Focus on Israel

Laurie Cardoza-Moore: I'm Laurie Cardoso Moore, and this is Focus on Israel. Hello and thank you for joining me today on Focus on Israel. I'm Laurie Cardoso Moore, and like most Americans, I began to ask a lot of questions about what happened to our country following 9/11. As I read and talked to experts, the issues of radical Islam and the attacks on America and Israel became extremely personal to me. In response, I founded Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and sharing the message of Christian biblical responsibility to the people and land of Israel against the rise of a new antisemitism.

I believe that it is so very important that at this critical time in history, we must turn our focus on Israel. In the Middle East today, we're seeing a rising tide of Christian persecution. In Judea and Samaria, many Palestinian Christians are calling for a two-state solution, which will ultimately mean the creation of another Islamic state. They cry apartheid and persecution by Israelis rather than Muslims, a claim that has been proven to be patently false and exaggerated beyond proportion. One fact not included is that the majority of the true Christians have fled these Palestinian-held areas and former Christian cities due to severe Islamic persecution.

In 1950, Bethlehem's population was 75% Christian. Today, the figure is 12%. This scenario has been repeated all over the Middle East, where more than 2 million Christians have fled to the West as a result of Muslim persecution. We only need to look at what is happening today in the Islamic countries of Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, and Egypt, among others. Christians there experience extreme and horrific levels of persecution and apartheid that are truly shocking and often beyond our western comprehension. As Obama, world leaders, and the UN sit idly by, it has been estimated that 100 million Christians are currently facing persecution and that approximately 100,000 Christians die for their faith each year.

In Egypt, a Christian taxi driver was pulled from his cab, kicked, punched, and beaten to death before being beheaded. Coptic Christians are exposed to daily assaults by fundamentalists and extremists as their churches are burned, their properties are damaged, and they're forced to leave their land and homes. In Syria, US-backed Al-Qaeda rebels have carried out numerous atrocities. After occupying the Old Testament city of Sedad, 45 Christians, including women and children, were killed with several tortured to death. 14 churches, some ancient, were ransacked and destroyed. In Nigeria, 50 members of a church were burned to death in their pastor's house.

The attack by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram was only the first in a 12 village spree. The horrendous abduction of 234 teenage school girls from their dormitories by Boko Haram is chilling. Each passing day makes it more likely that the girls have been raped and possibly killed in captivity. In Pakistan, a pair of suicide bombers killed 81 people outside the 19th century All Saints Church in Peshawar in one of the deadliest attacks yet on the country's Christian minority. In Sudan, Miriam Ibrahim was condemned to die by hanging after she refused to renounce her Christianity and to profess she is a Muslim.

Ibrahim was convicted of apostasy while she was 8 months pregnant and held in prison with her 20 month old son. Today, we'll hear the true story of one such horrific persecution that happened to a young woman from Pakistan. Julie Aftab was born to Christian parents in the Punjab province. When she refused to recant her faith at her factory job, the terrifying consequences were nearly fatal.

Julie Aftab: I'm from Pakistan and I grew up in Punjab province and Faisalabad area. I born in a Christian home. My parents both were Christian. My my father was Catholic, my mother was Pentecostal, but I was in between. I was not treated as child should be treated by my own father. He wanted a son and I was a daughter, but in in the Islamic world, they that's how it is. People were influent. Even some of the Christian, not all the Christian, not all the Christian are at same way, but some Christian do have influence by those people that girls are not girls are cursed and that this and that and they prefer son and growing up is I was going to school.

Then my dad was bus driver and he had a accident and he he was not able to work. So helping my family as in the fam oldest of seven, it was my responsibility. So I tried to help my family. I started working in a public hall office on the first of June 2002. Then I started working. Even my boss told me I don't look like a Christian. I should change to Islam. And you know, I'm really good at ignoring people. Those people, I don't like to argue because they frame you if you argue with them, they will say you have insulted Islam, you did this that.

