Why do so many Christians suffer?

[My King and Lord]

Greetings my brothers and sisters. I want to ask a question that has been on my mind for a while. Sorry if I ask a lot of questions, that is how I am. Why do so many Christians around the world suffer? Christians are the most persecuted group today and it is actually a fact. Not that only Christians suffer, but they are the most targeted and people don't seem to know what is going on. I read many articles and watched stories of these persecutions. One of them was a 14 year old Coptic girl who was ganged raped. The people were never caught or punished. And another one on a coptic girl. She had a rough childhood and moved to Alexandria. One night she was dragged into a car by 5 men and raped. She escaped, but the small coptic cross tattoed on her wrist was burned off with acid and she was impregnated. Another was a video. It was in Northern Nigeria I believe it was a car driving by and there were many dead christians, the whole village was gone. I watched a video on this Indonesian man who secretly convert to Christianity from Islam. Another story, it was very sad. A somali militia went into a Christian village and shot then beheaded a kids father. And I watched a video, a very gruesome video. It was a young Syrian child seeing the remains of his father, under a collapsed building, after an airstrike. But because these happen in third world nations no one cares. It's just "eveyday for them." Why would the Lord let those Coptic girls live with those awful rape experiences for the rest of their lives? They weren't even killed, it's forever in their mind, never leaving it. Why doesn't someone do some about this? Why is it only ignored when it happens in a non western nation? Why does no one hear their suffering? Christianity is slowly declining in the Middle East, its birthplace. A century ago the Christian population was 25% in the region. Now its 5%. Christianity already died out in the maghreb, anatolia, mesopotamia, china, persia, and it killed itself in the western world. Now the most holy places are slowly declining and it will be history. Why do people have to do this stuff? What did they ever do wrong? We truly are blessed in the west and unfortunately many people become atheist and take that for granted. I just wish I can help though, I don't feel comfortable knowing many people part of our family is suffering. I am not old enough to go to these placss and help them though nor do I have the money and resources.

Key findings on global rise in religious restrictions in 2016
Christians are the world's most-persecuted religion -- here's how they react under fire
Persecution | Your bridge to the persecuted

 

[timewerx]

Because the more affluent Christians don't care, don't even try to help them.

The put all their money on expensive mortgages, car loans, cruise, leisure, retirement plans, hobbies, sports.

YES, the BIBLE clearly tells those with resources should help them - the lack of this fruit is also a lack of love for God.

This is NOT God's lack of action but rather the lack of true belief and true faith by those who profess being Christians.

 

[crossnote]

Satan uses the unbelievers to carry out his dastardly deeds against God’s people.

Revelation 12:9,11,13,17 NASBS
[9] And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. [11] And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. [13] And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. [17] So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Galatians 4:29 NASB
[29] But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.

 

[Sketcher]

Greetings my brothers and sisters. I want to ask a question that has been on my mind for a while. Sorry if I ask a lot of questions, that is how I am. Why do so many Christians around the world suffer? Christians are the most persecuted group today and it is actually a fact. Not that only Christians suffer, but they are the most targeted and people don't seem to know what is going on. I read many articles and watched stories of these persecutions. One of them was a 14 year old Coptic girl who was ganged raped. The people were never caught or punished. And another one on a coptic girl. She had a rough childhood and moved to Alexandria. One night she was dragged into a car by 5 men and raped. She escaped, but the small coptic cross tattoed on her wrist was burned off with acid and she was impregnated. Another was a video. It was in Northern Nigeria I believe it was a car driving by and there were many dead christians, the whole village was gone. I watched a video on this Indonesian man who secretly convert to Christianity from Islam. Another story, it was very sad. A somali militia went into a Christian village and shot then beheaded a kids father. And I watched a video, a very gruesome video. It was a young Syrian child seeing the remains of his father, under a collapsed building, after an airstrike. But because these happen in third world nations no one cares. It's just "eveyday for them." Why would the Lord let those Coptic girls live with those awful rape experiences for the rest of their lives? They weren't even killed, it's forever in their mind, never leaving it. Why doesn't someone do some about this? Why is it only ignored when it happens in a non western nation? Why does no one hear their suffering? Christianity is slowly declining in the Middle East, its birthplace. A century ago the Christian population was 25% in the region. Now its 5%. Christianity already died out in the maghreb, anatolia, mesopotamia, china, persia, and it killed itself in the western world. Now the most holy places are slowly declining and it will be history. Why do people have to do this stuff? What did they ever do wrong? We truly are blessed in the west and unfortunately many people become atheist and take that for granted. I just wish I can help though, I don't feel comfortable knowing many people part of our family is suffering. I am not old enough to go to these placss and help them though nor do I have the money and resources.

