Civil War in Libya - What to Do? ...

Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Currently, our media are full with the events in the Arabic world, in particular in Libya these days. After years of stagnation all the Arabic countries are on the move now … with people who want to improve their life!

Despots and the people …

The political situation between the Arabic world and Europe or the western world is highly difficult. Countries in northern Africa do not have freedom of speech or freedom of religion. They consider themselves to be Muslim countries. That makes things quite complicated. In Christian countries, people of Muslim faith can live and practice, they can invite people to faith and try to grow their communities. All this is not possible in Arabic countries for Christian communities.

The relationship of the western world to the Arabic states are made difficult by the situation that we have many despotic governments there. Doing business with a country always seems to support the despots. Also, the west has delivered weapons, military planes and a lot of things which are now used against the population in the hand of the government.

Now, with violent conflicts in Libya, is it needed to use force to help those who try to fight for freedom? The west hesitates, and that is good! It is extremely difficult to intervene, and it seems we have the choice between two bad things here: do something and be made responsible for the death which we cause when we try to prevent death, or do nothing and be responsible for a lot of death as well - by doing nothing.

Christian Faith in Libya? …

Currently, Christian faith is strongly and violently suppressed in almost all northern African states. Christians are persecuted. Christian organizations are thrown out of the country. Christian communities are investigated, put into prison and are forbidden to meet. It is a big tragedy, which has been happening here for many decades now!

Let us continue to pray for peace for the Arabic world. Let us continue to pray for openness to reason and to faith - faith in God, and faith in Jesus. Let us continue to pray for change! The despots and the suppression of reason cannot stay forever.

Prayer will give us the strength to find reasonable steps to support peace, growth, prosperity and freedom in northern Africa. There are many things to do on all political levels which we have - nationally, internationally, and with the various organizations which are already active here. ... more texts