Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 252 – Tue 23 Dec 2003

————————— THREATS OF CHRISTMAS TERROR —————————

Christmas 1999: A series of terror attacks planned against Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land and Amman (Jordan) were thwarted.

Christmas Eve 2000: At around 9 pm, 18 bombs exploded almost simultaneously outside churches in seven cities across central Indonesia, killing 15 people and wounding 96. Another 31 unexploded bombs were recovered.

Christmas Day 2002: In Pakistan, three girls were killed and 14 believers wounded when two masked men dressed in burkas threw grenades into a church in the village of Chianwala, 65km northwest of Lahore. Explosives were also found near a church in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad.

Christmas 2003 is equally foreboding:

* INDONESIA: a Jakarta police chief has warned that intelligence information suggests Jakarta could well be the target of a bombing campaign this Christmas. Police officers will be stationed at more than 240 churches throughout Jakarta and its suburbs.

* IRAQ: intelligence indicates that Iraq also may experience major terror attacks over Christmas, although reports admit it is unclear what the targets might be.

* ITALY: security will be increased at some 8,000 major Christian sites in Italy, including St Peter’s Square, after a warning from Mossad (Israeli Intelligence Service) that there was a ‘high index of probability’ that ‘an important symbol of Christianity’ would be the target of a terror attack between Christmas and New Year. The Via della Conciliazione, the main road leading to St Peter’s Basilica, will be closed every night until 25 December, a precaution officials say was unprecedented.

* SRI LANKA: the situation in Sri Lanka is extremely tense due to the death last week of the prominent and much revered Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Ven. Soma Thero, a champion of Buddhist nationalism. He was in Russia receiving an award at the time of his death. An autopsy revealed he suffered a fatal heart attack. However, Sri Lanka’s ‘Supreme Council of Monks’ has called for his death to be investigated, saying they suspect foul play. Sri Lankan media have speculated there is a Christian conspiracy. According to the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (EASL), tensions are running so high that churches across the nation are postponing Christmas celebrations. Ven. Soma Thero’s funeral will take place on 24 December, Christmas Eve. EASL is requesting prayer for the nation.

* USA: security has also been stepped up in USA due to intelligence indicating that America may be a terror target over Christmas.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT:

* the Holy Spirit will draw the Church into true unity – that we will be one (John 17:21).

* all Christians worldwide will bring glory to God this Christmas, through their worship and witness.

* God will expose all wickedness, bring to the light all that is hidden, frustrate the plans of the wicked and rebuke those who plot against the Lord and against his people. We pray for divine protection of believers this Christmas.

‘For nothing is impossible with God.’ Luke 1:37 – the angel Gabriel speaking to Mary, foretelling the birth of Jesus and of John the Baptist.

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Thankyou for your essential participation in this RLP ministry. We will send the next bulletin in the first week of January, unless a critical situation needs one sooner.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

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