Two Coptic Christians Killed In Egypt For Refusing To Pay Extortion Money

The Quran commands Muslims to force non-Muslims (particularly Jews and Christians) to pay  them jizya (poll tax) when they (the Muslims) form the majority:

Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.  Sura 9:29

However it's much more appropriate to call this extortion cash, since this article shows what happens when a brother in the Lord Jesus doesn't pay Muslims that tax.

01/26/2012 Egypt (AINA) - Two Copts were killed this afternoon in the village of Bahgourah, a suburb of Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt, after a Muslim racketeer opened fire on them for refusing to pay him extortion money. Three days ago Ahmed Saber had asked from the Coptic building contractor Moawad Asaad for a considerable sum of money. This afternoon Saber drove to Moawad's home to collect the money, but Moawad refused to go to his car to speak to him for fear of being kidnapped. Four men came out of the car with machine guns and shot Moawad and his 26-year-old son Asaad Moawad, an engineer. Both were killed instantly.

Bishop Kyrollos of Nag Hammadi said that Ahmed Saber, who is known to the police, has been extorting money from the Coptic community and kidnapping their children for ransom since November last year. "Reports were filed with the police about all incidents. I don't know why the police have not arrested him," said the Bishop.

Presently over 4000 Copts are staging a sit-in in front of Nag Hammadi police headquarters until Ahmed Saber and his accomplices are caught. It was reported that the police have brought in four central security vehicles to manage the crowd of protesters(Source).

Overseas Chinese Christian Businesswoman Is Kidnapped, Tortured By State Security Agents, And Escapes

01/26/2012 China (ChinaAid) - A Chinese Christian businesswoman from Canada who visited China late last year was kidnapped and tortured by Chinese state security agents after she visited two persecuted Chinese house churches during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season, ChinaAid has learned. Jenny Chen, who is in her 50s, was held by state security agents and denied food and water for nearly two days. About to go into shock, she was taken to a police hospital, from where she managed to escape and get on a flight to Los Angeles, arriving in the United States on Jan. 17.

Chen, who does business in Canada, the United States and China, had learned of the severe persecution inflicted on Shouwang Church in Beijing and the Linfen house church in Shanxi province from reports online.
Motivated by Christian concern for her fellow believers, Chen and her daughter traveled to Beijing and Shanxi. On Christmas Day, she was an eyewitness to police action in front of the Jindeng Church established by the Linfen house church. She saw both regular and armed police and police vehicles, including armored personnel carriers, surrounding the church to stop church members from attending a Christmas worship service. Police blocked streets leading to the church and closed nearby shops. Chen was followed and threatened by plainclothes police officers.

In Beijing, Chen had paid a visit before Christmas to Rev. Jin Tianming, senior pastor of Shouwang Church, who has been under house arrest since April 2011, and on New Year’s Day, she and her daughter attempted to attend Shouwang’s outdoor worship service. (See her account here: http://www.chinaaid.org/2012/01/new-years-visit-to-shouwang-church.html.) On both occasions, she was followed by Domestic Security Protection agents.

On the evening of Jan. 14, she was forcibly taken into custody by two plain-clothed state security agents who refused to show their IDs and taken to a secret place for questioning. She later realized that she had been kidnapped by Tianjin state security agents. She was interrogated in a cold, windowless cell with only one chair, and was asked what organization she was affiliated with and what overseas mission she was on. Chen said she had no organizational affiliation nor was she on any overseas mission. She said she was simply an overseas Christian whose conscience had propelled her to return to China to visit her fellow believers.

The agents appeared not to believe her and threatened to imprison her for more than ten years for subverting state power and stealing state secrets if she did not tell them the truth. The agents also beat her, pulling her hair and slapping her hard.

Chen was detained for nearly two days without food and water, and almost went into shock. Physically exhausted, she was sent to the Tianjin Public Safety Hospital, where she was diagnosed with slight pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. However, Chen had no money with her, and the state security agents said they had no money either. The hospital refused to treat her, giving her the excuse of returning home to get money.

Instead, she took a cab and rushed to Beijing Capital Airport, where she caught a flight in the early morning of Jan. 16. She arrived in Los Angles on the following day and is currently undergoing medical observation and treatmentd(Source).

Over 3000 Muslims Attack Christian Homes and Shops in Egypt, 3 Injured

(AINA) -- A mob of over 3000 Muslims attacked Copts in the village of Kobry-el-Sharbat (el-Ameriya), Alexandria this afternoon. Coptic homes and shops were looted before being set ablaze. Two Copts and a Muslim were injured. The violence started after a rumor was spread that a Coptic man had an allegedly intimate photo of a Muslim woman on his mobile phone. The Coptic man, Mourad Samy Guirgis, surrendered to the police this morning morning for his protection.

According to eyewitnesses, the perpetrators were bearded men in white gowns. "They were Salafists, and some of were from the Muslim Brotherhood," according to one witness. It was reported that terrorized women and children who lost their homes were in the streets without any place to go.

According to Father Boktor Nashed from St. George's Church in el-Nahdah, a meeting between Muslim and Christian representatives was supposed to take place in the evening in Kobry-el-Sharbat. But, by 3 P.M. a Muslim mob looted and torched the home of Mourad Samy Guirgis, as well as the home of his family and three homes of Coptic neighbors. A number of Coptic-owned shops and businesses were also looted and torched. "We contacted security forces, but they arrived very, very late," Said Father Nashad. The fire brigade was prevented from going into the village by the Muslims and the fires were left to burn themselves out. "Those who lost their home, left the village," said Father Nashed(Continue reading the article).

Atheists Launching Mob Attacks Against Christian Films Through IMDb

And the American persecution of my brethren in Christ continues. I'm glad that the people making this film are advocating forgiveness though.

01/26/2012 United States (Charisma News) Atheist groups are attacking Suing the Devil, the highly acclaimed Christian movie. In fact, one of the atheist groups emailed the producers warning of a “mob attack” on IMDb—and it seems they followed through. Within three days, the film's rating dropped from a near seven to a four on IMDb (Internet Movie Database), which is the largest film site on the Internet.
Anti-Christian comments such as “Christian propaganda,” “Christian-brainwashing,” “Christian idiots,” and “Eliminate Christians” permeated through the film's message boards.

