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Christians are beneath assault in Nigeria | Jeremiah Igunnubole and Sean Nelson – The Critic

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The United Kingdom has grew to become a blind eye to persecution for some distance too lengthy
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On 5 June, a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria used to be stormed through militant attackers, leaving no less than 50 lifeless. Churchgoers have been congregating for Sunday worship to rejoice the holy ceremonial dinner of Pentecost. The boys, ladies and youngsters slaughtered whilst peacefully attending church products and services have been sufferers of a focused assault on Christians.
Movies of the carnage unfold briefly during social media, and in the end to world information retailers. The horror may just no longer be not noted. The Ondo State governor referred to as it a “black Sunday”. Pope Francis referred to as the assault “unspeakable violence” and prayed “for the conversion of the ones blinded through hatred and violence”. Ebenezer Obadare, a professional on the Council on International Family members in Washington, D.C., mentioned, “whoever orchestrated this sought after to ship a spiritual message.” The attackers haven’t begun to be known.
Nigeria has been plagued through religiously-motivated violence for over a decade. Many are accustomed to the terrorist crew Boko Haram and its off-shoot, the Islamic State-West Africa Province. They have got created chaos throughout northeastern Nigeria for years, killing 1000’s and leaving many extra displaced. ISWAP nonetheless has no longer launched Leah Sharibu, the Christian lady who used to be kidnapped in 2018 and not launched as a result of she refused to desert her Christian religion.
Extra just lately, the Center Belt area has observed expanding assaults towards Christians through militants related to Muslim Fulani herders, and the Northwest has observed kidnapping for ransom spiral out of keep watch over. Whole faculties had been taken captive, and monks abducted and killed. No less than 4,650 Christians have been killed as a result of their religion in 2021.
A Nigerian faculty scholar used to be stoned through her classmates
For sure many elements give a contribution to the huge lack of confidence plaguing Nigeria. However the newest spate of high-profile assaults makes transparent that Christians are being focused. The Nigerian govt is stuck within the violent whirlwind created through years of granting impunity to attackers.
A Nigerian faculty scholar named Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu just lately used to be stoned, crushed to demise and burnt through her classmates in Sokoto for the baseless “crime” of blasphemy. Movies of this atrocity brought on world outrage, along with protests supporting what had took place. Radicalised Muslims larger threats at the Christian inhabitants in Northern Nigeria as smartly. 
But maximum of Deborah Emmanuel’s attackers have no longer been stuck, and the Nigerian Bar Affiliation has criticised the costs of “inciting a disturbance” introduced towards two of her attackers as no longer reflecting “the gravity of the placement”.
On every occasion high-profile assaults happen in Nigeria, main politicians are regularly fast to sentence them and phone for prosecutions. However only a few attackers are ever discovered, a lot much less prosecuted. Inside of a couple of days, the scoop strikes on. The impunity by no means ends. 
What is going to it take for the violence to finish in a rustic the place a dozen states permit for the demise penalty for blasphemy beneath Sharia legislation, in direct contravention of each the Nigerian Charter and world legislation? Why must the assaults finish when the federal government turns out deeply incurious about investigating the identification of attackers? All compounded through the truth that the federal government does little to stay terrorists from crossing the borders into Nigeria.
Nigerians have grown drained from the loss of motion from their govt. However the world group is doing little to stay the Nigerian govt responsible. On the EU, parliamentarians failed to sentence the homicide of Deborah Emmanuel. Within the U.S., the federal government got rid of Nigeria in 2021 from its record of the worst violators of freedom of faith on the earth and not using a rationalization in any respect, bringing outcry from the CSO group.
Within the period in-between, consistent with Open Doorways, extra Christians are being killed in Nigeria than in the remainder of the sector blended.
Politicians have blamed local weather alternate for assaults in Nigeria
The United Kingdom as smartly has been gradual to recognize the carnage affecting Christians in Nigeria. That is regardless of the United Kingdom generating one of the vital perfect reporting at the violations of spiritual freedom happening in Nigeria. The All-Celebration Parliamentary Staff on Freedom of Faith of Trust in 2020 launched a landmark record elevating the query of genocide towards Christians and different spiritual minorities in northern Nigeria. The Bishop of Truro’s 2019 record on Christian persecution known Nigeria as a rustic the place Christians “have suffered one of the vital worst atrocities inflicted on Churchgoers any place on the earth”. But nonetheless, the United Kingdom govt says it does no longer consider faith is a “motive force” of violence in Nigeria excluding terrorism within the Northeast.
After the Pentecost bloodbath, the United Kingdom govt used to be requested the way it used to be the usage of the £250 million a 12 months in overseas assist to Nigeria to “power the Nigerian Executive to do all they are able to to give protection to Christians and different minorities”. In reaction, the federal government referred to how the help used to be spent on local weather alternate. Over the weekend, in gentle of alternative politicians blaming local weather alternate for assaults in Nigeria, Catholic Bishop of Ondo Jude Ayodeji Arogundade said, “to indicate or make a connection between sufferers of terror and penalties of local weather alternate isn’t just deceptive but in addition precisely rubbing salt to the wounds of all who’ve suffered terrorism in Nigeria.” 
In gentle of the Pentecost assault in Owo, and the lynching of Deborah Emmanuel, the United Kingdom govt’s evaluation must alternate. Some UK ministers have pop out with robust condemnations of the Pentecost assault. This summer time, the United Kingdom will host the World Ministerial Convention on Freedom of Faith or Trust, the place the federal government must acknowledge the persecution towards Christians and different spiritual minorities in Nigeria, and that the Nigerian govt is complicit of their remedy.
The United Kingdom must lead and supply an instance to the remainder of the sector that it’ll take a stand for freedom of faith or trust, moderately than flip a blind eye. The price of inactiveness has hardly ever been so excessive.
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The Friend Who Sticks Closer than a Brother

