RECOMMENDED READS: THE GATESTONE INSTITUTE'S "PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN ALGERIA" BY UZAY BULUT.

While the overwhelming majority of Western political leaders are tripping over their feet not only to accommodate islam but to actively promote and even import it, the reality in muslim-majority countries is the exact opposite. Indeed, the few remaining pitiful remnants of Christianity and Judaism face ever more severe persecution. Case in point Algeria, as this article by Uzay Bulut over at The Gatestone Institute makes clear:

"Although Christians make up a mere one percent of Algeria's Muslim-majority population, they continue to be persecuted by the government in Algiers. The most recent example is the closure in mid-October of three churches and the forced eviction of their congregants by police.

William Stark, regional manager of International Christian Concern (ICC), told Gatestone that shuttering the churches is just part of a broader campaign that began two years ago to target places of Christian worship.

Stark said his organization's sources in Algeria report that 12 churches have been closed by Algerian authorities since the beginning of 2019 alone:


~ "The closing of the latest three churches is most concerning, as it came only days after members of the l'Eglise Protestante d'Algerie (EPA) -- an umbrella organization for Protestant churches -- staged a peaceful sit-in against earlier church closures, and therefore suggests that it was an act of retaliation by Algerian authorities against those Christians willing to protest.

"One impetus for the protests is a 2006 law stating that any non-Muslim worship be conducted in specific, designated buildings. But since this law came into effect, no Christian places of worship have been designated by the government of Algeria."







According to the ICC, one of the churches that was shut down -- the Full Gospel of Tizi-Ouzou , with approximately 1,000 members -- is the largest in Algeria. Its lead pastor, Salah Chalah, also happens to head the EPA.

The pastor reportedly attempted to meet with government representatives multiple times, with no success. While his church was being raided by police, he was beaten with a baton.

Stark explained to Gatestone:


~ "The mere existence of an open Christian minority seems to challenge Algeria's national identity as a Muslim nation. The fact that this small, nonconforming minority is openly projecting its own image of what it means to be Algerian is at least part of the reason that it is being targeted."

Chapter I, Article 2 of Algeria's constitution determines that "Islam is the religion of the State."



According to the US State Department's 2018 Report on International Religious Freedom, in Algeria:


~ "Proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims is a crime... According to media reports, authorities charged five Christians from Bouira Province, three of whom belong to the same family, with 'inciting a Muslim to change his religion' and 'performing religious worship in an unauthorized place.' On December 25, a judge at the court of Bouira acquitted the five individuals. In March a court in Tiaret convicted and fined two Christian brothers for carrying more than 50 Bibles in their car. Prosecutors said the accused planned to use them for proselytism; the brothers said they were for church use only. The court fined each man 100,000 dinars ($850). In May another court convicted a church leader and another Christian of proselytizing, sentenced them to three months in prison, and fined them 100,000 dinars...

"Some Christian leaders and congregants spoke of family members abusing Muslims who converted to or expressed an interest in Christianity. Media reported unknown individuals vandalized two Christian cemeteries, smashing tombstones and ransacking graves. Individuals engaged in religious practice other than Sunni Islam reported they had experienced threats and intolerance, including in the media."

Via Twitter images of a sit in in the Tizi Ouzou Church. In vain of course, as police officers forcibly remove the worshippers:

#BreakingNews Christians in #Algeria stage a church sit-in to protest Algeria shutting down the two largest churches in the country. Police forcefully remove protesters and seal the church. 1500 Christians lose places of worship.

More info: https://t.co/YBVoBkxsFB pic.twitter.com/GuvPTWUVVz

— International Christian Concern (@persecutionnews) October 16, 2019

It's a crying scandal that our so-called Pope is blathering about 'faithfulness and respect for each other' - while his flock is mercilessly prosecuted all across the globe.



MFBB.