Anti-Semitism Spurs 'Aliyah,' Fulfilling Bible Prophesy

By Michael F. Haverluck
One News Now

Five hundred Jewish immigrants from France and the Ukraine were welcomed by Jewish and Christian leaders earlier this week at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport – part of a mass return to their homeland that was prophesied in the Bible in the Old Testament.

As Israel celebrates its 70th anniversary of being reestablished as a nation after two millennia of its people being dispersed across the world, hundreds are returning home – marking a sign of the End Times to fulfill Bible prophesy heading toward the Second Coming of Christ.

The mass return to the modern-day Jewish State is called “aliyah” in Hebrew, which means “going up to the land of Israel,” and over the years, thousands of new immigrants have joined millions of other Jews who have already returned home in this period that many Bible scholars have recognized as the last days.

Anti-Semitism in France speeding up aliyah

Outgoing Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharaksy and the nonprofit group’s new chairman, Isaac Herzog, greeted one of the latest batches of Jews to return to Israel – most of whom are escaping religious persecution suffered in France as a result of the increasing Muslim population spurred by the so-called “refugee crisis.”

“Nearly 200 of these brand-new, soon-to-be Israelis are from France, and many of them are children,” CBN News announced. “France is just one of a number of countries in Europe and throughout the globe where the danger to Jews is growing.”

Angels of Zion Director Danielle Mor said that the hatred of Jews in Europe is nothing new – as was especially witnessed during the holocaust of World War II – but most of today’s anti-Semitism is at the hands of militant Muslims, not Nazis, who refer to Israel as “Little Satan.”

"It's very concerning what's happening in western Europe [and] also in other parts of the world, where you see anti-Semitism raising its ugly head – whether it's in the form of anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiments, which are basically just masking anti-Semitism," Mor told CBN News.

She stressed that the Jewish Agency’s promise to offer Jews throughout the world a safe haven back in Israel has been kept since 1948 – when Israel was put back on the map as a nation after being eradicated 2,000 years ago.

"Never again!” Mor exclaimed. “Never again will there be a Jewish person who is in danger, who is full of hope, who wants to come to Israel and the doors are closed."

Thierry Haddad – a French Jew newly arrived from France – shared how anti-Semitic violence spurred by Islam and carried out by its adherents helped him make up his mind to make the move to Israel.

"It's more and more true," Thierry insisted, according to CBN News.. "Also, the politics [politicians] try to protect, but it's difficult."

One Jewish immigrant from Paris said that it was not anti-Semitism that drove her to move, noting that she just felt a personal calling to leave France for Israel.

"I would be with my people and my God on my land,” new immigrant Sarah Rachel Levy, who made the trip by herself, told CBN News. “It was an obligation for me. If I didn't do that, it's like I am dead. I don't know how to say it."

Exodus from the Ukraine

Joining the 200 French Jews who arrived in Israel Monday, nearly 300 Jews from the Ukraine arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday after representatives of the Israeli Interior Ministry issued them Israeli ID cards in Europe prior to their flight – as a means to cut through the red tape once they set foot in the Holy Land.

Instead of fleeing persecution at the hands of Muslims, it was pointed out by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) – which flew 293 new immigrants from the Ukraine into Israel – that most Ukrainian Jews are fleeing their country for Israel to escape economic hardship and ongoing violence due to the Ukrainian Civil War.

One News Now article continues here

ACLJ: Evangelical Pastor Being Released From Turkish Prison

"The President has played a critical role in securing the freedom of Pastor Brunson." 

By Judy Brown
One News Now

An American pastor who's been imprisoned in Turkey for alleged "espionage" is being released and allowed to return to his home there, while still under house arrest.

Pastor Andrew Brunson, who is from North Carolina, had been incarcerated for 21 months in Turkey because of his Christian faith. As recently as last week, it appeared he would be held in prison until his next court date in October. He had been on trial for the crime of "Christianization."

But the American Center for Law and Justice – which has been working on both sides of the Atlantic to secure his release – announced today that Turkish authorities have ordered that the evangelical pastor be released from prison and be allowed to return to his home in Turkey.

"This is a critical first step that we believe will result in the freedom of Pastor Brunson so he can return to the United States and be reunited with his family," says ACLJ chief counsel Jay Sekulow in a press release. 

