ISIS Child Soldier Executes Nigerian Christian Student, Declares 'We Will Not Stop'

In the video released by the Islamic State-affiliated Amaq News Agency, the child reportedly claims that Dalep’s killing was revenge for the “bloodshed” committed by Christians.

A child militant affiliated with the Islamic State's West Africa Province kills
Ropvil Daciya Dalep in a video released by the Islamic State's media arm
in January 2020. | Amaq News Agency

Below is a horrifying report of a brutal murder of a Nigerian Christian by an ISIS child. This article was authored by Samuel Smith and posted in the Christian Post.  

The Nigerian man who was executed by a child militant in a video released by a Boko Haram offshoot group aligned with the Islamic State days ago has been identified as a 22-year-old Christian college student.

Ropvil Daciya Dalep hailed from the Pankshin Local Government Area of the Plateau state and attended the University of Maiduguri in Borno state. His execution video gained media attention this week.

Dalep was a biology major who was returning to school from Christmas break when he was abducted on Jan. 9 allegedly by the Islamic State West Africa Province, according to the United Kingdom-based NGO Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Dalep was taken along with fellow Plateau state native and 20-year-old zoology major Lilian Daniel Gyang and another person who was later released.

According to Solomon Maren, a federal legislator from the Plateau state, Gyang is still in captivity. In a statement released by his media team, Maren stated that extremists have made it known that they are targeting “Plateau people” as they also executed two carpenters from the state last year.

“The terrorists clearly stated why they are targeting Plateau people when the citizens of Plateau have long resolved their differences and are leaving peacefully together,” Maren said. “I call on the federal government and security agencies to brace up to their obligation to prevent further [loss] of lives which cannot be tolerated.”

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the video of Dalep’s execution shows the kneeling victim being shot in the head by the masked child who speaks in both Arabic and Hausa.

In the video released by the Islamic State-affiliated Amaq News Agency, the child reportedly claims that Dalep’s killing was revenge for the “bloodshed” committed by Christians.

“In particular, this is one among the Christians from Plateau State,” the child is reported to have said in the video. “We are saying to Christians, we have not forgotten what you have done to our parents and ancestors and we are telling all Christians around the world, we have not forgotten and will not stop. We must avenge the bloodshed that has been done like this one…”

According to Director Rita Katz of the SITE Intelligence Group, the child militant in the video is approximately 8 years old.

“There is NO end to #ISIS' immorality,” Katz wrote in a tweet about the video.

Katz sees parallels between the Dalep execution video and the execution videos released in previous years during the Islamic State’s reign in Iraq and Syria.

“The video is not just another piece to #isis’ honed-in targeting of #Christians of recent years, but also a throwback to its older propaganda from Iraq & Syria of brainwashed children carrying grisly executions. This new vid from ISWAP shows a repeat of the same indoctrination.”

Dalep’s execution came days before the Borno-based Islamic terror group Boko Haram executed pastor Rev. Lawan Andimi, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria’s chapter in the Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The Dalep video follows another video released by Amaq in December showing the execution of 11 Christian aid workers in Nigeria allegedly in response to the killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

ISWAP, which declared its allegiance to the Islamic State in 2016, split from Boko Haram after Baghdadi tried to replace Boko Haram’s leader with one of his choosing.

The Islamic State has risen to prominence in Africa as it also has active cells in nearby countries like Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger and Mali.

According to a 2018 report from the Combatting Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, estimates suggest there could be as many as 6,000 Islamic State-aligned militants spread over nine different cells in Africa.

In Nigeria alone, thousands upon thousands have reportedly been killed in recent years due to the rise of radical Islamic extremism and the radicalization of Fulani herdsmen.

Activists have criticized the Nigerian government’s inability to thwart attacks by Boko Haram, ISWAP and Fulani militants.

Following the death of Andimi, the Christian Association of Nigeria released a statement criticizing the lackadaisical response by President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration to the rise in violence.

Christian Post article continues here

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'Persecuted Even after Death' – China Bans Christian Funerals

“When my father died, village officials threatened to arrest us if we didn’t conduct a secular funeral."

Even a Christian burial is a threat to the atheisti Communist government.  The following article by Michael Foust of Christian Headlines reports on the prohibition of religious services of deceased Christians in China.

By Michael Foust
Christian Headlines

Communist officials throughout China are using regulations that restrict religious freedom to also prohibit religious-themed funerals, even going so far as to arresting family members and stopping ceremonies mid-service.

“The situation is quite adverse, and some believers don’t even dare to accompany the deceased to the graveyard,” an elder of a government-sanctioned Three-Self church told Bitter Winter, a religious watchdog.

For example, in one city in the province of Henan, government officials passed regulations prohibiting “visiting groups, choirs, orchestras, and other groups” from holding religious services anywhere except in a church. Such regulations are used to ban religious-themed funerals.

“The government prohibits religious funerals, and doesn’t allow church choirs or orchestras to perform during them,” the Three-self church elder told Bitter Winter. “Pastors can only sneak into believers’ homes for a hurried prayer.”

Similar stories of persecution have been related throughout China.

