Where is the Righteous Indignation for Christian Persecution?

If a million deaths are a statistic (i.e., abortion in America), while a suicidal death is a tragedy (i.e. drug overdosing actors), then what is the genocide of Christians by militant Muslims all over the world?  Not even news worthy among mainstream news outlets.  And where is the U.S. government in protecting the religious liberty of U.S. citizens as provided by our U.S. Constitution?  The Obama Administration … who has the responsibility of enforcing our laws … is AWOL!  Let me sight a few examples.

 

Just last week (6 Jun), I posted an extensive blog on the plight of Meriam Ibrahim, a Christian woman, who was sentenced by a Sudanese court (under Shariah Law) to 100-lashes prior to her being hanged. Her crimes? – “apostasy” (for being a Christian) and “adultery” (for marrying a Christian man). [read the 6 Jun blog posting for more information]

 

Stop!  Listen!  Can you hear the outrage from American feminists. No!  But poor Sandra Fluke can be heard defending ObamaCare for her birth control pills? Meriam Ibrahim’s situation is a “war on women” that feminists and politicians should get behind!

 

Since President Obama famously told us that America is no more exceptional than any other country, thus placing all nations on the same moral plain, U.S. diplomats might be reluctant to make a big push here for fear of appearing culturally judgmental. Yet, Obama’s bombing Libya without congressional approval … resulting in Muslim rebels that brought down Egypt’s Mubarak regime or aiding rebels trying to overthrow Syria’s government are okay.

 

What’s this administration doing in response to Muslims in the Central African Republic who stormed a Catholic church in the capital city of Bangui last week and massacred at least 30-people?  A Washington Times article notes that “members of the Seleka rebel coalition looted, raped and killed Christians upon seizing control of Bangui last year.”

 

Or how about in Nigeria, where the Muslim group Boko Haram has kidnapped 275-schoolgirls targeted for their Christian faith and threatening to sell them as slaves?  [read the details in my 12 May blog posting]  At least a Tweet from First Lady Michelle Obama asked – “#Bring Back Our Girls.” Over the last 2-years, Boko Haram, which means, “western education is evil,” has burned churches and schools and raped, tortured and killed thousands of Christians; yet, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would not declare Boko Haram as a terrorist group.

 

Or how about in Iran, pastor Saeed Abedini, a 33-year old Idaho resident, serving 8-years in prison for the crime of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity. [read my blog posting of 24 Feb]  His wife Naghmeh and their two children still reside in Idaho. She has been to Washington and to the United Nations, lobbying for his release.  Hospitalized (recently) for “treatment of life-threatening injuries, including internal bleeding sustained from frequent beatings by prison guards,” according to Fox News, Mr. Abedini managed on April 20 to get out an Easter message, which read in part: “Jesus said to His Disciples: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’. (Matthew 16:24)” The courageous Mr. Abedini is bearing a cross that few would carry.

 

Over the last decade, about 1-million of that war-scarred nation’s 1.5 million Christians have fled Iraq to other countries. Some of them settled in Syria, where they have become targets of al-Qaeda-allied rebel factions. Open Doors, which documents religious persecution, reports that 14 of the 15 most oppressive countries persecuting Christians are Muslim majority nations. The 15th is communist North Korea.  [read my 18 Nov blog about 80-people being executed for possessing a Bible]

 

As Christians are massacred daily across the world by Muslim terrorists, we have heard very little from a White House that badgers us almost daily about “tolerance.”

 

Clearly, it’s up to us as fellow Christians to make sure that people like Meriam Ibrahim, Saaed Abedini, and the growing list of victims are not forgotten and that many prayers are lifted on their behalf.  Why?  Because Christians … like the American soldier … leaves no one behind.  It’s a shame this administration will rescue a deserter and do nothing for persecuted U.S. citizens whose civil right to freely exercise their religion is denied them.

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel