Safe

Our Christianity is safe. Being a Christian in the United States is safe, comfortable even. Sure there are people who will scoff at or make fun of our choices, but we don't have to worry about being attacked, arrested, imprisoned, beaten, tortured, starved, mocked, burned, frozen, isolated, or killed. We don't have to run or worry. We don't have to hide.

This, however, isn't the case everywhere. Unfortunately, there are many, many countries where Christians are regularly rounded up and imprisoned, often times being sent to "reform camps" where, for at least 2 years, they perform manual labor, forced to fulfill quotas regardless of whether they're healthy or not. Have a few broken ribs? You're fit to work. Were you forced to stand through the night in ice and snow without any sleep? You're fit to work. And, no matter what the reason, if you don't fill your quota, you're beaten black and blue and your quota raised for the next day.

In China, and many other Asian countries, the Communist government forces Christians to decide between joining the government-sanctioned church, where you're safe from persecution but the government can keep watch on and censor what is being taught to promote the government even more, or becoming a part of a house church, which can ultimately place their life in danger by being arrested and tortured for practicing "illegally" but is also the freest form of following Christ. Surprisingly, and thankfuly, most Christians in China have chosen to join house churches, willing to risk their safety for the chance to really develop their faith. This comes at a cost, however. The rapid growth of the house church movement in recent years has alarmed the Chinese government, and they're cracking down even harder on the church leaders. Even now, there are at least five known, prominent church leaders that are imprisoned, two of which are women, without a clear reason to be locked up, other than that they're church leaders. Sadly, such cases are normal.

In the Middle Eastern, Muslim countries, it's just as bad. Christians over there are treated severely, and those that have converted from Islam to Christianity are cruelly and brutally treated. Families of converts will usually ostricize the converts, kicking them out of the family completely, and often times will kill the convert to retain the family's honor. And this treatment is supported by law as well, the killings overlooked by the police and officials and those imprisoned often accused of violating the "blasphemy" law. Muslim extremists will also attack churches and burn Christian homes, as well as attack any that try to share the Christian faith with others. Believers are discriminated against in education, employment, and property ownership. Even still, believers in these countrie remain firm in their faith, and many others are beginning to seek Christ admist the turmoil.

And right below our own country, in Mexico, Cuba, and Colombia, Christians face persecution in various forms. In Chiapas, Mexico, Christians face harrssment from town leaders and neighbors and are often forcibly relocated out of traditionalist communities. Six Christian radio stations have also been shut down in four Chiapin cities, are many more are feared to be shut down. In Cuba, strict regulations are placed on churches and many times churches are denied the building permits that they require. In 2009, thirty pastors were arrested for planning a convention for 200 other pastors, and many other prominent pastors continue to be arrested on false charges. While in Colombia the Marxist guerilla group Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) continues to terrorize the Christian community. So far, more than 300 envangelicals have been killed, and hundreds of others have been displaced by FARC because they see Christians as a threat to the recruitment of young men and women into FARC.

There are so many countries where Christians are persecuted daily, and not just by words, but they are physically persecuted by neighbors and governments. And, compared to what the brave believers go through within these countries, our walks with Christ are indescribably safe.

This blog has come out of four years worth of ponderings, prayers, thoughts, investigations, and heartbreak. I have especially been hit hard by this reality within the past two years, and my heart cries at the pain of what our brothers and sisters go through, yearns to show them support and to be there standing beside them in the face of persecution, confident that, no matter what the situation, God's perfect grace and strength will shine through. Are you not also struck by the cruelty of these situations?

Prayer is powerful. It is a request to the Creator of everything from the creations that He so deeply loves. And so, all I ask is for you to spend time in prayer for the Christians in these persecuted countries, and, if you desire to do something more, to get involved with an organization that supports pastors, missionaries, or Christian families within these countries. Personally, I am a fan of Voice of the Martyrs, but there are also many other organizations out there that are in need of support. So, please, take the time to consider how blessed we are to live in a country where we have religious freedom, and pray for those who do not have such a luxury.

James 1:2-4, Matthew 5:10-12