 04/20/2012 United States (Baptist Press) Study: Religious Hostility Escalates Worldwide-
Practicing a religious belief is increasingly difficult due to
government restrictions and public hostilities in nearly one-third of
the world's countries, according to new data from the Pew Forum on
Religion and Public Life. The Pew study found a 32 percent increase in
governmental restrictions and public hostilities from 2006-09 in the 198
countries of the world. Among its finding, the survey showed religious
restrictions increased 12 percent in 23 countries, decreased 6 percent
in 12 countries, and remained unchanged in 163 countries. "Among the
world's 25 most populous countries—which account for about 75 percent of
the world's population—restriction on religions substantially increased
in eight countries and did not substantially decrease in any,"
according to the Pew study. Worldwide, about one percent of all people
live in a country where hostilities decreased.
Praise God for those countries where restrictions have decreased.
Pray that religious restrictions all over the world will substantially decrease.
Pray that Christians facing restrictions will find strength in God.
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 04/24/2012 India (AsiaNews) Hindu Radicals Use the Law to Persecute Christians-
Even without anti-conversion laws, Ultranationalist Hindus have a
legal tool to persecute Christians, namely the Worship or Prayer
(Prohibition) Ordinance of 2007, which empowers the State to prohibit
propagation of other religions in particular places of worship or prayer
than the religion traditionally practiced there. Recently, a group of
activists from the Rashtriya Sawayamsevak Sangh (RSS) used it to demand
the arrest of Reverend Ahron, a Pentecostal pastor accused of trying to
convert Hindus near the Hindu temple in the city of Dharmapuri. On
Monday, the clergyman was visiting the city to meet Kople Easwar, a
member of the state's legislative assembly. As he waited for his friend,
a group of Hindu radicals saw him and the pocket calendars he carried.
After attacking him, they forced him to hand over the calendars and
dragged him to a police station, where they filed a complaint against
him.
Pray that the complaint filed against Reverend Ahron is dropped.
Pray that the Worship or Prayer (Prohibition) Ordinance of 2007 is revised or dropped so it can no longer be used against Christians.
Pray that Christians in India find peace through God.
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 04/24/2012 Iran (Farsi Christian News Network) Iranian Christian Released After Six-Month Imprisonment-
Iranian Christian Fariborz Azarm was freed to his family after
spending the last six months in prison. Azarm was arrested
by non-uniformed agents of the Islamic Ministry of State Security back
in October 2011. He was held in an unknown location without visiting
privileges for most of his imprisonment. His family was held in the dark
about his conditions; they had been warned against any publicity of his
arrest and were frightened of contacting local, national, or
international press.
Praise God that Azarm was released to his wife and two children.
Pray that Azarm and his family do not face future threats from the Iranian government.
Pray for the release of all other Christian prisoners in Iran.
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 04/25/12 Egypt (ICC) Actor Sentenced to Jail for ‘Offending Islam’ in Egypt-
An Egyptian court upheld the three-month prison sentence of one of
the Arab world’s most famous comedians on Tuesday for insulting Islam in
his films. Adel Imam was initially convicted in February for “defaming
Islam” for roles he played in several movies, including the 1994 film
“The Terrorist,” in which he portrays a wanted Muslim fundamentalist.
The court upheld the conviction and gave Imam a $170 fine on April 24.
Imam told reporters he would appeal the verdict. “Christians and many
Muslims are supporting Adel Imam,” Wagih Yacoub, a Coptic human rights
activist, told International Christian Concern. “Whether we like him or
not, we are defending the freedom of speech and the freedom of art. What
is Adel Imam’s sentence based on? His old movies made years ago? It’s
crazy. We’re going through a dark time in Egypt.” Imam’s case follows
similar charges filed against Egyptian Christians and moderates in
recent months, raising concerns that an Islamist-led government may try
to impose its religious views on Egyptian society by censoring material
it deems offensive to Islam.
Pray that Imam's appeal is successful.
Pray that Egyptian courts drop charges against other Christians accused of blasphemy.
Pray that Egypt begins respecting its citizens' human rights to freedom of speech.
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 04/25/2012 Nigeria (CDN) Bombers Attack Center in Christian Area of Jos, Nigeria-
Suspected Islamic extremists attacked a TV viewing center in a
Christian area of Jos where a crowd had gathered to watch soccer,
killing one and injuring nine. The attackers drove past the site and
threw an explosive device at hundreds of Christians watching the match.
After the bombing, security agents evacuated the injured to the hospital
just a few meters away. Medical personnel at the hospital were treating
four of them under strict supervision of police and other security
agents. Authorities have not ruled out members of the Islamic sect Boko
Haram as suspects of the attack. The bombing marks the second time in
two weeks that the Christian area has been attacked. Boko Haram was
suspected of a detonating a bomb a few meters from the center during
Easter celebrations that injured five Christians.
Pray for a quick recovery of those injured in the attack.
Pray that God comforts the family of the victim who died in the bombing.
Pray that justice would be brought upon the attackers and violence would cease in Nigeria.
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 04/25/2012 Sudan (ENInews) Global Church Leaders Denounce Attack on Sudan Church-
Global Christian leaders are condemning the destruction of the
Sudan Evangelical Presbyterian Church Bible School in Khartoum on April
21, an incident that occurred amidst escalating hostilities between
Sudan and South Sudan. Nearly 500 people, said to be members of a
fundamentalist Islamic group, attacked the church compound in the
Sudanese capital, burning Bibles and destroying and looting property.
The attack has since increased fear among Christians in the north. "We
regret to note that despite the rhetoric about freedom of religion and
protection of the minorities by the government of Sudan, threats and
discrimination against Christians in Khartoum and its environs are
increasing," said the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the All Africa
Conference of Churches (AACC) general secretaries in a joint statement
on April 24. The organizations reported that security forces have also
taken over the Sudan Council of Churches premises in the town of Nyala
in Darfur province, where another conflict between government and rebels
is occurring.
Pray that violence against churches would cease.
Pray that the tension between Sudan and South Sudan would be resolved.
Pray that God makes his presence known amidst this conflict.
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 04/25/2012 Azerbaijan (Forum 18 News Service) Azerbaijan: State Approval Needed to Sell Christian Literature-
An official of the State Committee for Work with Religious
Organizations—which operates Azerbaijan's harsh religious censorship
system—admitted that about 100 shops wishing to sell religious books are
still waiting for the necessary licenses. Only 16 such licenses have
been issued since the system's introduction in 2009. Selling religious
books without a license risks a maximum punishment for a first offence
of two years' imprisonment. One religious publisher claimed that after
the compulsory licensing system was introduced, several bookshops
returned books as they were too afraid to sell them without a license.
Pray that God would provide bookstore owners with boldness to sell Christian literature.
Pray that Azerbaijan would reform their requirement for a special license.
Pray that the Gospel would be spread throughout Azerbaijan despite this restriction.
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