Nigerian Christian children before a Boko Haram firing squad

[Valerian]

.
Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

 

[danieldemol]

.
Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

Do they have the recorded testimonies of all 72 victims? If not then we can’t say all 72 were lying even if the story is not true.
Also what did the members of BokoHaram witness, if they saw men in white combined with snakes fighting them one would think they would have at least reported witchcraft at work.

And what about the dead soldiers, surely they can be post-mortemed for snake venom so that we can at least confirm the snakes part is true or not.

I’d put it in the category of possibly true or at least containing elements of truth but not without a lot more investigation.

Also the story does seem to rely heavily on an unnamed “contact” for transmission which seems odd as does the fact that it is not a fresh report but one reported after the children have had time to move to other safe regions.

 

[David1967]

.
Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

Good story but I doubt it's true. Even the most venomous snake doesn't kill instantly.

 

[whirlingmerc]

.
Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

It's certainly possible.

Helen Roseveare in the Congo long ago was facing a firing squad with a few medical students in the mid 20th century and feels they were made invisible for time to save them. They lived but were tortured and raped.

The story in part here Mama Luka Comes Home (1992)

 

[Cooky]

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Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

This is why I am pro-torture. Because this would be the perfect scenario for dismemberment.

 

[Ellen Brown]

I wouldn't argue with the original account. It is not MY kind of Islam to slay those who resist, and it wasn't in the time of Muhammad PBUH. I am sure that lots of folk will disagree with what I say, but that is their choice. When I was in Kenya, around Nanyuki and Nyeri, I felt that the Christians there were very devout though they had their backs against the wall economically. I could more rightly attend to my own house rather than criticise others.

 

[Valerian]

Do they have the recorded testimonies of all 72 victims? If not then we can’t say all 72 were lying even if the story is not true.
Also what did the members of BokoHaram witness, if they saw men in white combined with snakes fighting them one would think they would have at least reported witchcraft at work.

And what about the dead soldiers, surely they can be post-mortemed for snake venom so that we can at least confirm the snakes part is true or not.

I’d put it in the category of possibly true or at least containing elements of truth but not without a lot more investigation.

Also the story does seem to rely heavily on an unnamed “contact” for transmission which seems odd as does the fact that it is not a fresh report but one reported after the children have had time to move to other safe regions.

.
Do they have the recorded testimonies of all 72 victims? If not then we can’t say all 72 were lying even if the story is not true.
I do not believe there were any innocent bystanders hanging around to witness a mass murder, nor were the press in deep and dangerous villages surrounded by Boko Haram. So the question remains, what of the parents and the children who did testify. Are they lying? Or did this one Christian missionary reporting on it lie? That is not the nature of someone who sacrifices their lives in service to Christ in dangerous places to make up gigantic lies to try to impress others.

Also what did the members of BokoHaram witness, if they saw men in white combined with snakes fighting them one would think they would have at least reported witchcraft at work.
I am sure they did. But I doubt those militant zealots of radical Islam are telling the outside world angels saved Christians from our guns. Many miracles happen in Africa of God or the devil the West has no interest in knowing about.

And what about the dead soldiers, surely they can be post-mortemed for snake venom so that we can at least confirm the snakes part is true or not.
I would not put too many demands on God to follow through with actual snake bites before one acknowledges a great sign or wonder. God intervenes in the affairs of man when He pleases and how He pleases.

I’d put it in the category of possibly true or at least containing elements of truth but not without a lot more investigation.
I put it in the category of a thousand other inexplicable events far better documented than this one that suggest divine intervention. Facts and eye witnesses where one can claim --- “evidence that demands a verdict.”

Also the story does seem to rely heavily on an unnamed “contact” for transmission which seems odd as does the fact that it is not a fresh report but one reported after the children have had time to move to other safe regions.
This article came on on 3/19/19. There is no reason to suggest when the actual event took place, but I get the impression it was only a short time prior to that date. Again, Christian missionaries giving their entire lives in dark, dangerous foreign lands for the sake of serving God and man --- it is not in their nature to make up gigantic lies to prove God. They already know who God is and have no interest in sinning against the one they are there to serve and thereby putting their own souls at risk. (imo)

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

"according to a Barnabas Fund contact."... so... a single guy is telling us this story?

