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MIDDLE EAST
While the Danish cartoon controversy has triggered protests all across the Muslim world, political factors put Christians in the Middle East at particular risk of ‘cartoon intifada’ (uprising). It is in essence an intifada against Western press freedoms and reluctance to honour Islamic standards, along with implicit demands for special protection and concessions for Islam.
There are multitudes of pictures of Prophet Muhammad in the world: in text books, history books, art works, and even cartoons. But as this is not the first time the Prophet has appeared in art – even offensive cartoon art – why this uprising now?
The June 2005 democratic elections in Lebanon saw the militant Islamic group Hezbollah make considerable gains. Then in November 2005, the banned Muslim Brotherhood, running its members as independents, made significant gains in Egypt’s elections. But when the January 2006 election in the Palestinian Territories ended the dominance of the secular Fatah party and put the Islamic organisation Hamas in power, that really sent a great shockwave through the Arab world.
Radicalised, and tired of the depressing, repressive status quo, Muslim populations throughout the Middle East are massively deserting Arab nationalism, hoping for relief through Islamism. Secular and moderate Arab regimes are now having to compete with militant Islamist forces for the affections of their people. These politically threatened regimes are boosting their Islamic credentials and currying favour with their angry, radicalised masses by supporting and even owning this ‘cartoon intifada’.
The days of ‘moderation’ seem to be coming to an end, and Christians in the Middle East risk being treated as scapegoats for anti-West Muslim rage.
Pray for: God to mercifully protect Christians who are without security in the midst of Islamic protests and rage; and God to intervene and block those seeking to exploit people’s frustrations to whip up emotion and incite hatred and violence for their own ends.
U.S.A.
Survivors of the deadly Hurricane Katrina that hit the U.S. Gulf Coast last August are turning to Christ for hope and strength as they continue to rebuild their lives. Christian organisation World Hope International has been working in partnership with local churches in the hurricane devastated areas.
World Hope’s Debbie Hoover told Mission Network News that working through the local church has been a great strategy. “Many people come to the church seeking help and seeking counselling, so we’ve been able to facilitate that a lot even through some of our more qualified volunteers who have expertise in that area.” She added that many people were opening up to the Christian faith as a result of the work World Hope is doing in the area: “Many people have received Christ just through the work of the volunteers.
Pray for Christian organisations such as World Hope that they will continue their good work to rebuild lives.
The religious intolerance and official control of all religious minorities including Christians has escalated since the May 2005 political uprising in Andijan. Ethnic Uzbek churches suffer most, being persecuted by the state authorities and Muslim nationalists. The Full Gospel Church ‘Resurrection’ in Andijan is continually persecuted, along with their pastor Bakhtier Tuichiev who was severely beaten at Christmas. A group of Christian lawyers in Taskent is helping believers speak out about persecution, and is working on getting the church ‘Emmanuel’ in Nukus, Karapalkastan, re-registered after its closure by the authorities. Christian workers are under pressure, with many Christian charities being closed for no stated reason.
Pray for: Uzbek Christians and churches to be protected by God and have more freedom for worship and evangelism; the government to respond with justice in cases of religious discrimination and persecution of Christians and other religious minorities; and for the growth of religious tolerance.
INDIA
Hindu nationalists staged in February a massive Shabri Kumbh Mela pilgrimage and festival in Dangs, Gujarat with the dual purpose of converting tribals to militant Hindu nationalism and inciting violence against Christians.
However, the event without violence. Clearly God intervened and preserved his children in answer to the prayers of many. But Dangi Christians are facing a very insecure future in this environment caused by the torrent of anti-Christian hate propaganda that was openly distributed.
The Hindu nationalist Sangh Parivar are boasting ‘great gains’ (many conversions) in Dangs. They envisage exporting their new conversion strategy right across the tribal belt of north India
Sangh Parivar are trying to boost the numbers of Hindu nationalist voters and militants, with the overall aim of getting the Hindu nationalist BJP elected to power in the 2009 federal elections. Violence against Christians is escalating in frequency and intensity, particularly across the north India tribal belt. Pray for God’s intervention to protect and empower his Church, and to frustrate the plans of the wicked.
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