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Archbishop Gary Beaver Lobbies World
Governments and EU to Help Stamp Out Christian
Persecution
Where there is no fear, there
is no hatred!
Archbishop
Gary Beaver stated on the 18th October at the House
of Bishop's meeting in London “ In our sadness and
longing for justice, the ever mounting reports of
violence and persecution against Christians grows at
epidemic levels around the world. No matter how we
may try to understand the depth of feeling giving
rise to such hatred, we must not, and cannot
sanction it in any form.
The Old Catholic Church project
“Doing Hard Time for God” led by Archbishop Gary
states clearly that “hatred is always fuelled by
fear, and it is from fear that the good news sets us
free. “Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do
not let them be afraid,” says Jesus. (John 14:27) In
a world where fear is no longer warranted, hatred
has no power”.
In an official church communication
to World Leaders, Archbishop Gary wrote “
Persecution so often begets more violence? The Old
Catholic Church calls for your support and
legislation to put an end to this disturbing cycle
of hate crime committed in the name of religion. In
a world gripped with fear, revenge, and hatred, let
us bring the light that shines brightly in the
darkness.”
We must first define Christian
persecution as violent acts against people,
property, or organisations because of the faith to
which they belong or identify with.
Scientific research is beginning to
yield some good perspectives on the general nature
of crimes committed because of real or perceived
differences in race, religion, ethnicity or national
origin, sexual orientation, disability, or gender.
Most hate crimes are carried out by
otherwise law-abiding young people who see little
wrong with their actions. The main determinant
appears to be personal prejudice, a situation that
colours people's judgment, blinding the aggressors
to the immorality of what they are doing. Such
prejudice is most likely rooted in an environment
that disdains someone who is "different" or sees
that difference as threatening. One expression of
this prejudice is the perception that society
sanctions attacks on certain groups such as
Christians in a non-Christian country.
Researchers have concluded that hate
crimes are not necessarily random, uncontrollable,
or inevitable occurrences. There is overwhelming
evidence that society can intervene to reduce or
prevent many forms of violence, especially among
young people, including the hate-induced violence
that threatens and intimidates different religious
groups.
Hate crimes are message crimes,
according to Dr. Jack McDevitt, a criminologist at
Northeastern University in Boston. They are
different from other crimes in that the offender is
sending a message to members of a certain group that
they are unwelcome in a particular neighbourhood,
community, school, or country.
“The notion that religious
persecution is a violation of human rights is not a
new one, as those who have experienced it’s effects
would testify.” Said Archbishop Gary Beaver.
We must hold, not only individuals,
but governments accountable. The silence of
government equals permission to hate. Local
governments must be responsible for the abuse of
basic human rights of its citizens. State
governments must stand up against intolerance. And
federal governments must be the guiding force behind
the protection of human rights and human dignity in
their country. Wold-wide legislation must be enacted
and enforced to protect individuals and groups from
religious intolerance.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.” —Romans 12:21
Ways You Can Get Involved with the
“Doing Hard Time for God” Crusade and Help
Persecuted Christians
Get Informed:
Be proactive, learn about the predicament of the
persecuted. Read books and articles on the subject.
Get Involved:
Make a commitment to be an active part of the
solution. Be an advocate for persecuted Christians
by speaking out on their behalf. Be creative in
faithfully using all the resources you have (phone,
fax, mail or e-mail) to send letters of concern to
your elected officials as well as to the leaders of
countries that practice persecution.
Get Others Involved:
Provide “Doing Hard Time for God” materials to your
church leaders. Ask your priest to share information
about persecution from the pulpit and in church
publications. Organise your own prayer and action
group that meets regularly to pray for the
persecuted church and write letters on their behalf.
Assist the Persecuted with Your
Finances:
Because the persecuted are often denied good jobs
and are discriminated against in many ways, they
suffer tremendous financial hardships. They
desperately need your financial help.
Pray:
Pray for the persecuted: that their faith remain
strong and that they would be able to forgive those
who persecute them. Pray for the persecutors: that
they may be compelled to show mercy for the
persecuted Christians and that those who are in
power may change their policies. Pray for the
leaders of the free world, that they may use their
God-given power to make a difference. Finally, ask
God how you can help to make a difference in the
lives of persecuted Christians. |