"The President has played a critical role in securing the freedom of Pastor Brunson. We have worked closely with the President on this matter and are grateful for his efforts. We look forward to the ultimate release of Pastor Brunson."

The Associated Press reports Brunson will be under house arrest as his trial continues - and that he was released due to unspecified "health problems."

Brunson, 50, had faced up to 35 years in prison for allegedly "committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member" and for "espionage" – charges that he strongly denied. He has lived in Turkey for 23 years and served as pastor of Ismir Resurrection Church.

Website: ACLJ

Blogger's note 

Read: Facts About Pastor Andrew Brunson and President Blasts Turkey's Mistreatment of Pastor Brunson

Pompeo: We Will Do More Than Talk About Religious Persecution

By One News Now Staff

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for a first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom and one planned attendee predicts it's about more than just talk.

The three-day State Department event, set for next week on July 25 and 26, is expected to bring together government officials, religious leaders, and many more to discuss religious persecution around the globe.

In an interview on "Washington Watch with Tony Perkins," a weekday show on American Family Radio, Pompeo said he predicts more than just talking when leaders and activists assemble.

"We do believe that just putting people together from all across the world in a room, and talking about this topic," said Pompeo, "will empower them to go back to their home country and advocate for religious freedom as well."

Some of those attendees live in countries where there is no religious freedom, Pompeo went on to say, so being able to meet with others who are aware of those difficulties helps create a "support system" for them when they return home.

Vice President Mike Pence will be speaking at the Ministerial as well as Sam Brownback, U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman, made headlines in recent months when he began meeting with Kim Jong Un, North Korea's tyrannical leader, in an effort to de-nuclearize the country and stabilize the Korean peninsula.

The persecution of Christians by that regime is considered among the worst in the world.

Frank Gaffney, with the Center for Security Policy, plans to attend next meet as a member of Save the Persecuted Christians Coalition, which formed this year to advocate for persecuted Christians.

"Religious freedom in general is under assault and there are lots of minorities around the world that are suffering as a result of that," he tells OneNewsNow. "But none is suffering as much as is the Christian community and something must be done to stop that."

The New York Times reports that representatives from 80 countries, including 40 foreign ministers, are expected to attend.

The newspaper also obtained a list of organizations sponsoring side events to the conference. Those organizations are Alliance Defending Freedom International, Concerned Women for America, Save the Persecuted Christians Coalition, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the James Dobson Family Institute

Gaffney predicts Pompeo is leading a movement that will create concrete steps to deal with religious persecution worldwide.

"And specifically," says Gaffney, "I think the U.S. government is of a mind with us that what needs to be done is to start holding accountable the persecutors and start increasing the costs that they experience for engaging in this horrific inhumanity against people simply because they believe in Jesus."

Website: One News Now 

Persecution Unveiled has been called to prick the consciences of this 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, and Google and like us on Facebook.

Christian Leaders Join Opposition to Nicaragua's Ortega: 'Declared War on the Church'

A photo posted on Twitter by Covenant House President Kevin Ryan.

(Photo: Wilfredo Miranda,@piruloar on Twitter)

By Anugrah Kumar
Christian Post

Amid the ongoing brutal crackdown on demonstrations against President Daniel Ortega's authoritarian rule in Nicaragua, senior Catholic priests are on the front lines backing the opposition. Some say the government has "declared war on the church," even as Sen. Marco Rubio warns the country could be on the brink of a civil war.

In the Central American country's capital of Managua, Catholic priests rescued a group of paramedics and Franciscan missionaries who were trapped inside a basilica, where they had sought safety from a pro-government crowd, The New York Times reported.

Monsignor Silvio José Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua, was attacked as he negotiated his way through the crowd to the basilica. Someone slashed him "in the arm and ripped the insignia from his cassock," according to the NYT. "What the people are going through is much more serious," he was quoted as saying.

The government "has declared war on the church," Juan Sebastián Chamorro, a member of the opposition alliance, told NYT.

Protests across the country have been going on for around three months triggered by planned social security overhauls. Protesters, mostly students, are demanding democratic reforms and that President Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, step down as they have allegedly established a dictatorship marked by nepotism and brutal repression. Nearly 300 people have died in the ongoing conflict.

During the initial days of the protests, Ortega requested the Catholic Church to act as a mediator, but his administration also began to use brutal force against the protesters. Now, clergy are being attacked by his supporters.

Last week, the U.N. warned against human rights violations by the paramilitary forces.

