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Christian Indifference to Christian Suffering
Frontpagemag ^ | April 12, 2013 | Michael Finch

Posted on 05/07/2013 10:21:00 AM PDT by Enza Ferreri

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1 posted on 05/07/2013 10:21:00 AM PDT by Enza Ferreri
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To: Enza Ferreri

Think globally. Act locally.


2 posted on 05/07/2013 10:30:53 AM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Enza Ferreri

I have often wondered why the Christian community so often throws their own under the bus. I was speaking w/a brother at Bible study last wee about the Boston bombing. Said how Muslim terrorism is a plague in America. His response was that the far-right is also committing acts of terror. I couldn’t believe what I heard so I asked him for one example. When he couldn’t answer I reminded him about Boston.

Satan has done a remarkable job building wedges between Christians. While he can’t take away our salvation, he can deceive us enough so believers are not united.


3 posted on 05/07/2013 10:31:57 AM PDT by Son-Joshua (son-joshua)
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To: Enza Ferreri
Unfortunately, the persecution is already here at home and the government we have is anti-Christian. I warned at the beginning of the “Arab Spring” that people cheering on democracy should be aware that means mob rule by Muslims. I also warned that Coptic Christians in Egypt were the canary in the coal mine. Until we unload the government here, I'm afraid our concern for Christians and other persecuted faiths will receive no sympathy from Obama & Co.
4 posted on 05/07/2013 10:34:10 AM PDT by trubolotta
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To: Enza Ferreri

There are three ways we can attack it:
1. Prayer
2. money
3. go there

Considering the distance, I choose option 1. I can’t shirk my responsibility to believers and prosthelizing non-believers in my own community by going a few thousand miles away to grab an AK-47 to protect Christians there.

Besides, I take very seriously Paul’s words about “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Nowadays we hear horror stories from all over the world. Some of them are even true. But what are we really to do when we have to walk past ten people in need to help the one at long distance?

Add to this the American heritage that causes many of us to say, “If your country is ruled by a despot, do what we did in the late 18th century. It’s your home.


5 posted on 05/07/2013 10:34:39 AM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: Enza Ferreri

Thank you for posting this article. Wake the Evangelicals and tell them to put that bigotry in their sub-basement where it belongs. Orthodox and Catholic Christians were here long before Evangelicals were even thought of. And at least in the Muslim world it is they who are enduring the brunt of the suffering. Yes, Evangelicals are suffering in other places (Nigeria— both Catholic & Protestant—Indonesia—same China-all underground churches as opposed to state approved official churches—Iran mostly evangelicals because native denominations do not look to convert Muslims) but they refuse to see what is happening to Christian communities other than their own in the Middle East.


6 posted on 05/07/2013 10:35:10 AM PDT by brooklyn dave (I hope the FEMA camps are comfortable when they come for me)
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To: Enza Ferreri

BTW, when I first became a Christian in 1981, I started including in all my prayers the destruction of the soviet block. I confess that as I prayed I firmly believed it would take a miracle from God and didn’t have all that much faith, but I did it anyway, pretty much every time I prayed.

And then the unimaginable happened. Europe was freed. And who, in 1930 or in the thousand years before that, thought that Israel would ever be a “real” country again?

Interesting how we adapt to the new reality, good or bad.


7 posted on 05/07/2013 10:37:58 AM PDT by cuban leaf (Were doomed! Details at eleven.)
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To: cuban leaf
4th way: get involved with Voice of the Martyrs. You can subscribe to their free newsletter. Before long, you will be writing letters to prisoners (Prisoner Alert), sending Bibles to underground churches in Iran or China (Bibles Unbound), or getting involved in any of many other ministry opportunities. I strongly recommend everybody to become a member and become involved!
8 posted on 05/07/2013 10:41:27 AM PDT by Former Fetus (Saved by grace through faith)
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To: Enza Ferreri
"To get an American Roman Catholic to worry about an Assyrian Iraqi Christian or to get a Presbyterian to concern themselves with a Melkite Catholic in Syria is a near impossible task."

That is not true at all. Many, many Christians of all denominations contribute to organizations like "Voice of the Martyrs" to help these victims of Christian persecution, most of whom are of a different denomination. I know that millions of Christians also include prayers for those Christians persecuted around the world and for the missionaries who are there to minister to them. I believe Christians do more to support their persecuted brothers and sisters around the world than any other "religion". There is only so much we can do although we could probably do more. One can always do more.

9 posted on 05/07/2013 10:46:42 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: Son-Joshua
While he can’t take away our salvation, he can deceive us enough so believers are not united.

That's true. Pope Francis has mentioned the persecution several times, not only in connection with terrorist acts against ME and African Catholic churches, but in connection with the killing of Orthodox and Evangelical faithful.

