The cross, of course, is the universally recognized symbol of Christianity. And the Judeo-Christian tradition has been a wellspring of the values of the West and America, values so hated by al-Qaida, other Islamist extremists and atheistic, authoritarian regimes like the one in North Korea. That’s worth remembering this Easter, the holiest holiday of Christianity, because Christians around the world — more than 100 million by one estimate — face oppression, imprisonment, violence and murder. This persecution has been occurring for years and is finally getting the attention it deserves from world leaders. Pope Francis has likened today’s victims to the faith’s early martyrs and said that “this injustice must be denounced and eliminated.” Alarmed that “around the world freedom of religion is under threat,” President Barack Obama declared that “promoting religious freedom is a key objective of U.S. foreign policy.” While this suffering only occasionally gets a newspaper headline or mention in the evening newscast, several individuals and organizations have worked tirelessly to make sure that the widespread persecution of Christians will not pass unnoticed.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 17:47:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015