On Sunday, Florida Republican Rubio said on CNN's "State of the Union" that the situation "would undermine our anti-drug efforts in the region. There is a direct national security interest for the United States in seeing democracy and stability in Nicaragua."

Calling Ortega "a dying man" and Murillo "a lunatic," Rubio said Washington is working on setting up sanctions against Nicaraguan entities and individuals, according to Politico.

There's "no future for" the duo "in power," he added. "All of this could have been avoided weeks ago. The message to the Nicaraguan regime under Ortega was very clear, and that is: You call early elections, you allow legitimate elections, and this thing can move forward and everyone's going to be fine. But if you soak your hands in blood, all of that's off the table. They decided to soak their hands in blood."

About a week ago, pro-government gunmen killed two students and injured dozens more before over 200 students and others from the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua protesting against Ortega were freed from the besieged Church of Jesus of the Divine Mercy in the capital city.

"They are shooting at a church," the Rev. Erick Alvarado Cole, a priest inside the church, was quoted as saying at the time.

Top Catholic clergy negotiated the release of the protesters.

Website: Christian Post

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Teen Who Refused to Renounce Christ Despite Rape by Boko Haram Faces Rejection at Home

By Stoyan Zaimov
Christian Post

For a Nigerian teenager who was raped and tormented by Boko Haram for nearly a year, as she refused to renounce her faith in Jesus Christ, her nightmare didn't end when she was rescued and returned to her village.

Though she is now home, Esther, as described by Open Doors USA, is facing rejection and abuse for being a "Boko Haram woman."

Esther was held in captivity in northern Nigeria for close to a year after her village was raided and her father was killed by Boko Haram radicals.

The Christian woman was pressured but refused to abandon her faith in Jesus, for which she was punished for and raped multiple times by different men.

When she was finally rescued by soldiers and returned back to her village, however, she was treated in much the same way as many women who have been forced to bear Boko Haram children.

Family and friends turned her away, believing that her baby would inherit the father's "bad blood," a belief associated with witchcraft that is still prevalent in parts of the country. They even named the child "Boko" though her mother named her Rebekah.

Scores of other women that have been forced to marry Boko Haram fighters or have been impregnated as a result of rape have shared of similar experiences, as reported by NPR and many others.

At least 3,000 women and girls are believed to have been kidnapped by the terror group since it began carrying out its raids in 2009. The terrorists, who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, have been killing Christians and other civilians throughout the country, also expanding their raids into Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Women and children who have been abused by Boko Haram have sometimes also been raped and betrayed by soldiers who are supposed to be defending them, a major report by Amnesty International revealed in May.

"The soldiers, they betrayed us, they said that we should come out of from our villages. They said it would be safer and that they would give us a secure place to stay. But when we came, they betrayed us," a 35-year-old woman named Yakura said in the report.

"They detained our husbands and then they raped us women," she added.

Amnesty interviewed more than 250 people over a two-year period in preparing its report, determining that thousands of women and girls who were rescued have been mistreated.

Open Doors has been providing trauma counseling to Esther and other Boko Haram victims, and the church community has been helping such women who have been rejected by their families.

Esther and others were encouraged to write down their burdens on a piece of paper and pin them to a wooden cross.

"When I pinned that piece of paper to the cross, it felt like I was handing over all of my sorrow to God," Esther said.

The teenage mother has been learning to find peace despite the horrors she has suffered and the rejection from her community.

"Some of those people who used to mock me now ask me my secret," Esther said. "I tell them, 'I forgave my enemies and now trust God to take vengeance in His time.'"

Esther is now living with her grandparents, finally receiving the support that she needs. The mother says that her daughter now means everything to her.

"Rebekah has become my joy and laughter amid sadness," she said.

Website: Christian Post 

Turkey: Fervent Prayer Sought for Imprisoned Pastor Brunson Ahead of July 18 Hearing

"Let's unite in prayer for pastor Brunson and his family. It's time for the Church to pray. It's time for the Church to speak up and stand up. Let your voice be heard." -Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, NRB

By Hamilton Strategies: Charisma News

Breaking Christian News

Christians around the world are praying fervently for North Carolina Pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been imprisoned in Turkey on accusations of spying or aiding terror groups. (Image: Pastor Andrew Brunson/ACLJ/via Charisma News)

Brunson has a court hearing tomorrow, July 18, in Turkey. One Turkish newspaper has reported that because of the national and international attention Brunson's case has received from groups such as the Save the Persecuted Christians (STPC) Coalition, the pastor could be released at this hearing.

