Saudi Arabia: 42 Ethiopian Christians arrested for prayer meeting

If Muslim migrants were subjected anywhere in the world to the injustices Christians and other expat workers face in Saudi Arabia, it would be front page news. By contrast, these stories quietly trickle out and go largely unreported.

Even so, behavior like this from the Saudis does not create the image of a strong, confident faith. Their paranoia conveys a sense of fragility and fear. Even by "winning," by trying to show who's boss, they lose. "42 Ethiopian Christians arrested in Saudi Arabia," from Persecution, December 17:

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Saudi security forces arrested 42 Ethiopian Christians at a prayer gathering in Jeddah on Thursday. The location of the detained Christians is unknown.

On December 15, Saudi police and security officers raided an evening prayer meeting at the home of an Ethiopian Christian in the Al-Safa district of Jeddah. Those attending the service were reportedly beaten and threatened before being arrested.

Just for fun, someone should tell authorities that a man of Jewish background has slipped into the country and, according to local reports, is in the habit of joining these gatherings "wherever two or three" come together. It could make for a good all-points bulletin, not to mention the subsequent headline: "Saudis desperate to find Jesus."

“Security officials broke [into] the house and captured . . . beat and threatened them for death. . . They divided the men and the women and they are torturing them [in prison],” an Ethiopian and Eritrean Christian immigrant community living in Europe wrote in an urgent appeal for help to the ambassadors of European embassies in Riyadh on Friday.

Two Ethiopian fellowships in Saudi Arabia informed ICC that they will temporarily postpone services until the situation calms. Christians in Saudi Arabia, most of who enter the country as foreign workers, are not allowed to practice their faith openly. Saudi police have been known to raid private worship gatherings in homes, arrest and deport congregants, and confiscate Christian materials, including Bibles.

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8 Comments

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sean | December 18, 2011 11:58 AM | Reply

Their paranoia conveys a sense of fragility and fear.

In fact, many Muslims seem absolutely terrified of Christianity and its symbols and practices. What is it about Jesus that invokes such insane hatred and fear?

Deep down within, do they subconsciously know that their cult is nothing other that the ravings of a sadistic psychopathic pervert? http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/tawhid-or-tawheed-versus-christian.html

Aprilyn | December 18, 2011 12:05 PM | Reply

This is the face of real intolerance, marginalization, oppression and discrimination. Where oh where will you see it reported? CNN? NBC? CBN? Maybe on the All American Muslim show? ... Noooo ... don't think so. This is the face of intolerant opressive Islam. The side of Islam which the liberal left and muslims themselves refuse to acknowledge. If it were to be reported here, in full detail, with protests, the leftist and muslims would cry "Islamophobia" long and loud

Here in the states we will see the muslims and usseless liberal left, protest against Lowe's for their legal, freed decision to not continue advertising on the All American Muslim show. We will be treated to news confrences on anti-sharia legislation. The liberal left and useful(to the cause of islam)/useless, groups from other religious bodies will line up to support Islam. We will hear the loud cry of the marginalization and intolerance of muslims; but for those caught in the web of Islam's hatred and intolerance ... nothing will be said.

By their silence they are condemed; and the evil of Islam will continue to florish while "good men" do nothing.

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS - PRAY FOR THOSE, ALL OF THOSE CAUGHT IN THE GRIP OF ISLAM.

ala sux | December 18, 2011 12:05 PM | Reply

Meanwhile in canada that nut bar Imam claims that Muslims are now being treated like the jews in 1930's Nazi Germany.

canada has yet to see just 1 muslims charged with a hate-crime even when Muhmmad Elmasry told Michael Coren on TV that Every israeli over 18 is a valid target to murder by terrorism .

The new bigotry of Lower-Expectations for muslims as if they are pre-disposed to tellings lie or the riots amd murdering of civilians from the SJS (Sudden Jihad Syndrome) those peaceful muslim suffer from.

salah | December 18, 2011 1:04 PM | Reply

"Their paranoia conveys a sense of fragility and fear"

Here is what a muslim sheikh had to say about this fear:

"This christianization movement is too big to be dealt with.. even by all arab countries combined"
And..
"There are 50 thousand baptizers in Saudi Arabia"
And..
"We are living a tragedy sir, by Allah we are living a tragedy, by Allah we are living a tragedy"

http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2010/05/dying-islam-lislam-mourant.html

pokermutt replied to comment from Aprilyn | December 18, 2011 2:18 PM | Reply

Aprilyn, you wrote,
"Islam will continue to flourish while "good men" do nothing."
I believe that it is worse than that. Many basically good men and women aid and abet Islam unwittingly by not being openly against Islam for various reasons of their own, often from some sense of guilt. There is a lot of self-censoring going on.
Your constitution needs to be changed to expunge all references, protections, and priviliges to religion.
Change from "One Nation Under God" to "One Nation Under Reason" for it is Islam that profits most from, "It is my religious belief"; Christians and Jews will be just fine as they are largely, if not entirely, voluntary.

ebonystone replied to comment from salah | December 18, 2011 5:41 PM | Reply

"Here is what a muslim sheikh had to say about this fear:

'...We are living a tragedy sir, by Allah we are living a tragedy, by Allah we are living a tragedy'"

The tragedy that he's living is Islam, and his country has been living it for 1400 years.

Aprilyn | December 18, 2011 10:05 PM | Reply

It keeps us informed of the plight of others - it keeps us conected, up-dated.

We all know what Islam is; and what's going on in islamic countries. We are in a War with Islam and sadly muslims, in a war you need to know the stats, even when you know the facts.

Also, for those who are Christian or believe in prayer, its a chance to pray for those in need; and those caught in the clutches of Islam need all the prayer available.

tudodude | December 19, 2011 4:46 AM | Reply

they are allowed to prey at home. This story doesn't bother me and Saudi's can do what they want in Saudi. I would love Islamic prayer to be limited to homes, sounds fair

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