In another village in the province of Henan, officials passed regulations that say ministers and other religious personnel should be “stopped from using religion to intervene in citizens’ weddings and funerals or other activities in their lives.”

The funeral of a preacher in yet another location in Henan was stopped when policemen stormed the event and accused family members and friends of spreading “religious propaganda.”

In Wuhan, the capital of the province of Hubei, the daughter of a woman who had just died was arrested while the family was arranging the funeral, Bitter Winter reported. Apparently, someone had reported the family to authorities. The daughter was released two days later -- but only after the funeral had been held. The family was not allowed to include Christian customs and rituals in the ceremony. The woman had been a member of a state-sanctioned Three-Self church.

“When my father died, village officials threatened to arrest us if we didn’t conduct a secular funeral. We did not dare to go against them,” a villager in Henan told Bitter Winter. “My father had been a believer for several decades. He is persecuted even after death.”

In one city in the province of Zhejiang, communist officials passed new regulations that “get rid of bad funeral customs and establish a scientific, civilized, and economical way of funerals,” according to the text of the new rules, which went into effect Dec. 1. 

One specific regulation says that “clerical personnel are not allowed to participate in funerals,” and “no more than ten family members of the deceased are allowed to read scriptures or sing hymns in a low voice,” Bitter Winter reported.

“Officials said that state laws prohibit religious funerals. We even didn’t set up a cross on the tomb,” a Three-Self church member said.

Churches within China must register either with the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (if they’re Protestant) or the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. Because such congregations face extreme regulations, millions of Christians in the country worship in underground congregations.

Website: Christian Headlines

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Surge in Anti-Semitic Attacks Weighs Heavily on U.S. Jewish Youth

“If this is what’s happening when we’re out being proud Jewish people, what’s it going to be like if we’re afraid and in hiding?”

People participate in a Jewish solidarity march across the Brooklyn Bridge

in New York City on Jan. 5, 2020. Credit:Jeenah Moon Getty Image

A news report posted by the Associated Press and broadcast on KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles documents the rise of anti-Semitism in America.  Read stories of Jews who experienced acts of hate and discrimination and the recent "No Hate No Fear" march in New York City.

When a man spewed anti-Semitic slurs and spat on her face, Shoshana Blum remembered her ancestors who survived the Holocaust, and instead of looking down — she defiantly stared at him eye to eye.

The 20-year-old junior at City College of New York left the subway in tears. But months after the attack, she continues to wear proudly the same Star of David necklace she wore that day, and on Sunday, she joined thousands of people in a solidarity march against a rise in anti-Semitism and acts of hate.

“It’s important to stand strong in my Judaism,” she said. “If this is what’s happening when we’re out being proud Jewish people, what’s it going to be like if we’re afraid and in hiding?”

Many young Jewish people in the United States say their generation is searching for ways to cope with an alarming string of recent anti-Semitic attacks across the country.

The “No Hate, No Fear” march on Sunday came as a response to anti-Semitic violence, including the targeting of a kosher grocery in Jersey City, New Jersey, and a knife attack that injured five people at a Hanukkah celebration north of New York City.

“We thought that anti-Semitism was a thing of the past. We learned about it but never thought we would live in it,” said Rabbi Jon Leener, 31, who runs Base BKLYN, a home-based ministry that aims to reach out to millennials and Jews of all backgrounds. He attended Sunday’s solidarity march and published a photo with his three-year-old son on his shoulders. They held a banner that read: “I love being Jewish because I love Shabbat.”

In the past five years, Leener and his wife, Faith, have welcomed thousands of people into their home-based ministry rooted in openness. Minutes before a class or a Shabbat dinner, he always walked to the front door and unlocked it because the couple believes in a Judaism where no door is shut or locked.

“This is all changing now. After Pittsburgh, after Poway, after Halle (Germany), after Jersey City, after Monsey we no longer keep the door unlock(ed),” he recently said on Facebook.

Visitors now must buzz in and Leener installed a security camera for the front door.

“I’m angry that this is our new reality. I hate that anti-Semitism is changing how I practice and share my Judaism to the world,” he said.

People attend a march in support of the Jewish community in New York City’s Cadman Plaza on Jan. 5, 2020. (Credit: Kena Betancur / AFP / Getty Images)

Anti-Semitic attacks rose worldwide by 13% in 2018 compared to the previous year, according to a report by Tel Aviv University’s Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary Jewry. The report recorded nearly 400 cases worldwide, with more than a quarter of the major violent cases taking place in the U.S.

The surge of violent attacks on the Jewish community, most recently in Monsey, New York, have caused consternation nationwide.

“After the stabbing in Monsey, I told my mom, ‘This is crazy. He was arrested less than a mile from here, while we were at Shul (synagogue) and celebrating Hanukkah,’ ” said Blum, who was raised in Chabad-Lubavitch, an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic movement.

The first time that Blum witnessed hate against Jews she was seven. The victim was her father, Rabbi Yonah Blum, who was the head of Columbia University’s Chabad House for 23 years. As they walked from synagogue near the campus, a man came up behind him yelling anti-Semitic slurs and slapped his black fedora and his skullcap off his head.

