INDONESIA - Riots Erupt in Indonesia over Christian Teacher's Alleged Blasphemy
On Dec. 9, riots broke out in Masohi, Central Maluku province, Indonesia, after Welhelmina Holle, a Christian elementary school teacher, allegedly made comments that insulted Islam while tutoring a Muslim student. News of the incident spread throughout the Muslim community, sparking the Indonesian Ulema Council to file a complaint with the police against Holle. Approximately 500 Muslims protested outside the Central Maluku Education Agency, accusing Holle of blasphemy and calling for his dismissal. The mob then gathered outside the Central Maluku Police headquarters and demanded to meet with the police chief, but when informed that he was not on the premises, the Muslims dispersed.
However, confrontations between some of the Muslims and police officials incited violence. Police and soldiers were eventually able to intervene but two churches, a health clinic, several vehicles and approximately 65 homes were burned. At the time of the report, Holle remained in detention. He is reportedly being charged with blasphemy, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Ask God to strengthen Holle. Pray for those who have lost property in the riots. Pray that Christ will equip Indonesian Christians to follow His example and remain faithful to Him.
PAKISTAN - Young Christian Woman and Her Father Imprisoned
Twenty- year-old Sandul Bibi and her father Gulsher are in prison in Pakistan, charged with violating section 295-B of the Pakistani legal code, the “blasphemy” law. Sandul is falsely accused of ripping pages from the Quran. On Oct. 9, a large crowd of Muslims attacked Christian families at a church, throwing stones and firing guns. They were shouting, “Kill Gulsher and his daughter Sandul.” Sandul and her father, Gulsher Masih, were arrested after a mob from the local mosque surrounded their house. Loudspeakers from different mosques broadcast accusations that Christians had disgraced the Quran, calling Muslims to attack and burn their homes. The angry crowd threw stones and set fire to Sandul’s home. Christians believe Sandul and her father were targeted and arrested because they were aggressively winning villagers to Christ.
Sandul has written several letters to her family from prison. In her latest letter she says, “I am praying a lot that God releases me from here and I can meet you, but I don’t know when. He will give answers for our prayers. Please pray for me.” If convicted, Sandul faces at least four years in prison. She and her family desperately need your prayers and encouragement.
The Voice of the Martyrs has supported Sandul and her family both financially and spiritually through this difficult time. VOM encourages you to lift this family up in prayer and ask God to encourage them.
(from PERSECUTION WATCH)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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8 comments:
'Agreed.
Ah, I see you've changed your profile photo, to one of the photos from your blog article.'
Yes, with my sleep apnea being worse the last few years I do not like most of my newer photos. So now I have one I like it will be there for awhile, but the other ones remain on Blogger and Facebook.
'He is reportedly being charged with blasphemy, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Ask God to strengthen Holle.
Sandul is falsely accused of ripping pages from the Quran.'
Seeing stories like this has me pray for their safety and deliverance in Jesus' name, and I thank God for the freedoms we still have in the West.
Russ
Yes, with my sleep apnea being worse the last few years I do not like most of my newer photos. So now I have one I like it will be there for awhile, but the other ones remain on Blogger and Facebook.
I understand. I don't like my newer photos either, since I'm older and very much out of shape. The other week I did pay my niece's boyfriend, who is trying to become a photographer, to take 80 or more photos of me (he only e-mailed 3 of them to me, however; but I only paid him $6), and I have been using them on Facebook. Those are better than any of the recent ones I had, but I still need to lose weight and get back into shape somehow (sitting all day at the computer at work, then sitting all night at the computer at home, does not help).
Seeing stories like this has me pray for their safety and deliverance in Jesus' name, and I thank God for the freedoms we still have in the West.
Amen! And yes, we need to be praying for our persecuted and imprisoned brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world. Some are being martyred. Others are being raped and sold into slavery. Before the fall of the Iron Curtain, in the USSR, some were poisoned and others were given shock treatment, all because they were Christians. Others, who had to 'have church' secretly in the woods, sometimes had police dogs attack them, and were dragged away to prison. Today, some are beaten and even mutilated. Again, simply because they are followers of Jesus. Some are persecuted because they teach Bible classes or hold prayer meetings or because they are Pastors. Others are persecuted because they evangelize. Many will walk for many miles or travel for hours just to meet with other Christians. Some have gotten up at 3 or 4 AM just to travel for hours to meet with other Christians to worship Jesus.
