Sadly, this morning, I woke up to news about a Christian couple in Pakistan. They had been burnt alive. Why? Because someone in the community accused them of burning pages of the Quran.

Read my article about the incident.

They were accused by someone in the community who happened to be Muslim  and didn’t like Christians.  Seems like a legit case right? I mean, certainly, it must be true.

It doesn’t matter that no one can confirm.  It doesn’t matter that if it happened, it was a mistake (the woman was cleaning out the house of her dead father-in-law).  The should die. Horrifically.

And they don’t even deserve to be arrested and tried.  It’s all about vigilante justice.

And according to Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, they should be killed. Section 295-C of their penal code requires the death penalty for…

use
of derogatory remarks etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet: – 
by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by
any imputation innuendo, or insinuation, directly, defiles the sacred
name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

DOES THIS NOT SEEM INSANE TO ANYONE ELSE?!?!?!?!

If you break the law either on purpose or by accident, you are sent to death!!! Even if all you did was speak a few words? We aren’t talking about murder, rape, or anything heinous like that. And any Muslim can enact “justice” on any religious minority and it’s ok?!?!

I am completely enraged this morning.  Blasphemy laws are not new to those in Muslim countries or advocates/researchers in persecution/human rights.  But there are some days where you just cannot contain your rage.  Today is that day.

There are 20 people on death row for charges of blasphemy. Those are the ones legally charged and convicted.   One of these is Asia Bibi, who I have written about.

But this does not include the people who are beaten, tortured, raped, kidnapped, killed, etc without engaging the legal system. You can’t count those people there are so many. And the police watch, they don’t help.

In fact, it appears that many in the mainstream media aren’t even reporting this properly. The Christian sources on the ground report the couple was burned alive, while the media outlets that get their info from government sources (specifically the police) report that the couple was beat to death then their bodies burnt. I have to say that I tend to go with the sources on the ground.  Good investigative reporters from Agenzia Fides (well respected) and Christian newspapers in Pakistan.  I mean seriously, are the police going to admit that they stood around and watched a couple get burned to death? I don’t think so. And the big government doesn’t want any more publicity on the subject.  It’s already got its hands tied with Asia Bibi’s case.

And don’t be fooled. Pakistan is not the only place with these laws and customs (I can’t believe this qualifies as a custom). There are many countries that practice this.

Christians are usually the target of these laws and customs. However, they are also used against other religious minorities such as Siekhs, Hindus, Ahmaddis, and smaller sects of Islam.  However, the majority of “cases” are against Christians.

So what can we do?

Of course we need to stand up in defense of these people.  We need to demand that blasphemy laws be repealed. But most importantly, we need to pray.

As I delve further into this issue of Christian persecution, and as I read about End Time events, I have come to the conclusion that persecution will always be there.  Those that are being persecuted need our prayers. They need prayers for strength and that their witness will reach people for Christ.  We need to pray for those that are persecuting them.

Whew, that’s a hard one. Trust me, I’m eating my own crow pie on that one.  It’s pretty hard to pray for those that are beheading our spiritual family.  For those that are burning them alive, torturing them, killing the children, and worse.

But God calls us to do just that.  He tells us to pray for those that persecute us.

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

As we are one in Christ, when one of us suffers, we all suffer.  Those that persecute our brothers and sisters in Christ are persecuting us as well. And we need to pray for them.  Pray that they will receive the testimonies of our brothers/sisters.  That they will come to a saving faith in Christ.

Our brothers/sisters depend on us for that. They need our prayers to help them carry out their mission.

So yes, be outraged. Yes, petition. Yes, advocate.

But most importantly, pray. Pray, pray, pray.

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