'Christians No. 1 target of extremists and bigots'

In Pakistan, a suicide bomber kills 75 people at a Christian church.

In Kenya, terrorists chase Muslims out of a shopping mall, then start killing Christians, especially those who could not give them the name of Muhammad's mother.

In Egypt, Muslims abduct Christians from their homes and businesses and kill them.

In Syria, Christian villagers are told to convert to Islam or they will be executed.

Is there a pattern here?

"I think Christians have clearly become the No. 1 target of extremists and bigots and totalitarians across the globe," David Brog, executive director of the Christians United For Israel, told WND in an interview.

His organization is trying to convince Congress to create an office for a special envoy for the freedom of religious minorities in the Middle East.

The plan already has passed the House of Representatives, which has approved the idea in the past. Now it is heading to the U.S. Senate, where Majority Leader Harry Reid previously has overseen its death.

The organization has set up an online process for constituents to encourage their senators to support the needed outreach.

"We urge you to please co-sponsor S. 653 (if you've not already done so). In addition, we ask that you press for the prompt final passage of this legislation," the request states.

"Every day that passes is another day of despair and death for Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East."

Brog calls the situation that has developed in recent years both a "human rights tragedy of the first order" and a "humanitarian emergency of the first order."

All across northern Africa and the Middle East, Christians are facing daily persecution and death. Huge populations of Christians who once lived in Iraq are scattered and gone. Christians in Iran face constant monitoring by the government and penalties for meeting. Egyptian Christians are attacked by Muslim mobs. The list goes on, analysts say.

On this issue, Brog said, "The silence of the West is overwhelming.

"The first order of business is to end the silence," he told WND. "We have every reason to believe if more people k now – they are Christians, fellow believers – I think they'd be outraged and end the silence."

The development of an envoy to address persecution religious minorities is a first step, he said, that would bring the problem into focus and that will lead to more pressure to fix the egregious situations.

"The bombings, shootings, the gas … this persecution should anger Americans," he said. "Every American should demand that any government that tolerates, lot alone promotes, this should pay a penalty."

He said there does appear to be some focus already – especially following last weekend's Kenya mall terror in which Christians were singled out and killed, and the bombing at a Christian church in Pakistan.

"But it's tragic that it's taking more Christian blood being spilled for people to wake up and pay attention. The volume of blood has gotten large enough no one can ignore it anymore," he said.

The U.S., which was founded with a strong Christian influence, always has had great compassion for fighting disease, hunger, poverty and other social problems, he said.

But he said it's time Christians start making sure Christians are protected.

"If I am not for me, who will be?" he wondered. "If Christians don't stand up for Christians, who will?"

The U.S. House overwhelming supported the plan for a "Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the near East and South Central Asia" with bipartisan support.

"Rep. Frank Wolf's tireless advocacy on behalf of this issue is inspiring. I’m very grateful to him and his staff, and to the thousands of CUFI activists who went to Congress and lobbied on this legislation during our most recent Washington Summit," said CUFI founder and chairman Pastor John Hagee.

"Now the Senate must act. We recognize that Washington is often divided, but on this issue members of the House set aside their differences and came together to stand with our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East. In the coming weeks CUFI will work to ensure the upper chamber does the same," he said.

CUFI is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world. CUFI spans all 50 states and reaches millions with its message. It holds hundreds of pro-Israel events in cities around the country.