“We’re very separated people when it comes to different topics … but something that has been coming up since the (Monsey) attack, is that we all stand together,” she said on a recent Friday as she prepared for the start of the Jewish Sabbath.

Since the Dec. 10 fatal shootings at a Jewish grocery store in Jersey City, there have been 33 anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S., including 26 in New York and New Jersey, according to the Anti-Defamation League’s Tracker of Anti-Semitic Incidents.

During a recent trip to a conference of young Jewish leaders in New York City, Hezzy Segal, 16, sometimes tucked his yarmulke under his purple Minnesota Vikings snow hat.

“I’ve never been scared of being Jewish, but with the rise in anti-Semitism, I was more aware of it,” said the Minnetonka, Minnesota teen. “It’s sad, it’s scary for all Jews.”

Forty-five percent of teenagers feel that anti-Semitism is a problem for today’s teens, according to the largest study of Jewish teens conducted in North America. The Jewish Education Project’s GenZ Now Research Report included 18,000 respondents and was published in March 2019.

KTLA.com article continues here

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'I Was Terrified': These Students Endured Religious Discrimination, Trump Invited Them to Share Their Stories

"The students started to write swastikas on my belongings, on my arms. I was pushed and shoved in the hallway. They even went so far as to take my face and put it on Anne Frank's body. And it was sent around to three different schools. And I was terrified to say I was Jewish."

Below is an article By Dana Ritter of CBN News about President Trump's support of religious freedom.  Read the accounts of religious persecution and discrimination in public schools in violation of their first amendment right, freedom of religion.

President Donald Trump welcomed a group of students, teachers, coaches and religious freedom activists with various faith backgrounds to the White House Thursday to share their experiences as he presented a plan from his administration to protect religious freedom in public schools.

He unveiled new federal guidelines Thursday to protect the constitutional right to pray in public schools.

He told CBN News' David Brody, "You do have things happening today that 10 or 15 years ago would have been unthinkable, what's happening." During the event, students and teachers shared their stories about fighting for faith at school

Hannah Allen: Told Not to Pray by Her Principal
Hannah Allen, a student from Texas shared that she and a group of students from her school wanted to pray for a former classmate's brother who had been hurt in an accident.

"After the prayer, our principal told us, 'Don't do that again'," Allen shared, saying the next day her parents called and complained. "No one should feel ashamed of their faith, especially in school or anywhere," she said.

Marilyn Rhames: Teachers Who Pray
Marilyn Rhames founded an organization called Teachers Who Pray. She says she was overwhelmed with the heaviness of working in Chicago Public Schools, losing students every year to gun violence. She spoke of wanting the freedom to pray to uplift her spirit so that she can continue the work God has called her to do.

"I'm here to tell teachers that we need to pray for your faith. We need to pray. We need to buckle and just do what we have to do for our kids because they need us and they're depending on us," Rhames said.

William McLeod: Forced to Wipe Off Ash Wednesday Ashes
Nine-year-old William McLeod, of Utah, stood behind President Trump during the remarks, then asked if he could share his story.

"It was Ash Wednesday and I had my ashes on my forehead, and all the kids in the classroom was like, 'Is that dirt on your forehead?' Because they don't know, because they aren't Catholic."

"I was like the only Catholic in that school. So then the teacher came up and was like, 'It's unacceptable. Wipe it off.' And I told her four times, and she didn't listen and she made me wipe it off in front of all the kids," McLeod shared.

The President encouraged McLeod saying, "Well, it's not going to be happening anymore. Okay?"

Chase Windebank: Started a Prayer Group
Chase Windebank of Colorado spoke of a small prayer group he started that eventually grew to a community of 90 students. He thanked President Trump for his efforts.

Malak Hijaz: Harassed for Praying
Malak Hijaz, a student from California spoke of how she was discriminated against for being Muslim. "I pray five times a day and I have to pray at lunch. And I would bring the hijab to cover my hair and kids would make fun of me, harass me, and attack me."

Ariana Hoblin: Targeted with Swastikas
Ariana Hoblin, a student from Florida, was emotional as she shared her story. She said she is the only Jewish person at school and is very open with her religion. She says she was harassed.

"The students started to write swastikas on my belongings, on my arms. I was pushed and shoved in the hallway. They even went so far as to take my face and put it on Anne Frank's body. And it was sent around to three different schools. And I was terrified to say I was Jewish."

Hoblin said that was three or four years ago, when she was in middle school. Things are better now at her high school, and she is still proudly sharing her faith, now people are supportive of her. "Anyone in school should be able to say, 'I am what whatever religion I am. And I practice this and I believe this'," Hoblin said.

Coach Joe Kennedy: Fired for Praying with His Team
Joe Kennedy, a football coach from Washington state was fired for praying with his team after games. He thanked the President for his efforts to fight for religious freedom. Here's Coach Kennedy's story.

Emily Chaney: Forced to Take Down Her Prayer Locker
Emily Chaney, a student from Kentucky spoke about a prayer locker she started at her school. She said it helped kids who had different prayer requests to know someone was there for them, and cared for them. Chaney said Americans United for Separation of Church and State sent a letter to the school board that the prayer lockers needed to be taken down.

