Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-054 (General Information)

There are of course very many people, situations and issues that call for our concern and prayers at this time. This posting focuses on some of them. Answers to prayer are also reported for our encouragement.

——————— WAR BACKLASH IMMINENT ———————

by Elizabeth Kendal (in Religious Liberty Prayer List RLP 211)

It is very probable that the American-led bombardment and invasion of Iraq will cause Muslim anger to erupt, leading to a violent backlash against Christians. While America and its allies see this as a war against terrorism, the Muslim world generally sees it as a “crusader war against Islam”. On 11 February, Osama bin Laden said the “war on terror is in fact a war on Islam and Muslims, an act of clear betrayal and treachery against the Muslim ummah (global Muslim body).”

Abbas Ahmed, a spokesman for Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, one of the Muslim world’s prestigious centres of Islamic scholarship, said that any attack on Iraq would in fact “be a strike on Islam”. In a statement on 10 March, the University’s Islamic Research Academy said, “According to Islamic law, if the enemy steps on Muslims’ land, jihad becomes a duty on every male and female Muslim.”

It is therefore most probable that the war will produce a backlash of localised terror attacks across the globe. The security of Christians is of vast concern in Muslim majority nations, especially those where Christians are already persecuted. In particular, in Pakistan, angry Islamist militant groups are operating openly, recruiting and distributing pro-jihad literature.

Equally disturbing is the security of Christians on the Muslim/ Christian ‘fault-lines’ where serious conflict could erupt as Muslims explode in anger against the war. Of great concern are those regions where peace is presently tenuous: Eastern Indonesia (especially Papua), central Nigeria, and Ivory Coast. The jihad in Sudan also could possibly escalate while all eyes are on Iraq.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR

* the Spirit of God to enable Christians in frightening situations to keep their eyes firmly fixed on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2,3.

* God to send his own armies of angels and defenders to protect his children, his Church. Matthew 26:53, 2 Kings 6:17

* God to prevent illegal weapons from coming into regions of religious tension and into the hands of militants. May God ‘frustrate the plans of the wicked’ (Psalm 146:9).

ENCOURAGEMENT AS YOU PRAY

Last week we prayed for “God to ‘frustrate the plans of the wicked’, so that illegal small arms do not reach zones of civil or religious conflict; may they be intercepted and seized on land and sea.” (RLP 210, 12 March)

* On 15 March, the South China Morning Post reported that Philippines officials had discovered a shipment of illegal weapons during random scanning of container vans at Manila’s South Harbour.

* On 15 March the Straits Times reported that Philippines troops, responding to a tip-off from locals, dug up a cache of ammunition rounds and 113 “very powerful” dynamite sticks belonging to the Abu Sayyaf.

* On 15 March, Kenya’s government destroyed their collection of 7,227 confiscated illegal firearms – 1,000 were symbolically burnt in a giant bonfire and the rest were shredded. According to The Nation newspaper (Nairobi), “It was the first time the Government had agreed to destroy recovered firearms.”

We praise and thank our Almighty Lord for these answers to our prayers, as well as for his mighty and merciful deeds that we never hear about.

“I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead…” Ephesians 1:19,20 NLT

‘For nothing is impossible with God.’ Luke 1:37 NLT

[Feel free to reproduce this posting, with attribution to Elizabeth Kendal and the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Prayer List <>. If a briefer version is needed for news sheets, a summary version follows.]

WAR BACKLASH IMMINENT

It is most probable that the American-led bombardment and invasion of Iraq will cause Muslim anger to erupt, leading to a violent backlash against Christians. While America and its allies see this as a war against terrorism, the Muslim world generally sees it as a crusade against Islam. Osama bin Laden and the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo are exhorting Muslims worldwide to respond with jihad. Christians in many hostile regions are facing imminent backlash. Of great concern are Pakistan, Eastern Indonesia (especially Papua), central Nigeria and Ivory Coast. The jihad in Sudan also could possibly escalate while all eyes are on Iraq. Christians in these regions need our prayers.

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Elizabeth Kendal is Principal Researcher and Writer for World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission.

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