MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

Here’s a quick update to this story.  Of course, there was never any doubt that this ‘rally’ would be quickly approved by the Malaysian police.  Even if it hadn’t been approved many would have still gathered anyway.  The only question now is whether or not any Islamist mob-mentality will stoke violent sentiments and lead to anti-Christian aggression …

By Carolyn Hong – “Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian police have issued a permit for a mass gathering of Muslims this Saturday ‘to defend Islam against Christian proselytization’, an event politicians and others fear will stoke religious tension in this multiracial country.

The Himpunan Sejuta Umat, or gathering of one million Muslim faithful, is organized by 25 non-governmental organizations, including the Malay supremacy group Perkasa.

It is calling for a new law to punish those who try to convert Muslims.

The rally comes after a controversial raid in August by the Selangor Islamic authorities on a church dinner attended by Muslims. The Sultan of Selangor later said the authorities did find evidence of attempts to convert Muslims but it was insufficient for legal action.

Many Muslims regard apostasy to be one of the gravest sins.

The organizers of the Himpun rally are not overtly linked to any political party, and appear to be a pressure group like Perkasa, which is pushing the Malay parties in both the government and opposition to adopt its conservative agenda.” Read more.

By Denise A Justin – “More than 2,000 Egyptian Christians (Coptic) gathered Oct. 16 in front of the Federal Building on Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles to demand equality for Christians in Egypt and an end to the Egyptian military government’s persecution, including the injuring and killing of Christians and burning of churches.

Los Angeles was just one of the cities which joined with worldwide demonstrations in October to alert the public of the intolerable treatment of Christians, which make up about 15 percent of the Egyptian population.

I spoke with one of the organizers of the tearful demonstration in Los Angeles, which brought together Egyptian Christians, called Coptics, from all over Southern California to express their concern and sorrow for the violence in their homeland and their fears for their loved ones. Out of concern for the safety of his family members in Egypt, I will identify him only as Eskander.

Now a dual citizen of America and Egypt, he told me that during a recent visit to his homeland, he saw Christians mourning helplessly in front of government offices and the Christian cathedral and begging for help in gaining the return of their daughter, believed kidnapped by Muslim Extremists for conversion to Islam. Few escape to return and tell their story of rape, violence and intimidation, he said sadly.” Read more.

Egypt: Islamists Boast, ‘We Won’t Leave Any Christians in This Country’ – “A group of Muslims burnt down part of a church Friday – the Islamic Sabbath – in the village of Marinab, according to a report published in the daily Al Masry Al Youm. The village, situated close to the town of Edfu in the Aswan Governorate, is located some 800 kilometers south of Cairo. Security sources said Muslims rampaged through the village in what appeared to be a pogrom, clashing with the Christian residents and destroying their shops.” Read more.

“KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Perlis Mufti Dr Juanda Jaya today dismissed as ‘illogical’ claims that over 250,000 Muslims in Malaysia have renounced their religion.

While agreeing that apostasy exists in the country, the Muslim cleric said the issue should not be overly publicised as it was a sensitive matter and would destroy the image of the country’s religious school as institutions incapable of protecting its own devotees.

‘It is illogical what has been written on the Internet that more than 250,000 Muslims in this country have abandoned their faiths.

‘If it is true, prove it and do not be emotional. Every state has enactments governing religious propaganda from being spread to Muslims, so why are they not being charged?’ he was quoted as saying in Utusan Malaysia today.

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday a planned gathering of a million Muslims this Saturday to rally against Christians ‘challenging the sovereignty of Islam’, a momentous event that could raise religious tension that has intensified in recent months after alleged proselytising by Christians.” Read more.

Flashback: Malaysia: Rise of Strict Islam Exposes Fears and Tensions, ‘If You Don’t Follow the Mainstream You Will Be Lynched’ – “Muslim women without headscarves are a common sight on the streets of the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. But engaging them in a discussion about the hijab is difficult. Norhayati Kaprawi is a Malaysian activist whose recent documentary Aku Siapa (Who Am I) deals with the issue of how women in Malaysia should dress. She found some women unwilling to show their faces in her film – not on religious grounds, but becasue they feared reprisals. This is a damning reflection on Malaysia’s Muslim society, says Ms Norhayati.” Read more.

Flashback: Muslim Group in Malaysia Declares Jihad Against Christians Who … Disagree With Them – “An umbrella coalition of Muslim groups held a protest today and declared bloodshed against ‘extremist’ Christians that insult and ridicule the position of Islam in the country. The Muslim Organisations in Defence of Islam (Pembela), comprising 20 groups, protested after Friday prayers at the National Mosque against Putrajaya’s release of Malay-language bibles and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise to never impound the Alkitab again.” Read more.

