When a new report surfaced that Christianity might go extinct in Iraq within a span of five years, Reverend Franklin Graham expressed shock over the "sobering" fact.
The report Graham was referring to was made by the English charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which stated that ISIS' continuous persecution of Christians and strict imposition of Islam in Iraq could obliterate the Christian faith in the area.
"The fear of genocide – in many cases well founded – has prompted an exodus of Christians, notably from the Middle East and parts of Africa," the report said. "As a result of this exodus, Christianity is on course to disappear from Iraq within possibly five years – unless emergency help is provided on a massively increased scale at an international level."
Prime Minister David Cameron likewise expressed concern over the dwindling numbers of Christians in the Middle East, blaming this on "the unspeakable torments and deaths they face at the hands of radical jihadists."
"Every day in countries across the world, Christians are systematically discriminated against, exploited and even driven from their homes because of their faith," he said.
Graham shares Cameron's concern, saying it would be a sad day when Christianity becomes "extinct in the country where historians say the Garden of Eden was, where Abraham lived, where Noah built the ark, and where Daniel was in the lion's den."
"The goal of the Islamic State is the same in Iraq, Syria, and everywhere around the world — erase every other religion besides Islam at whatever cost. Pray for Christians trying to survive in the Middle East," he calls on readers in his Facebook page.
