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MySpaceHow difficult is it for Christians to practice their faith in the Islamic nation of Iran?
Unbelievably hard! Let me relate just a few examples of the growing persecution of believers.
According to Compass Direct News, last September Iranian secret police arrested a Christian couple in the northeastern city of Mashhad, forcing them to leave behind their 6-year-old daughter. Authorities released Reza Montazami and his wife Fereshteh Dibaj by order of a Revolutionary Court in Mashhad only after Montazami’s elderly parents posted bail – turning over a title deed of property worth $25,000.
In December, Iranian secret police raided and arrested leaders of an indigenous house church movement in Tehran and the cities of Karaj, Rasht and Bandar-i Anzali. Several detained Christians were released, but four of eight jailed Christians remained in custody until Christmas, facing accusations such as “evangelization activities” and “actions against the national security of Iran,” according to Compass Direct News.
In November, 2005, Ghorban Dordi Tourani, a 53-year old Muslim convert to Christianity, was arrested by police. A few hours later, his stabbed and bleeding body was thrown in front of his home in Gonbad-e-Kavus, where he lived with his wife and four children.
A year before his death, Tourani wrote this prayer: “Lord Jesus, please let me glorify your holy name in every moment of my life on this earth. I am willing to give my life that belongs to you, for the sake of you and your church.”
Within days of Tourani’s murder representatives of Iran’s dreaded secret police – the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) – arrested and severely tortured 10 other Christians in several cities and raided the homes of all known Christians in Tourani’s city.
Over the past two years, Iran’s harsh Islamic regime has targeted various Christian groups known to use literature and other means to spread their faith among the majority Shiite Muslim population. Under Iran’s strict apostasy laws, any Muslim who leaves Islam to embrace another religion faces the death penalty. Islam is the official religion in Iran, and all laws and regulations must be consistent with the official interpretation of Shariah, which is strict Islamic law.
While in jail, prisoners face strong psychological pressures, including threats to kill their family and other Christian believers, in order to force them to recant their Christian faith and return to Islam. Iranian dissident Akbar Ganji, imprisoned for six years, says that many prisoners of conscience are kept in solitary confinement on no legal grounds with no access to books, newspapers or telephone, legal representation or their families.
Christians have also lost their jobs, had their shops shut down or had their livelihoods removed. Depriving converts to Christianity of their means of employment is the government’s way of “trying to asphyxiate the church,” one Iranian source told Compass Direct. “A lot of believers lost their jobs after the intervention of the security police.” The officials’ objective, he said, is to force Christians to leave Iran permanently.
About 99 percent of the 68 million Iranians are Muslims. There are an estimated 200,000 Christians.
Last fall Iran was among eight countries re-designated as “Countries of Particular Concern” for severe violations of religious freedom by the U.S. Department of State. Iran ranks No. 3 on the Open Doors World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most severe persecution for their faith.
Still, a large group of Christians with a Muslim background continue to practice their belief. One Christian worker said of the Muslim background believers: “They aren’t intimidated by the government and continue to spread the gospel. Muslims who came to the Lord in the past few years fear nothing and no one.”
Last June Iranian church leaders issued a joint statement which says in part: “We cannot express how deeply encouraged and thankful Iranian Christians are that so many are standing with us in prayer. We believe the Lord will hear the cries of His people, so we urge everyone to carry on praying and spreading the word about this prayer effort. Let’s see millions praying for Iran and let us witness together how God can transform a nation.”
Please come along side our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ inside Iran. They are asking us to pray for:
• Strength in the midst of persecution. Pray for protection, wisdom and boldness.
• Openness for Christians to worship in freedom.
• For Muslim background believers and secret believers. They face tremendous pressure to return to Islam.
_______________________________________________
Dr. Carl Moeller is president/CEO of Open Doors USA