"It was a direct attack on all believers. There were over 400 people who voted a '1' overnight despite the film not coming out,” a spokesman for RiverRain Productions said. "We've let IMDb know about this attack, but they've done nothing. Other Christian films, like Courageous and Facing the Giants, have also suffered these attacks—it's a way of smearing and discrediting these films."

The director and producers of Suing the Devil are urging an attitude of forgiveness: "We have to show them love," says Tim Chey, the film's director. "Jesus said if they hate me, they'll hate you."

Suing the Devil was mentioned in the Los Angeles Times over the weekend because the film has had 100,000 illegal downloads on 50 illegal sites. "It's one of the most heavily downloaded indie movies ever, which is a compliment actually,” Chey says. “And I'm glad it spread the Word to so many."

Suing the Devil opened in select theaters nationwide on August 26. It had the second highest-grossing average of any independent film in the nation and was the number one Christian movie in America in August.
Suing the Devil stars Malcolm McDowell, Rebecca St. James, Corbin Bernsen, Shannen Fields (Facing the Giants), Tom Sizemore, Ros Gentle, and Bart Bronson. Hillsong also participated in the movie shot in Sydney, Australia(Source).

Muslim Football Players in Dearborn Heights Arrested for Assault on Christian Quarterback

DEARBORN HEIGHTS — A figurative beat down turned literal beating has led to the felony arrests of a group of local high school football players.

Police arrested four Star International Academy seniors Wednesday on aggravated assault charges stemming from an altercation in the team’s last game of the season.

The players -- Mohamed Ahmed, Fanar Al-Alsady, Hadee Attia and Ali Bajjey, all age 17 -- are accused of gang-beating Lutheran Westland’s quarterback as time expired in Lutheran’s 47-6 drubbing of Star on Oct. 21.

According to numerous witness statements gathered by police, Lutheran’s quarterback was set to take a knee to run out the clock. Before the snap, referees told both teams to refrain from contact, police said.

After the snap, however, the four arrested Star players burst through the line and allegedly manhandled Lutheran’s quarterback. Police said they ripped off his helmet, threw him to the ground and punched and kicked him repeatedly. The incident came to an end after coaches, players and refs stepped in and broke it up.

Police took a statement from a referee who said he heard a Star player say to hit the referees after being directed to not hit the other team.

According to published reports, Lutheran’s quarterback suffered a concussion from the beating(Source).

Saudi Arabian Officials Assault, Strip Search Christian Prisoners

Washington, D.C. (January 24, 2012) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Saudi Arabian officials strip searched 29 Christian women and assaulted six Christian men after arresting them for holding a prayer meeting at a private home in Jeddah. The prisoners are currently being held at Briman prison in Jeddah.

“We feel humiliated because the security officials stripped searched us. They used the same glove to search several of us at the same time. Some of my friends are suffering from physical pain to their private parts due to the unsanitary condition of the strip search. We haven’t committed any crime. We are imprisoned for worshipping the God of heaven and earth,” said one of the female prisoners during an interview with ICC.

Speaking to ICC, another prisoner said, “A high-ranking security official insulted us saying ‘You are non-believers and animals.’ He also said, ‘You are pro-Jews and supporters of America.’ We then responded, ‘We love everyone. Our God tells us to love everyone.’”

In a message for Christians around the world, the prisoner said, “We want you to help us to get out of prison in every way you can, including prayer. Please tell your governments about our plight, contact human rights organizations and others and inform them about us.”

ICC’s Jonathan Racho said, “The Saudi Arabian officials are committing serious violations of human rights by detaining and mistreating the Christians. It is outrageous that the officials indefinitely incarcerate innocents for practicing their faith. We urge the Saudi officials to release the prisoners and respect their religious freedom.”

Please sign this petition asking the Saudi Arabian government to release the Christian prisoners.
Call the Saudi Arabian Embassy in your country and ask them to release the prisoners(Source).

United States: (+1) 202 342 3800
Canada: (+1) 613 237 4100
United Kingdom: (+44) 207 9173-000
Australia: (+61) 2 6250 7000
Germany: (+49) 30 88 92 50
France: (+33) 1 56 79 4000

Under International Pressure, China Releases Pastor Shi Enhao

01/23/2012 China (ChinaAid) - A Chinese house church pastor and vice president of the Chinese House Church Alliance sentenced last summer to a two-year labor camp term was unexpectedly released last Friday and is now home, ChinaAid has learned. The legal basis for the early release of Pastor Shi Enhao is not yet known, but his case was No. 3 on ChinaAid’s list of 2011’s Top 10 Cases of Persecution of Churches and Christians released last Thursday, Jan. 19.

On March 4, 2011, while preaching in Nanyang, Henan province, Pastor Shi was seized by officers from the Suqian Municipal Public Security Bureau and religious affairs bureau officials who had made a special trip to Nanyang to take him into custody. He was brought back to Suqian and detained, getting beat up in the process.

On May 31, 2011, Shi Enhao and some of his co-workers were formally arrested by local authorities, and he and a lay leader, sister Chang Meiling, were sentenced to 12 days of administrative detention. On the night of June 1, Shi’s residence was searched by more than 10 people who confiscated books and documents. Immediately upon his release on June 12, Shi was put into police detention. In July, he was sentenced to two years in labor camp.

ChinaAid welcomes the early release of Pastor Shi Enhao and also the Jan. 12 release on parole of sister Tian Hongxia. ChinaAid urges the authorities to uphold the policy of freedom of religion and also release Christian human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, Beijing house church leader and church rights activist Fan Yafeng, and Xinjiang Uygur house church leader Alimujiang(Source).

Attorney Says School Threatened and Punished Christian Boy Who Opposed Gay Adoption

And the Western persecution of my brethren in Christ Jesus continues and reaches a frightening level as seen in this article right here:

A 15-year-old Wisconsin boy who wrote an op-ed opposing gay adoptions was censored, threatened with suspension and called ignorant by the superintendent of the Shawano School District, according to an attorneyrepresenting the child.

Mathew Staver, the founder of the Liberty Counsel, sent a letter to Superintendent Todd Carlson demanding an apology for “Its unconstitutional and irrational censorship and humiliation” of Brandon Wegner.

Wegner, a student at Shawano High School, was asked to write an op-ed for the school newspaper about whether gays should be allowed to adopt. Wegner, who is a Christian, wrote in opposition. Another student wrote in favor of allowing gays to adopt.

