Uncovering the Persecution of Christians Worldwide

When people today talk of discrimination and bigotry, anti-Christian discrimination is not usually the first subject to be mentioned. In fact, it often isn’t mentioned at all, and this contributes to the general ignorance regarding this problem. There are indeed many parts of the world in which Christians are still jailed and abused for their beliefs. So, let’s take a brief survey of the evidence and try to peel back the curtain on this growing problem.

This Is Not A Problem Of The Past

When most people hear of anti-Christian persecutions, they will think of the Roman Empire throwing Christians to the lions. However, many are of the opinion that anti-Christian persecution is worse today than it was during those early days. The current pope is among those who have expressed this opinion.

How Much Is It Really Happening?

We need to get our heads around the scope of the problem. So, let’s ask the question: How frequently does anti-Christian persecution actually occur? Let’s start with some statistics from 2022. These statistics came from a private group called Open Doors, and they are quite alarming.

By their estimates, somewhere between 312 and 360 million Christians worldwide live under severe persecution in their home countries. This group would include approximately 1/7 of the world’s Christians. If you live in Africa, where jihadist groups have often targeted Christian settlements for extermination, that number increases to 1/5. Unfortunately, the numbers for Asia are even worse, with two out of every five Christians suffering severe persecution and/or discrimination.

Finally, we should look at their statistics regarding the murder of Christians worldwide. Obviously, these numbers only include cases where people were directly murdered for their Christian beliefs. They say that 2023 (so far) has seen 5,621 killings, 2,110 church attacks, and 4,542 unjust detainments.

Specific Acts Of Persecution By Country

According to the information we have so far, Christian persecution is centered in particular countries. So, let’s look at the three worst cases to give you a better idea of where things stand.

Afghanistan

North Korea formerly topped the list, but Afghanistan has now become the most dangerous place for Christians worldwide. Obviously, this has a lot to do with the leadership of the Taliban, which has always been a government of old jihadists. As such, they enforce an extremely harsh version of Islamic law on their people.

Since the US pulled out of Afghanistan, the Taliban has returned to power, and persecution of Christians has resumed. Many thousands have fled the country, and those who remained are routinely hunted down and killed. This happens because Islamic law (AKA Sharia) prescribes death for those who leave Islam.

North Korea

North Korea is now the second-worst offender, with 50-70,000 Christians living in forced labor camps. North Korea’s leadership considers Christians to be a threat to the state and to the established order, and they are treated with ruthless cruelty. Whole families (including small children) have been imprisoned for life merely for expressing Christian beliefs or possessing Christian literature.

Somalia

Somalia is number three on the list, and that is mostly due to the activities of an Al-Qaeda affiliate group that operates in the country. This group is called Al-Shabaab and they are considered to be one of the worst terror groups in the world today. Somalia is about 99% Muslim, with only a few hundred Christians remaining. Most of them have been forced out of the country or killed after years of jihadist violence. Once again, this mostly results from the fact that Muhammed commanded death for those who leave Islam.

Conclusion

This short article is not nearly long enough to cover the staggering multitude of violent and discriminatory acts which have been committed against Christians worldwide. Unfortunately, certain individuals and groups have stirred up a lot of anger against Christians in recent years, exploiting political issues to fuel the anger until it becomes hatred. We hope that you have come to understand just how many Christians have to live with the constant fear of discrimination, abuse, or even death. Until people stop turning a blind eye to this problem, it will only continue to get worse.