Key findings on global rise in religious restrictions in 2016
Christians are the world's most-persecuted religion -- here's how they react under fire
Persecution | Your bridge to the persecuted

The ultimate reason is that no servant is greater than his master, and they nailed our Master to a cross (John 15:18-21).

As for how I can help them - I literally don't know how I can help them. Many of them want to live in peace in their respective countries. I don't know how I would be able to help bring that in a practical way. The US didn't do a very good job in Iraq, Christians here thought that the Iraqi Christians would benefit, instead they got decimated.

 

[ImAllLikeOkWaitWat]

It's not just christians. Everyone is suffering, that is the reality of the world. Theres no escaping it. The good news is that you can transcend the suffering through finding something so worthwhile you are willing to deal with the suffering because you found something that makes the suffering worth it. Humans suffer because we have limitations, if we never suffered we would not be human and we wouldn't exist. To exist is to suffer. Related to christians being persecuted, we should pray for them and help them in anyway we can and my heart really goes out to christians who face persecution and who are tortured or murdered for it.

 

[bèlla]

Suffering is a part of life. Innocent children are trafficked every day in this country. Precious souls who don't have the capacity to choose God. Our profession of faith doesn't prevent us from experiencing the same. Sin is the culprit and the unfortunate result is harm on every level.

Many Christian individuals, groups, and congregations feel a conviction to aid believers in other countries. I've done so in the past but I'm determined my mission field begins at home and that's where I direct my resources.

Your discomfort about the issue may have its root in a burden the Lord has placed within you. Have you addressed the subject in prayer? Voice of the Martyrs has an app which includes a daily prayer focus. They minister to persecuted believers around the world. You may want to join them if you haven't done so thus far.

 

[longwait]

Greetings my brothers and sisters. I want to ask a question that has been on my mind for a while. Sorry if I ask a lot of questions, that is how I am. Why do so many Christians around the world suffer? Christians are the most persecuted group today and it is actually a fact. Not that only Christians suffer, but they are the most targeted and people don't seem to know what is going on. I read many articles and watched stories of these persecutions. One of them was a 14 year old Coptic girl who was ganged raped. The people were never caught or punished. And another one on a coptic girl. She had a rough childhood and moved to Alexandria. One night she was dragged into a car by 5 men and raped. She escaped, but the small coptic cross tattoed on her wrist was burned off with acid and she was impregnated. Another was a video. It was in Northern Nigeria I believe it was a car driving by and there were many dead christians, the whole village was gone. I watched a video on this Indonesian man who secretly convert to Christianity from Islam. Another story, it was very sad. A somali militia went into a Christian village and shot then beheaded a kids father. And I watched a video, a very gruesome video. It was a young Syrian child seeing the remains of his father, under a collapsed building, after an airstrike. But because these happen in third world nations no one cares. It's just "eveyday for them." Why would the Lord let those Coptic girls live with those awful rape experiences for the rest of their lives? They weren't even killed, it's forever in their mind, never leaving it. Why doesn't someone do some about this? Why is it only ignored when it happens in a non western nation? Why does no one hear their suffering? Christianity is slowly declining in the Middle East, its birthplace. A century ago the Christian population was 25% in the region. Now its 5%. Christianity already died out in the maghreb, anatolia, mesopotamia, china, persia, and it killed itself in the western world. Now the most holy places are slowly declining and it will be history. Why do people have to do this stuff? What did they ever do wrong? We truly are blessed in the west and unfortunately many people become atheist and take that for granted. I just wish I can help though, I don't feel comfortable knowing many people part of our family is suffering. I am not old enough to go to these placss and help them though nor do I have the money and resources.

