WASHINGTON /Christian Newswire/ — The threat of nuclear attack from North Korea last week was fact, not fiction, but it had an eerie similarity to the beginning of a new political thriller / “end times” novel by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall. And the authors say that the tepid response to the threat from [...]]]> WASHINGTON /Christian Newswire/ — The threat of nuclear attack from North Korea last week was fact, not fiction, but it had an eerie similarity to the beginning of a new political thriller / “end times” novel by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall. And the authors say that the tepid response to the threat from Washington shows that the Obama Administration needs to step up its position of strength against the communist regime.

In the launch of their new blog site, EdgeofApocalypseToday.com, LaHaye, originator and co-author of the blockbuster Left Behind ® series, and Parshall, a veteran Capitol Hill lawyer and suspense novelist, say that “the rants and ravings of North Korea’s despot, Kim Jon-il and his deputies need to be taken more seriously.” They cite last Tuesday’s report from the Council on Foreign Relations that strongly criticized the Obama Administration’s response to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program as “half-hearted.” But all of this may have more than just geopolitical importance. LaHaye a Bible prophecy expert and co-author Parshall see the absence of any clear mention of the United States in prophetic Scripture as an indication that change will take place: “America may capitulate to a radical form of internationalism and be absorbed into a global community of nations, or that we will fail to defend ourselves against real and present dangers from our enemies. Or possibly both.” Aggression from enemy states like North Korea could be a part of that puzzle.

But this doesn’t mean that Christians should retreat from impacting the national security policies of their nation, LaHaye and Parshall say. In their blog article they urge followers of Christ to “reject as far as they are able, government policies that fail to protect our national security.” This emphasis is a stark departure from some self-styled “Evangelicals” who stress only nuclear disarmament. The LaHaye/Parshall novel Edge of Apocalypse, the first in a series, begins with an off-shore attack on American by North Korean nuclear missiles, but ends with a glimpse of larger global threats. It was released in late April and within weeks hit the extended version of the New York Times best-seller list. The fiction book is a futuristic view of declining security, economic collapse, media censorship and loss of religious liberty in an America at the very beginning lead- up to the “End of Days.”

According to Open Doors’ 2008 World Watch List released today, North Korea is ranked No. 1 for the seventh year in a row. Christians are [...]]]> SANTA ANA, Calif., /Christian Newswire/ — The oppressive, isolated country of North Korea headed by dictator Kim Jong Il retains its grip as the worst persecutor of Christians in the world.

According to Open Doors’ 2008 World Watch List released today, North Korea is ranked No. 1 for the seventh year in a row. Christians are persecuted constantly under the communist government, which denies human rights to its citizens.

The Wahhabi kingdom of Saudi Arabia is No. 2 and Iran No. 3. Both countries are ruled by Shariah law.

Afghanistan, Somalia and the Maldives take the fourth, fifth and sixth positions, respectively. Afghanistan moved up three spots on the list this year as a result of increased pressure from the Taliban movement during 2008. Yemen is No. 7, Laos No. 8, Eritrea No. 9 and Uzbekistan No. 10.

Somalia and Eritrea are new countries to the top 10 list. In Somalia, the number of incidents against Christians increased dramatically in 2008, explaining its rise to No. 5 from No. 12 in 2007. For Eritrea, there was no major change in the lack of religious freedom for Christians. Around 3,000 Christians are being held in Eritrean prisons.

China and Bhutan dropped out of the top 10 with China now No. 12 and Bhutan No. 11. Last year China was No. 10 and Bhutan No. 5.

Islam is the majority religion in seven of the top 10 countries: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Maldives, Yemen and Uzbekistan. Two countries have communist governments: North Korea and Laos. Eritrea is the only dictatorial country in the 10 highest countries on the list.

The World Watch List is compiled from a specially- designed questionnaire of 50 questions covering various aspects of religious freedom. A point value is assigned depending on how each question is answered. The total number of points per country determines its position on the World Watch List of countries that are the worst persecutors of Christians.

“It is certainly not a shock that North Korea is No. 1 on the list of countries where Christians face the worst persecution,” says Carl Moeller, President/CEO of Open Doors USA. “There is no other country in the world where Christians are persecuted in such a horrible and systematic manner.

“I encourage you to join our on-going prayer campaign for North Korea and to plug in to the many opportunities Open Doors offers to advocate for the oppressed believers there during North Korea Freedom Week April 25-May 2.”

The status of religious freedom for Christians deteriorated in 2008 in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan (No. 13), Iraq (No. 16), Mauritania (No. 18), Algeria (No. 19), India (No. 22), Northern Nigeria (26), Indonesia (No. 41), Bangladesh (No. 43) and Kazakhstan (No. 50 and new on the top 50 list).

Persecution continues unabated in Saudi Arabia. Five months after the daughter of a member of Saudi Arabia’s religious police was killed for writing online about her faith in Christ, Saudi authorities reportedly arrested a 28-year-old Christian man for describing his conversion and criticizing the kingdom’s judiciary on his Website, according to Compass Direct News. Saudi police arrested Hamoud Bin Saleh on Jan. 13 “because of his opinions and his testimony that he had converted from Islam to Christianity,” according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.

In Iran, a major crackdown on house churches occurred and a large number of Christians were arrested, marking 2008 as one of the toughest years regarding Christian persecution since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. In Afghanistan, a Western Christian aid worker was killed because, according to the Taliban, she was spreading Christianity in Afghanistan which is prohibited by law in the country. In Somalia, Open Doors received reports of at least 10 Christians killed for their faith in 2008 and several others kidnapped and raped. Pressure on the Christian minority in Pakistan continued unabated.

Iraq’s Christian minority faced a year full of violence in 2008. Churches were attacked or damaged by bombs, Christians received death threats and several Christians were murdered, abused and/or kidnapped.

For years India has ranked No. 30 on Open Doors’ persecution index. This year it moved to No. 22 primarily because in the third quarter of 2008 there was the worst outbreak of religious violence on record for Christians in India, especially in the state of Orissa. The number of incidents regarding arrests, physical harassment, abductions and church attacks remained high all over India.

“The escalation of violence against Christians in India in 2008 is very troubling,” says Moeller. “Please pray for believers there.”

In a major positive development, fewer believers were harassed in Vietnam this year. As a result it fell to No. 23. Last year it was ranked No. 17 and in 2006 it was No. 8. Open Doors recorded fewer reports of persecution of Christians in Colombia this year. As a result, this long-time World Watch List country fell off the list.

An estimated 100 million Christians worldwide suffer interrogation, arrest and even death for their faith in Christ, with millions more facing discrimination and alienation. Open Doors supports and strengthens believers in the world’s most difficult areas through Bible and Christian literature distribution, leadership training and assistance, Christian community development, prayer and presence ministry and advocacy on behalf of suffering believers. To partner with Open Doors USA, call toll free 888-5-BIBLE-5 (888-524-2535) or go to our Website at www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.

For a complete World Watch List of the top 50 persecutors and additional information go to www.OpenDoorsUSA.org.