In the West, we do not experience these things.
Yes, I have always for 30 years generally worked out an hour a day and eaten moderately, but the sleep apnea is still not fixed and severely messes with my metabolism and hormones.
Yesterday I did 1.5 hours of walking in the snow and 30 minutes with weapons.
I spar, do weapons, hit the bag, walk, jog, sprint, lift weights and still look the Michelin Man/Ben Grimm-The Thing. But, I am stronger and better at martial arts than when I was younger.
We have another big snowfall. This is a lot of snow for this rainy region.
Russ:)
'Jeff Jenkins
just found his pit bull knawing on a reindeer hoof and what looks like a glowing red nose. BAD pit bull!on Wednesday'
Adolf the red nosed and pit pull had a very shiny nose, and if you if ever saw it, your display would have to be disposed.
It has warmed up a bit, but it is still supposed to snow hard Friday.
It was a difficult walk tonight as the sidewalks were not generally plowed and so I had to often walk on the road and then head into a couple feet of snow for cover when automobiles came by.
Thankfully this dry snow dries more quickly than when it rains and gets in the boots.
Enjoy the 17 c weather, Jeff.
Yesterday I did 1.5 hours of walking in the snow and 30 minutes with weapons.
Wow, I don't think I could even survive 1 1/2 hours in the snow. I'm too used to the warm weather. When I was going to college in South Carolina, one time it got down to 13 or 17 below zero (fahrenheit), and that was the coldest I have ever experienced. That was the first and only time in my life that my nose hairs froze.
I prefer 80-90 degrees outside.
I spar, do weapons, hit the bag, walk, jog, sprint, lift weights and still look the Michelin Man/Ben Grimm-The Thing. But, I am stronger and better at martial arts than when I was younger.
Very nice.
It also may depend on what body type you are (endomorphic, ectomorphic or mesomorphic). My youngest brother used to play High School football, basketball and baseball, plus work out with weights, but because he was big-boned, he never had the definition or cuts that I used to have.
All I can do is dwell on the past. When I was in High School and for a couple years after that, I would run to the store, to church, etc., was on the Wrestling team, worked out with weights for a couple hours a day, and did martial arts for 1-2 hours a day. I would have my brothers throw spears at me and I would dodge or block them. One time I had my brother attack me with nunchaku, and I had to keep dodging it, which was really hard. My personal records were 29 pullups, 2,034 times (non-stop) jumproping, 100 pushups, 300 situps, 10 miles running, benched 315 lbs., curled 195 lbs., and military-pressed 220 lbs. I could do about 10 pushups on my thumbs, and about 20 handstand pushups. I had pretty much no fat on me, weighed 155 lbs. 6 ft. tall, and was muscular and ripped. I was very fast at running and very fast at kicking and blocking. I doubt that I will ever come even close to being in that kind of shape again.
Even though I have taken 16 different styles of martial arts over the years, I am much older now, and because of my job as a graphic artist and sitting at the computer all day, I have gotten into bad shape. I really need to get back into some sort of exercise program.
Enjoy the 17 c weather, Jeff.
Thanks, Russ. The other day I was outside in shorts and a t-shirt, wearing flip-flops (sandals), spraying vinegar around the yard, and sprinkling cayenne pepper in the yard, in an attempt to keep the stray cats out of my yard. The neighbor and stray cats poop in my yard and it stinks. Between them and the two constantly-barking rat dogs (Jack Russell terriers) that live behind me and bark at me even when I go in my screened-in back porch, it's no wonder I stay inside on my computer all day.
Oh, when I see stray cats in my yard, that's about the only time I get to use my blow gun. I only use the flat-head plastic stun darts, and not the steel darts (that can penetrate trees), but it gives me a chance to practice. I don't actually hit the cats, but just shoot the plastic stun darts close to them, just enough to make them run away.
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