Wegner used Bible passages to defend his argument, including Scripture that called homosexuality a sin.

After the op-ed was published, a gay couple whose child attend s the high school, complained.

The school immediately issued an apology – stating Wegner’s opinion was a “form of bullying and disrespect.”

“Offensive articles cultivating a negative environment of disrespect are not appropriate or condoned by the Shawano School District,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologize to anyone we may have offended and are taking steps to prevent items of this nature from happening in the future.”

But Staver said what the school system did next was absolutely outrageous. He said the 15-year-old was ordered to the superintendent’s office where he was subjected to hours of meetings and was accused of violating the school’s bullying policy.

“The superintendent called him ignorant and said he had the power to suspend him,” Staver said. “He’s using his position to bully this student. This is absolutely the epitome of intolerance.”

Staver said the boy’s parents were never notified.

At one point, Staver said the superintendent gave him a chance to say he regretted writing the column.

“When Mr. Wegner stated that he did not regret writing it, and that he stood behind his beliefs, Superintendent Carlson told him that he ‘had got to be one of the most ignorant kids to try to argue with him about this topic,’” Staver said.

At that point, Staver said the superintendent told the boy that “we have the power to suspend you if we want to.”

The superintendent allegedly told Wegner that he was personally offended by Wegner’s column.

FOX News & Commentary offered Carlson a chance to address the allegations. He refused to submit to questions, but did say he would send a statement. That statement never arrived.

Staver said Wegner was not trying to cause problems or pick a fight.

“He was asked to write an article in the newspaper overseen by a faculty adviser,” he said, suspecting the superintendent was specifically outraged over the Bible verses Wegner had used.

“The superintendent wants everyone to accept homosexuality as normative and homosexual adoption as something that should be standard practices,” Staver said. “In doing so, he’s belittling the views and the biblical views of many people across this country. He is playing a zero-sum game. He’s not interested in dialogue. He wants to cram his view down the throat of everyone else and will not tolerate an opposing viewpoint.”

Staver said an apology from the superintendent may not suffice – and they may consider taking legal action.

“It was a very intimidating situation for this 15-year-old boy,” he said.”It was uncalled for. He crossed the line. It’s absolutely outrageous and he needs to apologize for his actions(Source).”

Dissident Christian writer details torture by China police

1/22/2012 China (Cath News) – After arriving safely with his wife and child in the US, Christian dissident writer Yu Jie has given full details of his brutal mishandling and harassment by police in China, which has been ongoing since 2010, said a report published by ucanews.com.

In a statement at a press conference in Washington, DC, Yu Jie, former vice president of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre, recounted torture by state security police after he was kidnapped on December 9, 2010, the day before the award ceremony for fellow Chinese writer Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize.

Yu says that after being brought to an undisclosed location with a black hood forced over his head, he was stripped naked and made to kneel on the ground while plainclothes policemen pelted him with blows to the head and body, slapped him, made him slap himself, bent his fingers backward, kicked him in the chest, and stomped on him.

They also took photos of him and threatened to post them on the Internet. The police took him to the hospital after he became unconscious, and told hospital staff that he was epileptic. Yu also described years of government censorship of his writings - rendering him a "'non-existent person' in the public space" - and, since October 2010, harassment, surveillance, house arrest, and forced travels(Source).

College Tries To Charge Student For Sharing Faith

I never thought the day would come when our brethren in Christ in College would be persecuted on campus for their Christian faith. This frightens me to some extent. I pray that my brother in Christ wins this case.

1/19/2012 United States (Charisma News) - All Ryan Arneson wanted to do was peacefully share his faith on campus. He hoped to hand out literature and speak with willing passers-by—just like he had been doing for the previous two years without incident. But when he sought permission from an official at South Mountain Community College to continue his gospel efforts, he was told to abide by the school’s solicitation policy, even though he is only an individual that wanted to engage in individual expression.

The policy requires private individuals and groups alike to pay a minimum $50 fee, pay for insurance, and submit a request form and proof of insurance 14 days prior to visiting campus. Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorneys took the matter to court. ADF attorneys asked a federal court on Tuesday to immediately halt a Maricopa, Community College policy that puts unconstitutional burdens on visitors that want to exercise their First Amendment right on Arizona campuses.

The motion as filed as part of a Dec. 29 lawsuit. Attorneys argue that charging fees, requiring an insurance payment and demanding a two-week advance notice is unconstitutional.

“Free speech is protected by the First Amendment, which means it can’t come with a price tag and a burdensome waiting period,” says Jonathan Scruggs, ADF litigation staff counsel. “The courts have routinely ruled policies like this one unconstitutional. Christians visiting public college campuses shouldn’t be deterred from expressing their beliefs because of cumbersome, unconstitutional policies(Source).

Police Beat, Arrest Evangelist In Sudan

01/21/2012 Sudan (CDN) — Police this week beat and arrested a church leader in Khartoum, sources told Compass. Evangelist James Kat of the Evangelical Church of Sudan was arrested on Tuesday morning (Jan. 17), with officers beating him as they took him to a North Division police station, the sources said. He was released on bail the same day.

Police detained Kat, who lives at the church site, apparently because he was using the place as his home.
“They forced him to go with them to the police station,” an eyewitness said. The arrest came amid increasing harassment of Christians by Sudanese authorities following the secession of South Sudan on July 9, 2011. In a Jan. 3 letter to Sudanese Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) leaders, Sudan’s Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowments threatened to arrest pastors if they carry out evangelistic activities and do not comply with an order for churches to provide the leaders’ names and contact information.

Hamid Yousif Adam, undersecretary of the Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowment, warned “We have all legal rights to take them to court” in the letter. SPEC leaders said the government is increasingly trying to limit church activities.
Church Takeover
Another church leader was arrested on Monday (Jan. 16) in a SPEC church property dispute in which police and courts have been unjustly biased in favor of Muslims, Christian leaders said. Officers arrested SPEC worker Gabro Haile Selassie, as he lives on the church property that has been transferred to a Muslim businessman in a disputed agreement; he has refused to be evicted without police providing him an official document indicating the basis for the action.

Selassie, who was released on bail after a few hours, said he fears being arrested again; police are threatening him and his family, warning them to evacuate the house on the church property in downtown Khartoum, so they are staying with friends, he said. Police have already started demolishing the church compound fence, Selassie added.

