In the United States, it is easy to take for granted our first amendment right to the freedom of religion. For centuries, citizens of America have enjoyed the liberty to worship as they please, openly or in private, as members of any organized religion on earth. Indeed, even before the establishment of the United States, the founding roots of many of the original thirteen English colonies can be traced back to small groups of European settlers seeking a place to freely worship in a particular denomination of Christianity without persecution. Events which occurred in Pakistan in 2023 are a stark reminder that not every nation is as tolerant as America. A mob of Muslims numbering as many as 10,000 men looted, plundered and razed Christian communities in the country.
Near the town of Jaranwala in the eastern part of the country, 129 Muslims were arrested after a dozen churches and homes were destroyed or seriously damaged in the rampage. The cause of the riot was supposedly due to the actions of two Christians. Mr. Raja Amir and a colleague were arrested after being accused by local Islamic individuals of tearing pages from a Quran (the Muslim holy book), writing inflammatory remarks on others, and slamming the book into the dirt. These men were charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. In response to the attacks, Christian residents fled the area, fearing for their lives. The Pakistani military was called into the area to restore order.
War continues to rage in the general Middle Eastern region as Islamist terrorist groups like Hamas and the Houthis battle with Israeli forces in Gaza. Iran, another nation aligned with the terrorists, continues to call for its terrorist proxies and allies to launch more attacks on Israel. The nation remains firmly against Israel and the United States. The war in the region shows no signs of de-escalating and tens of thousands of people have already unfortunately died.
