Pakistan | Ain't Complicated

Pakistan: Intense Persecution

So a bunch of pastors there have designated this coming Sunday as a day of prayer for Pakistan:

Pakistan allowed the Taliban to impose sharia law Islamic law in the region, and Pakistani Christians are asking the world to pray for their nation.

Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs explains. “We know of more than 300 pastors in Pakistan who have joined together to mark Sunday July 26 as a day of prayer for their country–a day of prayer particularly for the church there, which is facing intense persecution.”

Nettleton says even though Christians are facing incredible amounts of persecution, the church is growing. “Depending on the area of the country where you are, it can grow openly above ground. In other areas, particularly the areas that have recently gotten under the control of the Taliban, the church is forced to grow in sort of a quiet way.”

While many Christians left the Taliban-held areas for fear of their safety, there is still a Christian witness, says Nettleton. “There are still some solid believers who are committed to reaching Muslims for Christ. They have said, ‘There are still some Muslims here who still need to hear the Gospel, who need to hear about Jesus’ love, so we’re going stay and we’re going to keep ministering.'”

Nettleton says they don’t do this lightly. “They face incredible risk, literally risking their lives to be in that area, to be a follower of Jesus Christ in a place that’s controlled by the Taliban. The Taliban believe that any Muslim who follows Jesus is an infidel and should be killed.”

Source: Mission Network News

Children on the Block

Somebody will pay for this!

Taliban buying children for suicide bombers

Pakistan’s top Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud, is buying children as young as 7 to serve as suicide bombers in the growing spate of attacks against Pakistani, Afghan and U.S. targets, U.S. Defense Department and Pakistani officials say.

A Pakistani official, who spoke on the condition that he not be named because of the sensitive nature of the topic, said the going price for child bombers was $7,000 to $14,000 – huge sums in Pakistan, where per-capita income is about $2,600 a year.

These youngsters surely end up in the arms of the Everlasting Father, who surely will avenge the cruelty inflicted upon them.

Mexico on the Verge?

I was stunned to see the red headline on Drudge a couple mornings ago: US military report warns ‘sudden collapse’ of Mexico is possible.

Mexico is one of two countries that “bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse,” according to a report by the U.S. Joint Forces Command on worldwide security threats.

The command’s “Joint Operating Environment (JOE 2008)” report, which contains projections of global threats and potential next wars, puts Pakistan on the same level as Mexico. “In terms of worse-case scenarios for the Joint Force and indeed the world, two large and important states bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse: Pakistan and Mexico.

“The Mexican possibility may seem less likely, but the government, its politicians, police and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and press by criminal gangs and drug cartels. How that internal conflict turns out over the next several years will have a major impact on the stability of the Mexican state. Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone.”

That matters to me. Not just because Mexico shares a long, relatively-porous border with the US, but because I grew up there as an MK. And because I served as an adult missionary there for some five years. And because the Mission Board I chair presently has workers there. As you might imagine, I have lots of friends there.

Oh, the news story ends with this interesting sentence:

The U.S. military report, which also analyzed economic situations in other countries, also noted that China has increased its influence in places where oil fields are present.

So there you are.

Unique Adversaries

After the flirtation came the fatwa:

With some overly friendly comments to Gov. Sarah Palin at the United Nations, Asif Ali Zardari has succeeded in uniting one of Pakistan’s hard-line mosques and its feminists after a few weeks in office.

A radical Muslim prayer leader said the president shamed the nation for “indecent gestures, filthy remarks, and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt.”

Feminists charged that once again a male Pakistani leader has embarrassed the country with sexist remarks. And across the board, the Pakistani press has shown disapproval.

Muslims and feminists and the press — I wonder how often that axis teams up!

Oh, what did he say to her?

“The whole of America is crazy” — actually, he said more. 🙄

Nukes for Radicals?

Brace yourself: Pakistan’s Musharraf said ready to quit

Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf is ready to resign rather than face impeachment but is seeking immunity from prosecution and agreement on a safe place to live, coalition government officials said on Friday.

Speculation has been mounting that the former army chief Musharraf and firm U.S. ally would quit since the ruling coalition, led by the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, said last week it planned to impeach him.

A spokesman for the president has repeatedly denied media reports that he was about to quit, and he did so again on Friday, saying “baseless and malicious rumors” about the president’s plan to resign were damaging the economy.

“They” have said for the last several years (or longer) that if Musharraf goes, Pakistan will likely become a radical Muslim nation. And it already has nukes.

Maybe “they” will be wrong.

Either way, enjoy today. And make today enjoyable for others.

Oh, and where is this verse fragment found?

“I will trust and not be afraid.”