John R. Houk
© March 11, 2014
This news on the persecution of Pakistani-Christians is a bit of an update from the post “High-handed Leadership”. There are tidbits of new information in the whole article; however the portion I placed in bold print is information not found in “High-handed Leadership”.
Friends there is persecution of Christians in Muslim dominated nations. In the West only now there has been a trickle of information coming to our ears of places like the Coptics in Egypt and other Eastern Rite Churches in Syria and Iraq. BUT STILL we hear little about the persecution that has been ongoing for decades now of Pakistani-Christians.
One case that has gained notoriety in the USA the incarceration of Asia (also Aasia) Bibi for the accusation of breaking Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law in June 2009. Asia Bibi has languished in jail to this day in 2014 and has faced a death sentence for a conviction. Here is a good excerpt of her so-called nefarious crime:
I, Asia Bibi, have been sentenced to death because I was thirsty. I’m a prisoner because I used the same cup as those Muslim women, because water served by a Christian woman was regarded as unclean by my stupid fellow fruit-pickers.
Picking fruit with a group of Muslim women, Bibi was ordered to fetch water for them – and drank a bit of it herself in the stifling heat. A Muslim woman rebuked her for doing so, saying to the other women: “Listen, all of you, this Christian has dirtied the water in the well by drinking from our cup and dipping it back several times. Now the water is unclean and we can’t drink it! Because of her!”
Bibi stood up to her, responding: “I think Jesus would see it differently from Mohammed.” That drove the Muslim women into a fury, and they started yelling at Bibi: “How dare you think for the Prophet, you filthy animal!” That’s right, you’re just a filthy Christian! You’ve contaminated our water and now you dare speak for the Prophet! Stupid bitch, your Jesus didn’t even have a proper father, he was a bastard, don’t you know that. You should convert to Islam to redeem yourself for your filthy religion.”
The embattled woman stood her ground, responding: “I’m not going to convert. I believe in my religion and in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of mankind. What did your Prophet Mohammed ever do to save mankind? And why should it be me that converts instead of you?”
Several days later, she was arrested for blasphemy as an enraged mob beat her and screamed, “Death! Death to the Christian!” She has been in prison ever since, awaiting execution for her “crime.” (The Hypocrisy of the Western Christian Response to Muslim Persecution of Christians; By ROBERT SPENCER; PJ Media; 1/6/14)
Can you imagine the hysteria in 21st century USA if a Black person was beat up for drinking out of a White’s only water fountain? That kind of junk was the height of prejudicial discrimination in the American post-Civil War South that – Thank God – the Civil Rights movement ended that. Asia Bibi has been in the slammer in Pakistan since 2009 living on thin ice wondering if an execution or a pardon will come her way. You have to realize though, the American media has forgotten Asia Bibi. You only hear of Asia these days via Christian anti-persecution organizations and the less read media sources such as PJ Media which I excerpted above. (Voice of the Martyrs’ Persecution Blog seems to be following Asia Bibi. As of this writing the latest update there in 2/12/14. If click HERE you can go to a VOM link that is tagged Asia Bibi.)
The next most notable case making headlines in the USA was the Blasphemy charge against a young Pakistani girl named Rimsha Masih (Shamim Masih was involved in reporting this case).
In 2012, Rimsha Masih, a young Christian girl, was arrested for alleged blasphemy in Islamabad.
The case provoked international concern because of her age, estimated at 14, and because she was variously described as “uneducated” or suffering from Down’s syndrome.
The charges against here were eventually thrown out and last June she fled to Canada with her family. (British man sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan; By AFP; Engineering Evil cross posted from The Telegraph; 1/24/14)
Rimsha and family fled to Canada to escape Islamic Supremacist retribution. The village she lived at in Pakistan is a typical occurrence in Pakistan that almost never receives media attention in the USA; viz. Rimsha’s Christian home town fled to wherever they could hide in Pakistan for being a community that had a person accused of blaspheming living there.
Release partners say that Christians forced to flee from their homes during the Rimsha Masih (also known as Rimsha Misrik) blasphemy row are still homeless – and increasingly desperate.
Between 800 and 1,000 families from Mehrabad are still living in tents or makeshift shelters in a forest area near Islamabad, more than a year after fleeing their homes. They lack even basic services such as water and fear officials may soon move them on.
Release sources say the Christians still fear retaliatory attacks from Islamist extremists enraged by the blasphemy accusations made against Rimsha, a teenager with learning difficulties, in August 2012. (PAKISTAN – CHRISTIANS IN RIMSHA’S VILLAGE STILL HOMELESS AND FEARFUL; Release - voice of persecuted Christians; 11/20/13)
Shamim Masih tackles the extreme injustice Pakistani-Christians face on a daily basis. Shamim shares the Good News of Jesus Christ, acts in a ministry basis in charity work, he is a journalist AND importantly Shamim has stepped into the hazardous role of being a Christian activist in the Sharia Law ruled Pakistan.
Below Shamim’s article is some information on how you can support the work that Shamim does which is risky business. Please consider sending him some money to help pay the bills while he does the work that even many Missionaries from the USA are loathe to do.
JRH 3/11/14
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No More Worship Place for Pagan
Under Construction Church Bulldozed
By Shamim Masih
Sent 3/10/2014 12:30 AM
ISLAMABAD: Islamic invaders are so strong in Pakistan that they sometime challenge the government; Lal Masjid operation is one of the big examples in the Capital. Since General Zia brought in rules and regulations which were supposed to bring Pakistani law more in tune with the Sharia, or at least the Sharia as interpreted by him and his cohorts; these laws, which included the infamous blasphemy law, had a long term impact on Pakistan’s minorities. Since then there has been a steady rise in incidents involving attacks on Christians. Persecution and attacks on religious minorities on a regular basis is being reported. Christians of Chak ¾ -L, Okara Pakistan had started construction of Church on the land donated by Akber Masih (Christian resident) of the area. They had hardly constructed walls and at the main gate they placed the sign of CROSS. As soon as soon as the Muslims saw the cross, Islamic invaders came and bulldozed the under construction church. They used a tractor to pull down the boards that held sacred Bible verses. Human rights activists intervene and lodged an FIR with police under section 295-A and 506 – B against the culprits.
Sohail Johnson, chairman Sharing Life Ministries Pakistan talking on the phone said that the invaders backing up the local politician have not been arrested so far. He reported that Mehr Abdul Sittar, ex-candidate for provisional assembly from Pakistan People’s Party - PPP has a strong hold in the area and protecting the accused. He said that Saif Ullah Doger, DCO has assured to arrest culprits and to bring them before the court but nothing is being done so far. Instead officials threaten the local Christians. He urged the local government to take strict action against them; he demands the officials to take concrete steps to ensure protection of minorities in the country.
Meanwhile Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, president PCC sent a team of his group to look into the matter. The PCC team reached there and will report to him the progress made and necessary action taken. PCC chief said that Pakistan is going through a crucial time; in this situation such hate crimes weaken the foundations of Unity, faith and deplane; the core values of the founding father.
Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih
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Christians Persecuted in Pakistan – Shamim Masih Reports
John R. Houk
© March 11, 2014
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No More Worship Place for Pagan
Edited by John R. Houk
© Shamim Masih
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Human Rights Activist
Snapshot of Human Rights Activism from 2011
Christian Rights Activist
Freelance Journalist
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