The persecution of Christians is now “worse than at any time in history,” according to a report by the Christian charity Aid to the Church in Need, which states that not only are Christians more persecuted than any other faith group, they are also experiencing the worst forms of persecution.
The Europe-based group also found that in 12 of the 13 countries reviewed, the situation for Christians was worse in overall terms in the period 2015–17 than within the preceding two years, says the report titled, “Persecuted and Forgotten? 2015–17.”
Christians today face worse persecution than at any time in history, yet the UN and the international community are largely ignoring them, a new report says.
All across the nation, students are learning about genocide committed in the twentieth century, yet most know next to nothing about genocide taking place right now. That’s partly because the victims are Christians: many academics and journalists have become accustomed to seeing Christians as victimizers, not victims, thus leaving them unmoved when reports surface about genocide against the faithful.
“Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians Oppressed for their Faith, 2015-17,” is a study released by Aid to the Church in Need, an organization chaired by George J. Marlin. Its findings are devastating.
“In 12 of the 13 countries reviewed,” the report notes, “the situation for Christians was worse in overall terms in the period 2015-17 than within the preceding two years.” Genocide has been recorded in Syria, Iraq, and northern Nigeria, either by ISIS or affiliates such as Boko Haram.
North Korea is singled out for persecuting Christians. Its atrocities include starvation, abortion, and hanging Christians on crosses over a fire; others were run over by steamrollers.
It adds that genocide against Christians has also taken place in northern Nigeria, where Boko Haram, which is now believed to be affiliated with IS, started a campaign of violence to ensure the faithful “will not be able to stay.”
The report also highlights the fact that Christians have suffered increased violence and oppression in India after the 2014 rise to power of the right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And in China, “intolerance was on the rise, as evidenced by a renewed clampdown on dissident clergy and destruction of churches as well as crosses and other Christian symbols.”
It adds, “At a time in the West when there is increasing media focus on the rights of people regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexuality, it is ironic that in much of the secular media there should be such limited coverage of the massive persecution experienced by so many Christians.”
Prominent religious freedom advocate and evangelical figure Johnnie Moore earlier this month released a new book highlighting word-for-word testimonies of Christians worldwide who have endured severe persecution and know what it truly means to be willing to die for Christ.
“Most of the stories in the book are recent stories, except for a few stories that are from the late ’90s,” Moore, an informal adviser to the Trump administration and a former senior vice president for communications at Liberty University, told The Christian Post in an interview.
“We intentionally chose to include countries that have received less attention, countries like Eritrea, Nigeria and regular people. There are some pastors and leaders in the book but there are more regular, everyday Christians who have this amazing faith.”
