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Christians are the world’s most persecuted religious group, according to studies
Aletelia ^ | March 3, 2017 | Zoe Romanowsky

Posted on 03/03/2017 4:24:55 PM PST by NYer

Approximately 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2016 worldwide, making them the most persecuted religious group in the world. That number — which amounts to one Christian killed every six minutes — is down a bit from 2015 when the number was estimated to be approximately 105,000.

According to a Fox News report, nearly a third of the deaths in 2016 were at the hands of Islamic extremists like ISIS, and others were killed by state and non-state persecution. Massimo Introvigne, director of CENSUR, told Vatican Radio that approximately 70 percent of the martyred Christians in 2016 were from tribal villages in Africa, and their deaths were partially a result of the fact that Christians often refuse to take up arms during conflicts.

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity also studies Christian martyrdom, both historical and contemporary, and estimates that between 2005 and 2015 there were 900,000 Christian martyrs worldwide—which comes out to an average of 90,000 per year. The Center says  historical, sociological, and theological arguments in quantifying Christian martyrdom throughout time must be considered. Their definition of a Christian martyr is: “Believers in Christ who have lost their lives prematurely, in situations of witness, as a result of human hostility.”

The number of Christians martyred in 2016 is likely more than 90,000, however, because studies were not able to include data from China and India — two countries with large Christian populations, but with “underground” churches, so the numbers of persecuted and martyred Christians are hard to come by.

 


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christian; christianpersecution; christians; cristianpersecution; persecution; religion; religiouspersecution

1 posted on 03/03/2017 4:24:55 PM PST by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Pray for these martyrs, ping!


2 posted on 03/03/2017 4:25:43 PM PST by NYer (Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them. Mt 6:19)
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To: NYer

Christians do so much good in the world. What ingrates.


3 posted on 03/03/2017 4:28:03 PM PST by FES0844 (G)
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To: NYer

Prayers for all of the martyrs.

5.56mm


4 posted on 03/03/2017 4:30:46 PM PST by M Kehoe
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To: NYer
As a believing, practicing Catholic, there's no doubt in my mind that FAR too many of my Christian Brothers and Sisters are persecuted.
But, I'd think, percentage-wise, and historically, it would be the Jews. There's just not that many of them around anymore.
5 posted on 03/03/2017 4:36:38 PM PST by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my dear Friend Henry Lee II)
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To: NYer

And 99.99% of the persecutors are from the religion of peace, the Orwellian ministry of love


6 posted on 03/03/2017 4:58:52 PM PST by Stopthethreat
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To: NYer

We are aware of this — even here at FR!


7 posted on 03/03/2017 5:01:07 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

And all the Buddhists and Hindus are rushing to help us but the Tooth Fairy is in their way.


8 posted on 03/03/2017 5:41:39 PM PST by BestPresidentEver
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To: NYer

In numbers yes but as a whole I would say the Jews.


9 posted on 03/03/2017 6:18:45 PM PST by BBell (calm down and eat your sandwiches)
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