I put God first in my life and my life is afterward. God is first. And so I just I didn't I never pay attention to those people, but on June 15th, I was wearing cross. I wore cross openly because for many people, it's just a symbol, piece of jewelry. For me, every time I breathe, it reminds me that God has sent his son. When the man came in and he saw the cross around my neck and he said, are you a Christian? I told him, yes sir, I am Christian. And then again, he asked me, are you a Christian?

And I told him, yes sir, I am a Christian. And third time when he asked me, are you a Christian? And I told him, yes sir, I am Christian. And so he told me right there, he said, you do not look like a Christian. And I just looked to him and I said, okay, whatever. I rolled my eyes and I he I was operator working as a operator in a public hall office. And he told me, he said, you should change to Islam and you will your life will be way better and everybody will treat you like a queen.

And I told him, I said, I am living life like a queen because I'm daughter of the king. And when I told him and also I told him that, you know, I see a lot of queen beaten to death in y'all's houses every single day. I don't want to be that queen. And so he told me, he said, you know, if you change to Islam, everybody will support you. Everybody you work for solar money and everybody will help y'all and your family. And I told him, I said, God gave me two hand two feet and perfectly healthy body.

I can support myself. I can support my family. And he put in money on the table and he said to take all their money and change to Islam and I'll give you more money and you will have everything. And I told him, I have everything. I don't need anything. And again, he told me, he said, I am trying to save your soul. And I told him my soul is saved. And he said, you're living life in the gutter and you know, Christian people going to go to hell. And I told him, I said, I know where I'm going and I am fine where I am living.

And then again, he said, you know, if you change to Islam, you you know, you are living in darkness and I'm trying to save your soul. And I told him, I believe I am living in light. And then he told me, he said, so you think Islam is in darkness? And I told him, you said so. I know I am in light. And he put in more money on the table and he said, take all this money and change to Islam. And I told him, I I am fine who I am. And in Pakistan, many time they do they will do some specially to girl.

They will do something bad to them and then they have a no choice then just change converting converting to Islam. So he tried to he he got up and he tried to grab me and I pushed him and I slapped him. I said, I'm girl, but I am not weak. And I picked the money. I I picked it up the money and I threw at his face and I told him, I'm not like other girl. And when this man when I slapped him and he said, you know, I'm giving you last chance. I'm trying to save your soul.

And I told him, you need to leave before you lose your last chance. And my soul is saved. And so he left. And before he was leaving, he said, I'll see if your Jesus will save you. He left and between 30 to 40 minutes later, he came back with the acid. In Pakistan, you can buy anything. Nobody going to stop you. Nobody going to tell you why you are buying. And they don't ask for reason. If you have money, you can buy anything. And so he brought acid and he when he brought acid, he just opened the door and I was just sitting there and he threw it through like that and I just turned and this side was burned and I got up and I ran toward the door, but the man was standing in front of the door.

And it was only one door. The so one man came behind the first man. The second man came behind of him and he just held my hair down and he held me down and the first man tried to pour it into my throat. And they were saying that they going to destroy the mosque and no to Islam. Later on, they were caught uh so and people asked them, why did you do it? And she they said that she had insulted Islam. She had said Islam is in darkness. I didn't said that. He said so. He said that she said that Muslim people going to hell.

I didn't said that. He said about Christian people. He said that she said Christian is living Muslim is living in darkness. I didn't said that. He said about Christian that. And that he said she have committed blasphemy. Police let them go. Even police joined them. And also the people who took me to the hospital, they turned against me. Until then, my family arrived at the hospital and they told the hospital that if you treated her, I we will set the hospital on fire. And the hospital let me go. Then my family took me to the second hospital.

Second hospital said the same thing. The third hospital and said the same thing. And third hospital um my my mom begged the doctor. She she told him he told her that she going to die anyway. There was point. And my mom said she's still breathing. And she begged them. She requested them that please help us. And somehow God God put in mercy in their heart. Somehow I don't know. And they said she going to die anyway. What's the point? My mom said at least you can put IV or something. And all they did put IV and every morning they did honey.

