Saturday, November 10, 2007

Indonesia Sentences 41 Christian To Five Years Imprisonment

For praying that Muslims come to know Jesus. It's amazing to me that Muslims wouldn't understand that the Christians are demonstrating great love for them by praying that their persecutors would not face the justice that they deserve but be given mercy by the Almighty God. What will be even more amazing is the next group who attempt to pray for the salvation of the Muslims knowing that they could be imprisoned for doing it.

We are so blessed to live in a country where we can freely pray for our enemies and not be persecuted by the state. I pray that remains the case for my lifetime and that of my kids and many more lifetimes until Jesus returns.

Join my in praying for the Muslims in Indonesian that the Lord will open their eyes and lead them from darkness into the light of truth that they may understand that Jesus is Lord and the Son of God and is God.

An Indonesian court has sentenced 41 Christian leaders to five years imprisonment on charges of blasphemy because they openly prayed that Muslims "come to know Christ," local Christians and a well-informed human rights group told BosNewsLife Thursday, November 1.

Voice Of the Martyrs (VOM) Australia said the Christians, who are linked to the international mission group Campus Crusade for Christ, participated in a December, 2006, prayer gathering in the Indonesian province of East Java.

"During this time they prayed for their nation asking that all Muslim leaders come to know Christ. Video footage of this prayer meeting was filmed and was leaked to a Muslim organization," VOM Australia said.

The organization quoted local sources as saying that the 41 believers "have been found guilty of abusing the Koran," seen as a holy book by Muslims. "The judge sentenced them to five years in prison". Their lawyers are planning to appeal the sentence in East Java High Court in Surabaya, VOM Australia added.
(via)