syria

You may have noticed the cross with the odd symbol on T-shirts, websites, or in the news. It’s become a symbol of solidarity for Christians all over the world. Oddly enough, the cross’s origins derive from the radical Muslim group, ISIS. Here's how it came to be. The symbol on the cross is “Nuun” (or “Nun”), the Arabic alphabet equivalent of the Roman letter “N”. It’s the first letter of the word “Nasrani” or “Nasarah” (Nazarene in English), a word commonly used by ISIS as a derogatory referral to Christians. The symbol became known in Iraq and Syria where Jihadists spray-painted the letter on houses occupied by Christians in order to mark them for attack (see image gallery below). Christians around the world picked up on the

Open Doors USA and the World Watch List of persecuted Christians Open Doors USA, a non-profit organization, serves persecuted Christians in more than sixty countries. In addition to distributing bibles, training evangelists, and rebuilding churches and homes, ODUSA releases an annual list of countries where Christians suffer the worst persecution. Examples of persecution Christians experience in these countries include “beatings, physical torture, confinement, isolation, rape, severe punishment, imprisonment, slavery, discrimination in education and employment, and even death.” After pinpointing potential victims using its Rapid Appraisal Tool (RAPT) methodology, Open Doors USA compiles its World Watch List using a carefully-designed “expert questionnaire”. Per Open Doors USA, here are the top ten countries that exhibit the most severe religious persecution of Christians. 1. North Korea Not only is Christianity illegal