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faces of persecution. East vs West. Persecution on our doorstep. Ridicule and increasing pressure to submit to interfaith movements. People ridiculing Christians for saying Jesus is the only way. Raising suspicions concerning the gospel – is it really true?
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faces of persecution East vs West
Persecution on our doorstep • Ridicule and increasing pressure to submit to interfaith movements. People ridiculing Christians for saying Jesus is the only way. • Raising suspicions concerning the gospel – is it really true? • Doubt about Biblical truths, especially if something is beyond reason or physical proof. (Rick Joyner - The Harvest). People are prompted to doubt what they believe as truth and are accused of exaggerating. (Brother Yun - The Heavenly man). • Increasingly legislation that limit Christians to preach truths of Scripture, homosexuality, same sex marriages, abortion, etc. • Persecution takes place in the form of discrediting a person, his integrity and character. Telling of lies or altering facts to built a case against or create another line of thinking. This happened to Jesus when He was crucified. • In China and other communist countries the State Church started to act against such radicals. Churches and church leaders are ridiculed by spreading word about their person and character which is not true or taken out of context.
Persecution on our doorstep • Church is made off as old fashioned and irrelevant in normal society. • Accusation of being without love and mercy when we keep to christian standards, something e.g. in direct conflict with Humanism and human rights. • What is really true? Anything goes – you have the right to believe and do what you feel is good and no one can judge you. E.g.: How do you know God really exist? • The manifest of Secular Humanismclearly states that all religions are acceptable (to them), accept those saying they alone have the truth, who will, for thinking so, be illiminated.
THE EAST… What if tomorrow its you and me?
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church14 November 2010 Open Doors has participated in IDOP for 11 consecutive years because of our commitment to empowering prayer for persecuted Christians worldwide. When you pray on IDOP Sunday, you discover a deep connection to our persecuted brothers and sisters living in the most dangerous and hostile countries.
For more notes on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church:www.opendoorsusa.org