Let s start with a scripture verse from the Christian Bible s book of Matthew. It says, Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake. To the extent one believes that, many Asian governments provide blessings to Christians.
Persecution is extensive, but there are also rays of hope.
I want to cover both positive developments and approaches as well as the very severe problems. I will begin by examining some of the reasons for religious persecution. The reasons differ from country to country and within particular countries from religious group to religious group. One reason is a fear of external influences. Many Asian countries are particularly sensitive to the prospect that there will be destabilizing external influences.