By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com)
GUJRAT, PAKISTAN (ANS. AUG. 21)
Hate spilled onto the streets after an evangelical conference and
ordination ceremony was held in the city of Gujrat on Aug. 15.
According to a story by the
British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), the conference had been
organized by Pastor Aftab Gill, son of the late Pastor Fazal Gill.
The angst was in reaction to
the use of the title “rasool” – or prophet – after Fazal Gill’s name.
BPCA said he was known for having this Biblical gift.
Promotional material using
the title as part of the event promotion were placed on walls across the
town in highly trafficed locations.
Fazal Masih had established
the local Biblical Church of God some years ago, and the ordination
ceremony was for a number of people in that group.
An offended local Muslim man,
Umar Butt, questioned how a common man - and a Christian in particular -
could be considered worthy of the title prophet. BPCA said he was very
angry about the use of the word, believing Muhammed to be the last and
final prophet.
BPCA said Butt decided to
take a Mufti (Islamic jurist) and a local TV reporter for Royal Channel
to an area police station to complain.
The clamor for a blasphemy accusation resulted in Aftab Gill’s
arrest, as well as several other men whose names were also listed on the
banners and pamphlets. Aftab Gill is now in hiding.
According to BPCA, it is
aware of Aftab Gil’s undisclosed location, and hopes to support him
through this obviously difficult period.
BPCA said, “It will take a
large amount of money however to provide him, his wife and three
children with housing and the support required to protect them from the
hate mob seeking them. Christians within the local community have
already shut their homes and moved to other areas, fearing a reprisal
attack from the usual Muslim mob that gathers after any inkling of a
blasphemy attack.”
The group added that it is
asking for immediate prayer from Christian worldwide, “as we expect
homes will be looted, but do not want this to escalate to the typical
burning down of homes of innocent Christians.”
In addition, BPCA said it is asking that Pakistan’s government starts to protect its Christian minority appropriately.
The BPCA said its Chairman,
Wilson Chowdhry, said “The quality of life for Christians in Pakistan
has reached its lowest ebb. That a community could be attacked and
dozens arrested for using the title prophet which would be legitimized
through their faith, is a poor indictment of Pakistani laws.
Pak-Christians are a forgotten minority, and their hardships are set to
increase. This grieves me intensely.”
For more information visit www.britishpakistanichristians.org
Photo captions: 1) Pakistani women in church. 2) Jeremy and Elma Reynalds.
About the writer: Jeremy
Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a
freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New
Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, www.joyjunction.org. He
has a master's degree in communication from the University of New
Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in
Los Angeles. His newest book is "From Destitute to Ph.D." Additional
details on "From Destitute to Ph.D." are available at www.myhomelessjourney.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Elma. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@gmail.com.
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