They put it honey and they will take next morning. They will take the dressing out and pieces. It was more like a torture than treatment. They were intentionally like press on the wounds or do intentionally thing. Even the doctor would never pay attention or ask. My mom used to ask, can you please give her pain medicine? Please, can you? And they will never write the pain medication or anything. They will intentionally tell that there was intention behind it. They were torturing me more. And then then I I was there for for 26 days or so.

21 days later, I was pronounced dead. And God gave me life again for 15 minutes and 33 second. And God gave me life again. And after Muslim people heard about that, they was angry. They started coming with the gun. They wanted me to be dead. They said it will be insult to Islam if I lived. So my family took me to the other area. Other town and they took me to the hospital over there because people were coming in the with the gun and wanted to kill me. So my family took me to the other hospital.

And that's the hospital I was tortured. I was fully awake when I had this surgery. I did not have any pain medication. I was fully awake. And we couldn't pay for the surgery because Muslim people set my house on fire and we didn't have any money to pay for pay for my treatment or we didn't have anything. Nobody wanted to help. And in Pakistan, you have to pay before you get treatment. My mom and I was requesting the doctor if they can help us. And the doctor that's the that's when the doctor said, if you change to Islam, I will pay for your treatment for rest of the life.

From my pocket, I'll pay for everything for you. I told him my tongue belong to my heart and my heart is belong to God. And if I say yes with my tongue, I lose my God. And it made them so mad. He told me he said, you know, you you think you are so strong and why don't you have it surgery without any anesthesia? I'll see how long you will last. I know knew that I'm going to die either or. If I survive from acid, this people going to kill me anyway. But at least I will die doing what I love to do, serve God and glorify his name.

And I know that if I die, at least those people will say that her God was something. That's why she never left him, but she lost her life. I had a surgery two days later and that doctor you know how they put green or blue or white sheet between the part. They going to do the surgery and knew the nurse was going to put right here and he did not let the nurse put that sheet. He said he want me to see it and see how long I will last. And when he started surgery, he was doing skin graft afterward.

He took skin, started taking skin out of my lower leg and he was cutting skin and the pain was so much that I couldn't take it. I started crying and screaming. And he told me, he said, you know, if you cry and scream and I'm going to leave the surgery. And I needed that surgery because I did not want it to lose my arm. And I was laying there and I was saying, God, please help me. Either take me or my faith is so weak. I can't stand anymore. And I was praying and I started saying, Jesus, cover me in your blood.

Jesus, cover me in your blood. And when I was saying that he then he was finished from here and he came and he started cutting cleaning the infection. And the infection was so deep you went almost to my bone. And he started cutting and he cut from right here. I remember right here when he cut it. I saw like splash of blood came all over me. I was asking Jesus, cover me in your blood. And I believe that he have bought me with his blood. He had paid a price for me. And so I believe it or not, I do not had any afterward.

I felt so much comfort. I felt like it I'm not alone. I felt hand over my head. And I was laying there and I was my lips were moving. There was no voices. There was no bagging. There was no crying. And I was holding my hand like that and my nail went through my skin, but I did not felt any pain. And the the doctor was not able to stand that. The doctor was so mad. The doctor couldn't bear the fact that I was not bagging. I was not requesting. I was not crying to ask him.

And he just left the surgery and the nurse finished the rest of the surgery. And that's the same doctor two week uh and after same doctor who gave me poison. Instead of antibiotic after the surgery, he gave me a poison. Then my family took me to the other hospital when they found out that she be has been poisoned. And they took me to the other hospital and law enforcement did not wanted to help me. They was with them. So we didn't have anybody to go to. So they took me to the other hospital. That's where they washed my stomach and everything.

Two week later, I woke up again. And then I uh then that's the hospital uh God gave me eyes and I was totally blind from both eye. Now I'm blind on the left eye, but right eye, but I I can see 100% from my left eye. And that 67% because of they pour acid into my throat. 67% of my esophagus were damaged. The doctor said I will never be able to speak. And this part of you could see half of my esophagus. I did not have any cheek. This is rebuilds. They reconstructed and then uh that's after that, I moved to different part area and I hide it for 6 month because I know I knew that people were crazy.

