A recent Saints Peter and Paul Conference (mostly via video) entitled “Christian Persecution Is Real,” took place at the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, Virginia. The truth of this persecution that remains largely ignored was highlighted and discussed in order to raise awareness and support. One of the speakers was Shakeel Raphael, who “projected an image of his brother Nadeem Samson on the screen, prison bars superimposed over the man’s sorrowful face. Three years ago, Samson, a Christian, was arrested and, Raphael believes, falsely charged with blasphemy — the crime of speaking out against Islam, the Prophet Muhammad or the Quran. He was beaten to near death and has been locked in a prison in Lahore, Pakistan ever since.”
Such practices should be intolerable to Western nations that claim to support and defend human rights, but they do little or nothing in response. It should be unacceptable any human being could be mercilessly beaten, or murdered for the supposed sin of offending a religion’s prophet, but it isn’t. Instead, we keep hearing that “the majority of Muslims are peaceful.” Yes. So were the majority of Germans during the Nazi era.
In the West, which is in the position to help persecuted Christians, “Islamophobia” has become the buzzword that silences dissent. Westerners have allowed that same Sharia principle responsible for Christian persecution to enter their countries. According to Sharia, one must not criticize Muhammad without punishment. In the West, there are already social punishments levied against those who offend Islam, established via Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups which have worked tirelessly with “anti-racism” groups to perpetuate a victimhood narrative. While Westerners mourn a myriad of historical wrongs such as slavery in America, a grave wrong is happening now. Jihadists are carrying out a Christian genocide in Africa and the Middle East.
Kudos to the Saints Peter and Paul Conference organizers. The overwhelming majority of cases of Christian persecution are in Islamic countries and the subjugation of Christians is sanctioned in normative Islam (cf. Qur’an 9:29), all while Westerners conduct comfortable politically correct debates about “Islamophobia” and Islam as a religion of peace.
“Christian persecution at all-time high, say experts at Alexandria conference,” by Zoey Maraist, Catholic Herald, September 16, 2020:
Shakeel Raphael projected an image of his brother Nadeem Samson on the screen, prison bars superimposed over the man’s sorrowful face. Three years ago, Samson, a Christian, was arrested and, Raphael believes, falsely charged with blasphemy — the crime of speaking out against Islam, the Prophet Muhammad or the Quran. He was beaten to near death and has been locked in a prison in Lahore, Pakistan ever since.
Samson’s life, his family’s lives and the lives of the 24 other prisoners charged with blasphemy in Pakistan have been shattered, said Raphael. “But with your help and prayer, (God) can do miracles for my brother,” he said.
Raphael was one of the many speakers at the Saints Peter and Paul Conference, titled “Christian Persecution Is Real,” at the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria Sept. 11-12. The speakers hailed from around the world, including India, China and Nigeria, but they all had one thing in common — they spoke for the persecuted Christians suffering within their homelands and around the globe.
Oluwasayo Ajiboye, a Nigerian and the president of Mission Africa International, spoke about what he believes is an ongoing genocide against Christians perpetrated by violent Muslim extremists, such as the terrorist organization Boko Haram. “This genocide is a jihadist ideation. It’s an attempt to rub out every group that says, ‘We are not going to be Muslim,’ ” he said. “These (Christian) people are voiceless. They need your help to be their voice.”…
Conference attendees also viewed the documentary “Christians in the Mirror: Stories of Courage and Faith in the Face of Persecution from Syria, Iraq, Sudan, India and Egypt.” Throughout the two days, attendees were able to view the Save the Persecuted Christians display about “Warfare on Women,” highlighting how women are often targeted or most harmed by religious persecution.
Many speakers noted that not only can ordinary Americans help persecuted Christians, persecuted Christians can help and inspire Americans through their incredible witness. “There’s a big temptation just to tune everything out, to go back to Netflix, to go into our happy little bubbles,” said Father David A. Dufresne, parochial vicar. “This should motivate us to pray, to do penance, to do acts of reparation for these sins against our brothers and sisters in Christ and it should give us a greater spirit of solidarity, to recognize that we are one body of Christ.”…..
