Religious Liberty Prayer List – No. 149 – Wed 02 Jan 2002

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SAUDI ARABIA: NEW YEAR – SAME CHALLENGE;

plus urgent prayerudates

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Saudi Arabia is perpetually rated the most severe persecutor of Christians on earth. Religious liberty does not exist in principle or in practice. This not only leads to extreme persecution and suffering for believers, but also results in Saudi Arabia being one of the world’s least evangelised nations, with over 21 million people and a growth rate 2.5 times the world average.

Human rights and religious liberty groups regularly call for international pressure on Saudi Arabia to improve its appalling human rights. However, political and economic factors always seem to intrude because it is a strategic Western ally and the world’s leading oil exporter. As we start a new year we remember that God is not swayed by political or economic considerations, but only by his righteousness and love. ‘Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice.’ Proverbs 29:26

By law, a Saudi citizen must be a Muslim, and leaving Islam is apostasy, a capital offence. Sharia Law applies also to expatriate workers, whose religious expression is severely restricted. ‘Proselytism’ (witnessing) and public worship by non-Muslims is banned, although the Saudi Government does recognise their right to worship privately. However, the distinction between public and private worship is not clear, so that small gatherings of believers for worship and fellowship in private homes are often raided by the Mutawwa (religious police), their materials confiscated and leaders detained.

On 18 July 2001, Saudi authorities arrested house church leader Prahbu Isaac, an Indian national who had worked in a Jeddah hospital for 17 years (see RLP 129). They then cracked down on other house church leaders whose names they extracted from Prahbu’s confiscated computer. By the end of August, 15 believers had been imprisoned. A British expatriate worker had to return to Britain with his employment contract terminated on 1 August, after Saudi authorities viewed a confiscated video of him preaching to a home fellowship. There have been several other reports of expatriate believers losing their jobs and being deported.

As things are today, 13 Christians – Ethiopian, Eritrean, Indian, Nigerian and Filipino – are imprisoned on charges of propagating Christianity. While four remain in the Sharafia detention facility in Jeddah, nine were transferred to Trahyl deportation prison on 24 December. The prison conditions are absolutely deplorable, unhygienic and unsafe, and it is feared that the believers’ stay there could be lengthy. The men are discouraged and extremely anxious for their families, who are without income. Five of the men are reportedly unwell and without medical assistance.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* the imprisoned believers and their families, that they will not be discouraged, but will be reminded by the Spirit that ‘the eternal God is (their) refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.’ (Deuteronomy 33:27)

* that their fear and anxiety will be tempered by faith and trust in an all-seeing, all-knowing, good, loving and in-control God.

* medical assistance for the prisoners who need it and that they will all be able to have family visits, access to consular officials and a speedy resolution of their situation.

* courage for all our brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia, so that their light will continue to shine in that needy land.

* God’s Spirit to move in Saudi Arabia – may religious freedom become a reality and may Jesus be known, even to Saudi royals, Mutawwa and Islamic scholars. ‘God’s voice thunders in marvellous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.’ Job 37:5

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:

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SAUDI ARABIA: NEW YEAR – SAME CHALLENGE

Saudi Arabia is the worst persecutor of Christians and most severe abuser of religious liberty in the world. As a strategic ally and the world’s largest oil exporter, its appalling human rights record is rarely challenged by Western governments. At this time, 13 believers are in prison for their faith as the Saudi Government cracks down on the house church movement. Nine of those prisoners are in the Trahyl deportation prison, in appalling, unhygienic and unsafe conditions, without visitors, consular access or medical assistance. The prisoners, their families and the private house churches they represent need our prayers. Religious freedom is non- existent for the 21 million people in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the least evangelised nations on earth. A Saudi citizen must by law be a Muslim – apostasy is death.

*** OTHER URGENT PRAYER UPDATES

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The New Year has been marred with violence targeted against Christians in Sulawesi, Indonesia and Jos, Nigeria.

* Only days after peace talks, bombs went off simultaneously at midnight in three churches in the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu as the New Year rolled in. Another church bomb exploded later at 9:30am, injuring two police officers.

* More than 20 people were killed in Jos, Nigeria when armed Muslim Hausa and Fulani tribesmen attacked the Christian village of Dagwom Turu. They were repelled by villagers and local security. Muslim violence against Christians which erupted in Jos in early September 2001 was temporarily contained, only to be reignited and fuelled by the 11 September terrorist attack.

*** Pray for peace and for wise, strong, courageous Christian leadership, example and witness.***

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Please pass this along to others with attribution to World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Prayer List <>

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The WEF 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 WEF RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC. Elizabeth Kendal researched and compiled this message.

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