The Christian persecution watchdog group, Open Doors USA, released its annual “World Watch List” this week, and found that 1 out of every 12 Christians across the globe lives in an area where there is “high-level persecution” against believers. The group tracks and monitors reports of Christian persecution across the world, and then ranks the 50 countries which are the biggest offenders. 2018’s report reveals that there are over 200 MILLION Christians living in areas of the world where Christianity is illegal, forbidden or punished.
During the reporting period in 2017, over 3,000 Christians were murdered, over 1,200 were kidnapped, about 800 Churches were vandalized, and over 1,000 Christian women were raped or sexually harassed. The President and CEO of Open Doors, David Curry, said that “sex traffickers receive more money for the abducted daughters of pastors, compared to other girls.” At least 6 women are raped, sexually abused, or forced into marriage with Muslim men EVERY DAY across the world, under the threat of death for their Christian faith.
“We had a 14-year-old girl walking to school in northern Nigeria kidnapped, sold according to Islamic Shariah law for $160,” Curry said. “Her parents have no legal recourse. This is happening over and over again, in over 2,260 cases that we can document.” The abduction of young Christian girls by Muslim men is especially prevalent in Egypt, as I have previously written about , and has been virtually ignored by the Egyptian government. At least 15 Christian teenagers were kidnapped and forced into Islamic marriages in 2017. According to Open Doors, nearly 130 Christians were murdered in Egypt for their faith last year, and more than 200 were driven out of their homes by Muslim mobs.
The report found, to no surprise, that Islamism is still the main driver of persecution globally, and that Muslim-majority nations account for 36 of the 50 countries on the list. While North Korea topped the List again for the 16th year in a row, Islamic Afghanistan gave the oppressive atheist country a run for its money in 2017. Open Doors’ Curry said, “Never before have the top 2 countries on the List been so close regarding incidents. Both countries are extreme in intolerance and outright persecution of Christians in every area that Open Doors monitors.”
Along with Afghanistan, there are many other countries which saw a dramatic rise in incidents for 2017. They were namely Egypt, India, Libya, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. 9 out of the Top 10 worst countries for Christian persecution are Islamic the report found. They are Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan, Eritrea, Libya, Iraq, Yemen and Iran.
While this is nothing new to a believer who follows global news as I do, it does appear to be getting worse year after year in the Muslim world. Though Syria dropped from the Top 10, due to ISIS losing power in the Middle East, the oppressive Islamic nation only fell to #15. “The fact that ISIS is retreating in Iraq and Syria doesn’t matter,” ODUSA CEO Curry said. “They don’t need a capital. Their hateful ideology continues to spread. They’re spreading their money, their ideas, and their influence.”
There is a reason why North Korea has long been the most dangerous country in the world for a Christian to live. Public worship is forbidden there. Its Christian population, of around 300,000, are forced to hide their beliefs and fellowship. At least 50,000 Christians are wasting away in prison or labor camps for their faith.
Open Doors USA says on its website that “It is illegal to be a Christian in North Korea, and Christians are often sent to labor camps or are killed if they are discovered.” I would be arrested for carrying a Holy Bible on the streets of North Korea, or for saying “God bless you” or “Merry Christmas”. That little pudgy bastard dictator, Kim Jong Un, is an antiChrist.
One of the most surprising countries on this year’s List would have to be India. I’m sure many of you think that India is primarily made up of hippie Buddhists and Hindus. Just a bunch of Indian monks meditating in temples, but unfortunately you would be wrong. In recent years, a disturbing trend has been forming in Hindu and Buddhist nations – “Radicalism”. Not like “radical” Christians and Jews who non-violently rebel against political correctness to advocate for a more God-fearing society, but more like “RADICAL” Islamists. In India, Hindu nationalism has grown rapidly since the election of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in 2014.
Under Modi, religious freedom violations against Christians have spread unchecked. In 2017, Open Doors counted more than 600 persecution incidents, though the group added that “most cases actually remain unreported, so the true number is much higher.” Nextdoor to India, Hindu-majority Nepal CRIMINALIZED conversion to Christianity or Judaism in 2017. Buddhist nationalism has led to a dramatic and – believe it or not – violent rise in hostility toward Christians in the countries of Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
Besides the worst enemy of Christians today, North Korea, there were other Asian nations of particular concern on the List for 2018. Of course, I have written a few articles about the persecution which Christians endure in communist China. Just this week, the Chinese government demolished a Christian Church, the second Church to be destroyed by the antiChrist regime in less than a month.
Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Maldives have shown that Islamic persecution of Christians is not just exclusive to the Middle East, but also in Asia. Also, the African nations of Ethiopia, Kenya and Central African Republic may not be muslim-majority, like much of the continent, but that hasn’t stopped Islamist groups from bringing their oppression and terror to Christians there.
This is the 26th year that Open Doors USA has published the World Watch List, and the Top 50 countries which were the most dangerous places for Christians to live in 2017 were –
1. North Korea
2. Afghanistan
3. Somalia
4. Sudan
5. Pakistan
6. Eritrea
7. Libya
8. Iraq
9. Yemen
10. Iran
11. India
12. Saudi Arabia
13. Maldives
14. Nigeria
15. Syria
16. Uzbekistan
17. Egypt
18. Vietnam
19. Turkmenistan
20. Laos
21. Jordan
22. Tajikistan
23. Malaysia
24. Myanmar
25. Nepal
26. Brunei
27. Qatar
28. Kazakhstan
29. Ethiopia
30. Tunisia
31. Turkey
32. Kenya
33. Bhutan
34. Kuwait
35. Central African Republic
36. Palestine
37. Mali
38. Indonesia
39. Mexico
40. United Arab Emirates
41. Bangladesh
42. Algeria
43. China
44. Sri Lanka
45. Azerbaijan
46. Oman
47. Mauritania
48. Bahrain
49. Colombia
50. Djibouti
Undoubtedly there are many other countries across the globe, especially in the Islamic world, where Christians are being persecuted and martyred for their Faith. This List is meant to bring attention to the absolute worst offenders. It is important to note also, that Pakistan had the most violence recorded against Christians in 2017. So I don’t want to hear any believer, even “liberal” Christians, criticizing President Trump for withdrawing U.S. aid from the terror-haven Islamic nation.
I applaud his move, pray that he keeps his promise to withdraw funding from Palestine, and also that he defunds the anti-Israel United Nations along with every antiChrist nation on this List! Why are American taxpayer dollars being given to nations that hate and threaten Israel, or who persecute, torture, abuse, imprison, and murder our fellow Christians?! DEFUND THEM ALL.
“For MANY walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the ENEMIES of the Cross of CHRIST.” ~ Philippians 3:18
“JESUS said, Blessed are they which are PERSECUTED for Righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Blessed are you, when men shall REVILE you, and PERSECUTE you, and shall say all manner of EVIL against you falsely, for MY Sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for GREAT is your reward in Heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets which were before you.” ~ Matthew 5:10-12
“(They are) HATERS OF GOD….” ~ Romans 1:30
“If the WORLD hate you, you know that it HATED ME before it hated you. If you were OF the world, the world would love his own: but because you are NOT OF the world, but I have chosen you OUT OF the world, therefore the world HATES you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The SERVANT is not greater than his LORD. If they have PERSECUTED ME, they will also persecute YOU..” ~ John 15:18-20
“JESUS said, Then shall they deliver you (Christians) up to be AFFLICTED, and shall kill you: and you shall be HATED of all nations for MY Name’s Sake.” ~ Matthew 24:9
“And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were SLAIN for the WORD OF GOD (Holy Bible)..” ~ Revelation 6:9
“JESUS said… The time comes, that whosoever KILLS YOU will think that he doeth ‘God’ SERVICE. And these things will they (Muslims) do unto you, because they have NOT KNOWN the Father in Heaven, NOR ME.” ~ John 16:2-3
“JESUS said.. Take HEED to yourselves: for they shall deliver you into.. PRISONS; for you shall be brought before RULERS and kings for MY sake, for a testimony AGAINST THEM.” ~ Mark 13:9/Luke 21:12
“… And THE BEAST MADE WAR with the saints (Christians), to overcome them: and power was given him over ALL kindreds, and tongues, and NATIONS.” ~ Revelation 13:7
“JESUS said… Can you not discern the SIGNS OF THE TIMES?” ~ Matthew 16:3
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