Displaying items by tag: Intolerance

Pakistani Christians are crying silently for peace, understanding, and respect for their religious symbols. But their cries are not heard domestically or globally. Christianity has been an integral part of Pakistan's multi-religious society since its inception in 1947 when Muhammad Ali Jinnah promised equal citizenship rights. In 2023 Christians are treated as second-class citizens, discriminated against, and targets of hostility and violence. Often the blasphemy law is misused against them, further worsening their situation. A comprehensive strategy that includes improved security measures for religious minorities and educational campaigns to foster tolerance and mutual respect is needed urgently. The government needs to uphold its commitment to religious freedom and safeguard all its citizens, as enshrined in its constitution and in line with international covenants. Pray for the government to reassess its approach toward religious minorities and condemn violence and threats against them. Pray for incorporating religious tolerance and coexistence in the curricula for school and public awareness campaigns.

Currently the draft Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Regulation is going through Parliament. Parents opposing the government’s proposals to impose RSE on children as young as four are now joined by Barnabas Fund and others to campaign and raise awareness of the proposals. The UK has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates and teenage abortion rates in Western Europe; epidemic teenage STI; frightening levels of child addiction to pornography; and diagnosable child mental illness. Historically, changes came with the availability of birth control followed by the 1967 Abortion Act. Free love ruled, with skyrocketing teenage pregnancies. The 1993 Education Act ruled that all State schools must include education on AIDs and sexually transmitted diseases. Teaching now emphasises the ‘sexual rights of children’ and tolerance for things that were previously branded perversion. Children are bombarded with information they have no way of processing or assessing for themselves. Please continue to pray into this situation. See https://vfjuk.org.uk/news-updates/individual-rights-and-intolerance/

Defence minister Tariq Shah Bahrami has said that battles are ongoing in at least ten provinces. He added, 'To be honest, the level of threat is very high and the current facilities available to security and defence institutions are not enough to repel these threats. The enemies of the people of Afghanistan including the backers of terrorists have made their final plots to break our back.' The Taliban have attacked and conquered several areas of the minority Hazara Shia community, and it is feared that they will commit many atrocities there. They have even targeted their mosques and schools. Many Hazaras are fleeing their villages and coming to the capital. The people are suffering, and wondering how long the army will be able to push back the Taliban.

Efforts to free an American pastor held in a Turkish prison for his Christian faith have failed. Andrew Brunson was arrested on 8 December and charged with ‘membership in an armed terrorist organisation’. On 29 December a Turkish court denied his appeal for release. Brunson has preached the gospel in Turkey for twenty years and hoped for permanent resident status. But according to the American Centre for Law Justice (ACLJ), Brunson was arrested for unspecified reasons. In a statement, the ACLJ says ‘the charging documents do not present any evidence against him’ nor did the court specify which ‘terror’ organisation Brunson had supposedly joined. Experts say Brunson's case is part of a growing climate of intolerance against Christians and other minority faiths in Turkey.