"The newspaper reports that 'Brunson's case has been attracting enormous attention in the U.S., both politically and religiously' and has led to 'a number of serious congressional interventions against Turkey, which would cause political consequences,'" according to CBN.

The STPC Coalition advocates on behalf of 215 million Christians facing heavy persecution worldwide, and was also part of a protest organized by Magdi Khalil with Coptic Solidarity for Brunson last month in Washington, DC Brunson was arrested by the Turkish government in October 2017 and is facing up to 35 years in jail on charges of "espionage" and "terrorism." 

The protest was a way for those concerned about Christian persecution to show solidarity with Brunson and to shed light on the situation for Christians in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was re-elected June 24.

National Religious Broadcasters, led by STPC Coalition member Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, is also reporting on Brunson's hearing tomorrow.

"Let's unite in prayer for pastor Brunson and his family," Johnson said. "It's time for the Church to pray. It's time for the Church to speak up and stand up. Let your voice be heard."

The Trump administration has said it is working to bring Brunson home, and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is also working to free pastor Brunson. Those concerned may read more and sign a petition, which has more than 582,000 signatures.

The STPC Coalition continues to work diligently to disseminate actionable information about ways in which the American people can help those—like pastor Brunson—who are being persecuted for their faith. Americans can lend support by encouraging their pastors and faith leaders to visit SaveThePersecutedChristians.org and order a free banner to display in front of their houses of worship.

These simple banners feature the Arabic "nun" character, which has become an international symbol for the oppression of Christians ever since the Islamic State used this first letter of the Arabic word for "Nazarene" to designate homes of followers of Christ targeted for persecution. (Photo: Ambassador Sam Brownback holding a banner/STPC Coalition)

Raising awareness is an important first step, especially as Christian persecution occurs so routinely it rarely makes headlines. For example, according to Open Doors, 255 Christians are killed worldwide every month. 104 Christians are abducted. 180 Christian women are raped, sexually assaulted or forced into marriage. 160 Christians are detained or imprisoned without trial. And 66 churches are attacked every month.

Breaking Christian News article continues here

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Indian Christians Form 12-Mile Human Chain to Protest State-Sponsored Harassment

India currently ranks as the 11th worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution...Open Doors USA

By Samuel Smith
Christian Post

Thousands of Christians formed a 12-mile long human chain in India's Jharkhand state following church services on Sunday to protest what they say is state-sponsored harassment against the Christian community, according to a report.

UCANews reports that about 10,000 tribal Christians gathered for demonstrations held in Ranchi, Gumla, Simdega, Bokaro, Jamshedpur and Kkunty to protest arrests of local Christian leaders that they say are designed to tarnish their reputations and policies that they believe could lead to them being stripped of their benefits, rights and land.

"Catholic nuns, priests, pastors are attacked and jailed. Their institutions are searched. They are accused of every wrong that takes place in the state," event organizer Prabhakar Tirkey, who serves as president of ecumenical Christian forum Rashtriya Isai Mahasangh, told the Asia-based Catholic news outlet.

One of the cases that the tribal Christians were upset about involves a nun from the Mother Teresa-founded Missionaries of Charity women's shelter in Ranchi. The nun was arrested on child trafficking charges this month after it emerged that four children had been sold from the shelter. The government is now seeking to freeze the organization's bank accounts and inspect all Missionaries of Charity child care facilities.

Another case involves Jesuit Father Alphonse Aind, a principal of a school in a remote village. The priest was arrested on June 22 on charges of aiding and abetting the abduction and gang rape of five social activists. However, church officials have claimed that the charges against the priest are fabricated.

While a nun has reportedly confessed to selling the four babies from the shelter, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India General Secretary Theodore Mascarenhas claims that the nun told the charity's lawyer on July 11 that she was not involved in the baby selling and that her statement came "under pressure" of police, according to Press Trust of India.

The Missionaries of Charity has also denied that babies were sold.

Tirkey and other Christian leaders believe that the arrests of the leaders are part of some government-sponsored campaign to discredit Christian leaders and missionaries.

"It is part of an organized to plan to keep ordinary people away from Christian institutions and missionaries," Tirkey told UCA News.

