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Romans 8:31

"If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Page 2 - Modern Christian Persecution

Still Under Fire

           When most people think of Christian persecution, they picture ancient Rome or medieval history. But the persecution of followers of Christ is not a relic of the past. It is happening right now. According to Open Doors, an organization that tracks and supports Christian persecution worldwide, more than 360 million Christians around the world face high levels of persecution and discrimination today. That is around one in seven Christians on the planet. The number of countries ranked as conducting or participating in extreme or very high Christian persecution has risen from 23 in 2015, to 55 in 2023, According to Open Doors.

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Nigeria-The Most Violent Place For Christians

           No country on Earth sheds more Christian blood than Nigeria. In northern Nigeria, 12 states have implemented Islamic law and conversion from Islam is severely punished. On top of that, violent Islamic millitant terror groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Provice known as the ISWAP, targets followers of Jesus and takes any properties owned by Christians. In 2023, 82% of Christians killed for faith related reasons worldwide were killed in Nigeria. The violence in Nigeria is relentless, and it is organized. Boko Haram, meaning "Western education is a sin," has orchestrated numerous atrocities including the killing of tens of thousands of civillians the displacement of more than 2.5 million people and the destruction of churches, schools, and communities across Nigeria's northeast. In early 2025 Boko Haram launched a coordinated attack on multiple Christian villages burning homes, lighting churches on fire, and killing civillians while demanding that survivors convert to Islam or face death. Eyewitnesses described fleeing in the middle of the night with nothing. One farmer said "We are living in fear."

             In Iran, leaving Islam to become a Christian isn't just socially unacceptable, it is illegal. "Apostasy", or abandoning Islam, can carry the death penalty under Iranian law. Iran is ranked 9th on the 2024 Open Doors Watch list. In Iran, converts are the most vunerable as house churches are raided, followed by arrests and interrogations, pressuring converts to inform on other believers. Most will face long term imprisonment typically under charges of breach of national security. The conditions in these prisions are some of the worst in the world and bail sums are extremely high.

            China's persecution of Christians is more dystopian and authoritarian than Nigeria or Iran. It is quieter and more bureaucratic. More than 10,000 churches were closed in China in 2024 alone according to Open Doors. The government has rolled out regulations requiring churches to display signs reading "Love the Communist Party, love the country, love the religion." More Chrisitans in China feared online surviellance and real life surviellance than in previous years according to Open Doors. Christians are required to register on a state controlled app just to attend a church service. The message from the CCP is clear; you may follow Christ, but only where and when the government permits.

             Finally, there is North Korea which is ranked number one on the Open Doors World Watch List for over two decades straight. Inside of North Korea, simply owning a bible is illegal and will cost you your life. Christians are sent to blacksite labor camps or killed in public on the spot. Being discovered as a follower of Christ is a death sentence for those who have somehow gotten their hands on a restricted bible. Belivers in North Korea meet in groups so small that even a single informant means imprisonment for an entire family. And yet, estimates put the Christian population of North Korea, a nation with the population of 26.6 million people, at only 12,000 to 13,000 people.

Iran

China

Iran

China 

North Korea

North Korea

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