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Journal Chrétien, France
Jan 12 2007
Iran : Seduction and persecution of the Church
- the Church in Iran requires committed prayer support
By Elizabeth Kendal *
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
According to the Shia Islam of Iran, in the end times the
Muslimprophet Jesus will return with the Imam Mahdi, the hidden 12th
Imam -the Shiite Messiah. The Shiite Jesus will worship the Imam
Mahdi andlead the final jihad. As it says in the Quran, '. . . and on
theDay of Resurrection he [Jesus] will bear witness against [those
whoutter the "monstrous falsehood" that Jesus was crucified].'
(Sura4:155-160)
Even though the Muslim Jesus and the biblical Jesus have little in
common and actually oppose each other, President Ahmadinejad went out
of his way to publicly wish Iran's Christians a happy Christmas and
New Year. (See link *) However his message sounded very like an
attempt to seduce them into believing that Shiite Iran is more
Christ-honouring than the 'oppressive powers' in 'Christian states'
which have created havoc in Iraq and ruined Iran's Christmas by
levelling sanctions against it. Then when he met with Armenian
'families of martyrs' on 6 January, Ahmadinejad equated Iran's
Armenians who died in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) with Islamic
martyrs and told the (Christian) Armenians, 'We are all like members
of a single family heading for common goals.'
It is reasonable to infer that Ahmadinejad means to seduce the
official church of ethnic Armenian and Assyrian Christians into
becoming compliant - even grateful - collaborators in exchange for
limited 'privileges'. Ahmadinejad could then appear supportive of the
church and religious liberty in general. And Ahmadinejad needs
friends. Iranian women, students, intelligentsia and trade unionists
are all becoming increasingly courageous in their willingness to risk
their life and liberty to protest the regime's repression and
belligerence. Ahmadinejad's seductive efforts will present the
official church with a painful, watershed choice : collaborate or
share the persecution.
But there is another well-established reality in Iran : Persian
Christianity is unacceptable as it involves conversion from Islam,
which is anathema and impermissible. Christian fellowships that
evangelise Muslims reap the wrath of the Islamic regime. Persecution
escalated dramatically through 2006 under Ahmadinejad's direction. On
10 December 2006 Iranian secret police raided Christian fellowships
in Karaj, Tehran, Rasht and Bandar-i Anzali, confiscating computers,
literature and materials and arresting 15 believers they accused of
evangelism and actions against the national security of Iran. All but
one have since been released after forfeiting money, job permits and
even house deeds as bail.
Reportedly, new government directives will soon place the church even
more under the thumb of the intelligence ministry and security
forces. We can expect further escalation in both seduction and
persecution through 2007 as Ahmadinejad attempts the standard,
age-old Islamic strategy of using the church to persecute the church.
LINK : Ahmadinejad wishes Christians a prosperous New Year
http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx ?ID=News-847295&Lang=E
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR :
God to give Iran's Armenian and Assyrian Christians great spiritual
discernment and wisdom as well as moral clarity and courage so they
will not be deceived, seduced or tempted but will trust God
completely, embracing the call of Christ (Luke 14:27) and the unity
and love found in the body of Christ.
imprisoned house fellowship leader Behrouz Sadegh-Khandjani, that God
will comfort, protect and deliver him as well as enhance his wisdom
and understanding through this trial.
God to protect all Iran's evangelists - from the trained Bible
scholar and career missionary to the humble child sharing their
simple faith with a friend - so the gospel of salvation through the
biblical Jesus can spread across the nation ; may the Holy Spirit
accompany the word and enlighten many hearts.