Key findings on global rise in religious restrictions in 2016
Christians are the world's most-persecuted religion -- here's how they react under fire
Persecution | Your bridge to the persecuted

This all proves that the Holy Bible is so true.
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Matthew 24:9
Soon we all will have to take a stand for our faith. Will you be for Jesus or against. If it for you will be put to death. If it is against you will end up in hell for all eternity. Which is better to choose? The choice is yours and mine to make.

 

[Thess]

Why do so many Christians around the world suffer?

This will be a weird one, but the reason is that God keeps showing us that we are not "this body". Paul said that he will "live here while in this body", meaning that our body is a literal temple for the Holy Spirit to indwell. "The body is made for the Lord and the Lord for the body."

In reading the incredible Old Testament, we read of God smashed thousands of Israelite's at a time. The earth opened up, then fell in, God closed the the earth....all of them got the Holy Smashing. Or, how about the mans concubine who had men taking turns on her body for an entire night until she died that morning after they let her go? And the punishment? All but 600ish men were left, scattered in the hills.

All throughout the OT is slaughter of bodies. Slaughter, slaughter, slaughter. It's just incredible. So I have just recently realized that the bible is true, that God did not give them the Holy Spirit to indwell them, for that was for the Leaders, Judges, Kings and Prophets, so the Israelite's were strictly operating by the powerful influence of the Sin Nature. The Law put good things into their minds, but the Devil then used those same good and righteous ideas against them, telling them NOT to obey the Law, and because they were under the influence of the Sin Nature, WITHOUT the Holy Spirit, they rebelled against the Law.

Here's the thing....God did this purposefully so that we could all look at them as examples. But worry not for them, for they were apparently baptized as they passed through the Red Sea and while under the Cloud of God....and there is even more. But the point is, is that they could not succeed, for the Law never provided a permanent cure for sin, which is the Mysterious Plan, that through Christ we will receive the Spirit (short and partial version of the MP).

We are not this body. He is showing us constantly that we are not this body. It is not to be mastered by anything, for if we are mastered by anything other than God, God cannot, then, be our master. And when we truly submit to Jesus, giving Him our full selves, God cuts away and removes our Sin Nature, just as in actual circumcision, the cutting away and removal of the foreskin, to make us clean and holy.

It doesn't matter how we die, for after we're dead and in heaven, it wouldn't matter if we're chopped one inch at a time beginning with toes or fingers....it just doesn't matter. He'll be with us....we won't be abandoned in our deaths. It's ok. We'll be ok, for we are actually spirits in the material world....we're all equal.

I love Jesus so much. Thank you for engulfing me!

 

[samwise gamgee]

Most people choose to reject God and follow Satan. They don't realize they are serving Satan but they are following religions and philosphies that he has originated to keep people from knowing the truth. There are Christian organizations helping persecuted Christians but they don't get much publicity because much of the news media is under the influence of Satan. Here is one such organization that gives Christians the opportunity to help these suffering Christians.

Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide Open Doors USA

In addition to helping believers with their material needs we can and should support them with our prayers.

 

[carp614]

It is as if people are being taught that becoming a Christian will make their lives easier, make them rich, make them healthy, etc. There's that "Prosperity Gospel" movement you know. They teach that kind of nonsense.

This life is the narrow path. It's the hard way. The world is the easy way.
I'm not an expert, but I think I'm onto something roughly correct here.

 

[Thess]

Most people choose to reject God and follow Satan. They don't realize they are serving Satan but they are following religions and philosphies that he has originated to keep people from knowing the truth. There are Christian organizations helping persecuted Christians but they don't get much publicity because much of the news media is under the influence of Satan. Here is one such organization that gives Christians the opportunity to help these suffering Christians.

Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide Open Doors USA

In addition to helping believers with their material needs we can and should support them with our prayers.

What a great post. Thank you for sharing this! Keep it up brother! (Or, sister)

 

[Thess]

It is as if people are being taught that becoming a Christian will make their lives easier, make them rich, make them healthy, etc. There's that "Prosperity Gospel" movement you know. They teach that kind of nonsense.

