Iran has arrested about 70 Christians since Christmas in a crackdown that demonstrates the limits of religious tolerance by Islamic leaders who often boast they provide room for other faiths.
The latest raids have targeted grass-roots Christian groups Iran describes as "hard-liners" who pose a threat to the Islamic state. Authorities increasingly view them with suspicions that range from trying to convert Muslims to being possible footholds for foreign influence.
Christian activists claim their Iranian brethren are being persecuted simply for worshipping outside officially sanctioned mainstream churches.
Caught in the middle is the small community of Iranian Christians who get together for prayer and Bible readings in private residences and out of sight of authorities. They are part of a wider "house church" movement that has taken root in other places with tight controls on Christian activities such as China and Indonesia
Arresting Christians is not something new in Iran, however recently those arrests have become both larger and more coordinated especially in light of the demonstrations after Ahmadinejad stole the election in 2009--and the Iranian authorities started keeping a closer eye on religious minorities
It is gratifying that the media, which has finally taken note of the Muslim persecutions of Christians, has reported on the Iranian crackdown.
Now let's see if world leaders take note--or if they ignore this the same way they have ignored Ahmadinejad's threats against Israel over the years.
After Sarkozy condemned the religious cleansing going on in the Muslim world, the leaders of the free world have been silent.
Technorati Tag: Iran and Muslim Persecution Of Christians.
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