Flashback: Non-Muslims in Malaysia Who Recite Quranic Verses ‘Insincerely’ Can Be Charged With Blasphemy – “The government can take action against people who abuse Quranic verses for certain interests and dispute all forms of worship by Muslims in this country. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said this followed the special conference of the National Fatwa Council on Dec 3 last year to discuss issues including abuse of Quranic verses. ‘The muzakarah agreed that non-Muslims who cite Quranic verses according to their own understanding without sincerity is an affront to the sanctity of al-Quran and can cause doubt and slander in society,’ he told Dewan Rakyat today.” Read more.

“Karachi: October 18, 2011. (PCP) A Muslim worker in a garment factory in Korangi Industrial Area of Karachi East slaughtered a Christian woman on her resistance to rape when she was cleaning bathrooms.

A Christian woman named Zubaida Bibi, aged 35 and mother of four was employed as sanitary worker in Crescent Enterprises, a garment factory in Korangi Industrial Area.

On October 12, 2011, during duty hours, Zubaida Bibi entered to clean factory bathrooms when one Muslim employee named Mohammad Asif followed her and locked door behind him.

When Mohammad Asif attempted to sexually assault Zubaida Bibi, she cried for help on which Mohammad Asif took out a dagger and slit the throat of Zubaida Bibi…

There are rising incidents of sexual harassment against Christian women workers on workplaces in Pakistan which go unreported due to cultural and social values.

The influential Muslims feel free to kidnap and rape Christian women in Pakistan where Islamic laws protect culprits. In kidnap and rape cases against Christian women, the Muslim culprits walk free from courts which keep victims silent on such abuses.” Read more.

Pakistan: Woman, daughter butchered for ‘honour’ – “A woman and her daughter were killed by her sons in the name of ‘honour’ here in Marot area on Tuesday. According to detail, old age Manzooran Bibi were residing with her divorced daughter namely Rani Bibi in Chak 423/HR, separately from her sons. Her sons including Ramzan, Allah Bachaya etc, however, opposed to her living with her daughter and had born a grudge against them. They took their mother and sister to their home on the pretext that their separate living was bringing a bad name to their family a few days. On Monday morning, Implementing their plan which had already orchestrated, they cut the throat of their real mother and sister with a sharp edge tool and killed them.” Read more.

The worst is yet to come …

Daniel 12:10, “Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”

By Alex Murashko – “SANTA ANA, Calif. – Ongoing violence against Christians in Iraq has produced an accelerated exodus of believers recently and numbering in the hundreds of thousands over the last 10 years, said Open Doors USA officials.

Members of the Orange County, Calif.-based organization that provides help to persecuted believers in Jesus worldwide say that while the world’s attention has shifted to such countries as Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the mass movement of Christians in Iraq continues unabated.

Before the Gulf War in 1991, the number of Christians was about one million, stated Open Doors in a news release. ‘That number fell to an estimated 850,000 in 2003 at the start of the U.S.-led invasion that ended the Saddam Hussein regime. Since then the numbers have plummeted.

‘At the beginning of the summer, Open Doors estimated the number of Christians remaining in Iraq at 345,000. However, the number decreases every month,’ officials stated.

‘It is an estimation; some even think there are less Christians left in the country than that,’ another Open Doors member said.

Bassam Isho, 30, who was killed by unknown gunmen on Oct. 1 is considered a martyr by Christians in Mosul. The gunmen entered the restaurant where Isho worked and opened fire, killing him instantly, according to Open Doors.

During the same week, two more Christians were killed in Kirkuk. It is this type of violence, including the continuing harassment from Muslim extremists that has many Christians in Iraq seeking refuge.” Read more.

Egypt: Islamists Boast, ‘We Won’t Leave Any Christians in This Country’ – “A group of Muslims burnt down part of a church Friday – the Islamic Sabbath – in the village of Marinab, according to a report published in the daily Al Masry Al Youm. The village, situated close to the town of Edfu in the Aswan Governorate, is located some 800 kilometers south of Cairo. Security sources said Muslims rampaged through the village in what appeared to be a pogrom, clashing with the Christian residents and destroying their shops.” Read more.

Not a Single Christian Church Left in Afghanistan – “There is not a single, public Christian church left in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. State Department. This reflects the state of religious freedom in that country ten years after the United States first invaded it and overthrew its Islamist Taliban regime. In the intervening decade, U.S. taxpayers have spent $440 billion to support Afghanistan’s new government and more than 1,700 U.S. military personnel have died serving in that country. The last public Christian church in Afghanistan was razed in March 2010, according to the State Department’s latest International Religious Freedom Report. The report, which was released last month and covers the period of July 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, also states that ‘there were no Christian schools in the country.’” Read more.