Current Events

Severe Pakistan Flooding

The most devastating monsoon in decades has brought flooding of an unprecedented scale in Pakistan, affecting some thirty-three million people. Amongst them are Christians, a small and vulnerable minority. Shocking satellite images make it look as though large portions of Pakistan have been transformed into a giant lake. Flood waters cover a third of the country. Even worse is expected when the swollen waters of the river Indus have flowed south which will add to the existing floods in Sindh. A report from Christian leaders in Sindh described people living in the open air without any shelter. Some have eaten nothing for days and only have contaminated flood water to drink. Disease is escalating. Health services are badly affected. The infrastructure of the churches in the area have been seriously affected. The Christian hospital there has been severely damaged and the Christian school destroyed.

—BarnabasFund.org

Most Dangerous Place for Christians

One year after falling to the Taliban, Afghanistan is the most dangerous place in the world for Christians to live. A Christian Afghan refugee stated that Christians in Afghanistan are “fearful” of what could happen to them, and that “discrimination is allowed” against non-Muslims. People are turning Christians over to the Taliban for government favors. “…Many people are angry they don’t have food, so they can just sell you to the government…to get a favor from the Taliban… So, you are like a high target for anyone,” he added. It has been reported that the Taliban have acknowledged the existence of the Sikh and Hindu faiths but have denied the existence of a Christian community, despite the estimated 10,000 to 12,000 Christians there. Nearly all are converts from Islam and considered apostates, which means a likely death sentence. “Many Afghan Christians are in hiding as the Taliban searches for them and monitors their activities,” a source said. “If caught, they are subjected to beatings, kidnappings, torture and murder.

—FoxNews.com

What Does Persecution Look Like in North Korea?

North Korea has been at or near the top of the World Watch List for more than twenty years. That is because any North Korean caught following Jesus is at immediate risk of imprisonment, brutal torture, and death. An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Christians are imprisoned in North Korea’s notorious system of prisons and labor camps. To make matters worse, often the family of the person captured will share the same fate. The government views Christians as the most dangerous political class of people, and their persecution is violent and intense. North Korean parents often hide their faith from their children, churches of more than a few people are non-existent, and most worship is done as secretly as possible. Life for Christians in North Korea is a constant cauldron of pressure; capture or death is only a mistake away. Currently failed harvests are impacting the North Korean people but Christians are more affected. Believers are on the lowest rung of society and neglected from receiving whatever meager food aid is available. North Korea continues to be extremely dangerous for followers of Jesus, and it is not likely to change any time soon unless the Kim regime is toppled.

—OpenDoorsUSA.org

Christian Jailed for Contempt of Court

A Christian teacher who refused to use gender neutral pronouns was suspended by his Church of Ireland-run boarding school. A student, with school and parental support, requested that the pronoun “they” be used instead of “he.” When the teacher refused to comply with the request, the school began disciplinary proceedings and he was suspended. Despite his suspension, the teacher continued to come to the school and sit in an empty classroom, claiming that he was there to work. A court order stipulated that he must not teach or be physically present at the school. He was arrested the next Monday for breaching the court order and sent to prison for contempt of court. “I will not give up my Christian beliefs,” he said; “I love my school, with its motto Res Non Verba (actions not words), but I am here today because I said I would not call a boy a girl.” He said that transgenderism went against his Christian beliefs and that he should not be forced to violate his conscience. “It is contrary to the Scriptures, contrary to the ethos of the Church of Ireland and of my school.” The court told him that he could be released if he agrees to comply with the court order.

—ChristianToday.com

Legal Status of Abortions in States

Abortions are now banned in at least twelve states as laws restricting the procedure take effect following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. An additional two states now ban abortion at about six weeks of pregnancy. In many states the fight over abortion access is still taking place in courtrooms where advocates have sued to block enforcement of restrictions. About half the states are expected to enact bans on abortion. In some of these, abortion remains legal for now as courts determine whether existing or new bans can take effect. In the other half of the states, abortion is legal but still may be restricted in some way.

—NYTimes.com

Pediatricians Backpedaling on Minors Transitioning

For years, the American Academy of Pediatricians has pedaled gender ideology, including so-called “transition” for minors, but recently, after an article called out the organization, it published its own reply. While the response stopped far short of abandoning gender ideology, it nonetheless attempted to backpedal its stance on supporting transgender interventions for “the vast majority of children.” While this may likely be more of a political move to save face than a real change of heart, it was an important indicator that supporters of these interventions are being forced to go on the defense in the public eye—and that is a step in the right direction.

—FamilyPolicyAlliance.com

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