57 Christian girls and boys held in metal containers for possessing bibles

Amnesty International UK ^ | September 19, 2003

[manna]

Prayer sent ...

[Lion in Winter]

PING

[joesnuffy]

ERITREA CIA FACTBOOK

[LibWhacker]

Pathetic AI won't mention the un-PC fact that Eritrea is predominantly muslim and its legal system is mostly one of Sharia law.

[joesnuffy]

Imagine being held in a steel CONEX out in 100-120 degree heat?
Cooked alive....heat stroke...etc
torture of Christians doesnt seem to interest our Govt too much....more interest in freeing muslims to set up another muslim state friendlier to the US (for the moment)

[Alouette]

Pathetic AI won't mention the un-PC fact that Eritrea is predominantly muslim and its legal system is mostly one of Sharia law.

Did you read the article: The school children are being pressurised to sign statements to abandon their religion and rejoin the majority Eritean Orthodox Church. Five others arrested with the group were freed after signing the statement.

I also thought it was about Muslims. Then I read it and realized why I'm Nasty International became involved.

[LibWhacker]

Wow . . . Skimmed it. Thanks. Totally missed that sentence. Still, I'm a little suspicious of the claim, coming as it does from AI. The CIA factbook does say civil law in Eritrea is mostly Sharia law. Strange that would be the case in a majority Orthodox country. Will do some further checking . . .

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[onedoug]

"Bless those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Prayers....

[BlackVeil]

There has also been conflict between Christian Orthodox churches in Ethiopia, newer Christian groups associated with Western missionaries. Aside from the theological issues, it is a sort of East/West culture clash.

[SauronOfMordor]

In the Soviet Union, churches other than the Orthodox Church were given a hard time. The hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church were appointed by the Communist Party, and they were very meticulous about maintaining the forms of Christianity while not making any noises that might upset the government

I would guess that the "official" Church's hierarchy says a lot about the need to be nice to the Muslim masters, and they don't want anybody else to rock the boat

[colorado tanker]

Eritrea is predominately muslim, with a Coptic and Catholic minority, but the story reports evangelicals are making headway. The government is controlled by muslims. The story seems incomplete, which makes me suspicious.

[LibWhacker]

Correct, nothing I've seen in the last few minutes on Google would indicate AI was wrong . . . Soooooo, I take it all back, lol! My bad.

Eritrea, eh? Gonna have to pay more attention to this country. Interesting situation there. Brutal though that the Orthodox Church has anything to do with locking up young kids (in an oven, yet!) as a way to convert them.

[TotusTuus]

Did you read the article: The school children are being pressurised to sign statements to abandon their religion and rejoin the majority Eritean Orthodox Church.

I'm wondering if this is the official majority Christian Church that the government requires Christians to belong to. As I understand it, the Eritrean government ordered the closing of all Christian churches other than the Coptic Orthodox, and several Catholic and Evangelical Lutheran parishes. This following from their fragile independence from Ethiopia. I wondering if the Eritrean population is probably majority Muslim and Animist as in the Sudan.

[ChewedGum]

It is very interesting, the link between Orthodox Christian and Islam. There are some ties there which I do not fully understand. I was only made aware of it recently when my inlaws joined the Orthodox church and suddenly became pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel. (I was very surprised but I have seen more and more evidence since then.)

Gum

[perfect stranger]

You got that right!

[Destro]

You are implying that Church is behind it (if this report is true).

[Restorer]

"Although reliable statistics are not available, approximately 50 percent of the population are Sunni Muslim, and approximately 40 percent are Orthodox Christian. The population also includes a small number of Eastern Rite and Roman Catholics (5 percent), Protestants (2 percent), smaller numbers of Seventh-Day Adventists, and fewer than 1,500 members of Jehovah's Witnesses."

http://atheism.about.com/library/irf/irf02/blirf_eritrea.htm

Apparently the Muslims and Orthodox have a working power-sharing agreemment. Also, apparently, religious services are held in an archaic language. Thus the objection to Bibles in a modern language.

[fishbabe]

well,now i know how the dems and their comrades will take care of christian children in this country!!!!!!!