Persecution of Christians a significant indicator of future world chaos

[Brian]

Boko Haram continues its march toward making Nigeria an Islamic
state. A few weeks ago, as the world focused on the terror
attacks in Paris, the group continued its murderous rampage
across the northern part of the country. Last weekend it killed
dozens in Maiduguri. These are just the latest atrocities from
Boko Haram, which has kidnapped hundreds of schoolchildren,
murdered thousands of innocent men, women and children and
driven hundreds of thousands more from their homes.

Unfortunately, all indicators point to the likelihood that the
worst is yet to come.

Last month, Open Doors released its 2015 World Watch List, an
annual survey of the most dangerous and difficult places in the
world to be a Christian. This year’s report uncovered some
startling and worrisome trends. In every region of the world —
Africa, Asia and even in the Americas — persecution of
Christians is growing. There was not one country on the 2015
list that decreased its acts of violence and persecution from
the previous year. The escalation of violence over the past year
was so great that the threshold used to create the list had to
be increased. With nearly twice the number of Christians
persecuted over the previous year, it’s clear why Christians
should be very concerned.

What may not be as clear is why everyone else should care.

What all Americans must understand is this: Ending the
persecution of Christians is not just morally right; it is in
our national interest. When we promote and defend freedom of
religious expression throughout the world we are making the
world safer for oppressed peoples, we are promoting a value that
keeps extremism of any kind in check.

As Christians are expelled, Islamist extremists are taking their
place.

After 13 years of creating the World Watch List in its modern
form, Open Doors has observed that the persecution of Christians
is a lead harbinger for discord in the wider society. If history
teaches us anything, it is to pay attention to the signs that
warn of geopolitical upheaval; in particular, the restriction of
religious minority groups. When religious minorities are first
marginalized within a society, then targeted for attacks without
notice from the free societies around the world, a purge is the
next logical step in the mind of extremists.

For example, more than a decade ago, Christians in Iraq
worshipped in relative peace. Even under the brutal dictatorship
of Saddam Hussein, they faced no greater threat to their freedom
than the general population of Iraq. But now Iraq ranks third on
the World Watch List as one of the most brutal places for
expression of the Christian faith.

In 2003, Open Doors began to take notice of a sharp increase in
acts of violence against Christians and their places of worship
in Iraq. Open Doors’ warnings to beware extremist groups forming
in the North fell on deaf ears, and violence grew year after
year. The Iraqi government was unwilling or unable to act, and
the wider free world did little to help.

Since then, Iraq has steadily climbed on the World Watch List,
and the number of Christians there has dropped dramatically. In
2003, there were approximately 1 million professing Christians
in Iraq living side-by-side with their Muslim neighbors in
relative peace. Open Doors estimated that in 2014, before the
ISIS attacks, there were only 300,000 Christians left in Iraq,
many of whom were living as internally displaced persons in the
northern part of the country. That’s a loss of more than two-
thirds of the Iraqi Christian community.

Responsible lawmakers and those concerned with the security of
all free people should be asking themselves what is filling the
void left by the dramatic decline of the Christian community.
The answer is obvious: As Christians are expelled, Islamist
extremists are taking their place.

It is time for the international community to pay careful
attention to what happened in Iraq, because this scenario seems
to be playing itself out again in Nigeria. The Western world
cannot afford to continue to drag its feet.

Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group, has been turning up the
heat on Christians in northern Nigeria for several years. Last
year, at least 2,484 Nigerian Christians were executed or killed
for their faith, the highest total of any of the countries on
the World Watch List.

In January, I warned that Boko Haram might be duplicating the
tactics and strategies of the Islamic State. Little did I know
that, at that very moment, Boko Haram was slaughtering many
Christians, along with people of other faiths, in the village of
Baga. According to some reports, as many as 2,000 people were
killed in what many agencies are calling “Boko Haram’s deadliest
act.” Now Boko Haram is expanding its attacks into neighboring
countries. If the past is any indicator, it will try to take
over all regions of Nigeria as well as Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
Unfortunately, the Nigerian government and the rest of the world
are doing little to stop the assault on religious liberty.

An immediate concern for the region is the Nigerian presidential
election, slated to take place on Feb. 14. The next week could
bring even more attacks as Boko Haram seeks to further
destabilize the nation.

Iraq and Nigeria are but two examples of how the persecution of
Christians indicates a society that is about to tip into chaos.
The world would do well to pay attention before it’s too late.


David Curry is the President of Open Doors USA. For nearly 60
years, Open Doors has worked in the world's most oppressive
countries, empowering Christians who are persecuted for their
beliefs. Christians are the most persecuted religious group in
the world. Each year, Open Doors releases its World Watch List,
a ranking of the 50 countries where Christian persecution is
worst.

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