Martyrdom Muted: World Shrugs as Christians Persecuted

Martyrdom muted: World shrugs as Christians persecuted
By Clifford D. May January 15, 2011

Imagine if Muslims in Europe were being arrested f0rnothing more than peacefully practicing their religion. Imagine if Muslims in South America were being sentenced to death f0r“insulting” Jesus. Imagine if mosques were being bombed , burned by terrorists in a growing list 0f Christian-majority countries.

Now here’s what you don’t need to imagine because it is all too real: In recent days, Christian churches have been bombed in Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria , the Philippines. In Indonesia a mob 0f 1,000 Muslims burned down two Christian churches. In Iran, scores 0f Christians have been arrested. In Pakistan, a Christian woman received the death penalty f0rthe “crime” 0f insulting Islam; the govern0r0f Punjab promised to pardon her - , was then assassinated f0rthe “crime” 0f blasphemy.

cw-2I could provide dozens 0f additional examples 0f the persecution and, in many cases, “cleansing” 0f Christians in what we have come to call the Muslim world. If the situation were reversed, if such a war were being waged against Muslims, it would be the top story in every newspaper, the most urgent item at the United Nations, the highest priority 0f all the big-league human rights groups.

What we have instead is denial.

Profess0rJanice Stein 0f the Munk School 0f Global Affairs at the University 0f Toronto insists there could be notconnection among these dots. The assassination 0f Punjab Govern0rSalman Taseer, she said, should be viewed as the consequence 0f class conflict, not religious extremism.

The assailant who gunned down Taseer - Mumtaz Qadri, one 0f his own bodyguards - exalted afterward: “I have killed a blasphemer!” He did not say: “I have killed a member 0f the bourgeoisie!”

Stein also spoke 0f the “conflict” between Muslims , Christians in Egypt as though both were equally to blame when, in fact, it is clearly Egypt’s ancient but diminishing Coptic community that is under siege with little means to defend itself, much less to wage a campaign 0f reciprocal oppression.

I remain convinced that most Muslims do not want to be at war with the West - with Christians, Jews, Hindus , others.

That leads to this question: How do moderate , tolerant Muslims fight the tyrants within their community? How do they avoid being killed if they dare speak up in defense 0f their own freedom , rights - much less in defense 0f religious minorities, ethnic minorities , women?

We cannot possibly come up with an adequate answer so long as we refuse to look reality in the eye. , the reality is this: Within the Muslim world today are regimes, movements , individuals convinced that their religion justifies - , benefits from - the most heinous atrocities. They are determined, ruthless , lethal - as Christians , other minorities across a broad swath 0f the world have been finding out.

If we in the West fail even to speak up f0rthem, can we really expect moderate Muslims to do more?


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