Religion Today Summaries – December 19, 2003
Daily briefs of the top news stories impacting Christians around the world. In today's edition:
- Saddam’s Capture Offers Hope to Suffering Iraqi Christians
- Battles over Christmas in Alabama
- Rearrested Egypt Christians Likely Beaten
- Vietnamese Christian Leader Arrested
Saddam’s Capture Offers Hope to Suffering Iraqi Christians
Eric Tiansay, Charisma News Service
The capture this week of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is boosting the hope of suffering Christians in Iraq. There has been an increase in anti-Christian violence since the collapse of Hussein's regime, human rights organizations say. Last month, authorities defused some bombs found at two Christian schools in Mosul and Baghdad, the Barnabas Fund said. The group noted that students also received notices to convert to Islam or face death. Paul Bremer, the United States civil administrator in Iraq, and other officials hope the capture of Hussein will reduce tension and make it more safe for the military and aid workers, including Christians, Assist News Service (ANS) reported. Several Christian groups, including Youth with a Mission and the Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB), have urged believers to support their efforts in the post-Saddam era. Last week, the IMB said it urgently needed 150 workers, but a lack of funds and manpower was threatening to undermine operations. Christian organizations and Iraqi church leaders say Iraq is open for revival, ANS reported. "People are hungry for Christ," Iraqi pastor Ghassan Thomas, 33, told Assist earlier this year in Baghdad. "The regime of Saddam Hussein did not allow the establishment [of new denominations]." According to "The London Daily Telegraph," about 700,000 Chaldean Christians and more than a million Assyrian Christians live in Iraq. However, Operation World said there are only 358,281 Iraqi Christians, with about 22,000 of them identified as evangelicals. (http://www.charismanews.com/)
Battles over Christmas in Alabama
Agape Press
A couple of well-known Alabama cities have become the latest hot spots for controversies over Christmas political correctness. Earlier this week, the city council in Mobile voted unanimously to restore the word "Christmas" to the annual parade through downtown this Saturday. But Associated Press reports the vote is likely to have no effect on the group which runs the parade: Mobile Christmas Parade, Inc. It recently renamed the event "Mobile's Jolly Holiday Parade," apparently based on the belief that it ought to reflect various religious and cultural traditions. Meanwhile in Montgomery, a local resident is blaming the mayor for downtown holiday decorations that not only lacked a Nativity scene, but decorations of angels with trumpets. She says the evidence is quite clear that there has been a concise effort over the last few years to "take Christ out of Christmas" in the city. AP reports Mayor Bobby Bright rejects the criticism.
Rearrested Egypt Christians Likely Beaten
Stefan J. Bos, ASSIST News Service
A leading human rights group urged believers around the world Wednesday Dec. 17 to pray for the safety of two rearrested former Muslims who recently became Christians and "are likely to be subjected to serious beatings." In an internet appeal Barnabas Fund, said Aziz Zakher Sarkis and Sharif Kameel Nazer from Alexandria were detained late Tuesday, Dec. 16, after being accused of helping Muslim converts to Christianity obtain new identities. "Officer Sayed Zaki presided over the arrests and he is known for his particularly aggressive attitude towards converts. The two are being held without charge..." said Barnabas Fund in a statement received by ASSIST News Service (ANS). "The two Christians were seized without a warrant," Barnabas Fund said. It came as a major set-back as they were recently released on bail along with about 20 other Muslim converts to Christianity, many of whom were subjected to torture and abuse, several human rights groups established.
Vietnamese Christian Leader Arrested
Eric Tiansay, Charisma News Service
A key Hmong Christian leader, who was beaten several years ago for illegally propagating Christianity but escaped custody, was recently arrested. Authorities extradited Ma Van Bay, arrested Nov. 17, from Binh Phuoc province, located in the country's southern region, to his former home in Ha Giang province, which is on the border of China to the north, Compass Direct reported. In 1997, authorities accused him of "stealing money from the citizens for personal gain" and illegally spreading Christianity. Badly beaten and facing up to 12 years in prison, Bay escaped. Bay received help from Christians of another minority group and he fled to Binh Phuoc. A contact for the Vietnamese churches told Compass that if he returns to the north, he would be severely beaten by police. If he remains in the south, he will be imprisoned, the contact added. In either case, believers around the world are asked to pray that he regain his freedom, Compass reported.
Originally published December 19, 2003.
