Watchdog group Open Doors recently highlighted Mexico, Russia, and the United States as three countries receiving an unusual amount of persecution and religious discrimination. An abnormal rise in attacks against people of faith has caused the organization to reach a new threshold of concern. The troubling conditions are certainly in no way comparable to other countries. However, certain segments of society (and a few judicial decisions) have either intentionally or mistakenly been on course with dismissing a God-relying faith into the abyss. Many believers and non-believers even view the twisting of the First Amendment as a slap in the to the country's founding fathers.
During a press conference at the National Press Club, Open Doors USA CEO David Curry gave an alarming statement that 2016 was the worst year in which 215 million Christians faced high levels of persecution for their beliefs.
Further statistics
According to Open Doors, as many as 1,207 Christians throughout the world lost their lives between Nov. 1st and Oct. 31st, 2015. This is due to a growing number cultures who consider Christianity illegal, and often punishable by death. North Korea, which tops the list, forbids Christians to own a Bible, and, this past Christmas, their leader (Kim Jong Un) even called upon citizens to worship his late grandmother instead of Christ. Needless to say, scores of Christians hide their faith in order to stay alive.
Christians living in Pakistan go through life with inadequate police protection and are often subjected to public ridicule. Open Doors also reports that the West African country of Mali has risen from 44 to 32 on the list, and says there was an average of 40 incidents against the church or Christians reported in India each month in 2016.
Open Doors researched list of top 21 worst countries for Christians, and the list is as follows:
- North Korea
- Somalia
- Afghanistan
- Pakistan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Iraq
- Iran
- Yemen
- Eritrea
- Libya
- Nigeria
- Maldives
- Saudi Arabia
- India
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Kenya
- Turkemenistan
- Qatar
- Egypt
