Christian minorities in predominantly Muslim countries
DeeValleyBantam
Shipmate
in Purgatory
A right-wing Christian friend of mine (!) both supports Open Doors International, an organisation which says it serves persecuted Christians worldwide, and insists we are at risk of a Muslim takeover in the U.K. unless everyone conforms to our cultural norms. To his credit, he’s a long way short of being as extreme as one of our local far right activists who proudly displays a banner with the words “F**k Islam. Jesus is King”!
A quick Google search shows there are active but small congregations scattered around Pakistan, for example, and I am concerned whether displays of Christian nationalism in the West is making life more difficult for them. I am interested to hear whether there is any evidence that increasing criticism of Islam here (U.K.) is contributing to an increased intolerance of Christian minorities overseas. Intuitively I feel that must be the case, but can anyone share any actual examples?
A quick Google search shows there are active but small congregations scattered around Pakistan, for example, and I am concerned whether displays of Christian nationalism in the West is making life more difficult for them. I am interested to hear whether there is any evidence that increasing criticism of Islam here (U.K.) is contributing to an increased intolerance of Christian minorities overseas. Intuitively I feel that must be the case, but can anyone share any actual examples?
Comments
There is a long history of Christian and Muslim coexistance - I think assuming that all majority-Muslim countries persecute Christians is unhelpful and perpetuates further Islamophobia (although I recognise your genuine concern and that it was driven by worry for persecuted groups). Your friend is wrong and a bigot, but I don't think their bigotry is likely to harm Christians overseas.
The persecution of Christian minorities in predominantly Muslim countries is a documented fact. That fact should not be used to support Islamaphobic tendencies. Wherever they may be found.
The persecution of Christians in some majority-Muslim countries. Also, Christians may be persecuted in some mostly-Muslim countries for reasons other than their faith - not suggesting at all that this makes it OK, but that numbers can sometimes be skewed.
Yes, this is a good point wrt converts.
OK, some. I didn’t mean all.
I wonder if it is the case now.
My son spent a year in Palestine just a few short years ago. Before Israel was formed half of Palestine had been Christian, but when Israel caused the Nakba many Christians went into a diaspora throughout Europe and the United States. Now there are no more than 50,000 Christians left.
Here in the US, we have had a number of Muslims going into our political system. As they gain more representation it will be interesting to see how out attitude toward Israel and the rest of the Middle East. Mandani has reportedly indicated if he could he would like to arrest Nintenyahu should he come to New York. Nintenyahu, of course, has diplomatic immunity,
However, long term, I do not see any significant changes in the way the US is governed.
A long time ago, a friend of mine who had grown up in Beirut had a Dad who was an expert in Christian / Muslim relations, and who wrote on the plight of Muslim 'apostates' amongst other things. He might be worth a read if you are interested - Colin Chapman.
I'm not exactly clear about the procedure you're describing here. First off, these were telephone surveys, or surveys conducted via the broadcasts themselves?
And in the second round of surveys, you mean it was the same voice they heard on the broadcasts asking the question about whether or not people listened to the broadcasts?
And does "people could not formally admit they had been listening to the program" mean they were afraid of retaliation from the authorities? And, if so, how did having the translator himself reading the questions make a difference? Was it that people recognized his voice, so figured that the survey was coming from The Lutheran Hour, not from anti-Lutheran Hour parties?
Then how does it matter who's asking the questions in the survey?
As I recall, these were phone surveys. The first survey simply asked, "Have you ever listed to the Lutheran Hour?" Virtually no one admitted to it for fear of retaliation. The second survey had the man's voice. People admitted to hearing the voice. Many people said they recognized the voice.
There are also stories of Muslims in Iran who come to faith in Christ through dreams and such like, and not all these stories come from the usual charismatic suspects as it were.
I've had some contact with Pakistani Christians in the past and they are desperate for the plight of their fellow believers in their home country to be taken more seriously here in the West.
I'm pretty sure the situation varies and there are a whole load of factors, influences and regional variations at play as several posters have identified.
So, in the second survey, was The Lutheran Hour mentioned at all, or were they just asked if they had heard that voice?
Given the climatic differences, I hope that they were not sent to Winnipeg in January. If Toronto, there are two good Yemeni restaurants there.
In the Gulf States, I believe that local sovereigns have donated land for Anglican churches, provided that they did not have externally visible identifiers. The Cyprus and the Gulf website (https://www.cypgulf.org/) provides some interesting material.
Just if they heard the voice which was a pre-taped non-generic greeting from the man.