I’ve posted before about the Open Door initiative watch list which is composed of many different countries where Chrisitians face the most extreme persecution. On January the 18th their new list came out for 2023 so I thought I would post this information.
Open Doors World Watch List 2023
Country Religion Type of Government
- North Korea – Agnosticism – Single Party Dictatorship
- Somalia – Islam – Federal Parliamentary Republic
- Yemen – Islam – In Transition
- Eritrea – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Libya – Islam – Transitional Government
- Nigeria – Christianity – Federal Presidential Republic
- Pakistan – Islam – Federal Parliamentary Republic
- Iran – Islam – Theocratic Republic
- Afganistan – Islam – Islamic Emirate of Afganistan
- Sudan – Islam – Presidential Republic
- India – Hinduism – Federal Parliamentary Republic
- Syria – Islam – Authoritarian Presidential Republic
- Saudi Arabia – Islam – Absolute Monarchy
- Myanmar – Buddism – Parliamentary Republic
- Maldives – Islam – Presidential Republic
- China – Agnosticism – Communist Party led state
- Mali – Islam – Semi-Presidential Republic
- Iraq – Islam – Federal Parliamentary Republic
- Algeria – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Mauritania – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Uzbekistan – Islam – Authoritarian Presidential Republic
- Colombia – Christianity – Presidential Republic
- Burkina Faso – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Central African Republic – Christianity – Presidential Republic
- Vietnam – Buddism – Communist State
- Turkmenistan – Islam – Authoritarian Presidential Republic
- Cuba – Christianity – Communist State
- Niger – Islam – Semi-Presidential Republic
- Morocco – Islam – Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
- Bangladesh – Islam – Parliamentary Republic
- Laos – Buddism – Communist State
- Mozambique – Christianity – Presidential Republic
- Indonesia – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Qatar – Islam – Absolute Monarchy
- Egypt – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Tunisia – Islam – Parliamentary Republic
- Congo DR (DRC) – Christianity – Semi-Presidential Republic
- Mexico – Christianity – Federal Presidential Republic
- Ethiopia – Christianity – Federal Parliamentary Republic
- Bhutan – Buddism – Constitutional Monarchy
- Turkey – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Comoros – Islam – Federal Presidential Republic
- Malaysia – Islam – Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
- Tajikistan – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Cameroon – Christianity – Presidential Republic
- Brunei – Islam – Absolute Monarchy
- Oman – Islam – Absolute Monarchy
- Kazakhstan – Islam – Presidential Republic
- Jordan – Islam – Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
- Nicaragua – Christianity – Presidential Republic
Out of 50 countries 10 listed Christianity as their religion.
Out of 50 countries only 2 listed Agnosticism as their religion.
Out of 50 countries only 4 listed Buddism as their religion.
Out of 50 countries only 1 listed Hinduism as their religion.
Out of 50 countries 33 listed Islam as their religion.
What exactly does this mean for Christianity?
Unfortunately, the countries which list Christianity as their main religion are under attack. Nigeria, Mozambique, Niger, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Nicaragua, Central African Republic are all experiencing high levels of persecution including losing their livelihood, threatened, beaten, killed, houses burned, churches ransacked and torched with some pastors attacked or killed during services.
We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are ALL part of the Body of Christ, the Church and we must weep and pray for them. This breaks my heart and it shouldn’t be this way, but, the spirit of the antichrist is among us and it want stop until he has all the nations firmly within his grip.
If you think the US is immune, you better think again. We’re already starting to see pastors and Christians harassed for their belief. The persecution may look a little differently right now, but, with our border wide open you can bet what we’re seeing in other countries is headed to America!
But there is hope, hope in the Son of God called Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah, the Anointed, the Chosen One, the Good Shepherd!