Do You Know What Is Happening?

    We’ve been shielded here in America from what is happening globally. Some of it is because we are spoiled and we’d rather not think of unpleasant things around the world. But some of it appears to be intentional silence on the part of our mainstream national media.
    I’m talking about major persecution against Christians like no other time in history. Most of it from Islamists who have already successfully rid their regions of Jews, and are now turning their attention to Christians. They have a saying in Arabic, “First on Saturday, then on Sunday”, meaning just that.
    Please don’t assume I’m an alarmist. The problem is so well documented and my above statements are not even up for debate among those who are paying attention. The problem is, we are not paying attention. And for those of us who are, we have to dig deeply in the American press to see it.
    For example. You know the recent mall massacre in Kenya? Do you know who was killed and why? The terrorists were specifically gunning for Christians and made it known. But did you hear that on the nightly news or did you read that on the front page stories?
    Let me give you a few little known facts. In 1948, there were 135,000 Jews in Iraq. Today, there are less than 10. Since the West freed the Iraqi people of dictatorial dominance by a ruthless ruler, Islamists in Iraq have zeroed in on the Christian population (since there are no Jews left) and since 2003, over half of the estimated 800,000 Christians in the country have fled, many leaving their belongings and wealth behind. Christians have been raped, tortured, kidnapped, beheaded, and evicted from their homes. Scores of church buildings have been bombed, seven in a single day in 2009. That’s just Iraq.
    In Eqypt, there were at least 100,000 Jews in 1948. Today, there are less than 50. So as in Iraq, Islamists in Egypt have turned their attention to Christians. While there are 8,000,000 Christians living in Egypt, in recent months, tens of thousands have fled due to intense persecution. In a three-day span just last month, 38 Churches were destroyed, 23 were vandalized, 58 Christian homes were burned and looted, 85 Christian-owned shops, 16 pharmacies and 3 hotels were demolished. During that same three day span (August 14-16), 6 Christians were killed and 7 were kidnapped.
    The statistics are similar in Syria (during this Civil War it has escalated) and Pakistan, as well as around the world in Muslim dominated countries. For the Islamists (those who are driven to force Islam on non-Muslims by force), their mission is to return to the Islam of the 6th-9th centuries when millions of Jews and Christians were killed, relocated, and assets seized in the conquest of what became the Muslim world.
    I fear it may be too late before we realize what is happening.
    Jesus’ way is so very different. He offered himself as the way to return to God, not by coercion, but by invitation. He said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 ESV).