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The Friend Who Sticks Closer than a Brother

Embracing True Friendship: The Friend Who Sticks Closer Than a Brother

Friendship is a valuable asset that enriches our lives by providing companionship, support, and a shoulder to cry on. But have you ever had a buddy who goes above and beyond—someone who remains closer than a brother? In a world where relationships can be fickle, a friend who sticks by us through thick and thin is a rare and priceless gift.

More Than Just Blood Ties

Consider the tie between siblings, which is based on blood and shared history. Consider a buddy who is more than just a family member. “One who has untrustworthy friends soon comes to ruin,” says Proverbs 18:24 (NIV), “but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

This verse describes a friendship that goes beyond basic conditions. It’s a bond founded on trust, loyalty, and real concern for one another.

Continuous Support

Consider a buddy who is present not only during happy times but also during difficult times. This type of friend is unconcerned about changing circumstances or personal gain. They provide their presence, encouragement, and steadfast support.

Jesus expresses the core of such friendship in John 15:13 (NIV): “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. This selfless affection serves as the foundation for a lasting connection.

Journeys Together

Consider a friend you’ve shared many stages of life with—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. This shared experience forges a link that extends beyond surface-level exchanges. The value of companionship is brilliantly captured in Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 (NIV): “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

A friend who sticks closer than a brother is someone who goes beside us through life’s ups and downs, lending a solid hand and an ear to listen.

A Mirror of God’s Love

As a symbol of God’s love for us, consider the buddy who sticks closer than a brother. God Himself offers an unbroken, unchanging, and everlasting companionship. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” says the Bible in Romans 8:38–39.

God’s love is the ultimate paradigm of true friendship—a love that is not conditional but remains faithful regardless of what happens.

Conclusion: Value true friendship.

A friend who sticks closer to you than a sibling is a treasure to be treasured. This type of friendship is founded on love, trust, and mutual care rather than convenience or shared interests. May we seek to be that sort of friend to others in our lives, just as God offers us His unfailing love.

In a world where relationships can be fleeting, let us create friendships that will endure. Let us be the sort of friends who are present in both joy and sadness, who offer unconditional support, and who mirror God’s unfailing love. We are reminded of the beauty of true friendship, which clings closer than a brother, as we welcome and cherish these unique and valuable ties.

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The Just God

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The Just God

The Just God: The Divine Balance of Justice and Mercy

The concept of justice is intertwined with the fabric of human society. We seek justice, responsibility, and reparation for wrongs done. But have you ever pondered a God who is not only just but also perfectly just? The Just God is a lighthouse of truth and righteousness, providing a profound awareness of justice and kindness that transcends human comprehension.

Justice in Pursuit

Consider a world where wrongdoers go unpunished and the disadvantaged have no recourse. The pursuit of justice is a natural human goal that reflects a feeling of rightness and order. And if we as humans value justice, how much more should the Creator of the universe, who is completely just?

According to Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV), “He is the rock; his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. He is a loyal God who does no wrong, who is straight and just. This verse reveals God’s character, which is characterized by unwavering justice.

Justice and Mercy in Balance

Consider yourself in front of a judge who holds you accountable for every action and decision you make. Imagine that same judge showing mercy and giving you a second opportunity despite the evidence against you. The just God is kind as well as just.

This delicate balance is captured in Psalm 103:10–11 (NIV): “He does not treat us as our sins deserve, nor does He repay us according to our iniquities. For his love for people who fear him is as high as the skies are above the earth. God’s justice is balanced by his unending love and kindness.

