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Zatímco se zprávy soustředí na Taliban a infiltraci al-Kajdy podél afgánské hranice s Pákistánem, děje se na této hranici i něco pozitivnějšího. V Afganistanu se šíří zpráva o Ježíši Kristu. Před svržením Talibanu nesměli Afgánci v této zemi otevřeně vyznávat Krista. Dnes, po návratu 2 milionů uprchlíků, jich hodně nalezlo Krista, když žili daleko od domova v Pákistánu, Uzbekistánu, Tádžikistánu, Indii, Evropě a Americe. Většina těchto afgánských věřících slyšela poprvé evangelium z úst odvážných misionářů v Pákistánu. Někteří mluví o snech, ve kterých se jim zjevil Kristus a dal se jim poznat jako „pravda“. Pro Afgánce je zcela přirozené mluvit o Bohu, protože jako muslimové jsou si vědomi Boží existence. Tisíce Afgánců, kteří emigrovali do USA, si stěžují, že sotva najdou někoho, s kým by mohli mluvit o Bohu. (Mission Insider) |
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ATROCITIES AGAINST CHRISTIANS OCCUR DAILY IN MYANMAR, CSW SAYS
Children from Christian families in Myanmar (Burma) between the ages of 5
and 10 have been lured from their homes and placed in Buddhist monasteries.
Once taken in, their heads were shaved, and they are being trained as novice
monks, never to see their parents again. In a visit to the Burmese Chin and
Kachin refugees in India earlier this month, Christian Solidarity Worldwide
(CSW) heard these accounts along with those of cultural genocide and
religious persecution and discrimination. The Burmese regime's forces offer
incentives to impoverished villagers to convert from Christianity to
Buddhism in Chin state, an area that is 90 percent Christian. Mountaintop
crosses have been destroyed and villagers forced to build Buddhist pagodas
in their place, often having to contribute finances and labor. Forced labor,
a serious human rights violation, reportedly occurs on a "daily basis."
Torture is used regularly against political detainees. (Christian Solidarity
Worldwide)
VIOLENCE IN UZBEKISTAN BECOMES GROWING CONCERN FOR BELIEVERS
In Uzbekistan, extremists wanting an Islamic state are being blamed for
suicide bombings, kidnappings and other violence. These attacks, however,
aren't a surprise to Bible Mission International's Mark Reimschisel. "We
know that folks in this part of the world have been stirred up by the
obvious conflict in Iraq. We just know that this is a real hotspot, because
it's kind of flushed some of the extremists out of the other hotspots and
into this area. It's not something new, but could have serious consequences
for us." While this may be a backlash to Western Christian influence,
Reimschisel believes BMI's work should be fairly protected. "We've made a
choice as a mission that we would not be involved there using a lot of
Western people. And for that reason we did training with the nationals so
that if the Westerners were expelled from the country, our work would
continue." (Mission Network News)
* HCJB World Radio airs weekly Uzbek broadcasts to Uzbekistan via shortwave.
An estimated 15 million Uzbek-speaking people are within range of the
broadcasts. Uzbek is also one of four languages that HCJB World Radio airs
to Afghanistan from an AM station outside the country.
IRAQ'S INTERIM CONSTITUTION PROVIDES UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT
Iraq's interim constitution, known as the Transitional Administrative Law
(TAL), signed on March 8, has given unexpected encouragement to Christians
and other religious minorities. The document states, "Each Iraqi has the
right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religious belief and practice.
Coercion in such matters shall be prohibited. The document also states that
Islam is to be considered "a source of legislation" rather than "the source
of legislation." The document also "guarantees the full religious rights of
all individuals to freedom of religious belief and practice." However, these
encouraging points are tempered by another statement that reads, "No law
that contradicts the universally agreed tenets of Islam . . . may be
enacted." Religious minorities fear this statement could be used to argue
against the freedoms that apparently have been granted to non-Muslims. Some
schools of Islamic law agree that an adult male Muslim who converts to
another faith should be killed. This would seem to be a commonly agreed
tenet of Islam contradictory to the guarantee of freedom of religious belief
and practice. How these opposing statements will be reconciled remains to be
seen. The TAL is expected to be in force until sometime in 2005 when it will
be replaced by a permanent constitution. (Barnabas Fund)
TURKMENISTAN'S PRESIDENT BARS MUSLIMS FROM OPENING NEW MOSQUES
Muslims, Turkmenistan's largest religious community, appear to have been
barred from benefiting from the promised easing of the strict religion law
that has prevented most of the country's religious communities from
registering since 1997. "Do not build any more mosques," President
Saparmurat Niyazov told officials of the government's Gengeshi (Council) for
Religious Affairs on Monday, March 29, insisting that its officials must
continue to appoint all mullahs and control mosque funds. More than half the
250 registered mosques were stripped of their legal status in 1997, and only
140 have registration today. Shia mosques appear likely to remain banned.
Meanwhile, members of the Russian Orthodox Church, the country's only other
"legal faith," hope to register new parishes following a recent presidential
decree and amendments to the country's religion law that eased the
restrictions. (Forum 18 News Service)
RETURNING AFGHAN REFUGEES READY TO SHARE NEWFOUND FAITH
While news reports have focused on Taliban and al-Qaida infiltration along
Afghanistan's frontier with Pakistan, a happier use is also being made of
the porous border. The message of Jesus Christ is spreading in Afghanistan.
Before the Taliban was toppled, no Afghans could confess Christ openly in
that country. Today, after the return of 2 million refugees, many have found
Christ while away from home in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India,
Europe and America. Most of these Afghan believers first heard the gospel
from courageous native missionaries in Pakistan. Some report having dreams
in which Christ appeared to them and revealed Himself as the truth. It is
natural for Afghans to talk about God because as strict Muslims, they are a
very "God-conscious people." Thousands of Afghans who have immigrated to
America often complain that they can seldom find people in the U.S. who want
to talk about God. (Missions Insider)
ACTOR, EVANGELIST TEAM UP TO TEACH BELIEVERS HOW TO SHARE CHRIST
A well-known actor is trying to encourage and equip Christians to share
their faith effectively. Kirk Cameron starred in the hit TV series "Growing
Pains" (1985-1992), a family situation comedy. More recently, Cameron has
become known for his starring role in the cinematic "Left Behind" thrillers.
The 33-year-old actor came to Christ when he was 18, but says he never
learned the principles of biblical witnessing -- at least not until he was
introduced to evangelist Ray Comfort. Now Cameron and Comfort have teamed up
in an evangelism training ministry that produces a course called, The Way of
the Master. This training program uses God's law to show people their need
for the grace and redemption available in Christ. It helps people to see
themselves as sinners in need of forgiveness and salvation. Cameron says
modern Christianity often fails to place enough emphasis on the laws of God,
instead allowing "seeker-sensitive" tactics to supplant the basics of
Christianity. The Way of the Master ministry offers numerous evangelism and
training resources through a television show and an interactive website.
(Religion Today/AgapePress)
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Zprávy HCJB 2.4.2004
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