"And whenever my teacher told me my school was notified that I had to take my prayer locker down, I was heartbroken, because I had like 10 prayer requests a day," Chaney said, adding she felt like the prayer locker had helped move in her community and school.

Website: CBN.com

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Voice of the Martyrs releases prayer guide to help Christians pray for persecuted believers

“My hope is American Christians will put it next to their Bible and use it throughout the year to guide their prayers for our persecuted brothers and sisters,” Todd Nettleton, VOM

Nepalese Christians pray during their National Convention in Kathmandu
April 20, 2010. The Nepalese Christians demanded the timely drafting
of the constitution. | Reuters/Shruti Shrestha

By Michael Gryboski
Christian Post

Voice of the Martyrs has released a detailed prayer resource to help Christians in the U.S. support the growing number of Christians being attacked for their faith abroad.

The Oklahoma-based Christian persecution watchdog group’s “2020 Global Prayer Guide” was created with the goal of helping American Christians better understand and pray for Christians living in intolerant countries.

VOM spokesman Todd Nettleton, who also hosts the organization’s radio program, told The Christian Post that the guide on various nations was based off extensive research by the group’s staff and regional Christian communities.

“A great deal of work and effort has gone into making sure that the 2020 Global Prayer Guide is accurate and up-to-date so that people can use it to pray knowledgeably for Christians in nations where they are persecuted,” Nettleton explained.

The guide divides countries that are intolerant of Christianity into two categories: “Restricted Nations” and “Hostile Areas.”

A “Restricted Nation” would be a country that engages in government-sponsored repression of Christians, with examples including China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Vietnam.

By contrast, a “Hostile Area” is a region where Christianity is technically legal, but persecution occurs through families or factions, with examples including Colombia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka.

Nettleton told CP that he believed a reason for the rise in persecution was due to the “growth of the church in hostile and restricted nations.”

“Part of the reason we see more persecution in some of the nations where VOM works is because the church is growing so fast,” said Nettleton.

“More Christians — whether in China, in India or in the Muslim countries of the Middle East — means there are more targets for potential persecution.”

Nettleton hopes the guide will be a valuable “tool” for American Christians to “pray in more detail” for those suffering persecution for their faith.

“My hope is American Christians will put it next to their Bible and use it throughout the year to guide their prayers for our persecuted brothers and sisters,” he added.

“This guide gives people information about how to pray and what to ask God to do for our brothers and sisters facing persecution.”

The release of the guide comes as the Communist Chinese government is expected to implement harsher measures against religious groups.

Christian Post article continues here

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New Law Requires Chinese Christians Fully Submit to Communist Party

The new laws come after finishing off 2019 with the “worst religious persecution in the country’s history” 

By Mikaela Mathews 
Christian Headlines

The Chinese government has tightened its reign on its citizens by announcing that all religious personnel of any faith must submit to and evangelize about the Chinese Communist Party.

“In practice, your religion no longer matters, if you are Buddhist, or Taoist, or Muslim, or Christian: the only religion allowed is faith in the Chinese Communist Party,” said a Chinese Catholic priest, according to CBN.

Starting on Feb 1, all religious groups must adhere to the new rules, which consist of six chapters and 41 articles. They require government approval for any type of gathering and total submission to the Communist Party.

One law, Article 17, states: “Religious organizations must spread the principles and policies of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as national laws, regulations, rules to religious personnel and religious citizens, educating religious personnel and religious citizens to support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, supporting the socialist system, adhering to and following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics…”

Manuscripts from each religion are also not immune to censorship. The Daily Mail reports that the Communist Party intends to complete a “comprehensive evaluation of the existing religious classics aiming at contents which do not conform to the progress of the times.” As Christian Headlines previously reported, this means that books such as the Bible or the Quran will be rewritten to “reflect socialist values” and any paragraphs that the government deems “wrong” will be changed.

“In many ways, the Chinese government’s control, including censorship of the Bible and the Quran, has twisted the doctrines of these religious texts and thus the religions,” said Patrick Poon, a China Researcher at Amnesty International. “There is simply no genuine religious freedom.”

The new laws come after finishing off 2019 with the “worst religious persecution in the country’s history,” according to the Federalist. A pastor of house church Early Rain Covenant Church, Wang Yi, caught international attention last year when he was arrested and later sentenced to nine years in prison for “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business activities.” His family wasn’t even sure if he was alive until they heard about his sentencing.

Yi released a letter called “My Declaration of Faithful Disobedience” while in prison, declaring that he will not give in to the pressure.

“Regardless of what crime the government charges me with, whatever filth they file at me, as long as this charge is related to my faith, my writings, my comments, and my teachings, it is merely a lie and temptation of demons. I categorically deny it. I will serve my sentence, but I will not serve the law. I will be executed, but I will not plead guilty.”

Website: Christian Headlines

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Christian Doctor Worries Medical Professionals Might Mot be Able to Practice Profession Faithfully

“I cannot take the life of a child in one room and guide another child into this world in the next. Nor can I care for one elderly woman while helping another end her life...."

