News and Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Government Continues Mental Torture of Pastor as Court Frees and Immediately Re-Arrests Him  10/9/2013 Kazakhstan (International Christian Concern) Pastor Kashkumbayev, 67, was released to house arrest after having been imprisoned since May for his Christian activities, only to be immediately re-arrested for religious extremism.  He is not receiving adequate medical care while imprisoned. It is believed the government is making an example of him for being a Christian.     Full story Pray for Pastor Kashkumbayev's safety and protection while being detained Pray that God would bring comfort to Pastor Kashkumbayev's family during this difficult time Pray for international awareness for Pastor Kashkumbayev's quick and full release Muslims and Christians in Pakistan Protect Churches with Human Chain 10/8/2013 Pakistan (Opposing Views) In protest to the September 22 bombing of All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan Christians and Muslims joined together this past Sunday to form a human chain protecting a church.  Recent incidences of persecution in Pakistan include terrorist bombings of churches in response to US drone strikes.   Full story Pray the protests will be a catalyst for greater unity between Christians and Muslims in Pakistan  Pray for the healing of victims from the September 22 All Saints Church bombing Pray that the government will provide protection for Christians and religious minorities in Pakistan More Than 60 Church Leaders Remain Locked Up in Communist Vietnam 10/8/2013 Vietnam (International Christian Concern) International Christian Concern has received a tragically long list of the names of 63 Christian pastors and church leaders who remain locked up in deplorable conditions in four prison camps around the country.  There is hope that these Christians will soon be freed- the American government is working on passing a bill that will deny Vietnam certain aid until the human rights situation improves.    Full story Pray for the health and safety of the imprisoned pastors and church leaders Pray for hope in the midst of suffering for the families of the imprisoned leaders Pray that Vietnam would stop its persecution of Christians and religious minorities China Relentless in Persecution of House Churches 10/4/2013 China (International Christian Concern) There have been many recent incidences of beatings, detainment, vandalism, and general persecution of Christians in China. China claims to support religious freedom, but the only protestant church they officially recognize is the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and it seems to be more an instrument of suppression than a true church.     Full story Pray that China's intolerance for religious minorities will garner the international concern it warrants  Pray the house churches will be legally recognized by the government and they will stop being targets for raids   Pray the local authorities will be stopped from persecuting Christians by higher authorities  Two Indonesian Christians Sentenced to Three Years Behind Bars for Evangelism 10/3/2013 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) It has been confirmed that two Indonesian Christians were sentenced to three years in prison on August 2 for conducting evangelistic activities among Muslims. The Christians, known as Kashfi Rosyid and Jalaudin, are brothers and were arrested by police on March 20 in Sukabumi, West Java,after an angry mob of approximately 200 Muslims attacked their home.  Full Story  Pray for courage and strength for the two brothers while they are detained Pray the Indonesian government will realize their policies that encourage religious tolerance are being violated  Pray this incident will not incite a rise of Christian persecution in Indonesia Out of the Darkness: Isolated Christians in Laos Consistently    Refuse    to    Give up on Christ 10/3/2013 Laos (International Christian Concern)     Christians in Laos are facing persecution for refusing to worship false gods. Though they are constitutionally given religious freedom, Christianity is not always recognized as a religion and foreign missionaries are not allowed to enter. Most occurrences of persecution are reported from small villages. The Christians being persecuted are showing strong resistance.    Full Story  Pray for strength and resolve for Christians who are facing persecution in Laos Pray the situation in Laos will gain more recognition which will lead to greater freedom for Christians

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the destitute." - Proverbs 31:8

Pakistan Blocks 'Obscene' Texts Including "Jesus Christ"

BBC The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has told mobile phone companies to begin blocking text messages containing "obscene" words.

Mobile phone companies Telenor Pakistan and Ufone confirmed to the BBC that the PTA has sent them a "dictionary" of banned words and expressions.

The PTA has reportedly ordered operators to begin screening text messages by 21 November.

Ufone say they are now working on how to block the offending words.

A letter dated 14 November, apparently written by Muhammad Talib Doger, an official at the PTA, has been leaked to Pakistani media.

It states that mobile phone operators should begin screening the words, provided on a list attached to the letter, within seven days.

"We have received both the dictionary and the memo and we're discussing a way forward," said Anjum Nida Rahman, corporate communications director for Telenor Pakistan.

The ban is a reaction to consumers' complaints of receiving offensive text messages, Mohammad Younis, a spokesman for the PTA, told The Guardian newspaper.

"Nobody would like this happening to their young boy or girl," he said. He added that the list was not finished and that the authority would continue to add to it.

'What am I missing?'

An unconfirmed version of the PTA's list is being circulated online, containing hundreds of words and expressions in both English and Urdu.

According to this version, the entries range from those too obscene to repeat to the bizarre.

Some of the choices on the list have baffled Pakistani mobile phone users, many of whom have taken to Twitter to ridicule the move.

Syed Adnan Yousuf, tweeting as @AdnanWhy, asked: "Why is 'head lights' banned? What am I missing here?"

Some people have suggested bypassing the ban by replacing words with their number on the PTA's list.

Pakistan has seen a big increase in mobile phone use in recent years - 100m Pakistanis are now estimated to be mobile phone users.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Texters in Pakistan better start watching their language.

Pakistan’s telecommunications authority sent a letter ordering cell phone companies to block text messages containing what it perceives to be obscenities, Anjum Nida Rahman, a spokeswoman for Telenor Pakistan, said Friday.

It also sent a list of more than 1,500 English and Urdu words that were to be blocked.

The order was part of the regulator’s attempt to block spam messages, said Rahman. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority refused to comment on the initiative.

Many of the words to be blocked were sexually explicit terms or swear words, according to a copy of the list obtained by The Associated Press.

It also included relatively mild terms like fart and idiot.

The reasons for blocking some words, including Jesus Christ, headlights and tampon, were less clear, raising questions about religious freedom and practicality. Any word could conceivably be part of a spam message.

The letter, which was also obtained by the AP, was dated Nov. 14 and gave cell phone companies seven days to implement the order.

Rahman, the Telenor spokeswoman, said her company first received the letter Thursday and was discussing how to proceed.

“It’s a big issue, so it is being examined carefully from all points of view,” said Rahman.

The letter said the order was legal under a 1996 law preventing people from sending information through the telecommunications system that is “false, fabricated, indecent or obscene.”

It also stated that free speech can be restricted “in the interest of the glory of Islam.”

Under pressure from Islamists, Pakistan has blocked pornographic websites and ones deemed anti-Islamic. Last year, it temporarily banned Facebook because of material on the site deemed offensive to Islam.

There is a 1996 Pakistani Law where it states that free speech can be restricted "in the interest of the glory of Islam." 

Some of the allegedly banned words

• Athlete's foot
• Flatulence
• Jesus Christ
• Monkey crotch
• Back door
• Bewaquf (foolish)
• Bakwaas (nonsense)
• Wuutang (a presumed reference to American rap group the Wu-Tang Clan)
• Fart
• Idiot
• Tampons
• Headlights