 

[Twilight Hue]

.
Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

Well it's a better story than the pastor quipping about the interesting conversation he had with that 'judge' or 'physicist' sitting next to him on the airplane while going to a ministers convention.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Good story but I doubt it's true. Even the most venomous snake doesn't kill instantly.

The men would have been killed outright.

The women raped and likely killed afterwards and the children indoctrinated.

Anyways, this would have been major news had it been true.

 

[Valerian]

The men would have been killed outright.

The women raped and likely killed afterwards and the children indoctrinated.

Anyways, this would have been major news had it been true.

.
I cannot see a persecuted people in the middle of danger every single day having the time or thought to make up a lie like this. Nor can I see a Christian reporter making this up. For what kind of gain?

Many unworldly occurrences like this have been happening in Africa, especially Christians, for many decades, they may not get commercial coverage, but neither have they ever been uncovered as fraudulent. Kibeho, Africa in the 80s to a number of teenage girls is a major Catholic approved miracle or apparition that has been filmed and widely reported on. Cannot dust these things under the rug so easily.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

.
I cannot see a persecuted people in the middle of danger every single day having the time or thought to make up a lie like this. Nor can I see a Christian reporter making this up. For what kind of gain?

Many unworldly occurrences like this have been happening in Africa, especially Christians, for many decades, they may not get commercial coverage, but neither have they ever been uncovered as fraudulent. Kibeho, Africa in the 80s to a number of teenage girls is a major Catholic approved miracle or apparition that has been filmed and widely reported on. Cannot dust these things under the rug so easily.

... seriously... a single, unnamed guy?

 

[Twilight Hue]

.
I cannot see a persecuted people in the middle of danger every single day having the time or thought to make up a lie like this. Nor can I see a Christian reporter making this up. For what kind of gain?

Many unworldly occurrences like this have been happening in Africa, especially Christians, for many decades, they may not get commercial coverage, but neither have they ever been uncovered as fraudulent. Kibeho, Africa in the 80s to a number of teenage girls is a major Catholic approved miracle or apparition that has been filmed and widely reported on. Cannot dust these things under the rug so easily.

It would be interesting if there were any actual names mentioned. Christians have a well-deserved reputation for making up allegories and trying to pass them as being true events.

 

[danieldemol]

.
I cannot see a persecuted people in the middle of danger every single day having the time or thought to make up a lie like this. Nor can I see a Christian reporter making this up. For what kind of gain?

In a place like certain regions of Africa where there are people without food and shelter all one has to do to get an easy job as a minister and have full access to 3 meals a day, shelter at the prestigious grounds of the church and sometimes even access to a free church car is be a good public speaker and invent a fib about witnessing a miracle. In the west missionaries are considered by a growing number of people to be up there with politicians for telling fibs to make a living.

If you believe endangered Christians can’t tell a lie it would be special pleading not to accept the miracles of Joseph Smith and the LDS church for example, for their missionaries encounter danger and believe in Jesus too, J. Smith was shot for his beliefs and claimed belief in Jesus

 

[metis]

The only appropriate response that I can think of in terms of what the OP says is "TERRIBLE".

 

[ChristineM]

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Divine intervention… or fake news? Either that or all of the adults and children are lying.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

19 March 2019

A group of 500 Nigerian Muslim-background Christians, who gathered together for safety were later attacked again by the Boko Haram Islamist militant group. Most escaped, apart from 76 men, women and children who were taken captive, according to a Barnabas Fund contact.

The 76 were taken to a Boko Haram terrorists’ camp where they were tortured. The four male leaders of the group were told at gunpoint to renounce their faith in Christ and revert to Islam. When they refused, holding fast to their Saviour, the men were shot in front of their families and friends.