“They will definitely demolish my house” he told Compass. “I am in great terror; I’m afraid to sleep in the house, because they may come again and arrest me. This is a clear form of terrorism against Christians.”

Armed police were deployed Sunday evening (Jan.15) to the site to take the property by force, as authorities are supporting Muslim businessman Osman al Tayeb’s efforts to take control of the plot as part of planned confiscation of church property, church leaders said (see “Police in Sudan Aid Muslim’s Effort to Take Over Church Plot,” Oct. 25, 2011). A court has ruled in favor of al Tayeb.

“The government is still trying to get involved in the affairs of the church by supporting people like Osman al Tyab,” said one church leader.

The church had signed a contract with al Tayeb stipulating the terms under which he could attain the property – including providing legal documents such as a construction permit and then obtaining final approval from SPEC – but those terms remained unmet, church officials said. Church leader Deng Bol said that under terms of the unfulfilled contract, the SPEC would have turned the property over to al Tayeb to construct a business center on the site, with the denomination to receive a share of the returns from the commercial enterprise and regain ownership of the property after 80 years. SPEC leaders had yet to approve the project because of the high risk of permanently losing the property, he said, and they had undertaken legal action to recover it.

SPEC leaders said Muslims have taken over many other Christian properties through similar ploys.
Christians are facing growing threats from both Muslim communities and Islamist government officials who have long wanted to rid Sudan of Christianity, Christian leaders told Compass. They said Christianity is now regarded as a foreign religion following the departure of 350,000 people, most of them Christians, to South Sudan since the secession.

Sudan’s Interim National Constitution holds up sharia (Islamic law) as a source of legislation, and the laws and policies of the government favor Islam, according to the U.S. State Department’s most recent International Religious Freedom Report(Source).

Cuban Government Backtracks On Verbal Assurances To Grant Pastor Exit Visa

It seems that the Cuban government is hostile Christianity or else they would have granted the pastor a chance to seek asylum in the United States.

1/19/2012 Cuba (CSW) - Pastor Omar Gude Perez has so far been denied a visa to leave Cuba in order to seek asylum in the United States (US) despite verbal assurances from Cuban authorities that his application would be approved. Pastor Gude Perez’s wife and two children have been given exit visas, or “white cards”, as they are called in Cuba, but the family have refused to leave Cuba without him, for fear that delays in the pastor’s visa application may lead to a long-term separation.

Since the family was granted asylum by the US in July 2010, they have had to wait several months for their exit visas to be approved, and have been subject to contradictory messages from the authorities on whether the family will be able to leave Cuba together.

Pastor Gude, a national leader in a fast growing network of independent churches called the Apostolic Movement, served almost three years of a six-and-a-half year prison sentence on trumped up charges. His release was subject to certain conditions, namely that he was prohibited from preaching or from travelling outside the city of Camaguey(Source).

Chinese Christian Charged With Subversion; Another Released Early From Prison

Praise God that our brother in Christ  was released from jail. I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ preserves our brother in Christ throughout his persecution in China if he faces more of it (and he will face persecution).

1/18/2012 China (ChinaAid) - A dissident and Christian who has been in detention for 10 months has been formally charged with subversion while another Christian who was sentenced to a three-year prison term has been released almost five months early after a ChinaAid publicity campaign on her behalf.

ChinaAid has learned that Zhu Yufu, a baptized Christian and a longtime political dissident who has been in police detention in Hangzhou, coastal Zhejiang province since last March, was formally charged this month with “inciting subversion of state power.” The charge stems from a poem Zhu wrote around the time of the Arab “Jasmine Revolution” calling on people to take to the streets, his lawyer, Li Dunyong, said.

Zhu was summoned by police from the Wangjiang police station in the Shangcheng Sub-division on March 5, 2011 and taken into custody. On April 11, he was formally arrested for “inciting subversion of state power.” Zhu, whose political activism dates back to the 1979 Democracy Wall movement, had previously been imprisoned twice for a total of nine years.

Meanwhile, in a joyous development, Tian Hongxia, who also uses the English name “Tina,” was released on Jan. 12, nearly five months before the end of her prison term in May. The young mother, whom authorities had previously released from prison for the birth of her second child, had returned to prison just before Christmas 2010 to finish serving her three-year prison sentence. She was convicted along with Beijing house church leader Shi Weihan for printing and distributing Bibles and other Christian literature(Source).

North Korea: Seven Underground Churches Raided

Not surprisingly the persecution of my North Korean brethren in Christ has increased ever since their old emperor died at the end of last year. I pray that they keep on being brave for the Lord Jesus Christ.

01/14/2012 North Korea (Crosswalk) - Since the unexpected death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il December 17th, and the succession to power of his third son, Kim Jong Un, the underground Christian church has faced increased persecution.

“Three weeks ago seven underground churches got exposed,” says Thomas Kim, executive director of Cornerstone Ministries, which is actively involved in serving the church in North Korea. “It’s been very difficult for the last month and I think it’s going to continue,” he says.

The North Korean leadership apparently fears the kind of insurrection that swept other communist regimes and is now sweeping the Middle East. “They are scared there will be an uprising,” Kim notes. “They are scared by the expansion of the Christian faith because Christians will die for their faith.”

The old guard surrounding Kin Jong Un are anxious for a smooth transition, and this is impacting the church. “The regime has been putting pressure on to stabilize society,” Kim says. In the months preceding Kim Jong Il’s death, there were few attempts to search for underground believers, but that has changed.

“Now the regime is putting out many people to search for the underground church,” Kim notes. “There is a need to pray for protection.”

Kim believes change will come when the old guard is replaced with younger reformers. “The current people surrounding Kim Jong Un are old and have been there a long time,” Kim observes. “They are not reformers; they want to keep the old system(Source).”

Lawmakers Visiting Church In Indonesia Are Attacked By Islamic Mob

01/15/2012 Indonesia (The Jakarta Globe) - Two legislators who joined the beleaguered GKI Yasmin congregation for Sunday services in Bogor got a firsthand view of the animosity directed toward the group when they were jeered and jostled by Islamic hard-liners. Eva Kusuma Sundari and Lily Wahid, from the House of Representatives, joined the Christian congregation as they gathered in a supermarket parking lot to worship on Sunday morning.