They going to get after me. So uh afterward, it was about 6 month and we moved to different place, my family and me and I thought people have forgotten everything. And plus it's a new area. Nobody know me. And uh I uh 2003, that's when I was shot. Bullet went through hair, scratched hair, went through hair, scratched hair, and I was they thought they have finished. They they had killed me. But you know, God was not done. I survived that again. So later on, they found out, no, she's not dead yet. And then they uh they wanted to hang me by the blasphemy law.

And they uh then Christian bishop found out about me and he wanted to help me. And he talked to some people in the Shadyburn Hospital in Galveston, Texas. And some people got involved from the United States. They helped me to escape Pakistan. My family has been persecuted a lot. And still they are been persecuted. Um I I they were like every time they like I know there is a thousands of people can see like a TV interview or radio or whatever. And every time I speak here, my family get pressure over there, but I'm not going to stop.

I'm not going to stop because they that's what they wanted. God got me out of all the death. Even I mean I uh people say I barely died, nearly died, but I did died and God gave me life. And God gave me life for a reason. I'm not going to stop that reason. And if God wanted to whenever I'm done, God I receive still I receive a lot of of the threats. In the United States, I receive lot of of the threats from Muslim people. And I told them, you try to stop me if you can.

And I I stand up for uh to speak. I want it I don't want to people feel sorry for me because I'm not. I'll do it thousand time if I have to because I believe in God and living God. And if I stand up for him, he will stand up for me. I know that I don't need anymore proofs because I have a lot of proofs. I'm twice cancer survivor. I I mean what what skin get. And God had given me life for a reason and I'm going to use it for that reason and I'm not going to sit back and let those people tell the lie and ruin the life of the Christian or any humanity.

I don't care be I don't have I do not hate Muslim people. I hate the ideology they believe and their action when they follows Islam. I don't hate them as a people. I hate what they do. And in the United States is my home now. And I want it I will do whatever it will take. Whatever it will take to keep my country safe because I had lived hell of a life over there. I don't want to live it again. I don't want to live life like a Pakistan again. I don't want to surely allow here.

I don't want it to live with her job. I don't want to do what Islamic way anything. I live in the United States of America. I want to keep that. I want it to be free and say I am a Christian. I can pray. I want it to pray in the public places. I want to keep God in the public places.

Laurie Cardoza-Moore: The scale of atrocities carried out throughout Islamic countries is truly shocking, creating a horrifying climate of fear and insecurity for Christians. If the areas of Samaria and Judea are given over to Palestinian Arabs, how long before this climate would dominate the lives of Christians there? We must continue to pray for God's mercy on Christians under siege and we must continue to stand against any land for peace agreements in Israel. Be a leader in your community and in your church. One person can make a difference. Get involved and support pro-Israel organizations such as PJTN. Call your senators, congressmen, the White House.

Let your elected leaders hear from you. Visit our website to learn more. Sign up to receive free newsletters, action alerts, daily blogs, and order our films to share with others. God bless you and thank you for all you do on behalf of our Christian and Jewish brethren in the Middle East and Israel. We'll see you next time on Focus on Israel.

Guest (Male): To support this program, send your tax-deductible gift to Proclaiming Justice to the Nations, PO Box 682711 Franklin, Tennessee 37068. You can also support PJTN online. Visit pjtn.org or call 1877 873 9020.

Laurie Cardoza-Moore: Antisemitism has reached epic proportions and Israel is now surrounded by nations who seek its destruction. For Israel to lose just one battle would mean losing everything. As Christians, it is our biblical responsibility to stand with our Jewish brethren and Israel. PJTN needs your help to reach more Christians with this urgent message. Please visit our website to become a member today and order our award-winning documentaries. You must decide that you won't be silent. Sign up now at pjtn.org. God bless you and thank you for your support and prayers.