Iran’s supreme religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims this week to fight the “blind and savage terrorism” fueled by the West. That bodes ill for believers, who are often targeted because of assumptions that Christianity is Western.
Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says there’s reason for concern. “Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that he is going to really go after the underground churches. [He claims] they’re illegal, they shouldn’t be happening. There’s these apostasy laws…. We need to be praying for the legislators in Iran that they would do the right thing and that they would be guided by the Lord.”
Will these statements unleash a wave of violence against Christians? “Unfortunately, when there is this kind of violence taking place, Christians are targeted,” explains Musselman, adding that it is not always the faith aspect that draws negative attention. Sometimes, it is not directly faith-related. He says, “The churches, if they’re displaying crosses or if they’re not dressing like Muslims,” can paint the mark.
However, the harsh reactions aren’t necessarily creating the response expected. A combination of disillusionment and despair is actually acting as a catalyst for the Gospel. Musselman notes that “we’re seeing these underground churches springing up all over Iran, where there are young people coming to know the Lord.”
Read the full article here: Iran ramps tension with the West