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Showing posts with the label Christians at Risk

Why the Martyrdom of St. Stephen is Still Relevant Almost 2,000 Years Later

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The persecution of Christians is worse now than at any time in history. According to some estimates, every five minutes, a Christian is martyred for his faith. More and more, those who believe in Christ are endangered, singled out for hate and systematic genocide. Worldwide, Christians have experienced more persecution in the last five years than in the previous six hundred years combined. Those in the West are besieged by a militant secularism that is openly hostile to Christianity. With the astonishing escalation in Christian persecution unseen seen since the 1st century, the heroic death of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr, after nearly two millennia, speaks to the Church today. Art critic William Newton, writing for The Federalist , considers several interesting works of art that tell the story of St. Stephen, in " Saint Stephen’s Day Is A Moment To Reflect On Our Witness And Immortality ". The works span much of the so called "Dark Ages", and refl

The Persecution of Christians is Worse Now Than at Any Time in History

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Aid to the Church in Need is a papal charity of the Catholic Church, supporting the Catholic faithful and other Christians where they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. The organization recently published its report  Persecuted and Forgotten? 2015-2017 , detailing how Christians are oppressed for their Faith. The report's findings are chilling. It found that the persecution of Christians is today "worse than at any time in history." Christians in the Middle East are most at risk. In 2016 alone, some 600,000 Christians were persecuted worldwide. From the report's executive summary: "While firm numbers are hard to come by … there is little doubt that the level of Christian persecution remains extremely high in a great number of places around the world … In many countries the situation was already so severe, it could scarcely get any worse, and yet it did – the obvious exception being Saudi Arabia, where a long-established pattern of some of the wo

State Department Declares ISIS is Committing Genocide Against Christians

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In a much awaited decision, the State Department has finally declared that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is committing genocide against Christians. For a detailed report on the persecution see, " Genocide against Christians in the Middle East ", compiled by  In Defense of Christians and the Knights of Columbus . It offers irrefutable evidence of the ongoing atrocities at the hands of militant Islamic extremists. Our persecuted brothers and sisters in faith face intimidation, torture and death for being disciples of Christ. We must assist them any way we can, even if only in prayer. Our prayers are always efficacious no matter how desperate the situation or the fact that God does not always grant our petitions. To help, visit ChristiansAtRisk.org and Nasarean.org .

Historic Report Gives Irrefutable Evidence of ISIS Committing Genocide Against Christians

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Icon of the 21 Coptic Christian Martyrs who have been officially recognized as Saints by the Coptic Church. Earlier today, In Defense of Christians and the Knights of Columbus presented their report on the persecution of Christians by ISIS in the Middle East. The historic findings are irrefutable evidence of genocide against Christians by militant Islamic extremists. The press release accompanying the report reads in part: Washington, D.C.--In Defense of Christians (IDC) and the Knights of Columbus released an extensive report this morning chronicling the genocide of Christians in territories controlled by the Islamic State (ISIS) and its affiliates. The nearly 300-page report, " Genocide against Christians in the Middle East ", resulted from a State Department request for specific evidence related to crimes committed against Christians by ISIS. Submitted to Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday, the report was compiled from evidence of a recent fact finding mi

Stop the Christian Genocide

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Members of ISIS prepare to behead twenty-one Coptic Christian Egyptians. Christians have become victims of religious cleansing in the Middle East and elsewhere. For almost 2000 years, Christians have called Mosul, Iraq home. Today, not one is left. The lack of international response has been shocking. If we don't come to their aid, who will? 55% of Americans agree that the targeting of Christians and other religious minorities by ISIS meets the U.N. definition of genocide. [ Knights of Columbus/Marist Poll, 2015 ] This past December, the Knights of Columbus sent a letter, signed by over twenty Catholic leaders in academia, diplomacy and the Church , to Secretary of State John Kerry, urging the State Department to call ISIS's atrocities against Christians genocide: The Genocide Convention defines genocide as killing and certain other acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” We have extensive files s

Christians At Risk

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Members of ISIS prepare to behead twenty-one Coptic Christian Egyptians. Christians and others have become victims of religious cleansing in Iraq and Syria. For almost 2000 years, Christians have called Mosul Iraq home. Today, not one is left. The lack of international response has been shocking. If we don't come to their aid, who will? Help the Knights of Columbus to provide support for terrorized Christian Communities. 100% of all donations directly supports humanitarian assistance and raising awareness for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities, especially in the Middle East. The situation grows more dire by the day as last July's New York Times Magazine article, " Is This the End of Christianity in the Middle East? ", ominously attests: For more than a decade, extremists have targeted Christians and other minorities, who often serve as stand-ins for the West. This was especially true in Iraq after the U.S. invasion, which caused hundreds of