The Redemption of Justice

Consider a debt that you will never be able to repay—a debt of mistakes and wrongs that weigh heavy on your soul. In His perfect justice, the just God provides a solution. God provides a mechanism for justice to be served and redemption to be offered through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” says Romans 3:23–24 (NIV), “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. This is an example of justice being met via the redemptive act of Christ’s sacrifice.

A Call to Justice

Consider a society in which justice is not simply a notion but a way of life. In our interactions with others, the just God calls us to exemplify justice. Micah 6:8 (NIV) states unequivocally, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. What does the Lord expect of you? Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

Living justly entails treating people with fairness, compassion, and respect, as the character of the just God requires.

Finishing: Adoring the Just God

The Just God asks us to comprehend the breadth of His justice—a justice that supports truth, requires accountability, and strikes a balance between mercy and justice. God’s justice and mercy merge in the person of Jesus Christ, offering us redemption and restoration.

May we turn to the just God as our ultimate standard as we traverse a world that frequently grapples with issues of fairness. May we seek His wisdom and counsel in order to live justly and treat others with love and justice. We find not only a paradigm of perfect justice but also an invitation to experience the transformative power of His kindness when we embrace the Just God.

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The Pleasure of Serving Others: A Pathway to Achievement

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The Joy of Serving Others: A Pathway to Fulfillment

The Pleasure of Serving Others: A Highway to Contentment

Have you ever ever felt the nice and cozy glow that effects from lending a serving to hand to a stranger, the enjoyment that lasts for days after the act of kindness? That emotion offers a way of the pride of serving to others. The straightforward act of serving to can give us a sense of function and pleasure in contrast to the rest in a society that incessantly pushes us to place our consideration on ourselves.

The Want to Serve

Believe a society the place everybody labored to fortify the lives of people of their instant neighborhood. The need to lend a serving to hand, proportion a load, and supply comfort is on the core of carrier. The instance used to be established through Jesus Himself when he stated, “For even the Son of Guy didn’t come to be served, however to serve, and to provide his lifestyles as a ransom for plenty of.” (NIV, Mark 10:45)

Serving others is extra than just a nice deed; it is a way to emulate the compassion and love that Christ proven for us.

Discovering Pleasure in Selfless Giving

Believe spending time with the aged or going to a neighborhood refuge to hear their stories and cause them to really feel essential. Those tiny acts of kindness won’t appear to be a lot, however they be capable to make any person’s day higher, create relationships, and toughen a sense of group.

A better feeling of pleasure emerges after we set aside our personal issues and be aware of the wishes of others. The Bible admonishes us, “Every of you can use no matter present you’ve gotten won to serve others, as trustworthy stewards of God’s grace in its more than a few paperwork.” (NIV) 1 Peter 4:10 We specific the particular talents God has given us through serving others, and it’s in those deeds of carrier that we discover authentic pleasure.

Have an effect on Unmeasurable

Take into consideration the impact if all of us realized to experience serving to others. If we take a bit spoil from our tense schedules to lend a hand a neighbor, supply a sympathetic ear, or donate cash to a reason we reinforce. Small acts of kindness have the facility to unfold, sparking a sequence response of generosity and optimistic exchange.

In step with the NIV translation of Matthew 25:40, Jesus stated, “Actually I inform you, no matter you probably did for this sort of least of those brothers and sisters of mine, you probably did for me.” No longer simplest can we fortify the lives of other folks we serve, however we additionally perform Jesus’ command to like and deal with the ones round us.

Development Relationships and Connections

Believe the sensation of camaraderie that comes from cooperating with others to reach a shared purpose. Folks come in combination via carrier, growing ties and friendships that differently won’t have took place. It serves as a reminder that we’re all part of a broader group, and that group would possibly take pleasure in the acts we do.

Serving others permits us to peer the arena from many angles and to realize the demanding situations and victories of other folks round us. Our lives are enriched and {our relationships} are deepened through this sensitivity.

Conclusion: Discovering Contentment Via Carrier

Every people has a skill that is able to be opened: the pleasure of serving to others. It serves as a reminder that our lives are meant to be about extra than just our personal pursuits; they’re an opportunity to fortify the lives of others.

Let’s thus embody the pride of serving to others, if it is by means of deeds of kindness, volunteering, or simply being conscious about their wishes. The easy act of serving would possibly supply mild and hope in a global that every so often turns out overwhelming. As we emulate Christ and prolong ourselves in love, we no longer simplest exchange the lives of others but additionally revel in a deep feeling of success and enjoyment that overflows into our personal hearts.

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