Christians Detained for Distributing the New Testament in Greece

ICC Note:
Fifty-seven Christians in Greece were detained by police for distributing the Bible door-to-door. It seems many are unhappy that these Bibles are being given away, and some Orthodox priests are actually telling their parishioners to burn the Bibles as they view those distributing the Bibles as “a cult.”
By Nico Bougas
07/30/2013 Greece (Assist News) -Some 57 people from various countries were detained by local police in Greece last Saturday, July 27, 2013. The reason? They were distributing New Testament scriptures to the local population.
This may seem bizarre, but a group of priests of the Orthodox Church in Greece have mounted a concerted effort to prevent the distribution of copies of God’s Word in Modern Greek to homes throughout northern Greece.
For the past week nearly 400 volunteers from 25 countries have gathered in a town near ancient Philippi. They are participating in a mass Bible distribution project called Operation Joshua 6.
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One would have thought that this sort of project would be welcomed by any Christian church or group committed to following the truths of the Bible. Not so. This effort has been opposed by both civic and religious leaders. Hellenic Ministries has been condemned as a sect and a cult. This despite the fact that there has been no attempt to enlist members in the movement; there has been no attempt to divert from the teachings of the Bible or of the early church fathers which are so dear to the Greek Orthodox Church.
Some priests have gone so far as to instruct their parishioners to burn the copies of the scriptures that have been given to them by our volunteers. Since, “it cannot be a holy book if it is distributed by heretics.” In other cases, priests have voiced their threats that they will press legal charges and if necessary, use physical force.
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