Persecution of Evangelical Mexican Christians 'Happening in Almost Complete Obscurity' Elizabeth Delaney - The Gospel Herald
go to original January 2, 2016

Many evangelical Christians in the Chiapas State of Mexico have been beaten, jailed, threatened, had their possession taken away and, in many cases, even driven from their homes. What has caused so much hostility and anger against these followers of Jesus? (VOM Canada)

When most people think of Mexico, they don't think of persecuted Christians. About 83 percent of the Mexican population is Catholic. So other faiths are definitely in the minority. However, Evangelical Christianity is apparently growing, which may explain in part why some Mexican states have become hostile to them.

Recently, eight families were forced to renounce their Christian beliefs and convert to Catholicism or leave the Leyva Velazques village in Chiapas, Mexico. When seven of those eight refused, they were jailed. Mexico's constitution is supposed to allow freedom of religion.

Isaac Six of International Christian Concern (ICC) has been an advocate for persecuted Christians for several years. ICC is a non-denominational Christian organization that is located in Washington DC. It lobbies on behalf of persecuted Christians and meets with congressional leaders to raise awareness about Christian persecution.

He said of the incident in Chiapas that, "It is simply unconscionable for the state and federal governments of Mexico to repeatedly ignore the arbitrary arrest and expulsion of their own citizens by local governments on the basis of religious belief. We know that the federal government, as well as the State of Chiapas, was warned days in advance that the Evangelical community in Leyva Velazques was under threat, yet even after seven individuals were thrown in prison for their religious beliefs, the action was not taken.

This blatant abdication of responsibility has, for decades now, sent the message to rural villages across Mexico that if you have a problem with someone from another faith, you can simply force them to convert or leave. Today, hundreds of men, women, and children are homeless in Mexico because they chose to follow their beliefs, and because their government refused to act. We call on the federal government of Mexico to immediately intervene and halt the unlawful detention of members of the Evangelical community in Leyva Velazques."

Read the rest at The Gospel Herald

Related: International Christian Concern Says Mexico Ignoring Religious Persecution (OneNewsNow)

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