The following week, the wives of the four martyred men were also ordered to renounce their faith or their children would be executed. These school children are from families who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram attacks

As the mothers struggled under this terrible burden into the night, the children came running in and said that the Lord Jesus had appeared to them and “all would be well”. According to the account, the Lord Jesus then appeared to all of the group and told them not to fear, that He would protect them. They should not renounce Him, but stay strong knowing that “He is the way, the truth and the life”.

The next morning the children, one a girl as young as four, were lined up against a wall by the terrorists and their four mothers were told they could save them if they renounced Jesus Christ and returned to Islam. The mothers refused. The soldiers cocked their rifles and prepared to take aim when they suddenly started to grab at their heads, screaming and shouting “Snakes, snakes!” Some ran away and others dropped dead where they stood.

As one of the soldiers fell down dead, a Christian captive reached down to pick up the soldier’s gun to fire at the fleeing Boko Haram militants, but the youngest child put her hand on his arm and said, “You don’t need to do that. Can you not see the men in white fighting for us?”

(continued)

God’s intervention saves 72 captive Nigerian Christians from Boko Haram firing squad

Barnabas Fund is an international Christian missionary that focuses mostly on persecuted Christians in third world countries as well as non-Christians in need.

I am afraid it works both ways. In the Central African Republic christian anti balaka are killing muslim children and disemboweling pregnant women.

'Christian militia' in CAR killing

 

[metis]

I am afraid it works both ways. In the Central African Republic christian anti balaka are killing muslim children and disemboweling pregnant women.

'Christian militia' in CAR killing

Yes, and the tragedy is compounded by the fact the both Islam and Christianity in no way condone that kind of action, and yet only a relative few in both actually protest the actions of those within their own religious faith.

 

[ChristineM]

Yes, and the tragedy is compounded by the fact the both Islam and Christianity in no way condone that kind of action, and yet only a relative few in both actually protest the actions of those within their own religious faith.

To me its empty claims.

I could go onto reams about the hypocrisy of religion, of killing in the name of god etc but i am sure you have heard it all before

 

[metis]

I could go onto reams about the hypocrisy of religion, of killing in the name of god etc but i am sure you have heard it all before

Religion is not intrinsically hypocritical even though there'a often way too much hypocrisy by all too many people within religion. However, we've also seen plenty of hypocrisy within atheism and agnosticism as well, so I don't believe either one of these has a monopoly on this.

To me, religion is a lot like having an automobile: one can use it for good or for evil or for nothing. Without religion, I think the world would not be a better place, even without all it's warts.

BTW, have you been watching the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris? My parents visited it back in the 1980's and were really impressed, and they were Protestants. Besides attracting tourists, it's also some people's parish, and this latter fact is more important, imo.

 

[ChristineM]

Religion is not intrinsically hypocritical even though there'a often way too much hypocrisy by all too many people within religion. However, we've also seen plenty of hypocrisy within atheism and agnosticism as well, so I don't believe either one of these has a monopoly on this.

To me, religion is a lot like having an automobile: one can use it for good or for evil or for nothing. Without religion, I think the world would not be a better place, even without all it's warts.

BTW, have you been watching the burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris? My parents visited it back in the 1980's and were really impressed, and they were Protestants. Besides attracting tourists, it's also some people's parish, and this latter fact is more important, imo.

Correct, religion isnt hypocritical but many religious people are.

Consider there are far more religious people than non religious. A situation that is slowly changing but there is long way to go. Personally i would far rather trust a non believer to do what is right than a believer.

I actually think the world could be better off without religion. One would have to resort to humanity and human morality rather than a mythical god in an old book telling what is right and wrong. And of course getting rid of all those warts cant be bad.

I have visited Notre Dame a few times, been up in the roof and on the balcony. I may be atheist but religious architecture fascinates me, not quite a hobby but an interest.

I have seen the fire on both BBC and France 2, a major disaster. Roof is gone, and the round window.

There are many other churches in the area will be willing to take the parishioners with open arms.