The Roman arena where Christians may be thrown at the lion has long gone. But the suffering and methods have changed, but this does not mean that such persecution is over. In fact, it has been massacred all over the world by Muslims (often jihadists) over the past 20 years. One of the worst murder areas is Nigeria, with around 52,250 Christians being killed between 2009 and 2023 alone, according to the International Association for the Rule of Law. Holy Week did not mean a break from this unclean phenomenon. Fifty-one Christians were killed in Nigeria just hours after Palm Sunday.
This is religious persecution – some will say it is genocide – the mainstream media generally do not report it.
Impurity – and unprecedented
The Washington Stand presents recent stories, places human faces on them, provides backgrounds, and writes.
It didn't matter how firm she slept, Saramatsu woke up at 2am each night. It was the same time a few months ago that Boko Haram plunged into her village and rewritten her future forever.
For Saramatsu, terrorism was a way of life. In the previous wave of violence, jihadists flocked to Nigerian churches and shot pastors in cold blood. Then she says quietly, they came for her family. “My husband said we should pray,” Saramatsu remembers the horrifying night. “We said a short prayer and then said, 'Amen.' “Amen,” he said, and immediately heard people pulling the handles of our gates. “Suddenly, her husband led her, her children and grandchildren upstairs. “I won't cry,” he told them. “Don't make a noise, even if you hear a gunshot.” He went outside to face an armed man, which was the last time he saw him alive.
The militants jumped over the fence and fired at the husband he was standing in – killing him instantly. He was one of six victims that night and one of hundreds who were slaughtered every month on bloody farmland in Nigeria. Just last weekend, 51 people were massacred in an early morning attack on Bassa's community, when the world stopped to observe Palm on Sunday.
No help comes
Tragically, the massacre never ends. The official response seems to range from perhaps even accomplice to indifference. As the stand notifies:
Even the landscape is wounded by fear. In seven main Christian regions, the houses became tiled and ashes. The attackers destroy everything in their path, loot and launch a fire across the entire systemic genocide region the government sees but does nothing.
Watchdog organization Opendoors adds more details.
Nigerian organizations now provide help and support solely for Christians to be discriminated against. “Everyone got a coupon to collect food,” says Saramatu. “But when they discovered we were Christians, we didn't receive the coupon.
“There was a Muslim woman whose name was displayed on the list three times. She received three coupons and at least I was able to collect food.
After this second attack, Salamatu, her children and grandchildren had no choice but to leave the house. They placed them among the 16.2 million Christians displaced in sub-Saharan Africa due to violence and conflict. Most of the villagers have not returned…
(“M) Our OST doesn't want to go back (saramatsu says). Boko Haram lets us know that if we come back we will be murdered.”
Sadly, old stories
Many people know that Islamic jihad is nothing new, but most may not understand how long its history actually is. For example, parts of the world are less related to Islam than in the Middle East. The reality is that Christianity was the dominant religion in the region, and by the 400s in North Africa (at the time there were more Christians in North Africa than in Europe).
Shortly after the birth of Islam (622), the jihadist forces conquered these old Christian lands. Known as the “early Islamic conquest” (632-750), they created a Muslim empire that stretches from the Atlantic to Central Asia in just 118 years. In fact, Muslims were pushed up to Europe and by 732 they had arrived within 125 miles of Paris.
And it was a later invasion of Europe, which ultimately affected the often confused crusaders. These events, although complicated, were essentially defensive behaviours designed to stem the attacks of jihadists.
A more recent related example of jihad's success is Lebanon. It was a majority Christian state at the time of independence (1943). However, this has changed as a result of Muslim migration, promoted by external forces and war.
Conclusion
The conclusion was that in 2002, “In the time of Mohammed, the means of expanding Muslims was always the sword,” wrote Professor Thomas F. Madden, a professor of history. Muslim, Christian and Jewish nations must be destroyed, and their lands must be conquered. ”
Will Nigeria have around 52% and 47% of Christians of Muslims heading the Lebanese path? Certainly, the sword may not have the ability to reason properly, but it is very convincing.
Of course, if Christians are universally armed, they may think they can protect themselves. However, Nigeria has difficulty obtaining a gun license, and it must be difficult for rural villagers to acquire a firearm. This does not stop jihadists from often arming with military-grade weapons. (This raises the question: Who is funding them?)
Hopefully this power imbalance will be improved. After all, as GK Chesterton stated, “War is not the 'best way to solve the difference'. It is the only way to prevent them from being calm for you. ”
In Nigeria and elsewhere, Christian differences have been resolved for too long. And trading “for” for and “by” can be the difference between life and death.
Addendum: For those interested, the following CBN News segment outlines Christian persecution in Nigeria.
