I just looked at an article last night where a woman was arrested in Red China for testifying of her faith in Christ. In China, they charge Christians who say anything about Jesus with "disturbing the social order and spreading rumors." The woman in China was killed--beat to death.

When Diana's family learned that she had become a Christian, they repeatedly beat her and insisted she return to Islam. But Diana refused. She was then forced to a local canal where her uncle put a pistol to her head and gave her one last chance to return to Islam. Diana replied, "You can kill me if you want. I will not leave Christ."

Voice of the Martyrs

Unprecedented abuse of power silences Christian message
Contact: Kathryn Hooks 662-844-5036
American Family Association
P.O. Drawer 2440
Tupelo, MS 38803
1-662-680-3886

For Immediate Release: 1/5/2005

Tupelo, MS - Appearing on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" last night, Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, pointed to the profound abuse of power by the city of Philadelphia and emphasized that evangelism does not constitute criminal charges. Eleven Christians were arrested at a homosexual event called "Outfest" in Philadelphia last October and were charged with three felonies and five misdemeanors. Four of the eleven now face up to 47 years in prison because they, and not the others, were caught on camera evangelizing.

"This case is about the unprecedented abuse of power that took place in Philadelphia -- the Bible and evangelism criminalized as hate speech and four men facing prison because they dared to exercise rights guaranteed them under our Constitution," said Fahling who is defending the Christians. "The city has attempted to silence a message it deems offensive by sending the messengers to jail. That's frightening, that's chilling, and every American ought to be outraged," Fahling said.

The Christians were singing, praying, and reading scriptures that city officials deemed as fighting words and hate speech.

"The video footage shows my clients were peacefully evangelizing," Fahling said. "There was absolutely no crime committed. They were bringing the message of Jesus Christ to a public event as they do at a wide venue of other events." Fahling said he plans to seek intervention from the Department of Justice.