Agostino Armo Pellegrini says
Speaking of Nigeria and blasphemy, from Breitbart two days ago,
Nigeria: 13-Year-Old Boy Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Blasphemy
This here is a dose of islam that should convince even a hardcore lefty of just how insane it truly is. This is barbaric sharia in action, stealing ten years from a child’s life for a few crass words. Allah can act like a bigoted serial killer but his name is too holy to be spoken in vain–absurd. Wouldn’t a demon like allah encourage little boys to be naughty? So adult muslims can worship a filthy murdering demon as god, but a child must be tortured with prison for expressing a sentence of foul-mouthed anger? In my mind this is moral retardation beyond all else, and this is the mindset that’s compelling our leftist politicians into submission, they’re insane.
What’s even more disturbing is we’re seeing this kind of assault on our liberties all around the world for islam. Good and well meaning people are paying a heavy price for their conscionable acts against that psychopathic “religion.” I remember when Kevin Crehan got sentenced for putting some bacon on a door knob in the UK, a childish unharmful act for which he got a year in prison and ultimately died there. For a crime that should have been resolved with a $50 fine and an apology the guy dies disgraced in prison. But the U.K is a sharia nation now, and only the harshest penalties will do. The presiding Judge Julian Lambert had said the incident was an ‘attack on England’ and ‘the principles of freedom of religion’ [Mirror]. And of course he was referring to islam, which is universally known for its systematic persecution and murder of others for religion!!! The irony here has nothing to compare it to, it’s an astonishing display of hypocrisy for perpetuating an astonishing lie to protect an astonishing evil. [Write that sentence on your chalkboard 1000 times, leftists appeasers]
Islam is pulling us all back to the Middle Ages where witches and goblins reign over rationality and commonsense morality. And it’s happening for a god and religion that is inarguably the worst, most dangerous ever invented by mankind. And the left has allied with this fascist ideology for one reason, to gain votes and power over their political enemies and to use islam to oppress and control the population. In my mind they are no better than the traitors who aided the Nazis for murdering Jews, and I really mean this. They are unscrupulous people who are so steeped in their lust for power they’re willing to ally with a psychopathic religion they know will crush our democracy and human rights. Such people are an evil menace to the civilized world, and our lives and freedoms depend on getting them and their muslims masters out ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL.
Boycott Turkey says
I read about that case of the 13 year old boy sentenced to prison for 10 years for blasphemy on CNN it’s outrageous why there’s no national outcry Nigerians are being persecuted and Pakistanis too and the dope of a Pope stays silence your right UK seems to have adopted sharia blasphemy laws thanks to some so called Anti racist groups who know nothing but hate themself’s im fed up with there hypocritical racist anti Christian crap they are part of the problem if you defend evil you are no better I pray that boy is freed and also the Nigerian singer to
gravenimage says
Yes–terrible.
This story has now been covered here:
“Nigeria: Sharia court sentences 13-year-old boy to 10 years in jail for blasphemy”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2020/09/nigeria-sharia-court-sentences-13-year-old-boy-to-10-years-in-jail-for-blasphemy
mortimer says
According to the Libtarded Globalists, Black lives DON’T matter a bit when they are those of Nigerian Christians.
mortimer says
Pope Francis should visit Nigeria and ask people there to tell him what is happening. That will draw attention to the genocide and the Nigerian government may be forced by world opinion to stop it.
katherine says
Don`t understand what you mean. He has already sent an envoy there to persuade Nigerian officials not to report the killings as Christian persecution.
Shows he knows very well what is happening in Nigeria
Ray Jarman says
While reading this article an old Southern Christian Hymn started to play in my head. It is called, “Satin Is Real,” by the Louvin Brothers and I was thinking of words to replace the original. The song is about people who believe in Jesus but does not recognize the presence of Satin in their midst and that they have to recognize his evilness. It is so applicable today where so many refuse to see the danger sitting right in front of them.
jewdog says
Meanwhile, the Pope takes a polyanna view of Islam is in favor of open borders for Europe. Th evangelical protestants have been very good, however. What is needed are more guns and less prayer.
gravenimage says
Virginia: Christian persecution conference spotlights genocide of Christians in Nigeria, persecution worldwide
…………..
Good for this conference for shining a light on this attrocity.
Chinedu says
We, Christians are dying everyday in Nigeria and we are been killed by jihad Hausa and Fulani terrorist groups, forcing to convert us to Muslim. Please help us the Biafrans, we want to have our freedom.
gravenimage says
I hope President Trump *will* help you.