Fears for Christians as Pakistan moves to tighten blasphemy laws

January 24, 2023 — ChristianToday.com reports: “A Bill passed by the National Assembly of Pakistan earlier this month has led to increased fears for the country’s persecuted Christian minority.

The Criminal Laws (Amendment Bill) was passed unanimously by the assembly on 17 January and increases the penalty for insulting the Prophet Muhammad’s companions, wives and family members from three years to 10 years in prison.

The crime also carries a one million rupee fine (around £3,500).

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said the new Bill makes Pakistan’s existing blasphemy laws ‘more stringent’ and has sparked ‘alarm’ within minority communities who fear the change will fuel human rights abuses and make them even more of a target for harassment.

Christian human rights groups have long warned that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are being routinely misused as a pretext for mob violence and to settle grudges and personal scores against religious minorities…”  (If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father – John 15:18-24.  See the next report.) 

North Korea ranks as worst persecutor of Christians after enacting ‘anti-reactionary thought law’

January 18, 2023 — ChristianPost.com reports: “North Korea has reclaimed its position as the world’s worst persecutor of Christians, according to the latest World Watch List report prepared by the religious persecution watchdog Open Doors US.

Open Doors US released its 2023 World Watch List on Tuesday. The document, released annually since 1993, ranks the countries of the world based on the severity of the persecution and discrimination Christians are subjected to. While Afghanistan took the top spot in 2022, North Korea regained its status as the world’s worst persecutor of Christians in 2023. Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Sudan round out the top-10 worst persecutors of Christians on this year’s World Watch List.

In a statement announcing the findings of the 2023 World Watch List, Open Doors US cited an ‘anti-reactionary thought law’ implemented in North Korea as a particularly troubling development. Open Doors US Interim CEO Lisa Pearce told The Christian Post in an interview that the law was enacted in 2020.

Pearce described the ‘anti-reactionary thought law’ as a ‘way to legitimize persecuting anybody who has any literature, anything of Western influence,’ including the Bible…”

‘Trans people are divine’: So-called ‘Christian’ pastor says ‘transphobia is a sin’

January 18, 2023 — WND.com reports: “A pastor and his wife said people who identify as transgender are ‘divine’ in a Facebook post over the weekend and called for Christians to join a campaign condemning transphobia.

The Rev. Chris Bruesehoff is a pastor at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church and his wife, Jamie, who describes herself as a ‘queer’ ‘clergy spouse,’ wrote that they were joining a campaign to combat transphobia in the church, according to a Facebook post. On Jamie Bruesehoff’s social media account, Chris Bruesehoff can be seen inside his church holding a sign stating ‘Transphobia is a Sin,’ while his wife captioned the post ‘trans people are divine.’

Jamie Bruesehoff stated that her husband’s activism is ‘critical’ as a ‘leader in the church.’

‘It is critical that we both, as people of Christian faith committed to justice and who love and care for transgender people, declare that not only is transphobia a sin, but transgender people are whole and holy,’ Jamie Bruesehoff wrote…”  (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! – Isaiah 5:20.  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away – II Timothy 3:1-5.  See the next report.) 

Top U.S. medical school says INFANTS can be ‘queer,’ ‘asexual’

January 12, 2023 — WND.com reports: “Did you know a newborn baby could be ‘queer’ right out of the womb? How about ‘asexual’ or ‘transgender’?

A new College Fix report uncovers a reccurring Harvard Medical School course that offers ‘clinical exposure and education’ focusing on ‘serving gender and sexual minority people across the lifespan, from infants to older adults.’

The course is offered at Massachusetts General Hospital, which offers ‘gender-affirming surgical procedures’ for ages 18 and up, according to the report. Translation: MGH performs transgender operations such as removing the healthy breasts of women who seek such mutilating ‘surgeries’ as part of their quest to live as ‘men,’ i.e., to match their perceived ‘gender identity.’

‘This elective is a four-week multidisciplinary clinical-and-scholarly experience that trains students to provide high-quality, culturally responsive care for patients with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and sex development,’ reads the course description…”