Christians are being persecuted around the world at a pace not seen since the first century, says Johnnie Moore, one of nine commissioners appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The report on the state of religious freedom around the world is a grim tale of staggering proportions.
The 2021 USCIRF report highlights:
- 50,000 Christians held in North Korean prison camps
- Some 3,000 Yazidi girls and women missing in Iraq
- 130,000 Muslims in internment camps in Burma
- As many as 3 million Uyghur Muslims in Chinese concentration camps.
The report identifies countries of particular concern (CPC) that are the worst offenders: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The USCIRF recommends adding India, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam to the list.
The pandemic added to the burden as many religious minorities were blamed for the outbreak.
“It’s time for Christians to do what the Apostle Paul called them to do, which is to pray for those who are in prison as if they were there with them,” Moore says.
–Jennifer Wishon, Faithwire. To subscribe to Prayer Connect.
