The first article is about Muslims persecuting Christians in Malaysia. Here are a few quotes from the article.
The unprecedented attacks have strained ties between minority Christians and the majority Malay Muslims, denting Malaysia’s image as a moderate Muslim-majority country and raising questions about its political stability.
Firebombs have been thrown at seven other churches nationwide since Friday, with another splashed with black paint. No one was hurt and the churches suffered little damage, except the Metro Tabernacle Church in a Kuala Lumpur suburb, which had its office on the first floor gutted by fire.
The recent persecution is associated with the ban on using the word allah for the God of the Christians. This word is in the Bible and is used in other Arabic countries.
Several things have to be considered when you hear of this persecution. One is that we believe in freedom of conscience. That means that we, historically Baptist, do not persecute anyone for their faith. We believe that the Muslims should have the right to worship their god as they see fit. We will not persecute their faith.
Two, we must carry the gospel to them. They obviously are very religious. They know there is a God but they do not know the only true God of the Bible.
We must not allow their persecution to be a cause of fear for us.
The second article is about persecution in Algeria.
Islamists looted and burned a Protestant church in Algeria, the congregation’s leader said Monday, suggesting they were inspired by a recent wave of religious intolerance in the Arab and Muslim world.
He said the looting showed “Islamist intolerance considers there is no room for Christian religious practices in Algeria,” and alleged it was “fueled by what just happened in Egypt,” where six people were killed in a church shooting during Christmas celebrations. In mainly Muslim Malaysia, nine churches have also been recently burned down amid violence against the country’s Christian minority.
But small Protestant groups have been accused of proselytizing, or trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, which is illegal in Algeria. Several Protestants were prosecuted last year for illegally carrying Bibles or converting people to Christianity.
American Christians have let fear and prejudice keep us from carrying the gospel to these needy people. As you read this post do not let fear rule in your heart. Do not hate Muslims. Realize that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against Satanic forces. They will do anything to cause us to fear and to hate.
The Arabic people need the gospel. What will we do to get the gospel to them.
