Ted Poe: “This Easter, Pope Francis focused his message on the worldwide persecution of Christians. Around the world, Christians…”

“This Easter, Pope Francis focused his message on the worldwide persecution of Christians. Around the world, Christians are being imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their faith. According to the Pew Research Center, no religious group is persecuted in more countries around the world than Christians. Christians faced persecution in 102 countries out of about 190-plus that we have in the world. That was in 2013. So tonight I will mention only eight of those countries: Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Kenya. And I will also mention that terrorist group, ISIS. Christian pastor and American citizen Saeed Abedini has been held in an Iranian jail for the last 2\1/2\ years because he is a Christian. Weeks before he turned 7, Pastor Abedini's son wrote to his imprisoned father, inviting him to come to his birthday party. In reply, Pastor Abedini wrote: ``Daddy loves you so much. I long to be there for your birthday and to make this reunion happen, but my chains are keeping me from you.'' His son celebrated his 7th birthday last month. It was his third birthday without his dad. His dad is still in the jailhouse because he is a Christian. According to the 2015 Open Doors World Watch List, North Korea is the worst persecutor of Christians in the whole world. Christians are sent to prison camps for possession of Bibles, which is a crime. Some are even executed because they are Christians.…”