           Dr. Regina Frost. | Screenshot: YouTube/Ascension

By Leonardo Blair
Christian Post 

A Christian OB-GYN says she is now worried that she would soon have no protections in the practice of her profession as she, along with the Department of Justice, fight to appeal a recent court ruling that voided the Trump administration’s “conscience rule” that would have allowed healthcare workers to abstain from participating in abortions or other medical services due to moral or religious objections.

“I cannot take the life of a child in one room and guide another child into this world in the next. Nor can I care for one elderly woman while helping another end her life. That would not only undermine my most deeply held religious beliefs and my medical judgment, but also the oath I took as a medical professional,” wrote Dr. Regina Frost in an op-ed for The Federalist Monday.

“Medical professionals have the privilege and the honor of serving those in need. For doctors like me, our job is our calling. And we do not take this calling lightly. Each and every day, we make decisions in reliance on our medical judgment and the best interest of our patients. Government bureaucrats should not insert their politics into these critical and deeply personal medical decisions,” she added.

In a 147-page decision issued in November, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan said the conscience rule that was set to go into effect on Nov. 22, was unconstitutionally coercive because it would let the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services withhold billions of dollars of funding from hospitals, clinics, universities and other healthcare providers that did not comply.

“Wherever the outermost line where persuasion gives way to coercion lies, the threat to pull all HHS funding here crosses it,” Engelmayer wrote.

The judge also asserted that rule was “arbitrary and capricious,” and conflicted with federal laws governing the obligations of employers to accommodate workers’ religious views, and hospitals to provide emergency treatment to poor patients.

The ruling came after the law firm Becket sought to intervene on behalf of Frost and the Christian Medical & Dental Associations in federal court last June, arguing that no healthcare professional should be forced to choose between violating their conscience or providing compassionate medical care. After the ruling by Engelmayer, Becket filed an appeal on behalf of Frost. The DOJ filed their notice of appeal this month.

“Supported by my colleagues at the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and by the federal government, I have asked a federal appellate court to intervene and allow me to continue to provide compassionate medical care without being forced to violate my conscience,” Frost wrote Monday.

“My faith is at the heart of who I am. It is what drives me to put the needs of women and their children first every day. It makes me a better doctor. For decades, our country has recognized that a big, diverse nation like ours can deliver high-quality medical care without making taxpayers force people of faith to violate their core beliefs. If we forget that insight, we’ll hurt both doctors and patients,” she added.

The conscience rule was voided after legal challenges were mounted by The American Civil Liberties Union and NYCLU as well as a coalition of 23 cities and states led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, and another from Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Women’s Law Center, and Democracy Forward.

Christian Post article continues here

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WIN: Virginia Couple Settles With Apartment That Banned Bible Studies, Will Continue Religious Gatherings

The new settlement involves the Hauge’s signing a new lease at the complex which stipulates that they are permitted to host Bible studies in the community room or in their private apartment.

By Will Maule
Faithwire

A Virginia couple embroiled in a legal battle with their apartment complex over the holding of Bible studies has reached a settlement, according to their attorney.

Last Summer, Fredericksburg residents Ken and Liv Hauge revealed that they had been threatened with eviction after holding Bible studies in their private apartment.

As a result, faith-based law firm First Liberty got involved and filed a lawsuit, arguing that the ban was a violation of the Fair Housing Act, by discriminating against the couple’s freedom of religion.

Now, finally, an agreement has been reached, and it was a huge win for the Hauge’s and freedom of religious expression as a whole. The new settlement involves the Hauge’s signing a new lease at the complex which stipulates that they are permitted to host Bible studies in the community room or in their private apartment.

“The settlement provides that the policy that prohibited any religious activities from occurring in the community room is rescinded so that means anyone, not just the Bible study, that wants to have an event has equal access regardless of the religious content,” the couple’s lawyer, Lea Patterson, told Fox 5.

The couple is delighted by the positive outcome. “It’s just a great relief to have this behind us and be able to move forward,” said Kenneth, who is a part-time pastor at a local church.

The apartment complex has not commented on the settlement.

In previous comments made to CBN News, Patterson noted that the apartment complex officials had also “prohibited the saying of table grace at resident social meals.”

“In fact, what they’ve done is they will refuse to reimburse the resident social director for the costs of the meal if table grace is said,” Patterson added.

In a previously provided statement, the landlord insisted that the threat of eviction was “no way based on [the couple’s] religious beliefs and/or practices.”

Website: Faithwire

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URGENT PRAYER: Three Christian Teachers Killed by Al-Shabaab in Kenya

"We are sad and at the same time scared because we are targeted for being non-local government workers that belong to the Christian faith." Robert Kibutu, local teacher, confirmed to ICC

                                                                Photo by Andrew Renneisen/Getty Images

By Will Maule
Faith Wire

Three Christian teachers have been killed in a vicious attack by Islamic militants.

The trio of educators, based at Kamuthe Primary School in Garissa, Kenya, were set upon by a group of jihadis in the early hours of Monday morning.

According to Christian persecution watchdog International Christian Concern, the Al-Shabaab militants attacked the school resource center, where the teachers were housed. Prior to the attack, the attackers destroyed the surrounding telecommunication systems so that their victims would not beable to call for help.