But the service was interrupted by hundreds of members of the Indonesian Muslim Communication Forum (Forkami) and the Islamic Reform Movement (Garis), who chanted “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”) while mocking and shoving the worshipers. The congregation, which has been forced to hold its services at members’ homes or on the sidewalk after the building permit for its church was revoked by the local mayor, then moved to a member’s house, but was followed by the mob.

Bona Singalinging, a spokesman for the congregation, said the mob also attempted to break up the service at the house, forcing the congregation to suspend their worship until the hard-liners had dispersed.
“This was intimidation on the part of Forkami and Garis to come to a congregation member’s house and try to break up our service,” he said.

Eva, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the experience had strengthened her empathy for the GKI Yasmin members as well as other marginalized groups.

“The GKI Yasmin case isn’t just about the church, but about national integrity and the rule of law,” she said.
Shewas referring to Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto’s continued refusal to abide by a Supreme Court ruling ordering him to reopen the church(Source).

"Pious" Pakistani Muslim Sells Christian Girls

“I saw two of my daughters being raped in front of me,” an old lady from Essa Nagri told The News. “It is considered that Chooras have no integrity.” She says that around midnight, men from other areas start gathering in their neighbourhood. “They are usually drunk. They choose which home they will plunder.”

She adds that one night they stormed into her home and raped two of her girls, while she “was locked in another room hearing their cries for help”. “I am a widow without any financial prospects, but I did go to the MPA representing us. What good is he if he can’t do anything to protect us?” The fear to report these cases is such that at first, no one even admits that an incident of rape or torture has taken place.

Forcible conversions

Within the past three months, nine women have been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. MPA Javed adds that the purpose is not to gain good deeds, but to sell them. A majority of the Christian girls converted are married, he says.

According to reports he received from different areas of the city, the abducted women are later sold to feudal lords in Sindh and Punjab. Citing a recent example, Javed says that in Essa Nagri, a 23-year-old married girl was forcibly remarried to a 60-year-old Muslim man, who was notorious for selling girls.

Javed said that the man was known to be pious, but had a side business of selling Christian girls. He says many people apart from him knew the truth. The only information that the family received was by a phone call through which they were informed by somebody that their girl is in Punjab.

He points out that there is a judgment by the Lahore High Court which clearly states that a “married Christian woman cannot be remarried to a Muslim even if converted,” but these cases do not even go to the police to be challenged in the high courts(Continue reading).

Chinese Christian Activist And Writer Yu Jie Flees To The U.S

I pray that my brother in Christ stays strong.

01/13/2012 China (Asia News) - The Christian writer Yu Jie, a dissident, has fled to the U.S. with his wife and his three year old child. Yu fears for his safety and that of his family following his criticism of the leadership of the Communist Party and the threats received from the authorities.

Yu, 38, has written an important book entitled "China's Best Actor: Wen Jiabao," in which he criticized the prime minister, accusing him of hypocrisy, by promoting the image of a "kindly grandpa", while in reality pursuing his own interests to maintain power, avoiding all risks, while trying to escape any political conflict. The book was banned in China, but it was published with good sales in Hong Kong.

In an interview to Radio Free Asia, Yu said that life in his country had become almost impossible for him, especially after the Nobel Prize was awarded to the writer Liu Xiaobo, with whom Yu shared efforts and ideas. Yu is one of the co-authors of Charter 08, the document that asks the Communist Party in China to establish a true respect for human rights (including religious) and a multiparty political structure.

Yu said that on the eve of the Nobel Prize to Liu Xiaobo, the police seized and beat him until he fainted. Since then, "my situation has rapidly deteriorated." In addition to being subject to torture, "for most of the year - he says - I was deprived of my liberty and placed under surveillance."

Yu is also responsible for an underground Protestant Christian community in Beijing, deprived of freedom of worship. "I was denied - he added - even the freedom to publish abroad. I feel that as a writer and as a Christian, I did not have any freedom to express myself and to practice my faith. So I chose to come to the United States, where I can live with freedom(Source)."

Site of Hindu Attacks on Christians Sees Conversions

I praise God that many Hindus are turning to Jesus Christ as their Savior!!!! I pray that the numbers continue to increase.

01/13/2012 India (National Catholic Register)Two dozen Christians were dancing excitedly to the tune of Christian hymns on New Year’s Day at Gadragam village in the Indian state of Orissa. That may not be a surprise, considering the red-letter day. But this is the Kandhamal jungles of eastern Orissa state, where just a few years ago, fundamentalist Hindus let loose a severe attack on their Christian neighbors, taking the lives of more than 100 people.

Plus, the rejoicing was in front of the remains of a burnt-out house in which a disabled Christian youth had been burned to death during the widespread violence.

“Our people are no longer afraid; they are ready to profess their faith boldly,” exclaimed Rabindra Pradhan, elder brother of 28-year-old Rasanand Pradhan, who was torched alive in his house during the orchestrated anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal.

“The martyrdom of my brother has not gone in vain. Half a dozen Hindu families are now regularly attending our worship,” pointed out the retired Indian soldier.

In the widespread violence that went on unabated for weeks, in addition to the many deaths, 300 churches and nearly 6,000 houses were looted and torched, rendering more than 54,000 Christians homeless. When several hundred armed Hindus led by fundamentalists descended the next evening on Gadragam and started destroying the local church, Rabindra recalled, the 40-odd evangelical Christian families took to their heels.

“When we realized that Rasanand was left behind, we could do nothing about it. The mob leaders were challenging us to come forward, if we were bold, and save him. The memory of the house going up in flames with Rasanand inside it still haunts me,” Rabindra said.

A Flower and an Apology
Kartick Behra may have been haunted too, though in another way.
“We have been inspired by the faith of these people, so we decided to become Christians,” said Behra, a Hindu farmer who has been attending church services in the village for a year. “When I fell sick, I started coming to the church, and my sickness got healed. I am no more worried about being attacked by those people,” said Behra.

During the attack on the Christians in Gadragam, surrounded by exclusive Hindu villages, Hindu fundamentalists had put a sword to Behra’s neck. That was because he had refused to hand over the valuables Christian families had kept in his house for safety.

“Many more families here now want to become Christians,” said Behra, whose wife and four children are now regular churchgoers.

