Source: www.MNNonline.org
Date: July 23, 2020
Pakistan (MNN) — Christians in Pakistan face rising pressure. A hate speech video recently went viral, according to International Christian Concern. The video features a Muslim cleric who says Christians have no place in Pakistan and calls upon leaders to “throw them out.”
This viral video may be new, FMI’s Nehemiah* says, but the message is not.
“We are hearing, and we are suffering, such commands from my childhood,” Nehemiah says. The video’s creators have a clear plan and reputation, he adds.
“They are very violent; they are sympathizers of Taliban and Al Qaeda. They tried to enforce Sharia law in Pakistan, and they are the ones who attack Christian villages and Christian people.”
FMI partners with indigenous church planters and disciple-makers to make Christ known in Muslim nations. More about FMI here. Nehemiah oversees the work in Pakistan and is very familiar with this country’s challenges.
See our full coverage of Pakistan.
Believers push past persecution
(Photo courtesy of FMI)
While Pakistan’s constitution ensures religious freedom for all citizens, the government offers little help to religious minorities. The military is in control, and they have little sympathy for non-Muslims. More about that here.
“[The] government is just [a] puppet. When ‘deep state’ is involved in such things, how can they handle people if they are behind [it]?” Nehemiah observes.
A few years ago, “when these groups were rioting all over Pakistan, military guys wearing uniforms [were] giving money to these people who were protesting in the streets.”
Nehemiah says the same “bad actors” are behind the latest anti-Christian videos. Believers may face increasing pressure, but it won’t stop them from sharing the Gospel.
“Many people [say] that Pakistan is a closed country, but I want to tell you countries like Pakistan are [very] fertile lands for evangelism.”
Ask the Lord to protect His followers in Pakistan. Pray for supernatural wisdom and discernment.
“Taliban [and] al Qaeda, they are not just an organization; they are a mindset. You never know [when a] neighbor is having the same mindset,” Nehemiah says.
“They don’t have horns on their head. They’re normal people, but they have that [terrorist] mindset. We need to understand how to handle the situation, and we need to pray for it.”
*– Full name withheld for security purposes.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy obtained via Pexels.