Applied Theology
I will have a fuller article posted later (and maybe a podcast or video), but I felt the need to get this thought out: Films do not kill people. Why must this be said? Because article after article makes it sound as though the Muhammad Film is responsible for protests, violence, and murder. Whatever one... Continue Reading →
Are Muslims in Denver taking us back to the Reconstruction days of Plessy v. Ferguson? Americans instinctively recoil nowadays at the thought of “separate but equal” laws. How can we possibly single out a group of Americans based on their skin color, ethnic background, or religious preference? Such separation denies basic freedoms inherent in... Continue Reading →
In light of the recent shunning of Christians by the Democrat National Convention, this post by Rebecca Hamilton at Patheos is well worth the read this morning. In the post, Hamilton comments on a lawsuit now underway in the UK. This lawsuit is significant because it foreshadows the future of lawsuits in America. Our trajectory... Continue Reading →
Do you live in a subdivision that has a neighborhood watch? In America, we take this watch to mean that neighbors are looking out for one another, protecting each other from harm. In a Pakistan neighborhood in Lahore, the neighborhood watch has taken the opposite turn. According to this report, Ahmed Bhatti has organized Muslims... Continue Reading →
Pakistan Quite a bit of coverage has been given to the sad case of Rimsha Misrak, a Christian girl in Pakistan who is accused of blaspheming Muhammad. She remains in jail, and her family is in protective custody. I have read some reports which say Rimsha is 11, but this story reports that she... Continue Reading →
After a missions meeting this morning, I am heading out to the KY State Fair with the family. However, even as we enjoy seeing jugglers and giant pumpkins, our brothers and sisters around the world are facing harsh conditions. As I have written about before, the so-called Arab Spring is actually a winter... Continue Reading →
The news out of North Korea does not appear good for Christians, but that doesn’t mean good can’t come from it. Our God redeems what otherwise appears lost and hopeless. Encouragement might result (see here).
I recently read a story concerning the state of Christians in North Korea. As expected, the situation for Christians there is grim. Though some reports state that new leader Kim Jong Un is easing some restrictions which made North Korea infamous in the first place, leading them to the #1 spot for the persecution of Christians on Open Doors annual watch list, the truth of the matter is that there are still tens of thousands of Christians in prisons in North Korea.
In the story, Ryan Morgan, an analyst with International Christian Concern (Asia), says this about recent reports of reform:
“We have not heard any reports of improvement for Christians in the country and have no reason to believe anything has changed. The regime still has up to 70,000 Christians locked away in virtual concentration camps.”
Oddly, the Lord has used reports such as these in an unexpected…
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Edmundo saved the day! No, there wasn’t a real life or death threat, but we felt like it was an emergency. We five Americans were stuck on a rural Asian island with no internet and no wi-fi accessibility. What in the world were we supposed to do—not update Facebook? But our hotel had pink... Continue Reading →
What is it with all this death and suffering in our world? Has science not yet eradicated the inimitable Grim Reaper? In the age of nuclear medicine and MRI’s, we seem to be capable of better identifying the diseases which cause our suffering, but we still can’t seem to eliminate the pains. And as for... Continue Reading →
The NFL season begins in just one month. So, plenty of stories will be generated from how well (or how poorly) Tim Tebow plays. Getting a jump on the competition, President Barack Obama told a radio audience yesterday that he thought the Tebow trade was a mistake (See President Obama Weighs in on Tebow, Sanchez).... Continue Reading →
I will be out of the country for a few weeks, but I wanted to leave you with a painfully good question that comes to us from a Jew: "Why don't Christians help Christians?" The question was asked by Dennis Prager with reverent concern for the health of American Christianity. His article (read it here)... Continue Reading →
In his mid-twenties, Mikail Nabil has determined to make his life count. Like many Americans of the same age, Mr. Nabil spends his days keeping his friends and followers up to date through his blog posts and social networks. And, also like many Americans, Mr. Nabil is not afraid to share his political views. Unlike... Continue Reading →
The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 a very simple command to Christians, “Pray without ceasing.” The attitude of prayer is one that characterizes the believer, even though—to many people—the exercise appears futile if not outright naïve. Yet, prayer may, in fact, be the most important and most effective thing we can do. Especially,... Continue Reading →
Though Shoaib's letter is not as powerful as the letter we posted from Said Musa last week, there is an urgency about this letter. It is clear from the letter that Shoaib is appealing to the Afghan Government based on its own constitution. He is appealing to the government for justice, which is what the... Continue Reading →
In a wonderful sign of Christian unity, thousands of Christians took action on behalf of Said Musa, an imprisoned Christian facing death in Afghanistan for converting to Christianity. Said Musa HAS BEEN FREED from prison and is now safely out of the country. But Said Musa was not alone. Another Christian—Shoaib Assadullah—is facing the same... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 