Their Blood Cries Out

This is not a book for the light hearted. It tells of the darkness of mankind. The exploitations of the Christian minority through stories of murder, rape, crucifixion, enslavent, beheadings, brutalizations, imprisonment. It is an incredibly well told story, although biased in its limited perspective of only persecution against Christians, it is nonetheless incredibly informative, and I would reccomend it to anyone. Not reading this book would be an injustice.

"Their Blood Cries Out" (TBCO) is a masterfully written, meticulously researched, deeply compassionate and intellectually honest account of the persecution of millions of Christians around the world today. Marshall is careful to define a Christian as a person whose "Christian faith is a central aspect of their lives"(see Appendix D). Marshall has produced a much needed, up to date account of the suffering that is inflicted upon Christians today. TBCO surveys many countries and regions where persecution takes place, it examines the reasons and the causes of this persecution, and it tries to understand American (Western) apathy towards religious persecution. It is an honest, all round examination that informs, provokes and convicts.TBCO is neatly divided into two independent sections: the first section is a global survey of countries where persecution takes place. The second part examines the reasons for the lack of interest in persecution and Marshall tries to come to an understanding of "why don¡¦t people care.¡¨The first part of TBCO examines persecution in Islamic, communist, Hindu/Buddhist and Orthodox Christian countries. For each country covered, Marshall has carefully collated information and testimonials from easily verifiable sources. The book is well footnoted and his claims can be easily checked. This survey is an interesting investigation that is written with a deep sense of compassion and understanding. Marshall manages to avoid the pitfalls of gross generalizations and appropriately basis his work and conclusions on verifiable evidence. In writing this book, Marshall has traveled to about 20 of the countries he writes about. His willingness to examine the evidence first hand and to compile the stories of those who suffer and die for their faith should motivate unaware Christians to stand up for their persecuted brethren. TBCO was written in 1997. Although the data presented in the book may be outdated, the overall analysis is still relevant. Many of the countries covered in the survey conducted in the first part of the book are still persecuting Christians and, in some cases, the persecution has become more intense. Since the WTC attacks Christians in Islamic countries have become increasingly vulnerable to attacks. Indonesia saw a drastic increase in communal violence in places like central Sulawesi. The Montagnards in Vietnam have, since December 2000 faced increasing persecution. Christians in North Korea still suffer immensely. And the list continues to grow. The reasons for the persecution remain the same, and the number of testimonies increases. The second part of TBCO is a fascinating investigation into the apathetic stance that is taken by comfortable Christians and Western secularists. Many Christians, even when informed about their suffering brethren, would rather discuss other things. As Marshall himself says, "The subject of persecuted Christians is jarring to an obsession of personal peace."Elsewhere he comments that, "

This book will bring home a couple salient facts:1. Christians are persecuted on a level today that hasn't been seen since the persecutions of ancient Rome - and, in raw numbers, probably dwarfs even those.2. Our major media outlets -- as well as a good number of our ecclesiastical and "human rights" organizations - have been blind to this persecution owing primarily to their left-of-center political proclivities. Conservative Christian organizations don't come out unscathed either - they have a tendency to focus on apocalyptic themes instead of the necessary work at hand of saving Christians.An added benefit in reading this book is the wonderful insight you'll gain as Mr. Marshall explains the tectonic forces of culture and religion that are in play in each of the countries he covers - not to mention a prescient perspective on the whole idea of culture vs. religion. Which one takes precedence - culture or religion? To listen to the nightly news, you'd think culture. Read this book for an incisive answer.You'll never look at the evening news the same - and you'll always remember to include a mention in your prayers for those for whom their blood cries out.

In writing this book Paul Marshall counters the appalling ignorance and apathy that we in the West display toward the persecution of Christians in non-Western countries. The book is introduced by Michael Horowitz, a Jewish man who, as one might put it, finally shamed America's churches into acting on this issue. He compares the systematic destruction of Christians in the third world to the experiences of his own Jewish people, whose destruction was similarly ignored. He writes of "The silence and indifference of Western elites to the beatings, looting, torture, jailing, enslavement, murder, and even crucifixion of increasingly vulnerable Christian communities" and "The ignorance and silence displayed by Western Christian communities toward the suffering of fellow believers". Part I, "An International Lament", explores the persecution of Christians committed in the name of totalitarian, Islamic, Communist, and Christian causes. In Part II, "American Apathy", Marshall explains why both secularists and Christians in the West ignore many of the most pressing, systematic, and extreme human rights violations on earth. He concludes by outlining ways in which we can act on this issue. Marshall speaks out on behalf of persecuted Christians passionately and without apology. He focuses on Christian persecution in the wider context of human rights violations, mentioning many of the most pressing human rights violations against Muslims, Buddhists, and other religious groups. The book is thoroughly referenced and indexed in an academic style. The author's stories convey extensive worldwide personal contact, evidence of first-hand research to supplement his incisive analysis and documented historical and numerical data. Persecution of evangelicals and of Catholics receives approximately equal coverage and emphasis. Marshall criticizes evangelicals as well as mainline Protestant and Catholic organizations, in a way that seemed appropriate for each.

To think of martyrdom in 1998 and that it is going on today and yesterday and tomorrow is terribly unsettling. The media does not talk about WHY people are killed; most times it is for their faith or political persuasion! Many times it is for their Christian faith. Christians are being sold, raped, kidnapped, slaughtered just because they are Christians! Didn't know how widespread it is! Pray for peace!