Evidences & Statistics for Sign 7 — The Persecution of Believers ( pp . 40-41 ) r
• While estimates vary widely , up to 40 million Christians have been killed for their faith across 20 centuries .
• Archaeologists estimate that in the Catacombs beneath Rome over 4 million Christian martyrs are buried . ( Paul Lee Tan , 7700 Illustrations , p . 785 ).
• It is estimated that in the Dark Ages alone more than 50 million Christians died for their faith . ( Paul Lee Tan , 7700 Illustrations , p . 785 ).
• Martyrs in the 20th century number 26,625,000 . ( Edythe Draper , Almanac of the Christian World , p . 502 ).
• This year alone over 300,000 Christians will be martyred worldwide . ( Edythe Draper , Almanac of the Christian World , p . 502 ).
• The Society for Threatened Peoples , a human rights group , charges that since 1968 , Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has killed more than 20,000 Assyrian Christians , expelled 500,000 and destroyed nearly 100 churches . ( Edythe Draper , Almanac of the Christian World , p . 12 , 13 ).
• Subtle persecution in America : media attacks upon Christian politicians , gay activists calling Christians hate-mongers , banning any type of religious thought or activities in public schools , opposition to home schooling and private schooling , opposition to any type of moral values , association of radical groups ( eg . David Koresh ) with all Christians .
• Kent Hill , executive director of The Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington , D . C . says , " There have been more martyrs produced in the 20th century than in all other centuries combined since the time of Christ ." ( Edythe Draper , Almanac of the Christian World , p . 500 ).
• A U . S . News and World Report , August 21 , 1993 article entitled , " Religious Cleansing " reports that the State Department is becoming increasingly concerned by what is seen as Iran ' s virtual takeover of Sudan and its stepped- up persecution of the country ' s 3 million Christians . Senior Mideast Intelligence sources say the Khartoum government — aided and abetted by Iran — plans to force the resettlement of Christians from southern Sudan to the Islamic north , where they will be obliged to send their children to Muslim schools and forbidden to establish new schools of their own . In addition , strict Islamic law will be extended to the
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