This correspondent also met several Hindus who are now regularly attending Sunday Mass at the Catholic church at Tiangia, which had witnessed the brutal murder of half a dozen Christians during the 2008 violence.
“Coming to the church gives me peace of mind. Nothing is going to change my decision,” said Jamboti Digal, a widow who attended Mass on New Year’s Day in Tiangia, about 40 miles from Gadragam.
Apart from hundreds of Hindus embracing the Christian faith across Kandhamal, even those who attacked Christians to force them to forsake their faith are now apologizing for the brutality.
Hippolitus Nayak, a retired government official and a Catholic, said he had one of the happiest New Year greetings this year. Lakhno Pradhan, one of the leaders of Hindu fundamentalists who had led mob attacks on Christians and churches around Tiangia, greeted him with a flower on the morning of Jan. 1 at his door.

Father Prasanna Kumar Singh, vicar of the Pobingia parish, said one of the leaders of the Hindu fundamentalists in the area had already apologized for the severe damage to the church, which was not repaired and rededicated until 2011. Father Subhodh Pradhan, vicar of the Raikia parish, the largest in Kandhamal, with 750-plus families, also confirmed that several Hindus are now expressing a desire to become Christians.

“We have to be careful, as the law could put us in trouble,” Father Pradhan pointed out. He has already been approached by well-to-do Hindus.
Under the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, those changing their faith and religious leaders undertaking the conversion first have to seek prior permission from the highest government official of the district.
“All the same, it is a fact that Kandhamal is proving Tertullian right,” commented Father Pradhan, former rector of St. Paul’s Minor Seminary at Balliguda in Kandhamal.
Church historian Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, better known as Tertullian, is the author of the dictum “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians.”
No Ill Will
The unfaltering witness of the Christians in Kandhamal, with many of them harboring no ill will towards their tormentors, Father Pradhan said, has touched the hearts of hundreds of Hindus. Despite such optimism, Kandhamal is far from normal with regard to the persecution of Christians. Two pastors — Saulo Pradhan and Minoketon (Michael) Nayak — had been killed in 2011 under mysterious circumstances and the dependent families suggesting murder at the hands of Hindu fundamentalists.

When Dilip Mallick, a Hindu who recently became a Baptist, returned from a midnight Christmas service with his wife and younger brother, they found their traditional wood house at Madinato village near Balliguda reduced to ashes.

But Mallick was unfazed. “I will remain a Christian whatever happens,” he said, clutching the burnt wooden pillar of his house, while his wife stood next to him.

“God’s plans are beyond our comprehension. What happened here (in Kandhamal) was very painful,” said Archbishop Barwa, who took charge of the persecuted church in April 2011. “But it was not a curse. It is now turning out to be a blessing(Source).”

China: A New Year’s Visit To A Persecuted Church

I pray that my Chinese brethren in Christ stay strong during as they enter this New Year with persecution continuing.

01/12/2012 China (China Aid) - For the New Year, everyone had made their plans for how to ring in the first day of the first month of 2012. But for the brothers and sisters of Beijing Shouwang Church, it brought yet another disappointment.

Everyone had been praying that, in the New Year, the government would allow them to worship indoors, so that they could have their own space to meet, to pray and to spread the Gospel. But on the first day of the new year, their hearts full of hope sank once again.

The brothers and sisters of Shouwang had no choice but to continue meeting outdoors on Jan 1st, 2012. The worship time was 8:30 a.m., so we rushed to the plaza [that had been Shouwang’s designated outdoor worship site], but unfortunately, at 8 a.m., the police had already taken into custody all the brothers and sisters who were making their way to the plaza. The plaza [was now] totally empty, with only one person in a red coat with a camera standing alertly in an inconspicuous corner looking as though he was ready to pounce. He photographed everyone in the plaza who passed by him. Police had used green tarp to enclose the entire plaza and block off all access to it, and several police vehicles were parked next to the plaza, their drivers waiting for arrests.

Because of the Sunday restrictions, if Shouwang brothers and sisters want to go worship in the plaza, they have to stay away from their homes starting on Friday and spend the night elsewhere. Nine brothers and sisters crowded into a two-bedroom apartment really broke my heart. At a time when the government is promoting a harmonious society, they are subjected to this kind of treatment because of their pursuit of the true faith. This is the true situation faced by the brothers and sisters of Shouwang Church. “Religious freedom” is for appearances only(Source).

Nepali Christian sends encouraging message to Iranian and Afghan Christians

We Americans need this type of encouragement as well. I pray that my Iranian and Afghani brethren in Christ Jesus stay strong too.

1/12/2012 Iran (Mohabat News) – Below you read an encouraging interview with Jason, a Nepali Christian who explains about the situation of Christians in his homeland. The interview is exclusively conducted to encourage Iranian and Afghan Christians. An American Christian minister, who follows the news and events of Iranian Christians through Mohabat News website and voluntarily collaborates with this news agency, conducted an interview with a Nepali Christian who currently resides in United States. He sent the interview to Mohabat News and it was directly translated into Farsi for Farsi-speaking users of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

"Here is an article to encourage the saints in Iran and Afghanistan."

He wrote in his foreword to the interview. Then he continued, "I interviewed one of my neighbor's, named Jason, who was raised in Nepal. Jason is a very bright kid currently in college studying pharmacy, and he knows quite a bit from the Bible and loves Jesus very much."

Nepal is a country located at north of India. The majority in the country is Hindu. Christians only form half a percent of the population. Below you read the short interview regarding the situation of Nepali Christians:
Could you tell me about persecuted Christians in Nepal?

Well, I think it is better now – but years back, I think people were more persecuted for being Christian. Especially in the hill areas... if a person accepts Christ there, their family may kick them out of the house, charging that they are not fulfilling their ancestral traditions.

Were you or anyone in your family persecuted for your faith? In our case, no, because we all came to Christ at the same time, about 15 years ago. But if a person in Nepal is the first in their family to believe in Jesus, or the 2nd or 3rd, it will be a lot harder for them. Especially if their family is Brahman (Hindu in the highest caste), the first one to accept Christ may be kicked out of their homes, and told that they aren't even allowed to eat their own family's food.

It can be hard for the first ones in a family to believe in Jesus, but in time - many other family members start to believe. That's one thing I can tell you about the Nepali people: they will not love someone until they know them. But then, when they know you, they will love you – till you die. Many people in Nepal are coming to The Lord now, and the reason why is because of the miraculous healings God is doing in Nepal – by The God's Spirit moving. We have prayed for a long time.

