For the love of Christ

Gender-specific persecution is receiving new attention. Persecution of men tends to be “focused, severe and visible” and that of women is “complex, violent and hidden”. Men are more likely to face detention without trial, or summary execution; whereas the persecution of women more typically involves sexual violence, rape or forced marriage.

There is something profoundly human about our deepest beliefs, those which define us, shaping our lives and our communities. Denial of a person’s human rights on account of their belief (or lack thereof) cuts deeply into their humanity. Intriguingly however, many of the victims of the current worldwide epidemic of persecution targeted at Christians see this in slightly different terms.

When asked why they don’t just deny their faith, learn to fit in, and enjoy a quiet life, they rarely reply in terms of displaying a desire to hold onto the dignity of their own humanity, or to assert their human rights. Baraz M. who suffered terribly for his Christian faith in Central Asia, speaks for countless others, when he says:

“Tell them if I had to go through it all again, I would, because Jesus is worth it.” What’s more, I believe he is right. His resilience comes from valuing Christ more than himself. Of course, the fact that I can write openly about the glory of Christ in a national newspaper makes me one of a privileged minority in world Christianity.