Happenings in Russia and Turkey

This article from the Christian Science Monitor discusses the recent violence carried out against Evangelical Christians and the attitudes within Turkish society that led to this violence.

I heard this report on NPR this morning about the Russian government suspending the activities of foreign adoption agencies. Though the report captures the dysfunctional nature of how Russia handles orphans ("Our people will not adopt them, but we will not allow foreigners to adopt them either."), it fails to tell the story of the many Americans who adopt (and frankly, rescue) children from these orphanages. Many of these adoption agencies are run by Christians, as are many of the people who adopt these children. As is the case in Turkey, the aim of the crackdown on adoption agencies is part of a larger effort to put a stop to Evangelical Christian activities in Russia.

Why is this the case? What is so dangerous about Christianity and Christians, that they must be killed or deported? It reminds me of the words of Christ:

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you... But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me." John 15:18-19, 21

The believers in Turkey were killed because they wanted to help other Turks learn about Christ, and the adoption agencies have had their work halted because they help put Russian orphans in the loving homes of American Christians and other kindhearted people. On both counts, this is persecution for righteousness by any definition.