Nigeria is one of the fastest growing spots for Christianity in Africa. For centuries a bastion of Islam and Paganism, Christianity has taken the nation by storm and in response, Muslim terrorists have been waging an all-out war of Christians. Thousands of Christians have been killed, maimed, displaced, or dispossessed in this conflict.
Yet in spite of all the persecution, not only has the number of Christians increased, but their plight has been acknowledged by the government. In response, Christians have declared a national day of mourning for the persecuted Christians of their nation:
he Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is calling for this Sunday to be marked as a national day of mourning for Christians killed by Muslim Fulani terrorists in southern Kaduna State.
Repeated attacks by groups of armed Fulani herdsmen on Christian villages and leaders in the country’s Middle Belt have seen hundreds killed or displaced.
Nigeria’s Federal Government has pledged to establish cattle ranches to resolve the frequent clashes between Muslim herdsmen and Christian farmers, which President Buhari has attributed to “poverty, injustice and the lack of job opportunities”. Other analysts cite climate change and desertification as factors.
CAN has described the killings as ethnic and religious cleansing by “Islamic fundamentalists disguising as Fulani herdsmen”.
According to Variguard, CAN commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his successes against the Boko Haram terrorists but expressed sadness over what it said was his silence regarding Fulani attacks.
CAN’s general secretary Dr Musa Asake said Buhari’s silence “speaks volumes over perceived official endorsement of the dastardly and ungodly acts”.
He said Sunday, January 8, had been designated by CAN’s president as a national day of mourning by Nigerian Christians, including those from the world-wide diaspora.
Asake said: “We are to pray fervently for our southern Kaduna brothers and sisters who are victims of these wanton killings and also for the peace of our dear country Nigeria. Therefore, all Christians are to dress in mourning attire of black clothes or dresses in all our church services on January 8, 2017. We are to pray that God who delivered the Jews from Haman should deliver Christians from Hamans in Nigeria. An injustice to one is an injustice to all.”
He said the Church in Nigeria had been subjected to a “systematic genocide and persecution” in recent years through attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen in which thousands of Christians had been killed and hundreds of churches destroyed.
President Buhari has ordered Nigeria’s inspector-general of police to visit Kaduna to assess the situation there and take “strong actions” to end the violence, according to a government statement yesterday. His spokesman said a mobile police detachment had been set up and that the army was setting up an additional two battalions there (source)
Nigeria has been recognized as one of the most difficult places to be a Christian because of the persecution. However, I will say that Nigeria has a lot more hope currently than either the USA or much of Europe. I say this not because of the persecution, but because Christ is loved, honored, and followed by so many people- that is a good sign for the future.
Yes, America has many Christians and a long Christian history, but look at what is happening now. As I pointed out a few days ago, for the first time America appeared on the same list with Nigeria of nations where Christianity is persecuted. This is a first time for the USA, and the fact is that things are not getting any easier.
For a long time, it was difficult enough to get people to realize the existential threat that Islam poses. As we have repeatedly noted, the rise of Islam correlates directly with the moral decay of the Christian people. Look at America today- we are a nation who overflows with production of the worst kinds of moral and cultural filth. I am not speaking about a few individuals, groups, or even large companies. I am speaking of an unspoken, hedonistic, epicurean philosophy that pervades society to its very core and manifests itself through the fact that America, in spite of all that she says, is the largest and most vocal producer and promoters of vices such as heinous violence, hardcore pornography, homosexuality, heresy, paganism, feminism, and now outright devil worship and pedophilia.
Manny “Mua” Gutierrez, the new “face” of Maybelline cosmetics. Just another indication of the extent of the morally decayed state of America today.
America is a whitewashed tomb, having a beautiful exterior and many good and valuable things but inside is a rotting corpse. Nigeria, while having a war-torn, beaten, impoverished and broken exterior has a people whose inside is blossoming like fresh flowers after a rainfall, and this is only by the grace of God. Certainly there is much that has to change in Nigeria- that is clear. However, Nigeria is improving because of Christ at the current time and if she stays in Christ she will continue to change for the better. America on the other hand, while beautiful on the exterior, unless she amends her ways will continue down the path that will lead to perdition, where being a Christian will become a choice that one makes because it will mean to elect hardship and suffer the ostracism and hatred of those around you.
