Ideas Have Consequence
US Foreign Policy often affects believers in Africa and the Middle East:
A Trail of Betrayal
During the 4 years of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, 13 countries fell to communism. In most cases, they did not just fall to communism, but were actually betrayed into the hands of communist revolutionaries. It was a major foreign policy goal of Jimmy Carter’s presidency to force the people of Rhodesia to hand over to Robert Mugabe’s ZANU terrorists. Americans removed Jimmy Carter from the presidency over 36 years ago. However, the longsuffering people of Zimbabwe are still stuck with Carter’s legacy in the form of Robert Mugabe’s murderous Marxist dictatorship.
A Legacy of Liberty
No countries fell to communism during the 8 years of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. In fact, countries started to be freed from communist oppression. Ronald Reagan put freedom on the offensive, supported resistance movements in communist countries and helped win the Cold War that brought down the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain. The collapse of communism throughout Eastern Europe in 1989 brought about a new era of religious freedom and Missionary activity that had previously been inconceivable.
Strength and Weakness
As one politician observed: “There is nothing they despise more than weakness; there is nothing they respect more than strength!” America was plainly despised in the days of Jimmy Carter. However, under Ronald Reagan, America was respected.
Persecution Increases
During the confused and erratic Clinton era, we witnessed and experienced a steady increase of violent persecution of Christians in the Muslim world. It was in the 1990s that radical Islamic regimes, such as the National Islamic Front in Sudan, began systematic terror bombing campaigns of churches, hospitals and schools. It was at that time that I experienced artillery and aerial bombardments while ministering in churches in Sudan.
A Dramatic Decline of Bombings
However, as America began fighting back after the terror attacks of 11th September 2001, toppling the radical Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the bombing of churches in Northern Nigeria and South Sudan stopped. We enjoyed a period of relative peace and stability as radical Muslim regimes went on the defensive.
An Explosion of Persecution
However, since Obama became president of the USA and supported the so-called Arab Spring revolutions that toppled stable governments in Egypt and Libya there has been an explosive escalation of violent attacks on Christians worldwide, particularly in the Muslim Middle East. Literally hundreds of churches have been bombed and burned throughout Northern Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Syria and Iraq in the last 8 years. The US government has destabilised governments and supported radical groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Nursa and ISIS. In Northern Nigeria, there have been over 1,000 attacks on churches with 17,000 Christians killed by Boko Haram Jihadists just in a 5-year period. The US engineered destabilisation of the Middle East has resulted in catastrophic collapse of stable governments, the destruction of hundreds of historic churches and the deaths of many tens-of-thousands of Christians, especially in Iraq, Syria and Egypt. Millions of refugees fleeing the carnage in the Middle East have flooded into Europe, leading to a shocking escalation of violent crime and terrorism.
American Foreign Policy Affects Lives
I am sure that most Americans do not think foreign policy when they vote for their president. However, believers in Africa and the Middle East would earnestly entreat our brethren in America to seriously consider the foreign policy implications of their votes. Lives are at stake. One of George Bush’s first actions as president in 2001 was to stop US funding of Planned Parenthood abortions in Africa. One of the very first acts of Barack Hussein Obama as president, in 2009, was to release hundreds of millions of US taxpayer dollars to fund Planned Parenthood abortions in Africa. Hillary Clinton has made clear her enthusiastic support for Planned Parenthood and its abortion agenda.
Doomed by Disastrous Diplomacy
There is no doubt that millions of people died throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East because of the foreign policies of Jimmy Carter. Tens-of-millions continue to suffer to this day as a result of the Carter foreign policy legacy, including the people in Iran. It needs to be remembered that the Shah of Iran was one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East when Jimmy Carter’s State Department actively worked to betray their ally and push Iran over to the ayatollahs. The end result of that has yet to be seen as Iran continues to be a volatile part of the extremely violent Middle East. The full extent of the chaos caused by Obama’s foreign policies in the Middle East is yet to be calculated.
“Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you.” 2 Chronicles 19:2
Delivered
However, as I wrote in my article: Ronald Reagan Saved Lives in Angola, there are many millions of people alive, and free, today, because of the far-sighted and courageous foreign policies of President Ronald Reagan.
An Urgent Call to Prayer and Action
Ideas have consequences. What we sow, we reap. There are consequences for every action. We continue to pray that our Christian brethren in the United States will be in much prayer and seek the wisdom of God as they approach this critical election, 8 November 2016.
Back to the Bible for Reformation and Revival
May we all be Faithful to God’s Word and effective in His service as we seek to reclaim our countries for Christ, laying solid Biblical foundations for Reformation and earnestly praying for Spiritual Revival. 13 November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted. See IDOP-Africa for more details.
Evangelist and author Rev. Dr. Peter Hammond is the Founder and Director of Frontline Fellowship, the Founder and Chairman of Africa Christian Action, the Director of the Christian Action Network and the Chairman of The Reformation Society.
Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.frontline.org.za/
The original article was published on August 27, 2014 as a circular email and on the Frontline Fellowship website.
©2016 Used by Permission
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