Violating religious freedom

SAUDI ARABIA, VIETNAM, ERITREA CITED FOR VIOLATING RELIGIOUS FREEDOMSaudi Arabia, Vietnam and Eritrea were classified as “countries of particular concern” for the first time in the U.S. annual report on international religious freedom. The 2004 report, released by the State Department, maintained China, Myanmar, Iran, North Korea and Sudan in the category among alleged violators of religious freedom. Iraq, which was included in the category together with the five countries in 2003, was removed from the list this year in keeping with the department’s precedent not to report on “our own governance.”The reporting period ended on June 30, 2004, which roughly coincided with the date of the transfer of power from the Coalition Provision Authority to the Iraqi interim government. The department said freedom of religion did not exist in Saudi Arabia and is not protected under the country’s laws. Islam is the official religion in Saudi Arabia, and all citizens must be Muslims. The report also kept Myanmar, China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea and Vietnam on the list of “totalitarian regimes,” restricting religious freedom in their societies.From the news flow at Intercessors Network

This is interesting, but not suprising. Totalitarianism regimes consider Truth their worst enemy. Only that "truth" dictated by the state is acceptable. From reading this month's "Christianity Today," I see that refugees deported from China back to North Korea can be executed if they are in possession of just one page of the Bible.This should be a lesson for all Christians. The more we allow government to whittle away at our right of religious expression, for the benefit of liberal agendas, the more we become like North Korea, Saudi Arabia or China.Come Lord Jesus.Ed