'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in
him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its
roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes ; its leaves
are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never
fails to bear fruit.' Jeremiah 17:7,8 NIV
-------------------
* Elizabeth Kendal is the Principal Researcher and Writer for the
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
www.worldevangelical.org/rlc.html. This article was initially written
for the WEA RLP(Religious Liberty Prayer) mailing list
http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article 5553
Jan 12 2007
Iran : Seduction and persecution of the Church
- the Church in Iran requires committed prayer support
By Elizabeth Kendal *
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
According to the Shia Islam of Iran, in the end times the
Muslimprophet Jesus will return with the Imam Mahdi, the hidden 12th
Imam -the Shiite Messiah. The Shiite Jesus will worship the Imam
Mahdi andlead the final jihad. As it says in the Quran, '. . . and on
theDay of Resurrection he [Jesus] will bear witness against [those
whoutter the "monstrous falsehood" that Jesus was crucified].'
(Sura4:155-160)
Even though the Muslim Jesus and the biblical Jesus have little in
common and actually oppose each other, President Ahmadinejad went out
of his way to publicly wish Iran's Christians a happy Christmas and
New Year. (See link *) However his message sounded very like an
attempt to seduce them into believing that Shiite Iran is more
Christ-honouring than the 'oppressive powers' in 'Christian states'
which have created havoc in Iraq and ruined Iran's Christmas by
levelling sanctions against it. Then when he met with Armenian
'families of martyrs' on 6 January, Ahmadinejad equated Iran's
Armenians who died in the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) with Islamic
martyrs and told the (Christian) Armenians, 'We are all like members
of a single family heading for common goals.'
It is reasonable to infer that Ahmadinejad means to seduce the
official church of ethnic Armenian and Assyrian Christians into
becoming compliant - even grateful - collaborators in exchange for
limited 'privileges'. Ahmadinejad could then appear supportive of the
church and religious liberty in general. And Ahmadinejad needs
friends. Iranian women, students, intelligentsia and trade unionists
are all becoming increasingly courageous in their willingness to risk
their life and liberty to protest the regime's repression and
belligerence. Ahmadinejad's seductive efforts will present the
official church with a painful, watershed choice : collaborate or
share the persecution.
But there is another well-established reality in Iran : Persian
Christianity is unacceptable as it involves conversion from Islam,
which is anathema and impermissible. Christian fellowships that
evangelise Muslims reap the wrath of the Islamic regime. Persecution
escalated dramatically through 2006 under Ahmadinejad's direction. On
10 December 2006 Iranian secret police raided Christian fellowships
in Karaj, Tehran, Rasht and Bandar-i Anzali, confiscating computers,
literature and materials and arresting 15 believers they accused of
evangelism and actions against the national security of Iran. All but
one have since been released after forfeiting money, job permits and
even house deeds as bail.
Reportedly, new government directives will soon place the church even
more under the thumb of the intelligence ministry and security
forces. We can expect further escalation in both seduction and
persecution through 2007 as Ahmadinejad attempts the standard,
age-old Islamic strategy of using the church to persecute the church.
LINK : Ahmadinejad wishes Christians a prosperous New Year
http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx ?ID=News-847295&Lang=E
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR :
God to give Iran's Armenian and Assyrian Christians great spiritual
discernment and wisdom as well as moral clarity and courage so they
will not be deceived, seduced or tempted but will trust God
completely, embracing the call of Christ (Luke 14:27) and the unity
and love found in the body of Christ.
imprisoned house fellowship leader Behrouz Sadegh-Khandjani, that God
will comfort, protect and deliver him as well as enhance his wisdom
and understanding through this trial.
God to protect all Iran's evangelists - from the trained Bible
scholar and career missionary to the humble child sharing their
simple faith with a friend - so the gospel of salvation through the
biblical Jesus can spread across the nation ; may the Holy Spirit
accompany the word and enlighten many hearts.
'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in
him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its
roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes ; its leaves
are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never
fails to bear fruit.' Jeremiah 17:7,8 NIV
-------------------
* Elizabeth Kendal is the Principal Researcher and Writer for the
World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC)
www.worldevangelical.org/rlc.html. This article was initially written
for the WEA RLP(Religious Liberty Prayer) mailing list
http://www.spcm.org/Journal/spip.php?article 5553