{"id":46506,"date":"2023-04-18T14:00:22","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T05:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=46506"},"modified":"2023-04-25T16:45:58","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T07:45:58","slug":"vomk-report-250","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2023\/04\/18\/vomk-report-250\/","title":{"rendered":"VIETNAM: PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS OMITTED FROM INTERNATIONAL EVANGELISM CRUSADE"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”46500″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”An estimated audience of 14,000 gathered on March 4 and 5 at the Phu Tho Sports Facility in Ho Chi Minh City to hear Reverend Franklin Graham, CEO of the US-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as he proclaimed the gospel and announced, \u201cJesus is in the city tonight.\u201d But according to Reverend Eric Foley, CEO of Seoul-based Voice of the Martyrs Korea, Rev. Graham omitted a crucial truth from his presentation.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did not mention that Jesus is <\/span>also <\/span>in prison <\/span>tonight <\/span>in Vietnam<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> says Rev. Foley.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Rev. Foley noted that during the week of the <\/span>Graham <\/span>crusade, Voice of the Martyrs Korea received reports on four <\/span>new<\/span> cases of Christian persecution in Vietnam. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Each <\/span>case <\/span>involved believers in rural areas, pressured to renounce their faith and ultimately either forced to leave their village or be subject to violence<\/span> and\/or destruction of property<\/span>,\u201d says Rev. Foley<\/span>. <\/span>He says that <\/span>what is happening in Vietnam is typical of the experience of Christians in other Communist countries.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pattern that goes back to Soviet times,\u201d says Rev. Foley. \u201cCommunist governments are eager to portray to the rest of the world that religious freedom exists in their country. <\/span>So<\/span> they invite groups like the Graham association in to hold large-scale crusades that receive extensive coverage from the international media. The international evangelists praise the Communist government for their religious freedom. But in truth, there is only freedom for Christians and churches who register with the government and follow the government religious regulations.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”46504″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Second night of Revered Franklin Graham\u2019s Spring Love Festival, held at the Phu Tho Sports Facility in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo credit: March 6th post on Franklin Graham\u2019s Facebook Page)” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230f0f0f|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The United States Department of State currently includes Vietnam on its <\/span><\/span>\u201cSpecial Watch List<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/a> of countries under the terms of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998, due to continuing reports of violations of religious freedom in the country. The US government\u2019s Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) advocated in its <\/span><\/span>2022 report<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> that the State Department should designate <\/span>Vietnam as a \u201ccountry of particular concern,\u201d <\/span>the highest level of religious freedom violation<\/span>, for <\/span>\u201c<\/span>engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom<\/span>\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The <\/span><\/span>Executive Summary of the State Department\u2019s 2021 Report<\/span><\/a> on International Religious Freedom in Vietnam<\/span><\/span><\/span> notes, \u201cReligious activists blamed authorities for \u2018manipulating\u2019 recognized religious groups and accused their agents or proxies of causing conflicts in order to suppress the activities of unregistered groups.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Rev. Foley sees the March Graham crusade in <\/span>Ho Chi Minh City<\/span> as the latest example of such manipulation. \u201cThe Graham Association explains that they were invited by local churches, and that during their visit they spoke to the government about religious freedom. But even the <\/span><\/span>Graham Association website<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> itself says they were \u2018<\/span>welcomed to the country by government officials in Hanoi, who granted permission<\/span>\u2019 for the event, and the Graham Association praised the government<\/span> officials for <\/span>\u2018<\/span>open support of religious freedom<\/span>\u2019. The Graham Association website praises the churches <\/span>for <\/span>\u2018<\/span>working together with the government of Vietnam<\/span>\u2019.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”46505″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Reverend Franklin Graham meets with Dr. Vu Chien Thang, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Home Affairs.This photo is on the BGEA website, with a photo credit listed. (March 3rd post on Franklin Graham\u2019s Facebook page)” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230f0f0f|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But Rev. Foley says the most concerning aspect of the crusade was the omission of any mention of the Christians who are currently experiencing persecution in Vietnam.<\/span> Notes Foley, \u201c<\/span>According to <\/span><\/span>Charisma <\/span>News<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span>, <\/span>Franklin Graham said that during the crusade, \u2018<\/span>We stood and prayed together for those in authority as the Bible commands.<\/span>\u2019 But the Bible also commands us to remember those who are in prison for their faith\u2014to stand for them, and not to omit mentioning them.<\/span> Jesus says that whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters, we do to him. So, failing to mention the active persecution of Christians in a country, simply to gain favor with the government, is not an acceptable evangelism strategy to Jesus.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to Rev. Foley, the Voice of the Martyrs movement has historically been critical of the Graham Association\u2019s willingness to hold crusade events in Communist countries where Christians are actively <\/span>experiencing <\/span>persecution.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Graham Association has a long history of accepting such invitations and of portraying them as signs of growing religious freedom in a country,\u201d says Rev. Foley. \u201c<\/span>But inviting the Graham Association to preach has not historically proven to be a sign of <\/span>growing <\/span>religious freedom in Communist countries.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> Rev. Foley notes Billy Graham\u2019s 1984 trip to Moscow to preach at a Baptist church. \u201c<\/span>Graham urged <\/span>those in attendance to pray for <\/span>and obey <\/span>the government<\/span>, and he thanked and praised the government for the invitation to come. But during the event, o<\/span>ne Christian man unfurled a banner<\/span> that<\/span> asked, \u2018What about the <\/span>200+ Baptist prisoners in the Gulag<\/span>?\u2019<\/span> Within two minutes, KGB officials had torn down the banner and arrested the brother.\u00a0 He <\/span>spent <\/span>two years in prison.<\/span> He was never mentioned by the Graham Association.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”46503″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”A typical rural dwelling for Christians in Vietnam. (File photo from Voice of the Martyrs Australia)” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230f0f0f|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Rev. Foley says Voice of the Martyrs Korea is requesting pray<\/span>er<\/span>s <\/span>for the four recent cases of persecution whose reports the organization received during the Graham crusade. \u201cLet\u2019s pray that the suffering and faithfulness of these persecuted brothers and sisters in Vietnam will not be forgotten even as the international news media focuses its reports on the crusade.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

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