Is there anything you'd like to say to encourage persecuted Christians in Iran and Afghanistan?
You don't belong to this world – you are Heaven's citizens. And we know that unbelievers are not persecuting you: they are persecuting Him. Pray, and have patience. Many 1000's and millions will turn to Jesus. We are praying for the whole world! One day, as Revelation says, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. And I heard how in China, a person would not be given a whole Bible, but just one page from the Bible; they would study it, and then pass it on to the next believer. And now, there are more Christians in China than anywhere else in the world!

We encourage you, our dear brothers and sisters in Iran and Afghanistan: keep loving, following, believing in, and serving The Lord Jesus Christ! May God Most High protect, strengthen, and encourage you - filling you with boldness from His Holy Spirit as you live your lives to honor The Lord Jesus Christ! May God send forth more laborers to Iran and Afghanistan, and open the eyes of the lost as He convicts them of their sin of not believing in Jesus. May your nations see salvation and revival from The True and Living God! You are dearly loved, and you are not forgotten! We love and remember you; how much more does The Glorious Lord! The grace of The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit(Source).

Hindu Radicals Attack 20 Christians, Indian Official Tells Christians Not To Complain For Facing Persecution

The fact that officials in India are asking my brethren not to complain for facing persecution enrages me.

01/12/2012 India (AsiaNews)-Hindu radicals armed with sticks and iron bars attacked 20 Pentecostal Christians in a private home in Anekal, near Bangalore (Karnataka). The Hindutva nationalists accused the Christians of proselytizing and forced conversions. In the attack, Pastor Shanthakumar Srirangam, of the Agape Church, lost a finger of his left hand, while Vijay - a believer - was seriously injured in the leg.

Even a woman, Mrs. Yashodamma, was attacked, resulting in a head injury, and perhaps permanent damage to a nerve of the right hand. For Sajan K. George, President of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), "such a severe and unjustified aggression against innocent Christians is a serious violation of human rights and religious freedom. For the Christian minority of Karnataka, 2012 has begun in terror. " After the attack, Christians called the local police at Sarjapur. The police registered the case and accompanied the wounded to the state hospital, but have yet launch an investigation.

Since 2008, the Karnataka has been led by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), ultra-nationalist party that supports Hindu extremist groups and movements belonging to the wide umbrella of the Sangh Parivar. Among these, the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) and Bajrang Dal, often responsible for the violence against Dalits and Christians.

"The ultra-nationalist Hindu - accuses Sajan George - now exceed any standards of decency. They beat and insult women, a very serious violation of the dignity and rights of women. But what is most shameful is that these attackers feel encouraged to unleash their brutality even within the confines of a private home. Is it a crime to practice ones religion in India? Is it a crime to pray in the safety of our homes, to the point of attracting physical and verbal abuse by extremists who enjoy the protection of the BJP? ".

Since the beginning of 2012, the Anekal episode is the second attack by radical Hindus against Christians.
On January1st, about 20 Bajrang Dal activists disrupted a prayer service of the Blessing Youth Mission Church in the district of Balgakot. They beat the pastor Siddu Seemanth Gunike and accused him of practicing forced conversions of Hindus. After the attack, the activists brought Rev. Gunike and some members to the local police station.

The Commission for Minorities in Karnataka seems to shrug off the attacks against the Christian community. In two cases of anti-Christian violence that occurred on Christmas Eve and were reported by the victims, a member of the Commission simply replied: "If you really knew the teachings of Jesus, Christians should not be complaining," perhaps referring to the words of Christ to "turn the other cheek(Source). "

Somali Convert From Islam Whipped In Public

I'm pretty surprised that these people whipped her as opposed to killing her from embracing the Risen Savior. I pray that she is healed of injuries and continues to grow closer to Christ Jesus. I also pray for the souls that did this to her. I pray that they embrace Jesus Christ as well.

01/10/2012 Somalia (CDN)-A Somali convert from Islam was paraded before a cheering crowd last month and publicly flogged as a punishment for embracing a “foreign religion,” sources said. Sofia Osman, a 28-year-old Christian from Janale city in Somali’as Lower Shabelle region, had been taken into custody by Islamic extremist al Shabaab militants in November; the public whipping was meant to mark her release. She received 40 lashes on Dec. 22 while jeered by spectators.

“Osman was whipped 40 lashes at 3 p.m., but she didn’t tell what other humiliations she had suffered while in the hands of the militants,” an eyewitness, told Compass, adding that whipping left her bleeding. “I saw her faint. I thought she had died, but soon she regained consciousness and her family took her away.”

The whipping was administered in front of hundreds of spectators after Osman was released from her month-long custody in al Shabaab camps. Nursing her injuries at her family’s home, in the days after the punishment she would not talk to anyone and looked dazed, a source close in touch with the family said. She has since been relocated.

“Please pray for her quick recovery,” the source said.

Janale, one Somalia’s major cities, is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Mogadishu. Osman became a Christian four years ago and was a member of the underground church in the war-torn Horn of Africa country largely controlled by the al Qaeda-linked militants from al Shabaab(Source).

Clergymen And Pastor Arrested In New York City After Protesting New Ban On Religious Groups

I've seen Western persecution on the level of double standards, getting fired from and hate speech. Nothing on the level of what our brethren in Christ facing in places like China, Egypt, Nigeria and Pakistan. However being arrested takes the persecution to another level. This is very frightening.

01/06/2012 United States (CIC) - Police arrested a New York City Councilman and Pastor Fernando Cabrera, Pastor Bill Devlin, and five others Thursday (January 5, 2012) morning on charges of "criminal trespassing." Their alleged trespass was kneeling and singing two hymns outside the doors of the New York City Law Department.

According to a story written by Tiffany Owens for www.worldmag.com, the protest was part of an ongoing effort to overturn the city's ban against religious groups' use of public schools for worship services, scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 12. Before they knelt, the seven were standing with more than 50 people holding signs outside the building. Police then held them in custody for three hours.

"Devlin, pastor of Manhattan Bible Church, said the ban assaults freedom of religion and speech. Lorence added that the case is based on a fundamental misinterpretation of the Constitution: He argues that forbidding private speech because it's religious is not protecting the separation of church and state, but instead is suppressing freedom of religion and freedom of speech."

