Selasa, 25 Agustus 2015

Christians in Pakistan Arrested for Describing Preacher as Prophet

Christians in Pakistan Arrested for Describing Preacher as Prophet
 
By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com)  
 
Women in Pakistani churchGUJRAT, 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. 
Jeremy and Elma Reynalds useAbout 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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