Called to speak the truth: Why Christians should fight for all those who are persecuted

On a regular basis, Stefanus Alliance protests on behalf of Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Ahmadi Muslims, atheists, and, of course, fellow Christians, even when they are persecuted by other Christians. In meetings with local and international authorities, Stefanus Alliance regularly raises human rights issues that concern all religious groups, as well as those who do not have no faith.

But why does the Stefanus Alliance, a Christian organization, make appeals on behalf of people who belong to a different faith than our own? Let me give you four reasons.

1. All people are created in God's image. That should have tangible consequences for how we treat each other. It means that everyone has the same human dignity and should be treated as a human beings. Christians have no more human dignity than non-Christians.

2. Loving our neighbor and enemy. As Christians, we are called not only to love our neighbors, but also our enemies. This includes those who don’t think or believe like we do. This is a responsibility that all followers of Christ have, and not something we can choose to only take on when it is convenient for ourselves.

3. Truth. As Christians, we are called to speak the truth. In places where Christians are persecuted, there are often others who are also persecuted because of their faith, or for their lack of faith. We do not side with the truth if we do not also speak up about others who are in similar situations as our own Christian brothers and sisters.

4. Pragmatism. If we are genuinely concerned with helping Christians who suffer for their faith, we need to be smart and think pragmatically about which approach is most effective. By standing up for everyone – not only for Christians – we are seen as much more trustworthy and reliable. That ends up making us a more effective organization for helping Christians.

It is our Christian faith and Jesus as an example that inspires us to work for justice for all. We believe in a God who has given every person the freedom to have a faith, to exercise their faith and to change their faith. The majority of our projects and partners are Christians or churches who offer help and support for persecuted and discriminated people.  We also support missionary work, carried out by local partners, in areas where missionary work is prohibited or very demanding.

These values have been important since the inception of Stefanus Alliance, and will remain our foundation into the future. While it is not our task to promote other faiths, Stefanus Alliance and its partners will collaborate with people of other faiths to promote peace, freedom, and understanding. This does not mean that we weaken our witness, nor the organization’s Christian uniqueness or our roots. Rather, it makes our message stronger.