Ankita Kujur, who participated in the protest, told the outlet that the government has been working to divide the tribal community in Jharkhand between Christians and non-Christians in an attempt to weaken support for tribal rights.

The demonstration comes as the state government had previously tried to remove clauses protecting the land rights of indigenous people from two laws. Many fear tribal lands could be used for industrial development and mining.

Bishop Joseph D'Souza, president of the All India Christian Council, told The Christian Post that while he doesn't know the full details of the cases against the religious leaders who were arrested, he explained that targeted attacks against the tribal Christians in Jharkhand are "real."

"In Jharkhand, it is a tribal state and there are a lot of tribal Christians who have access to land," he told CP in a phone interview. "Ever since [the state] has gone into right-wing hands, the targeting of tribal Christians is real."

"Tribal Christians are being attacked and harassed and targeted in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Jharkhand," he added. "This is terror tactic so that the tribals don't know how to live without practicing their faith."

Christian Post article continues here

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Pastor Beaten Unconscious by Uganda Muslims After Saying That Jesus Is the Son of God

A man prays after mass at the Martyrs of Uganda church 

in Bamako, Mali, November 8, 2015. (Photo: Reuters/Joe Penney)

By Stoyan Zaimov

Christian Post

A Christian pastor was knocked unconscious in eastern Uganda during a debate with Muslims about the divinity of Jesus Christ, while another pastor saw his services forcibly shut down after Islamists became angry that some Muslims were choosing to convert to Christianity.

Tom Palapande, a 38-year-old pastor in Butaleja District, was knocked unconscious by Islamists who threw rocks at him and other church leaders during a village debate, Morning Star News reported on Friday.

Palapande held a two-week evangelistic campaign in June, which included discussions on Islamic and Christian scriptures, the Trinity, and Jesus as the Son of God. The last subject infuriated Muslims, however, who began throwing rocks at him, chanting "Allah akbar," or "God is great."

A church leader, who wasn't named, said:

"A big stone hit the pastor's forehead, and the stones as well injured three other church leaders who were close to the pastor at the podium — Moses Balabye, Agrey Gibenya and Milton Magezi."

Palapande, who was treated at a hospital in Mbale, revealed that he has been attacked by Muslims on a number of occasions during debates.

"I was beaten up, and it was falsely reported in a local newspaper as well as the local radio station that I am disrespecting the religion of Islam. This is a calculated move to tarnish my name," he said.

Another recent attack occurred in Mazuba village, Namutumba District, where a half-constructed church was forced to stop its services.

"The church members are now living in great fear for their lives and have stopped attending church services," pastor Maseruwa Budallah told Morning Star News.

The trouble began in April, when Muslims in the area noticed that a number of people had chosen to leave the Islamic faith and start attending the Christian church.

Budallah's children began being bullied by Muslim children at school, with death threats forcing the pastor to send his family to a boarding school in another town to protect them.

The pastor was warned that he and church members who continue attending services will be killed, however, with even his relatives in another town rising up against him.

"You have refused to come back home, and we hear that you have started building a church for infidels," read one text message. "Know that Allah is going to deal with you soon, and you will not finish it nor pray in it."

Although a majority in Uganda, Christians continue to face serious attacks by the Muslim minority in the country, especially in instances where they have left the Islamic faith.

Christian Post article continues here

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School Threatens to Call Police on Person Handing Out Bibles to Elementary Students

By Samuel Smith
Christian Post

An Illinois school district has sent a cease and desist letter to a community member who was handing out Bibles to students on school property and has threatened to call the cops if Bible distribution continues.

At the request of the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, the La Harpe Community School District has ordered an elementary school principal to stop placing Bible verses on official school correspondence and has also told an unnamed evangelist to stop passing out Bibles on school property.

In May, FFRF sent a letter to Superintendent Ryan Olson to voice two complaints about Christianity being promoted on school grounds in ways that the group claims violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The first complaint involved La Harpe Elementary School Principal Lila McKeown. The principal was accused of using her position to promote her Christian faith through flyers distributed to teachers at staff meetings. The flyers included Bible verses and some were related to holidays such as Easter and Christmas.

One flyer read: "Easter is the celebration of God's greatest gift – salvation through Jesus Christ." Another flyer called for the homes of staff members to be "filled with loving presence of our almighty God."

