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The New Age of Christian Martyrdom [View all]
WORLD NEWS 01.13.14The New Age of Christian Martyrdom
Lions have been replaced by firing squads and concentration camps as record numbers of Jesus worshipers are persecuted from Syria to North Korea.
The concept of Christian martyrdom may seem like something from a bygone, uncivilized era when believers were mercilessly thrown to the lions. Not so. This week, Open Doors, a non-denominational group supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, reported that Christian martyrdom has grown into a pervasive and horrifying human rights crisis.
In their annual report of the worst 50 countries for Christian persecution, Open Doors found that Christian martyr deaths around the globe doubled in 2013. Their report documented 2,123 killings, compared with 1,201 in 2012. In Syria alone, there were 1,213 such deaths last year. In addition to losing their lives, Christians around the world continue to suffer discrimination, imprisonment, harassment, sexual assaults, and expulsion from countries merely for practicing their faith.
Once again, the worst persecutor of Christians is North Korea, where an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 followers of Jesus are suffering in prison camps for crimes such as owning a Bible, going to church, or sharing their faith. In November 2013, it was reported that 80 prisoners were publicly executed, many for possessing Bibles. Last year, North Korea sentenced an American missionary, Kenneth Bae to 15 years of hard labor in a prison camp. The U.S. State Department has lobbied unsuccessfully for his release.
Christians are obviously not the only North Koreans in prison camps. But former captives have reported that they often attract the worst treatment because the regime is particularly enraged by the worship of any other being than the Supreme Leader, who forces North Koreans to treat him as a deity.
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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/13/the-new-age-of-christian-martyrdom.html
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You are right; people of all faiths and people of no faith at all are prosecuted. nt
el_bryanto
Jan 2014
#3
People of faith (and none) are persecuted by people of faith because of their faith.
cleanhippie
Jan 2014
#4
Is there another group persecuting and killing people for not believing what they believe?
cleanhippie
Jan 2014
#6
China and North Korea I suppose - and persecuting political dissidents throughout the world
el_bryanto
Jan 2014
#7
"But as far as religious belief, the bulk of the persecution is probably done by believers. "
cleanhippie
Jan 2014
#12
I'm sorry you are confused - perhaps you are mistaking me for an atheist? But i'm a believer
el_bryanto
Jan 2014
#14
I thought you'd like that. Gives you that warm tingle of superiority doesn't it? nt
el_bryanto
Jan 2014
#35
Well - it depends on who I'm talking to. If I'm debating a serious person worth debating
el_bryanto
Jan 2014
#41
You seriously misunderstand republicans of you think they are not using belief as a weapon.
cleanhippie
Jan 2014
#15