Pakistan Christians Forgive Church Attackers

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Worthy News)– A tense calm returned Thursday, June 2, to a Pakistani village in Pakistan’s turbulent Punjab province after local Christians announced they had forgiven armed Muslims who attacked their church, mediators said.

Christians in the mainly Muslim village of Lakho Ki, outside Lahore city, were badly shaken when their Presbyterian church was attacked last Sunday, May 29, explained rights group Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP), which mediated in the conflict.

Armed Muslims, who allegedly disrupted the worship service, were seen cursing the congregation, smashing a glass altar and damaging Bibles and a cross.

Three or four elderly Christians were slapped and beaten with bamboo sticks, although none required medical treatment, Christians said.

The SLMP said however that local Christians decided not to start legal action against suspects because Muslim community and religious leaders publicly apologized for the incident in front of the church.

SHOWING FORGIVENESS

In a statement, the group said, Christians wanted to show that “forgiveness was more powerful than revenge.”

Another reason not to pursue the case were reports that police were reluctant to investigate the incident as the leader of the Muslim intruders was identified as a nephew of a former Member of the Punjab Assembly, the regional parliament, Christians said. Police officials reportedly made clear they wanted Christians to accept the apology to end the dispute.

Additionally, impoverished Christians in the area made clear they depend on richer Muslim landowners for jobs.

Yet, granting forgiveness remains a strong statement in a country where notorious blasphemy laws are misused to jail Christians and other religious minorities, according to Christian rights activists.

MOTHER DETAINED

Among those detained is Asia Bibi, a mother of five, who was accused of uttering blasphemous words against Prophet Mohammad during an argument with fellow farm workers. The Christian woman was sentenced to death in November last year and still awaits the outcome of an appeal. Bibi has denied the charges.

In March, gunmen shot and killed Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, who publicly challenged the country’s controversial blasphemy laws and demanded more rights for minority Christians in the mainly Islamic nation.

Earlier, in January, the governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was shot dead by one of his own bodyguards after he campaigned against the blasphemy legislation.

Lift this up in Prayer

9

people are currently praying.

Latest Worthy News

Fair Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Books by George Whitten

Identity in Messiah Revealed https://identityinmessiah.com

Identity in Messiah is a 60-day devotional journey designed to help you exchange the world’s labels for Heaven’s declaration. Each devotional combines rich Biblical teaching, Hebraic insights, practical application, and carefully selected Scripture passages to lead you into a deeper understanding of your position in Messiah.

Get it on Amazon

The Biblical Fall Feasts https://biblicalfallfeasts.com

In The Biblical Fall Feasts Revealed, George Whitten leads readers on a stirring devotional journey along the Hebrew month of Elul, the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah), the Days of Awe (Yamim Nora'im), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), and the Eighth Day (Shemini Atzeret). With Scripture as the foundation, each chapter uncovers the prophetic beauty threaded into God’s calendar and shows how these sacred seasons still speak with urgency and hope today.

Get it on Amazon