Martyrs: Muslims Target Christians

10 CommentsMartyrs

Muslim protesters went on a murdering rampage throughout northern Nigeria following the presidential elections on Apr. 16. Though the crisis started as a political protest, it rapidly escalated into anti-Christian violence. Numerous churches, Christian businesses, homes and cars were burned and destroyed. Thousands of Christians are now trapped and spread throughout military and security barracks.

VOM contacts state they have never seen anything like this in northern Nigeria before. One VOM contact wrote, “The state governorship election [is] still to come. We only pray that things will be under control. We call on brothers and sisters all around the world to pray, for God to take control.

Please Pray!

Please pray for the families of the slain Christians and those who have lost property and businesses. Pray for a hedge of protection around President Goodluck Jonathan and other Christians who are now refugees. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Nigeria that will bring even the most hardened of criminals to faith in Jesus Christ.

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it…” 2 Corinthians 12:26a

VOM supports hundreds of Nigerian pastors who have been persecuted but continue to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our ministry also provides food, clothing and medical aid to Nigerian Christians who are attacked by Muslim extremists.

Every Wednesday I post something from Voice of the Martyrs’ Be-A-Voice Network hoping you might join in helping those in other countries who are persecuted for their faith.

Comments (10)

  1. perdita

    Reply

    I don’t want to minimize the horribleness of the violence and riots in Nigeria or the loss of life, but a ‘hedge of protection’? These are the Christians you want your God to protect:

    “Such names as New Testament Assembly, Church of God Mission, Mount Zion Gospel, Glory of God, Brotherhood of the Cross, Redeemed, Apostalistic. Behind the smartly painted doors pastors make a living by ‘deliverances’ – exorcisms – for people beset by witchcraft, something seen to cause anything from divorce, disease, accidents or job losses. With so many churches it’s a competitive market, but by local standards a lucrative one.

    But an exploitative situation has now grown into something much more sinister as preachers are turning their attentions to children – naming them as witches. In a maddened state of terror, parents and whole villages turn on the child. They are burnt, poisoned, slashed, chained to trees, buried alive or simply beaten and chased off into the bush.” (guardian.co.uk Dec 9, 2007. Bolding mine.)

    Mary was found by a British charity worker and today lives at a refuge in Akwa Ibom province with 150 other children who have been branded witches, blamed for all their family’s woes, and abandoned. Before being pushed out of their homes many were beaten or slashed with knives, thrown onto fires, or had acid poured over them as a punishment or in an attempt to make them “confess” to being possessed. In one horrific case, a young girl called Uma had a three-inch nail driven into her skull.

    Also:

    Some Nigerians blame the increase on one of the country’s wealthiest and most influential evangelical preachers. Helen Ukpabio, a self-styled prophetess of the 150-branch Liberty Gospel Church, made a film, widely distributed, called End of the Wicked. It tells, in graphic detail, how children become possessed and shows them being inducted into covens, eating human flesh and bringing chaos and death to their families and communities. (telegraph.co.uk Nov 8, 2008)

    Life is not as simple as you seem to desperately need it to be. Sometimes Muslim extremists are fighting Christian extremists. Sometimes religion is a way to choose sides.

    Pray if you think it will help.

    • Steve Sanchez

      Reply

      They said similar things about the early disciples: They were cannibals, eating the flesh and blood of Christ; Nero blamed Christians for the fires and all evil in Rome. I allowed your sad comment, perdita, to show that some things never change… and never will.

  2. Dennis

    Reply

    Perdita – many terrible things have been done in the name of “Christianity” throughout time. However even an unbeliever should be able to tell the difference between Biblical Christianity and whatever madness you posted about.

    Your comment just shows how important it is that the true Gospel is preached in these corrupt parts of the world. VOTM is an awesome organization doing a wonderful job in the hardest to reach areas of the world (including North Korea) spreading the Gospel message of Christ.

    So yes you are right maybe in Nigeria “christianity” has become a lucrative business for some. However the persecution that Christians accross the world face is very real and will only get worst. This article is only one of many instances all over the world of the violence, and persecution that Christians face for their faith.

    You can put the blinders on if you like. But that’s the facts.

    • Steve Sanchez

      Reply

      I’m in agreement with Dennis on that one. I’m not saying that you posted your comment to discredit Christianity (though that is certainly possible), but please, don’t confuse these weird people as genuine.

      I too want these stories to be false. Sadly, they probably aren’t.

  3. perdita

    Reply

    Are you saying these reports are false? Because I keep hoping that these stories are as false as the David Warnke satanic panic. I truly do.

    Understand – I don’t condone the actions of the rioters in Nigeria nor do I think their victims in anyway deserved it. But to be honest, both sides have been vicious and if your’re going to ask for a ‘hedge of protection’ you should ask that these children be protected.

    If you can show credible information that these stories are faked, that these children were not being attacked, that this was false propaganda I will happily be corrected. In fact, I keep looking for reports that say it’s all a hoax but I haven’t found anything yet.

    “Steve, I want those reports to be false.”

  4. Nohm

    Reply

    Steve,

    perdita is not joking. Some of these kids are being tortured to make them “confess”. I’ve seen videos of the children.

    It’s horrific. I don’t think perdita was blaming Christians as a whole; I think she’s just making the point that these particular Christians are truly awful people.

  5. Garrett

    Reply

    “I have no evidence to refute your evidence, perdita, so I’ll just assert that it’s all a lie.”

    The only sad comment here is yours, Steve.

  6. vintango2k

    Reply

    Never underestimate people’s abilities to interpret things in certain ways. I find the whole Suffer Not a Witch to Live a little dubious though, I can see where people might and HAVE interpreted to mean that we should kill witches. I mean have you not heard of the Salem Witch Trials?

  7. perdita

    Reply

    “You can put the blinders on if you like. But that’s the facts.”

    Dennis, what blinders do I have on? My point is precisely that just because people call themselves Christian or are even attacked because they call themselves Christian does not guarantee that they practice Biblical Christianity and may be just as bad as those hated Muslims (boo hiss).

    “However the persecution that Christians across the world face is very real and will only get worse.”

    Is it persecution only when Muslims attack Christians? What is it when Christians attack Muslims? Both seem to happen quite frequently in Nigeria. Personally, I think it’s less persecution and more tribal warfare.

    “I’m not saying that you posted your comment to discredit Christianity (though that is certainly possible)…”

    No, that’s just what you hinted at. And why? Do I have a habit of gross generalizations?

    “…but please, don’t confuse these weird people as genuine.”

    Steve, that’s what I was accusing you of doing. I think both groups (Christian and Muslims) could use that hedge of protection – since both groups seem to be attacking each other.

    “I too want these stories to be false. Sadly, they probably aren’t.”

    Well, it’s nice to hear you admit that. UNICEF has an interesting document about the contributing factors to this (poverty, warfare, HIV/AIDS, unscrupulous leaders) Maybe you can add these children to your hedge.

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