The massacre of 21 Egyptian Christians by ISIS speaks to an agenda of terror, hatred, intolerance and violence that must be addressed by all individuals created in God’s image. We must repudiate all acts of terror; without exception.
Recognizing that today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity, as followers of Christ we recognize that silence is not an option, and call upon all Christians on Sunday, Feb. 22, to allocate a minute of silence followed by a prayer reflecting upon the 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians murdered and all others who have lost their lives at the hands of terror, as well as their grieving families.
Further, we call upon the president of the United States of America and Congress to specifically address the persecution of Christians by ISIS, Islamic totalitarianism and regimes in the Middle East; and call upon the United Nations to convene a summit on Christian persecution around the world.
Correspondingly, we stand convicted and convinced that terror and intolerance cannot, and will not, extinguish the light of God’s grace, truth and love. For at the end of the day we stand upon the promises from Scripture, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10); and “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
Samuel Rodriguez is the president of the National Hispanic Leadership Council, the largest Hispanic Christian organization.
See an error in this article?
To contact us or to submit an article