“My fellow teachers were fatally shot by an unknown number of suspected al-Shabaab militia who stormed Kamuthe primary school early this morning and leaving one severely injured by two gunshots,” a local teacher, Robert Kibutu, confirmed to ICC. “We are sad and at the same time scared because we are targeted for being non-local government workers that belong to the Christian faith.”

The victims in the attack were identified as Caleb Mutua, Titus Ushindi, and Samuel Muthui Kyonzu. Another man, Joshua Mutua, survived but sustained serious leg injuries.

Joseph Odhiambo, Director of missionary organization “Harvest of Hope Africa,” told Faithwire that the militants have started specifically targeting educators in a bid to instill a fear that will drive other teachers away from the region. Through ridding the area of educational opportunities, the group hopes that the younger generation will remain ignorant to the threat of Islamic extremism.

“Al Shabab Islamists are trying to destabilize education in northeastern Kenya by targeting non-resident teaching staff,” Odhiambo said. “But our God will prevail.”

ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, Nathan Johnson, released a statement urging prayer for the grieving families.

“We pray for the families of the deceased and for peace to come to a region that has seen increased violence toward Christians who are just trying to survive,” Johnson said.

“We hope that the government will take effective action to stop the senseless killing of so many Christians in Kenya at the hands of Islamic extremists like al-Shabaab. We praise God as the refuge and strong tower that He is for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to endure so much.”

Faithwire report continues here

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Iranian Muslim Leader Admits That Mass Christian Conversion Is Happening In Iran

"The growing church in Iran will impact Muslim nations across the Islamic world.”

By Rhoda Gayle
God TV

Iranian Muslim leader admits that mass conversion to Christianity is happening right now in Iran.

Iranian Revolution

In 1979, an Iranian revolution established a strict Islamic regime. As a result, persecutions against the Christian population intensified and is still evident until today. The regime has kicked out missionaries. They have ban Bibles and churches. It is illegal to evangelize. Moreover, many pastors and believers have been killed.

What remained for the believers in Iran were the small emerging Iranian churches that many thought would not survive. However, fueled by their passion for the Lord, these churches have multiplied exponentially through the years.

Further, many Muslims in Iran have been converting to Christianity. Reports have been claiming that there are now over 1 million believers in Iran who are secretly practicing their Christian faith.

Iranian Muslim leader

In 2016, the fastest-growing evangelical church in the world was the Iranian church. The rate of Christian conversion in the Islamic nation is alarming Iranian leaders.

In a Shia Muslim leaders gathering, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, admitted that mass Christian conversions “are happening right under our eyes.” Therefore, he decided to take action and connect with Christian converts for some questioning. Moreover, Mahmoud is cooperating with Muslim religious seminaries to fight the threat that their religion is facing.

Revival in the Middle East

Iranians are now the most open to the Gospel of all Muslim countries in the Middle East. Church leaders are expectant that conversion will continue to rise.

Meanwhile, one house church leader shared,

“If we remain faithful to our calling, our conviction is that it is possible to see the nation transformed within our lifetime. Because Iran is a strategic gateway nation, the growing church in Iran will impact Muslim nations across the Islamic world.”

In short, the Lord is strategically planting churches across the nation of Iran. This is where revival for the Muslims has sparked. For Christians worldwide, it is an important time to intercede for our brothers and sisters in Iran who are spreading the Gospel!

Read also: Hundreds Of Thousands Come To Jesus As Revival Happens In The Islamic Republic of Iran

Reference: Open Doors

Website: God TV

Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of our nation and all free people to pray for, speak up and act on behalf of those who are persecuted for their faith. Follow us on Pinterest.

Christian School Sues Oregon County Over Right to Meet at Church Property

“Essentially, the county has been fining the church for letting Skopos use its wing in a manner consistent with the terms of the church’s permit.” 

A cross was placed at the center of an empty classroom
Wikimedia Commons/Rantemario 

By Michael Gryboski
Christian Post

A Christian school that meets at a church has filed a lawsuit against an Oregon county after officials told the congregation that the school could not use the property.

Skopos Christian School, which has around 30 students, began to hold classes at Faith on Hill Church in Milwaukie last year after they had to leave their former building. Skopos and Faith on Hill are both being represented by the Pacific Justice Institute, a conservative law firm based in Sacramento, California.

PJI explained in a statement released last week that they're filing the suit under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA for short.

“Essentially, the county has been fining the church for letting Skopos use its wing in a manner consistent with the terms of the church’s permit,” explained PJI attorney Ray Hacke in the statement.

“Nothing in the permit limits the wing’s use to Sunday school classes and Wednesday night Bible studies. The wing is being used for what it was built for, and suing under RLUIPA was the only way to stop the county from misusing its power to suppress religious exercise.”

According to PJI, Clackamas has sent letters to the church telling them that having the Christian school operate on their property violates the terms of their permit.

The Christian Post reached out to both the County of Clackamas and Skopos Christian School for this story, however neither returned comment by press time.

Enacted in 2000, RLUIPA is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against religious institutions regarding landmark and zoning laws.

“RLUIPA prohibits zoning and landmarking laws that substantially burden the religious exercise of churches or other religious assemblies or institutions absent the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling governmental interest,” explained the United States Department of Justice.