The big problem is that the churches - all of them - are so PC now that they're afraid to say anything because it might look like (gasp!) a criticism of Islam.

10 posted on 05/07/2013 10:46:46 AM PDT by livius
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To: Son-Joshua
His response was that the far-right is also committing acts of terror.

Without knowing the guy, and not having the slightest idea what he really believes, are you sure he is a true brother?

11 posted on 05/07/2013 11:16:17 AM PDT by Mark17
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To: Enza Ferreri
Christian Indifference to Christian Suffering

After all it IS the ME generation. Most are oblivious to the common threat to ALL CHRISTIANS and ALL MANKIND - islam!

12 posted on 05/07/2013 12:10:00 PM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (It's not "GUN CONTROL"! It's "PEOPLE CONTROL"!)
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To: Enza Ferreri

Because they’re “too buisy” playing (sinning in this case) on their Ipads.


13 posted on 05/07/2013 12:36:07 PM PDT by JSDude1 (Is John Boehner the Neville Chamberlain of American Politics?)
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To: Enza Ferreri

quote “When you walk in a Baptist Church and find tracts that call Rome and the Catholic Church the “whore of Babylon” and the Pope the “anti-Christ” is it really surprising that they have such little concern for the raping of Coptic Christians in Egypt? “

I mentioned that Christians in Lebanon were being firebombed by Israel and my Baptist “friend” informed me they were “nominal Christians”. Since they were being bombed by “god’s people”, that is didn’t seem to matter. Over 1 million Christians were displaced in the Iraq war . Fact is that American and Israel foreign policy always seems hazardous to the health of all Christians.

Also in America, there is never any concern for white people in general, at home or overseas. That is the way America has been brainwashed since the 1950’s. Today is the day Delaware will vote for homosexual “marriage”. Another indicator of who rules the culture. Back in 1775 you had to be a Christian to hold office in Delaware. IF this bill passes, I assume that you will have to repudiate publicly any allegiance to Jesus Christ in order to hold a state job.


14 posted on 05/07/2013 12:55:33 PM PDT by Classiccom
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To: Enza Ferreri; metmom; boatbums; caww; presently no screen name; smvoice; HarleyD; ...

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body, (Hebrews 13:3)

is still a command for us. They burden my heart though i do not do enough praying for them. Support Voice of the Martyrs and like ministries.

Part of the lack of support is the general lack of sacrificial giving, as well as the so-called “word of faith” theology which rejects such suffering as being part of the life of faith. However, you have the word “others” in Heb. 11:

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (Hebrews 11:36-39)


15 posted on 05/07/2013 1:06:17 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: brooklyn dave
Wake the Evangelicals and tell them to put that bigotry in their sub-basement where it belongs. Orthodox and Catholic Christians were here long before Evangelicals

How interesting, 'stop bigotry' then you go on a bigoted rant.

16 posted on 05/07/2013 1:16:44 PM PDT by svcw (If you are dead when your heart stops, why aren't you alive when it starts.)
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To: brooklyn dave

In proportion to their numbers i think there are at least as many evangelical ministries working in this area (but not enough concern), and likely are the ones being persecuted the most relative to their numbers.


17 posted on 05/07/2013 1:31:59 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
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To: cuban leaf

Bingo.


18 posted on 05/07/2013 4:23:51 PM PDT by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: Enza Ferreri; daniel1212

A very good article for which I think the answers are complex. I don’t think it’s a matter that true Christians do not care. It’s just that there isn’t a forum for broadcasting the news. I know our church (and others we’ve attended) frequently mentions the persecution of Christians in other parts of the world, and it doesn’t matter what denomination or affiliation (even the Catholics are included). But you’re not going to hear it broadcast by the MSM. Instead, what we hear are the tares of the church supporting homosexual or women reproductive rights.

But persecution happens to all who desires to live a godly life. Just this Sunday our pastor talked about another PCA church in our area which the courts ruled that the liberal PCUSA could confiscate their building and their bank account simply because they broke away over the issue of homosexuality. Did anyone hear about that or was it reported? We wouldn’t have know it if the pastor hadn’t mentioned it.


19 posted on 05/07/2013 5:15:50 PM PDT by HarleyD
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To: daniel1212; metmom; boatbums; caww; presently no screen name; smvoice; HarleyD
I believe in these last days caution needs to be exercised. The term “Christian” is very loosely applied as I see it. Hebrews 13:3 is indeed a command for us but Paul was talking to those who were following the gospel he preached about those of the same belief. We are not to treat those who “preach any other gospel” the same. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8-9 2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Your thoughts?

20 posted on 05/07/2013 5:29:03 PM PDT by CynicalBear (For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ)
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