While there is true News of Joy, like God’s grace and forgiveness and Christ’s blood offering eternal life, there is also evil in the world.  The Catholic church recently reported that 100,000 Christians are murdered each year. We just saw another example of this in Syria, as the “rebels” beheaded three victims, including a Catholic priest. There should be worldwide condemnation of this act, but there will most likely not be. You can read about the awful fate of  Father Francois Murad here.  The crowd that gathered around the victims, to watch the grizzly be-headings snapped pictures and video with their cell phones.  The current administration is providing aid to these same “rebels.”  Pray for the Father’s family.  

I hate to have to keep reporting things like this………………it is not news of joy.  The poor Coptic Christians in Egypt are persecuted. Pray for them please. Coptic Christians threatened and attacked, flee from their home town after death threats.  

An 11-year-old Christian girl in Pakistan, reported to have downs syndrome, is in jail and awaiting execution. She is reported to have burned a page from a childrens Islamic learning book. An international Christian organization is trying to save her life. Read about it here

The “News of Joy” is Jesus Christ.  The reality on this planet today is that there are people who don’t believe that anyone outside their religion should exist.  The target is most often innocent Christians. We see this over and over again. This article never really mentions the attackers. We know the victims, once again, are Christian. 12 Christians killed in bomb attacks in Nigeria  

Why do some people have no tolerance for Christians while those same people tell us to have tolerance for their beliefs?  Here is one more example: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/01/25/head-cut-off-jesus-statue-outside-dorchester-church

It’s hard to focus on the true News of Joy that is Christmas when you have hateful, intolerant people killing innocent Christians around the world. It happened again today, Christmas Day, when Christians in Nigeria were exiting the Christmas mass at St. Theresa Catholic Church in the city of Madalla. So far, the death toll stands at 39 with dozens more injured. Christians are taught to love all of God’s children and to tolerate and love those in other religions. That can be said of those forcing Sharia law across Nigeria though.  Read about it here.

Christians in Pakistan are a marginalized, victimized and poor minority. They are blamed for problems between Pakistan and the U.S.  They are subjugated to poverty and the slums. Still, they put all that aside to recognize Christmas. Read the story here.

Hosni Mubarak come back. At least Mubarak protected the 10% Christian minority in Egypt.  They have no protection now.  Another 24 Christians were killed and 200 injured in attacks by radical Muslims. The Coptic Christians in Egypt have been the victims of dozens of attacks and church burnings since the ouster of Mubarak. This latest incident started after ultra-conservative Muslims protested the building of two Christian churchs. Read the story here.

It would be a lot more enjoyable to live up to this site’s name and always bring good news. They Christian message is a message of good news, but the reaction to Christians by intolerant regimes is not a joyful message.  Again, we have to report on another case of a Christian who may lose his life because of his faith. A pastor in Iran has been found guilty of apostasy and may be executed any day now. He has chosen to keep his faith in Jesus Christ and not renounce that faith as the Iranian authorities have demanded.  Read the story here.