Last July, a Florida church successfully won a legal battle against a county that was fining them for opening a school for children with disabilities on their property.

Crosspoint Church voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit against Sarasota County after reaching a settlement in which the county waived a daily $250 fine against the church.

“We commend Sarasota County for changing course, approving Crosspoint’s zoning request, and reimbursing the church’s hefty application fee,” said Kyle McCutcheon of the Alliance Defending Freedom, who represented Crosspoint.

“The county already allows the church to host a secular charter school on its property and has now correctly determined that Crosspoint has an equal right to host a private Christian school that’s motivated by its convictions.”
Website: Christian Post

Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of our nation and all free people to pray for, speak up and act on behalf of those who are persecuted for their faith. Follow us on Pinterest.

Turkey Arrests Priest Who Gave Water and Bread to Kurdish Fighters

"As men of God, priests have to comply when somebody asks for help, no matter what their religion, race, language or ideology" 

A man waves Turkey's national flag during the Democracy and Martyrs

Rally organized by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan,
November 12, 2016  (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

By Samuel Smith
Christian Post

An Assyrian priest and two other Assyrian Christians were arrested Friday in Turkey and slapped with terror charges for allegedly offering bread and water to Kurdish militants who visited his monastery, according to reports.

Priest Sefer Bileçen of the Mor Yakup Monastery in southeast Turkey was detained last Thursday, according to the pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya news agency in addition to two other Assyrian Christians, Musa Tash Takin from Sidri and Youssef Yar from the Üçköy. They remain detained.

According to the outlet, Turkish gendarme accused the pastor of aiding and abetting the Kurdish militant outfit aligned with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, a group recognized by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization.

Bileçen’s arrest reportedly came in response to testimony provided by a member of the PKK-aligned People’s Defense Forces (HPG) who claimed that Bileçen gave bread and water to HPG members when they visited the church in 2018.

Bileçen is said to be the only caretaker of the monastery located in the town of Mardin.

Evgil Türker told Mezopotamya news that the arrest of Bileçen was unnecessary and called for his release.

"As men of God, priests have to comply when somebody asks for help, no matter what their religion, race, language or ideology," Türker was quoted as saying.

Türker compared Bileçen’s case to that of American missionary Andrew Brunson. Brunson, who served for two decades as a missionary in Turkey, spent over two years in prison in Izmir after he was accused of supporting Kurdish fighters and the Gülen movement, charges that Brunson claimed were false.

"We may not have a [U.S. President Donald] Trump of our own, but Turkey will have a second case of pastor Brunson," Türker was quoted as saying.
Reports of Bileçen’s arrest drew the ire of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a congressionally mandated panel of independent experts who advise the White House, Congress and the State Department on Religious Freedom issues.

“USCIRF is concerned by initial reports that authorities have detained Father Sefer ‘Aho’ Bileçen, priest of the Mor Yakup Church in Nusaybin, #Turkey, and two other members of the small Syriac Orthodox community for unclear reasons,” a tweet from the commission reads.

The Assyrian Monitor for Human Rights reports that the priest and the two Christians were taken to an Üçköys village police station and then sent to Mardin.

“We at the Assyrian Monitor for Human Rights express our full solidarity with the three Christian detainees,” a statement from the group reads. 

“We hold the Turkish authorities fully legal responsibility for their physical integrity, and we demand that they release them immediately and without any delay.”
The Syrian and Iraqi Christian humanitarian group A Demand for Action confirmed the arrests through sources on the ground in Turkey.

Christian Post report continues here

Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of our nation and all free people to pray for, speak up and act on behalf of those who are persecuted for their faith. Follow us on Pinterest.

Rutgers Professor Tells Student Not to Cite the Bible in Essays Because of the ‘Separation of Church and State’

By Joshua Aminov
NJ Campus Correspondent
Campus Reform

After quoting a popular Bible verse to back up his assertion about the tenets of Christianity in his college essay, a student at Rutgers University-New Brunswick says he was told to avoid quoting Bible verses in academic papers because of the "separation of church and state" and the potential to offend non-Christians.

Political science student and Campus Reform correspondent Peter Cordi was assigned an autobiographical paper in his “Intro to Gender, Race, and Sexuality” class last semester. In his paper, Cordi referenced a personal friend of his who struggles with his own homosexual identity, especially given the views of the individual’s mother. Cordi wrote about how his friend's mother cites her Christain religion and beliefs to justify her opinion of people who identify as gay.

Cordi is a Christain who disagrees with his friends’ mother's views toward members of the LGBT community and quoted scripture from the Bible to support his position. Cordi quoted the popular verse John 3:16 from the Bible: “For God so loved the WORLD that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."

In grading Cordi’s paper, Professor Kathe Sandler included her remarks next to Cordi’s use of the quote, telling the student that his use of a quote from the Bible was inappropriate.

“Avoid quoting scripture in academic papers unless you are commenting on scripture,” Sandler wrote.

Cordi told Campus Reform that he was taken by surprise at receiving a B+ grade on the assignment since the criticism regarding the Bible quote was one of only two critical comments left on his paper. Cordi sought reassurance that he did not lose a full letter grade as a result of quoting the Bible, especially since Sandler had permitted students to use outside sources for the assignment.

