Gospel for Asia Church in India Under Attack
A Gospel for Asia church of 51 believers in Jharkhand, India, is under attack as anti-Christian leaders meet to decide its fate.
Christian Persecution
House church leader sentenced to 18 months “re-education through labor”
The Voice of the Martyrs has learned that house church leader Guoxing (Philip) Xu has been sentenced to 18 months of so-called “re-education through labor” after his arrest for leading a house-church service last month.
ACLJ Gets Court Order Upholding Constitutionality of In-Home Prayer for Connecticut Family
(Bridgeport, CT) – The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public interest law firm, said today a federal judge has issued a Preliminary Injunction against the Town of New Milford, Connecticut prohibiting the town from blocking a Connecticut family from continuing to hold prayer meetings inside their private residence.
Civic center’s pagan fresco raises question of ‘ACLU, where are you?’
McMINNVILLE, Ore. (BP)–If a city were to display a manger scene on the courthouse lawn or post the Ten Commandments in the council chambers, the American Civil Liberties Union would threaten a lawsuit. However, let a community depict a pagan goddess in a public arena and the ACLU is strangely silent.
ACLJ Files Religious Discrimination Suit Against Mass. School Dist. In Wake Of Supreme Court Ruling
(Boston, MA) — The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public interest law firm, announced today it has filed a federal lawsuit charging religious discrimination against a school district in Massachusetts that has refused to permit a Christian organization to use its facilities after-hours – just days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that such discriminatory action is unconstitutional.
Christian in Lebanon Goes on Trial
The trial of Bruce Balfour, a Canadian missionary seeking to plant cedar trees in Lebanon, began Wednesday in a military tribunal. He is charged with spying for Israel.
Life Sentence for Two Christians in Blasphemy Case Upheld
A High Court has upheld the decision of a lower court to sentence two Pakistani Christians to life imprisonment for allegedly burning a Qur’an.
Bali Bombing Brings Unity to Indonesian Churches
Following last October’s bombing of a Bali nightclub, Christians and churches have made an effort to unite in their response to the tragedy.
Is Haiti Facing a Voodoo-Christian Showdown?
In late April, Haiti’s President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Catholic priest, declared voodoo an officially recognized religion. The decision means, among other things, that marriage ceremonies conducted by voodoo priests now have equal standing with Catholic ones.
Chinese Officials Continue Campaign Against Underground Christians
The spread of the SARS virus has not distracted Chinese officials from their campaign against unregistered churches. At least 52 key house church leaders have been arrested in recent months. Police also arrested and fined hundreds of “ordinary” Christians in the first four months of 2003.
Christians Jailed for Aiding North Korean Refugees in China
Two South Korean pastors and two laymen, imprisoned in China because of their pastoral and humanitarian work among North Korean refugees, await court decisions on their fate.
Iraq’s Revival: Christians Risk Their Lives for Church
BAGHDAD, IRAQ (ANS) — Iraqi Christians who have become targets of attacks by Muslim extremists and bandits are risking their lives to attend church services, ASSIST News Service (ANS) has established.
Vietnamese Officials Hold Informal Talks with House Church Leaders
HO CHI MINH CITY, March 19 (Compass) — In what may be a small breakthrough for religious liberty, Vietnam’s religion authorities invited five leaders of Protestant house church organizations and non-denominational missions to Hanoi for “informal talks†in early March.
Palestinian Diplomat in Morocco on the War in Iraq, Zionism, and Israel
MEMRI) — On April 26, 2003, the Islamic website Islam Online (1) hosted Wasef Mansour, a diplomat with the Palestinian mission in Morocco, in an online discussion titled “What Israel Gains From the Occupation of Iraq.” (2) During the discussion, Mansour held Israel responsible for the looting of museums and banks in Baghdad, called for Jihad against ‘the occupiers’ of Iraq, Palestine, and three cities under Spanish rule regarded by him as Moroccan, denied Israel’s right to exist, and compared President George W. Bush to Hitler and other tyrannical leaders. The following are excerpts from Mansour’s discussion with visitors to the website:
Israel Honors Her Fallen; PM Pledges to Seek an End to War
Jerusalem (ICEJ) — Israelis stood for two minutes of silence on Tuesday as sirens wailed throughout the nation in memory of more than 21,000 soldiers and civilians who have given their lives for their country over the last 55 years of statehood even as security services braced themselves for further terror attacks.
Spiritual Warfare Archive Jan 2003 – Aug 2003
Spiritual Warfare Archive – Jan 2003 – Aug 2003
Bangladesh: Systematic Persecution of Religious Minorities
AUSTRALIA (ANS) — On 1 October 2001, as U.S. and coalition forces were assembling in Pakistan in preparation for the bombing campaign in Afghanistan, Bangladeshis were heading off to vote in their national elections.
Indian Government Denies Constitutional Rights to Dalit Christians
NEW DELHI, December 30 (Compass) — The government of India has rejected a demand that social benefits be extended to Dalit Christians and Muslims, compounding the problems faced by the most downtrodden social class in India.
At least 11 Killed in Iraq Church Explosions Blamed on Al Qaeda
BAGHDAD, IRAQ (ANS) — At least 11 people have died and dozens were rushed to hospitals following the largest ever terrorist attacks against Iraq’s minority Christians since the insurgency began, 15 months ago, reports said early Monday, August 2.
Bali Bombing Brings Unity to Indonesian Churches
LONDON (Compass) — Following last October’s bombing of a Bali nightclub, Christians and churches have made an effort to unite in their response to the tragedy.