Secondly, the group accused McKeown of allowing outside adults to distribute Bibles at the school doors. The organization believes that the individuals could be affiliated with Gideons International, an evangelical Christian evangelistic organization.

FFRF requested that the school district take action to stop the practices going on at La Harpe Elementary.

The school district's attorney responded to FFRF's request by stating that McKeown was not aware of the Bible distribution but assured that she will no longer be allowed to place Bible verses in staff communication.

According to Christian conservative columnist Todd Starnes, the school district's attorney explained that it is likely the Bibles were being distributed in the street that splits the school campus in half. The road was previously maintained by the city but has been maintained and owned by the school district since 2013. However, the attorney explained, many community members still think that it is a city road.

In his letter to the school district, FFRF Staff Attorney Ryan Jayne argued that courts have held that it is unlawful to distribute Bibles to students during instructional time and cited a 1993 Seventh Circuit ruling disallowing Gideons International from distributing Bibles in classrooms.

"Religion is inherently divisive and has no official place in a public school where staff and young students hold varied beliefs — and no belief at all," FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement. "It's commendable that the district has investigated and remedied these violations."

The school district has reportedly gone as far as to enact a new policy requiring staff members to notify school administration if they see someone handing out Bibles.

FFRF regularly pressures school districts and local government entities into taking action against any conceivable government entanglement with religion.

Last month, a Kansas high school principal agreed to stop using his platform at graduation ceremonies to encourage graduating students to look to Jesus to find success in life. Great Bend High School by Principal Tim Friess came under fire from FFRF following his remarks at a May 20 graduation ceremony.

Earlier this year, another Illinois school district banned a school principal from inviting parents and community members to the school's flagpole for an annual prayer event. The move by the El Paso-Gridley Community Unit School District No. 11 came after FFRF filed a complaint about the matter.

An Oklahoma school district earlier this year banned a local pastor from praying with a high school football team after FFRF complained.

Christian Post article continues here

“Pure Genocide” in Nigeria

by John Stonestreet & Roberto Rivera
BreakPoint


It’s one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. What’s going on right now in Nigeria is “pure genocide.”

Recently on BreakPoint, I said that it took a lot of courage to be a Christian in Iraq. Just two years ago, the Obama administration called what ISIS was doing to Iraqi Christians “genocide.”

Unfortunately, there are other places in the world where being a Christian requires a lot of courage as well, and, where the treatment of Christians merits the word “genocide.”

One such place: Nigeria. By most estimates, the population of Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Muslims and Christians. That religious split largely follows geographic lines: The northern part of the country is predominantly Muslim, the eastern and southern parts of the country heavily Christian. The middle, sometimes called the “Middle Belt,” is ethnically and religiously diverse.

Not surprisingly, what makes Nigeria so dangerous for Christians originates in the Islamic north. There, Christians have been on the receiving end of a campaign Open Doors calls “religious cleansing,” that is, an attempt “to eradicate Christianity” from the region.

Article continues here 

 

Founded by Chuck Colson (1931 – 2012) in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today’s news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people.  For more information, please click here.  



 

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Priests in the Philippines Want Guns to Protect Themselves

Philippine Pres.Rodrigo Duterte is hostile to the Catholic Church. Reuters

By Staff Writer

Christian Today

Priests in the Philippines are applying for gun carry permits in record numbers after three of them were murdered during the last six months.

According a national news report last week, applications have been received from nearly 250 religious workers including 188 Catholic priests, Crux reported.

The priest who died most recently was shot inside a chapel in the north of the country as he was preparing to say mass. Fr Richmond Nilo was killed by two unidentified gunmen who fired through a window four times.

Before him, on April 29, Fr Mark Ventura, 37, a campaigner against unethical mining practices, was shot dead after celebrating mass in the province of Cagayan. Fr Marcelito Paez, 72, was shot dead on December 4, 2017 in Nueva Ecija province after helping secure the release of a political prisoner and dropping him off at his home.

However, Church authorities have expressed unease about the trend for priests to carry weapons. According to UCA news, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan said he was 'very disappointed', and that priests who wanted to carry weapons needed 'serious counselling'.

'We don't even have to dwell on the morality of it. It is unpriestly, to say the least,' he said.

Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, president of the bishops' conference, said: 

'We are men of God, men of the church, and it is part of our ministry to face dangers, to face deaths if one may say that way.'

Website: Christian Today