Open Doors USA recently released its widely cited 2014 World Watch List—a report that highlights and ranks the 50 worst nations around the globe persecuting Christians.
The one glaring fact that emerges from this report is that the overwhelming majority of Christian persecution around the world today is being committed at the hands of Muslims of all races, languages, cultures, and socio-political circumstances: Muslims from among America’s allies (Saudi Arabia) and its enemies (Iran); Muslims from economically rich nations (Qatar) and from poor nations (Somalia and Yemen); Muslims from “Islamic republic” nations (Afghanistan) and from “moderate” nations (Malaysia and Indonesia); Muslims from nations rescued by America (Kuwait) and Muslims claiming “grievances” against America (fill in the blank __).
A common denominator, a pattern, exists, one that is even more extensive than Open Doors implies. According to that organization’s communications director, Emily Fuentes, “of the 50 worst nations for persecution, 37 of them are Muslim,” or 74%.
In fact, while this number suggests that the other 13 countries making the top 50 are not Muslim—for example Kenya and Ethiopia—those doing the persecution there are.
In other words, those persecuting Christians in 41 of 50 nations are Muslims; that is, a whopping 82% of all persecution around the globe is being committed by the adherents of Islam—sometimes in Christian majority nations; for example, the Central African Republic which, after the 2013 Islamic takeover, now ranks #16, “severe persecution” (the Christian-majority nation did not even appear in the previous year’s top 50).
As for the top ten absolute worst nations, where, according to the 2014 World Watch List, Christians suffer “extreme persecution,” nine—that is, 90%—are Muslim. (Indeed, Open Doors’ global map of Christian persecution can easily be confused with a global map of the Islamic world, with the exception of China (ranked 37, “moderate persecution”) and some sporadic countries dominated by crime and godless tyranny, Columbia, North Korea, etc.)
Similarly, a recent Morning Star News report listing 2013’s ten most horrific anecdotes of Christian persecution around the world finds that nine out of ten—again, 90%—were committed at the hands of those professing Islam.
Still, considering that the 2014 World Watch List ranks North Korea—non-Islamic, communist—as the number one worst persecutor of Christians, why belabor the religious identity of Muslims?
Here we come to some critically important but blurred distinctions… Keep reading

David says
I have been to Colombia several times and I really doubt that Christians are persecuted there. There is a lot of crime but I don’t think it is religiously motivated.
Simon says
Wow let’s all move to columbia then. It’s gotta be easier than trying to tackle the problem because they’re obviously planning to leave columbia alone….right?
Don’t be so naive.
gravenimage says
David wrote:
I have been to Colombia several times and I really doubt that Christians are persecuted there. There is a lot of crime but I don’t think it is religiously motivated.
……………………………
There is persecution of Christians in several South American countries—usually from either narco-cartels or Communist revolutionary groups.
There is also some discrimination against Protestant Evangelicals, which are a small but growing population. I once sponsored a Bolivian boy through ChildReach whose family was Pentacostal; they eventually moved to La Paz because they would face less discrimination in a large city.
So there is some persecution in South America—but, without minimizing it, it is *nothing* like what Christians are facing in much of Dar-al-Islam. In places like Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, northern Nigeria and the Central African Republic they are facing out-and-out genocide.
Jay Boo says
Obama and Kerry’s view of a peaceful pluralistic ONE WORLD ORDER overlooks the fact that Muslims can claim to agree to not steal and kill all day long in this new utopian imagined ‘one world order’ but
There is a LOOPHOLE
Allah
All Islamic sins against ‘infidels’ are washed through the self-serving Muhammad conjured-up cesspool of Islam’s hateful mirror called by the name ‘Allah.’
James says
The name ALLAH may mean ‘god’ in Arabic;but it’s real translation is;MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS.These people are not much different than the Pharisees of the New Testament;They simply worship the ‘law’…..they are fanatical or extremist worshipers of strict mandates written by a main cult leader(MO) and succeeding Imans….Islam is SHARIA LAW.NOTHING ELSE. BEWARE THE BADGE OF THE DEPT OF SHARIA ENFORCEMENT ………WE HVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES IF NEED BE;THAT STARTS WITH KNOWLEDGE ….Let’s be defensive to those who are purposely Offensive……..but let us be tempered………….so we do not sink to the depravity level of these beast men.They are like the BORG of Star trek fame;ROBOTS!!!!
chai says
Vietnamese have freedom of religion but not freedom of speech. As far as I know “Persecution” of any group in Vietnam only occurs where these freedoms intersect.
gravenimage says
Raymond Ibrahim: The Existential Elephant in the ‘Christian Persecution’ Room
The one glaring fact that emerges from this report is that the overwhelming majority of Christian persecution around the world today is being committed at the hands of Muslims of all races, languages, cultures, and socio-political circumstances: Muslims from among America’s allies (Saudi Arabia) and its enemies (Iran); Muslims from economically rich nations (Qatar) and from poor nations (Somalia and Yemen); Muslims from “Islamic republic” nations (Afghanistan) and from “moderate” nations (Malaysia and Indonesia); Muslims from nations rescued by America (Kuwait) and Muslims claiming “grievances” against America (fill in the blank __).
………………………………………….
Yes—the list is about 90% Muslim countries, with a handful of Communist and authoritarian states.
Not only are most of the countries Muslims, but this is in general where the persecution is greatest, as well.
The pattern is clear.
John Hartley says
Muslims are murdering Christians because there aren’t any Jews left in Islamic countries.