1. Elizabeth Kendal www.elizabethkendal.com International Religious Liberty Analyst and Advocate Director of Advocacy: Christian Faith and Freedom (Canberra) Adjunct Research Fellow: Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths (CSIOF) at Melbourne School of Theology (MST) Author: Turn Back the Battle: Isaiah Speaks to Christians Today (Deror Books, Dec 2012) www.turnbackthebattle.com Blogs: Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin (RLPB) Religious Liberty Monitoring (RLM) also: Critical Prayer Requests (CPR)

2. Religious Liberty Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ Article 18 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. Article 19 = freedom of speech and opinion Article 20 = freedom of peaceful assembly and association The Reality Today Religious liberty is in decline globally.

3. The OIC rejects the UDHR as a ”Judeo-Christian construct”. OIC met in Cairo in 1991 to formulate the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam. http://www.oic-oci.org/english/article/human.htm “... the Islamic Ummah which God made the best nation...” Article 2 (d) “Safety from bodily harm is a guaranteed right.. and it is prohibited to breach it without a Sharia-prescribed reason.” Article 10 “Islam is the religion of unspoiled nature. It is prohibited to exercise any form of compulsion on man or to exploit his poverty or ignorance in order to convert him to another religion or to atheism.” Article 18 (a) “Everyone shall have the right to live in security for himself, his religion, his dependents, his honor and his property.”

4. Article 24 “All the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration are subject to the Islamic Shari'ah.” Article 25 “The Islamic Shari'ah is the only source of reference for the explanation or clarification of any of the articles of this Declaration.” Sharia rejects religious freedom Apostasy = death ‘blasphemy’ = death Must eliminate fitna (strife arising from doubt) When Islam is strong, non-Muslims will be persecuted: by the State; by militants; by radicalised Muslim neighbours

5. Imprisoned in Iran Imprisoned in Pakistan Imprisoned in Indonesia Ethiopians imprisoned in Saudi Arabia

6. Lahore, Pakistan Sunday 15 March, Youhanabad (St John Christian district) St John's Catholic Church and Christ Church (Protestant). Twin suicide bombings during worship 17+ dead, more than 70 wounded Claimed by Pakistani Taliban Christians comprise <2% among the dead: Abhishak (10)

7. Joseph colony, Lahore, March 2013 Rumour / accusation of blasphemy

8. Radicalisation post 1979 Islamic Revolution: Iran (Shi’ite) Fatwa to break siege of Mecca: Saudi Arabia (Sunni) The late Sheikh Bin Baz

9. Biblical Christianity is unique in mandating religious freedom. e.g. Jeremiah 23:28-29 – regarding false prophets. Matthew 13:24-30 – The Parable of the wheat and the tares. Christians believe that religious freedom is a “universal human right” i.e. that all people should have it. However, that belief is not held universally. Hope for the world? John 16:3 – “they do this [persecute you] because they do not know the Father or me.” Prayer, mission, cross-bearing, grace, witness... Revival.