International Genocide in 2020

       In this year of 2020 Christians face more persecution worldwide than any religious organization in history. The BBC states , “In some regions, the level and nature of persecution is arguably coming close to meeting the international definition of genocide, according to that adopted by the UN.” Reports estimate that over 260 million Christians are severely persecuted daily. While the year of 2020 is only half-way over, it is reported that this year 15 million more Christians have been persecuted than last year, marking a 6% increase of persecution. In 2019, an average of 8 or more Christians were killed daily. Today’s most brutal and deadly persecution of Christians are taking place in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

       As I reflect on these terrifying times, I am reminded of the lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah:

For I hear many whisperings. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him.” (Jer. 20:10)

       As I watch and read news reports, browse comments and posts on social media, I have to think that we are in the beginning of religious persecution in the United States. Citizens of Saint Louis, Missouri  are petitioning to rename the city and take down the statues of King Louis IX , falsely accusing him of persecuting the Jews and Muslims. (I found no sources that back these accusations.)  In San Francisco a statue of Saint Junipero was defaced for no apparent reason. While it is good to discuss which historical figures should be recognized and honored as heroic, this is not what is going on here. There is no civil discussion. And, if we look at history, persecution usually begins with the renaming of cities and the destruction of statues. It also usually ends with the brutal slaughtering of people.

       In addition to the removal of statues, I think it is notable that churches suffer the most restrictions during this age of Coronavirus pandemic. Government leaders including, Los Angela’s Mayor Eric Garcetti stated, “Churches are among the most dangerous,” when referring to which places should reopen.  In Minnesota, churches can only hold services with 10 people or less, even in large cathedrals that will seat over 3000 people, while restaurants and grocery stores are allowed to have a 50% capacity.

       Remember the events of the French Revolution. The artwork of the church was pillaged, and her organizations of charity were suppressed before the people of the church began to be imprisoned and murdered in the streets.

       Consider the radical Bolshevik atheists of the early 1900s who in 1922 confiscated all the property of the churches and monasteries, including artwork and statues, then distributed the magazine “Bezboshnik” (The Godless) which spread the message that religion and prosperity are incompatible. By 1929 nearly fifteen hundred churches were closed and over 800 priests and 8 bishops were murdered. Hundreds of other religious people were exiled or imprisoned.

       There are recent examples of this too. In China, the communist government is mimicking the history of Nazi Germany by creating policies that replace the worship of God with the worship of communist leadership. They have done this by tearing down Christian Churches and replacing religious artwork with images of Xi Jinping. Sculptures of the Ten Commandments have been swapped with quotes from Xi Jinping. Additionally, statues are being smashed and those who are caught in any sort of religious activity are imprisoned.

I fear we will soon suffer the persecution of those in modern day Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. I fear that Christians all over the world, United States included, are joining in Jeramiah’s cry to the Lord that there is, “…Terror on every side!” (Jer. 20:10).

And I feel I have experienced a bit of persecution too. While I am not fearing for my life like many Christians in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, I can relate to hearing “whisperings” and feeling like my “familiar friends” are “watching for my fall.”

       After finding the Christian Faith, in addition to therapy and medication, to be a miraculous pathway of healing from my trauma and anorexia, I decided to start this blog and launch a YouTube channel in the hopes that my story of healing through the Christian Faith would help other people. Before launching this blog and my YouTube channel, most people knew I was Christian, but I had never been so open about my Faith. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

       While many people offered me support and encouragement, more people have either been silent or abrasive towards my Christian testimony. I was shocked to find that after launching my latest YouTube video the very first comments were links to porn sites or were full of curse words and name calling. My blog posts have often resulted in people unfriending me on Facebook and unfollowing me on Instagram. These people I called friends.

       But we must not lose hope! We must also recall Jeremiah’s words of hope:

But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me… (Jer. 20:11).

The result of religious persecution is often growth of the church. We see this in the Bible most especially in the Acts of the Apostles:

“Saul approved of [Stephen’s] execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 9:1).

As we read further into Acts, we find that it is because of the persecution and “scattering” of the Christians that the faith spread and flourished:

“The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied” (Acts 9:31).

The best way to spread our faith is through our action, love, and devotion to Christ. When we remain faithful to God during persecution, even unto death, others are moved by our witness and devotion. It is exceedingly rare for anyone to willingly suffer or die for something that is not true. We see again and again throughout history that despite persecution, the church has prevailed. And if we remain faithful, we will prevail again. We must be strong and prepare our hearts in the way of the Lord.