Press release from Open Doors
While the year 2014 will go down in history for having the highest level of global persecution of Christians in the modern era, current conditions suggest the worst is yet to come.
Today, Open Doors released its annual World Watch List, which ranks the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian. This year, the threshold was higher for a country to make the list, indicating that worldwide levels of persecution have increased. Topping the 2015 list for the 13th consecutive year is North Korea. Africa saw the most rapid growth of persecution, while the Middle East saw targeted attacks, resulting in a mass exodus of Christians.
Approximately 100 million Christians are persecuted worldwide, making them one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world. Islamic extremism is the main source of persecution in 40 of the 50 countries on the 2015 World Watch List. While persecution can take many forms, Christians throughout the world risk imprisonment, torture, rape and even death as result of their faith.
“Even Christian-majority states are experiencing unprecedented levels of exclusion, discrimination and violence,” said David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA. “The 2015 World Watch List reveals that a staggering number of Christians are becoming victims of intolerance and violence because of their faith. They are being forced to be more secretive about their faith.”
2 Comments. Leave new
Everybody prays (well, most people say they do anyway.) But you can give actual real tangible help to the persecuted Christians and their survivor families at :
http://www.persecution.org/. Charity Navigator rating of 4 stars (Very good)
Christians are persecuted. Muslims are persecuted. Jews are persecuted. Kurds are persecuted. Hindus are persecuted. Even atheists are persecuted. Why don’t we just say people and religions are persecuted and part of it depends on where in the world it is taking place. Perhaps we are on “the eve of destruction.”