorious in the battle for souls in Pakistan. 1 Link International: http://www.linkingup.com 2 North Korea: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s04040088.htm www.persecution.com © Copyright 2004 The Voice of the Martyrs, All Rights Reserved. Robert Weinert aka Bob from Michigan, 1301 Penrod Ct. Lansing, Michigan 48911 517-393-3333 Title: Re:From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: Tibby on May 18, 2004, 05:09:04 PM From The Voice of the Martyrs - www.persecution.com EGYPT (ASSIST News Service) A police officer in El Minia drove a truck into a canal, killing three of the five male prisoners who were being transported in the truck. The Barnabas Fund reported that the officer arrested five Christians who were mending a church fence that had collapsed in a storm. The men were working quickly in the middle of the night, concerned that local officials would possibly halt its rebuilding. (An 1856 Ottoman Empire law kept any church from being built, repaired or even repainted without the permission of Egypt's president. The law was revised in 2003, and the decision-making is now left up to local governments. ) The arrested men were bound and put in the back of a truck. As the vehicle approached the brink of a canal, the police officer who was driving jumped out. Three of the Christians were killed, while the other two remain in critical condition in a hospital. The Egyptian media reported the event as an accident, but Christian sources confirm it was deliberately arranged. Pray the family and friends of these martyrs will be comforted in knowing their loved ones are in God's hands. Pray Egyptian Christians will not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Pray their faithful witness will demonstrate God's power to save. The other stories are truly heartbreaking, but this first one is a bit... stretched. Did they try to ask the local government for permission before repairing the fence? That might have saved them a lot of trouble. As for the conspiracy theory, well, that makes an unnamed allegedly Christian source any more reliable? There are a lot easier and cheaper ways to fake a fatal accident that don’t involve someone jumping out of a moving automobile... Title: Re:From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: Evangelist on May 18, 2004, 05:32:57 PM Quote The other stories are truly heartbreaking, but this first one is a bit... stretched. Did they try to ask the local government for permission before repairing the fence? That might have saved them a lot of trouble. FWIW: several months back, a Christian orphanage which has been in existence in Egypt since the early part of last century has this story. Surrounding the main buildings was a low rock/adobe type wall. About 10 years ago, the government built a new highway, which passed within 30-40 feet of the wall. About 3 years ago, the government passed a law that stated that no building or parts (including fences and walls) could be within 100' of a major roadway. The gov't then proceeded to tell the orphanage that they had to tear the wall down and rebuild it at the proper distance. The orphanage applied for a permit to do so, and the permit was denied on the basis that another law states that "no new Christian buildings, churches, meeting halls..." could be built. Catch 22? About 2 months ago, an army truck (about like our deuce and a half) drove into the wall...intentionally. It left, and along came a bulldozer with a signed government order to tear down the "damaged and obviously unrepairable" wall. Ummm hmmm. Title: Re:From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: Tibby on May 18, 2004, 05:58:40 PM Citation, please.
Title: Re:From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: JudgeNot on May 18, 2004, 10:40:05 PM The Voice of the Martyrs is the only publication I know of that tracks Christian persecution to such a great - and complete extent.
They deserve support. Title: Re:From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: Shammu on May 19, 2004, 01:36:50 AM The Voice of the Martyrs is the only publication I know of that tracks Christian persecution to such a great - and complete extent. Ditto and a Big Amen for our brothers, that have left this world. To go to the loving embrace of the Lord.They deserve support. Title: From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: His Messenger on May 19, 2004, 05:33:57 PM CHRISTIAN-UNDERGROUND FORUM
http://www.christian-underground.com/ His Messenger Title: Re:From The Voice of the Martyrs Post by: JudgeNot on May 19, 2004, 07:00:32 PM Christians sentenced for prayer, worship
Imprisoned 2 to 3 years for Sunday meetings held at home -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: May 19, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern WorldNetDaily.com Four Vietnamese Christians who organized and led weekly worship services in a house church were sentenced to prison for "disturbing public order." The Christians, members of the heavily persecuted Hmong ethnic group, were handed terms of 26 to 36 months in late March 2004, according to a report released yesterday by the Center for Religious Freedom at Freedom House, a Washington, D.C. human-rights group. The four are among 10 Christians reported last month to be in custody because of their faith. They now are being held under harsh conditions, the Center for Religious Freedom said. |