This life is the narrow path. It's the hard way. The world is the easy way.
I'm not an expert, but I think I'm onto something roughly correct here.

You sure are! Your ears are opening up! What a great, great day! Soooo happy for you! Keep going, keep knocking, keep seeking, and this is sooooo incredibly important: KEEP ON ASKING!

We have not been taught to ask God. But for what? Just do a quick search on the words ask and asking in the blue letter bible internet site and you'll be that much more prepared. And then find us. Real Christians listen, they really do, so you know that you're on the right track when you really start to listen, and I know you already are.

 

[helmut]

Greetings my brothers and sisters. I want to ask a question that has been on my mind for a while. Sorry if I ask a lot of questions, that is how I am.

Better to ask questions than to struggle with and nourish doubts secretly, you don't need to apologize for asking.

Why do so many Christians around the world suffer?

There are many aspects, I will mentions some of them.

Jesus has foretold persecution: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.“ Id anyone doubts that this is about persecution of followers of Jesus, let him read Matthew 10:16-37 (where his quote, V.34, is taken from). Unlike some preachers, Jesus never promised "all will be well", though he promised to be with us and help us (this may include supernatural protection, but not always). Following Jesus sometimes means following Him into His death literally.

Persecution is often a reaction to growth of the numbers of Christian believers, so one answer is that the suffering of Christians is a consequence of the spread of the Gospel. And sometimes a means to spread the Gospel: When the widow of the German missionary slaughtered (with two Turkish believers) in Malatya forgave the murderers publicly, one commentator said this was worse to Islam than thousands of living missionaries.

In the spiritual realm. It is Satan who wants to eradicate the Christian witness. But Jesus has promised that the realm of the dead will never devour His Church, Mt 16:18, founded by Peter among Jews (Acts 2), Samaritans (Acts 8), and Gentiles (Acts 10).

But because these happen in third world nations no one cares.

Well, there are people who care. Some do it in action, like the members of Open Doors, others pray for them or donate money to organizations like voice of the martyrs (to name another NGO).

As to governments, it is more difficult. Western interventions are often "contraproductive". See Iraq and what happened there after Bush attacked this country with wrong charges, or the now chaos in Libya after Gaddafi was removed with the help of NATO. There is a thin line between helping people in the "3rd world" and neo-colonialism, and politicians do not respect it. With less interventions of the West, there would be no ISIS, maybe even no al-Qa'ida.

Christianity already died out in the maghreb

In the 1980's, I was a student in a Christian student group, and one day we had a visit from a group that prepared for a tour through the maghreb, to collect addresses in order that an organisation could sent Christian literature to them. The leader told us that west of Alexandria in Egypt there was no single Arabic Church. This has changed in the meantime, partly to Muslim reacting to letters send to them, reading Christian websites in Arabic or listening to programs via TWR, or watching satellite TV programs on SAT7. I don't know whether the growth in Arabic Christians in the maghreb outnumbered the loss of European Christian, or Kabylean Christians in Algeria, or other minorities in the maghreb I may have never heard about. But the situation is less dim as you think.

Same with Persia, in Iran it is estimated that 70% of Christians there are former Muslims.

I just wish I can help though

You can visit the webpages I have linked to (see above), and find some possibilities to help (at least, you can pray).

 

[sea5763]

nvm

 

[carp614]

while in contrast I'm not even sure that I will be allowed into heaven because I haven't suffered for Christ at all.

First thing I have to say is this: If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and turned your life and your will over to Him, you are going to heaven. It's as simple as that. You're quoting Old Testament scripture and talking about unequal treasure in Heaven makes me want to ensure you understand this part as clearly as possible.

Second thing: If you are a Christian, I would like to suggest that you are experiencing what my church people like to call a "burden". That's what happens when the Holy Spirit lights a fire under you to go do something about it. Find a mission organization active in that region and talk to them about what they need. See if you can help.

May God Bless you!

 

[Thess]

All this....but if we don't have the Faith of Abraham, it is all for not.