(Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Village officials in central Laos on Saturday (June 22) arrested a pastor and five other Christians as they prayed in preparation for worship services the next day, according to a rights watchdog. Tahae village authorities arrested the church leader, identified only as Pastor Mum, and the other Christians in […]
Pastor, Five Other Christians Arrested in Laos
Village officials detain them at prayer meeting.
Muslim Family Disrupts Christian Worship in Indonesia
Local official, wife and son yell bad names at house church members.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – A local official and his Muslim family last week disrupted house church worship in an area of Java island, Indonesia where it has never happened before. In East Java Province’s Betiting village, in Cerme Sub-Regency of Gresik Regency, the head of the citizen association (Ketua Rukun Warga, or RW) […]
Muslims Attack Catholic Students with Knives in Indonesia
Two young women slightly wounded.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Two young women were slightly wounded when a mob of Muslims on Sunday (May 5) assaulted a group of 15 students engaged in a Catholic ritual prayer at a rented house in Banten Province, on the Indonesian island of Java, sources said. Enraged at the Catholic group praying the […]
Pastor in Indonesia Accused of Blasphemy
Muslims in two regions file complaints.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslim leaders have filed complaints of blasphemy against a leading Christian pastor in Indonesia. After Pastor Gilbert Lumoindong of the Indonesia Bethel Church (Gereja Bethel Indonesia, GBI) mentioned Islamic prayer and alms-giving in comparison with biblical tithing in a video of his comments from a Sunday sermon, attorney Farhat Abbas […]
Vietnamese Churches Demand Investigation of Christian’s Death
Petition demands full, fair inquiry.
(Morning Star News) – Relatives of Y Bum Bya, a member of the Evangelical Church of Christ of the Western Highlands (ECCWH), on March 8 found his battered body hanging from a tree with a rope around his neck. Police, saying they were coming to return a cell phone that they had confiscated from him, […]
Muslims in Indonesia End Church’s Meetings in Home
Local residents object to use of house for worship.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – Muslim residents objecting to house-church worship in western Indonesia on Sunday (March 17) compelled the pastor to discontinue using her home for services, sources said. On the western tip of Java Island, dozens of Muslim residents gathered outside the house after worship ended in Saga Bunar, Balaraja Sub-District, Tangerang […]
Islamic Extremists in Indonesia Targeting Youth, Women
‘Active intolerant’ teenagers increasing, official says.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – The head of Indonesia’s counter-terrorism agency said officials are focussing on protecting teenaged children and women from Islamic radicalization as they have become the most targeted groups. Citing a report by the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, Rycko Amelza Dahniel of the National Counter-terrorism Agency (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme, […]
Ominous New Decree 95 Confirms Vietnam’s Intent to Control Religion
Shutting down churches will be easier, raising and receiving funds much harder.
(Morning Star News) – Two millennia ago, Jesus of Nazareth said, “Yes, what sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease their burden.” (Luke 11:46, NLT). What Jesus said about the religious zealots of His day could also be said […]
A Year of Bumpy Ups and Downs for Religious Liberty in Vietnam
Despite all efforts, the country again lands on the U.S. Special Watch List.
(Morning Star News) – Vietnam improved from 24th to 35th place in Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List (WWL) of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, but the U.S. government was not so generous regarding its religious freedom record, placing the country on its Special Watch List on Jan. 4 […]
Blasphemy Law in Indonesia Faces Criticism as Cases Grow
Charges based on fatwas and mob pressure, rights advocates say.
SURABAYA, Indonesia (Morning Star News) – With an increase in blasphemy cases in Indonesia and arrests based on Islamic fatwas and mob pressure, rights advocates are calling for laws to be amended or ended. The number of charges registered under Indonesia’s blasphemy law increased from 10 in 2021 to 19 last year, according to rights group […]