Jesus Freaks

The popular book came out a few years ago written by DC talk in collaboration with Voice of the Martyrs. There were actually three volumes all pertaining to the persecution of Christianity.

Yet I have never once seen an NBC special on the persecution of Christians over the world. I’ve seen programs including anti-torture marches for terrorists but in years and years of human rights specials and media coverage, I’ve never heard of a Christian human rights argument.

Maybe the media has covered it, but if they did it was far too shallow.

Here is the most recent update that I received from the Voice of the Martyrs 

 Myanmar

The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on believers around the world to pray for Christians being affected by the continued unrest in Myanmar (Burma). According to VOM contacts, the government is targeting anyone with influence, and churches have not been spared. VOM contacts report, "Churches cannot meet. We are quietly meeting in small groups of no more than five to pray for our country. China reports five people have been killed, the British Broadcasting Corporation is saying about 10 have been killed, but our people have seen hundreds of bodies and many more filling the hospitals." Pray for the protection and safety of Christians in Myanmar. Pray the Holy Spirit will convict the hearts of the government officials and that the testimony of believers will draw others into fellowship with Christ.

Each weekly email comes with updates from at least three different countries every time. This is just Myanmar

These are my people. Not to say that I don't consider Americans my people, but I am tied to these Christians by something more powerful that myself, or my government or my heritage.

But because Americans are my people too, I just have to say

Get serious people. 

Faith in America is hard because it is easy. We aren't serious about our faith because it’s never put under pressure. Not really. Christians in America aren't steamrolled or walled into a city wall. We’re typically not shot, our churches aren't typically burned down and our government doesn’t assign us to manual labor because of what we believe. We aren't boiled alive or grilled to a crisp. We aren't buried waist up and stoned. We know nothing about pain.

Every one of those things has happened in other nations. 

I guess my point isn't to blame the government and tell them to get involved. But there needs to be media recognition, it needs to be acknowledged, there needs to be prayer. (Yeah remember that little ritual?) In these nations where Christians are persecuted, they know what they believe and they stand by it.

I’m not going to say that one side is harder than the other. Over there they face death but they know life. Over here it’s a huge struggle to even get anyone to talk about religion. The social and political boundaries that have been put on God are extremely hard to break through. 

I want my people over there to be free and safe from pain and hardship. I know that I don't pray for them as much as I should but I want my people over here, the Americans, to be free from themselves. I want things to change on both sides. As much as my message is to raise concern over Christian persecution, it is also about our own faith and how we need to live it, not wear it.