The rationale for banning religious groups' use of public school space is that "impressionable children" might think that government is endorsing religious belief, said Tiffany Owens. Lorence and Devlin are afraid, she went on, that the school-use ban will eventually become a broader ban against religious organizations meeting in any state-funded building, including university auditoriums that house worship services of large churches. For example, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York pays rent to hold services at Hunter College.

Lorence said the ban reflects an irrational and anti-religion sentiment in New York, one that portrays religion as "dangerous and something that must be kept entirely out of the public square." He added that the ban suggests that churches and religious groups are "piranhas and parasites," even though they often house community-friendly ministries to the poor. "Our city is trying to do away with faith," Lorence said. "We can tolerate everybody but religious viewpoints. That's pretty scary(Source)."

Nigeria Christians Warn Attacks Reminder Of Civil War Run-up

01/08/2012 Nigeria (AFP)-The head of Nigeria’s Christians has warned that attacks on the faithful that have killed more than 80 people suggest "religious cleansing" and compared it to the run-up to the 1960s civil war. The intensifying violence as well as warnings from Christian leaders that they will defend themselves come at a crucial moment for Nigeria, with the country also facing nationwide strikes on Monday over soaring fuel prices.

The stark warning from Ayo Oritsejafor, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria, on Saturday came with at least six gun and bomb attacks targeting Christians since Christmas having killed more than 80 people. Attacks have seen victims gunned down while their eyes were closed in prayer in church, caught up in a gruesome bomb blast while leaving Christmas services and shot while gathering to mourn the death of a friend.

In the latest violence, residents said gunmen shot dead three people believed to be Christians as they were playing poker on Saturday night in the northeastern town of Biu. Islamist group Boko Haram has claimed most of the violence, which has sparked fears of a wider religious conflict in a country whose 160 million population is roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

A purported spokesman for the group a week ago gave Christians living in the north a three-day ultimatum to leave the region. In claiming subsequent attacks, the spokesman said they were in response to the ultimatum.
At mass on Sunday in the capital Abuja, worshippers were frisked and made to pass through metal detectors upon entry — measures that have been in place for several weeks. In the economic capital Lagos, which has not been hit by attacks, churchgoers were told to be on alert for any suspicious movements.

Oritsejafor said on Saturday that Christians would defend themselves, though he added that he was not advocating reprisals. An emergency meeting of church heads concluded "that the pattern of these killings does suggest to us a systematic ethnic and religious cleansing," he said.

"We are reminded by the occurrences of these killings of the genesis of the civil war that took place here in Nigeria."

The run-up to Nigeria’s 1967-70 civil war that left more than a million dead saw Igbos, who are overwhelmingly Christian, massacred in the country’s north. An attack Friday in the northeastern town of Mubi was a frightening reminder for many of the pre-civil war days, with 17 people gunned down as they gathered to mourn the death of an Igbo killed the night before. Muslim leaders have reported that Muslims based in the southern Niger Delta region have started leaving the area in apparent fear of reprisal.

Bombings on Christmas, particularly one that killed 44 people as services ended at a Catholic church near Abuja, sparked outrage.

A number of the recent attacks, including in Mubi and in the cities of Yola and Gombe, have occurred in areas outside the emergency decree. It launched an uprising in 2009 that was put down by a brutal military assault in which some 800 people were killed. Since the group re-emerged in 2010, it has been blamed for increasingly sophisticated attacks, including the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja that killed 25.

Anti-Christian Violence Growing In India

And the mayhem, rage and persecution against my Indian brethren in Christ Jesus continues in this New Year of 2012:

01/02/2012 India (MNN)-Recent threats and outbreaks of violence against Christians in India show persecution is on the rise. Any hope for justice in this New Year looks grim. In Orissa, an Indian state infamous for a wave of attacks against Christians back in 2008, threats of violence were made against Christians in an effort to "stop Christmas."

2,500 protestors rallied on December 18 under the leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an activist arm of the Hindu nationalist movement. The RSS leader called for a strike over Christmas weekend and into last week. Dave Stravers with Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India says the timing was intentional. “When there’s a general strike, the opportunities for violence are just multiple…it’s a time [that] these extremists use to get violent against people they don’t like, and Christians are usually the targets of that.”

Violence did breakout in Karnataka, a neighboring state just south-west of Orissa. A group of 15 Christians were meeting privately in a new believer’s house singing Christmas carols. Stravers says the police came and arrested all the believers after they were beaten. The Christians were thrown in jail for a week while no action was taken against the attackers. The leader of the house gathering, Pastor Manu Das, is still currently in intensive care with severe head injuries and internal bleeding.

“This illustrates the justice problem,” states Stravers. “Someone comes to beat you up, and then the police come and arrest you and accuse you of inciting that other person to violence!”

According to Stravers, “Hostility in India has been increasing over the entire country… This is the direct result of the fast growth of the church and the great response to the Gospel in so many areas.” Please pray for courage in Indian believers this next year and for justice to take hold in the hearts of leaders(Source).

I will indeed be praying for my Indian brethren in Christ Jesus. I will helping them to be bolder and more valiant for the Risen King in this New Year of 2012 and that their Hindu and Muslim persecutors will turn to Christ Jesus.

20 killed as Nigerian gunmen attack Christian mourners

The Savior of the World, said that one day people will think that they are doing what God wants by killing them:

They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. John 16:2

Islam is seen as the fulfillment of this verse when looking at passages from the Quran like this:

Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.  Sura 9:29

O Prophet (Muhammad SAW)! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell, - and worst indeed is that destination. Sura 9:73

Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. Sura 9:111

So we shouldn't be surprised when Muslims attack our brethren in Christ Jesus as seen in this article:

NIGERIA-- It was the latest in a series of attacks blamed on radical Islamists who have vowed to wage a religious war on Nigeria's Christians and drive them from the country's majority-Muslim north.

Several dozen Christians had come together for a meeting in a town hall in Mubi, in Adamawa state, to mark the deaths the day before of several people killed in the town.

Up to four gunmen surrounded the building and opened fire with Kalashnikov rifles, killing up to 20 people and leaving another 15 badly injured.

"We started hearing many gunshots through the windows," said Okey Raymond, 48, who was at the meeting.

"Everyone scampered for safety, but the gunmen chanted: 'God is great God is great' while shooting at us(Keep Reading)."