Shortly after receiving the grade, Cordi decided to reach out to Sandler over email about the matter, and she responded by saying she’d be happy to discuss it with him in further detail in person.

In an exclusive recording of this conversation, Sandler can be heard elaborating on her written remarks by reminding Cordi of “separation of church and state” and that the Bible “may not be for everyone." When Cordi asked if the professor found the use of scripture offensive she replied by saying “I think for instance this wouldn't work for a Muslim or Jewish person.

“Students at any institution should be encouraged to research and utilize any sources that they deem relevant to the topic at hand. Many universities within the United States have accepted a dangerous and narrow-minded rhetoric, such as prohibiting Bible scripture, which often leads to a biased and one-sided culture,” Rutgers student David Abayev told Campus Reform.

“My right to free speech and religion have certainly been violated. Separation of church and state is supposed to protect the church from the state, and if I want to quote the Bible and say that Jesus loves everybody, then it is my right to do so whether you're a Christian or not,” Cordi told Campus Reform.

“A person should be able to quote whatever he pleases, either for or against his argument. [The] Bible would be an excellent source of quotes as many people are well versed with the scripture, and feel deeply connected to the words of the Bible,” Rutgers student Lawrence Chiang, who is atheist, commented.

"It is common for religious people to quote religious literature. As an atheist, I believe that religious views can be scrutinized, but never be silenced,” Chiang added.

Campus Reform article continues here

Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of our nation and all free people to pray for, speak up and act on behalf of those who are persecuted for their faith. Follow us on Pinterest.

China: Authorities Cite Hong Kong Protests as Reason for Intensifying Persecution of Christians

China’s human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims, Christians, Falun Gong, and other religious minorities are well-documented.

Pro-democracy supporters hold placards and shout slogan as they take
 part in a march during a rally on New Years Day on January 1, 2020
in Hong Kong, China. | Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

By Leah MarieAnn Klett
Christian Post

Chinese Christians involved in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests have been subject to heightened persecution at the hands of the Communist government that continues to view people of faith as a hostile force endangering its regime.

According to religious liberty magazine Bitter Winter, many Hong Kong Christians have been active in the region’s ongoing anti-government demonstrations calling for democracy, amnesty for more than 6,400 people arrested so far, and an independent investigation into police actions.

In response, some local authorities in mainland China are using Hong Kongers' participation in the protests as an excuse to oppress all Christians, even those who belong to the state-sanctioned Three-Self church. Under Chinese law, places of worship must register and submit to government oversight.

On Oct. 28, 2019, when a Three-Shelf church in Anyuan county under the jurisdiction of Ganzhou city in the southwestern province of Jiangxi came to the local Religious Affairs Bureau to renew the church's permit, they were informed by an official that “It was decided at a meeting that all religious meetings should be banned and churches must be shut down.”

The official further argued that because many Christians had reportedly been involved in the Hong Kong "riots," and because Christianity has been brought to China from the West, Communist authorities are concerned that people of faith in mainland China might have contact with believers in Hong Kong and the United States, so all churches must stop their activities, he said.

Also in October, the Religious Affairs Bureau officials in Wuning county under the jurisdiction of Jiangxi’s Jiujiang city raided the meeting venue of a local Three-Self church. They destroyed its cross, removed the words “Christian Church” from the wall, and took down all religious symbols, for the reason that Christians in Hong Kong were involved in the “riots.”

After the raid, a Chinese national flag was left flying on top of the church.

Two house church believers from Xuzhou city in the eastern province of Jiangsu who planned to travel to Hong Kong for sermons during China’s National Day in October were also told they would lose their welfare benefits if they did so.

“At the worst, you’ll go to prison,” the police officers said, warning that traveling to Hong Kong amounted to going against the Communist Party, and those who do so are deemed as “anti-China forces.”

Similarly, in September, a preacher and the leader of a house church in Jiangxi’s Ganzhou city were summoned by the State Security Bureau and ordered to sign a statement promising not to go to Hong Kong. Their Hong Kong-Macau travel passes were then confiscated.

America Magazine notes that the Chinese government has also intensified rhetoric against Christian churches in Hong Kong in recent weeks, identifying them as part of the “foreign hostile forces” that seek to create political unrest.

A video titled “Chaotic Hong Kong religious groups abandon God’s will,” posted on a People’s Daily’s microblog, states, “Churches that stir chaos in Hong Kong have become political organs…. Let’s strip them of their religious cloaks—those religious con artists who meddle in politics and poison young people!"

Now in its seventh month, Hong Kong’s demonstrations began as a protest against a since-withdrawn extradition bill. It has since turned into a pro-democracy fight against authorities, the erosion of civil liberties, and China’s ruling Communist Party.

The protesters’ demands now include an independent inquiry into how police have handled protests; amnesty for arrested protesters; removal of the designation of protests as riots; and universal suffrage for the office of Hong Kong’s chief executive and its lawmaking body, the Legislative Council.

Christian Post article continues here

Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of our nation and all free people to pray for, speak up and act on behalf of those who are persecuted for their faith. Follow us on Pinterest.