You may have noticed lately that all over Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms, people have been changing their profile picture to an Arabic letter or what some people have described as unusual one eyed smiley face, such as this:

Apart from noticing it, you may be also be wondering why? 

While this site aims to bring funny pictures, quotes, cartoons and videos to a sad a broken world, every now and then it is important to highlight how sad and how broken our world actually is. The picture above is not a funny picture at all, nor is there a joke to be made about it or any laughs to be had. It represents blatant, horrific and wicked persecution for a group of Christians in a town called Mosul, Iraq. Please keep reading and let me explain by answering a few quick questions:

  • What is the picture? 

The picture is simply the letter ‘N’ in the Arabic script, nothing more, nothing less. 

  • But what does it stand for? 

It is currently being used as a shorthand way to write “Nazarene” or represent someone who follows the most famous Nazarene – our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

  • How is it being used in Mosul, Iraq? 

The Islamic State militants  who are now controlling the city are trying to force Sharia law on everyone, not just the Muslims. Every house belonging to Christians is being marked with a large letter ‘N’ to show that it is a Christian home and then given the occupants three options – to move, to pay a ‘Christian’ tax, or to face death. They then have 24 hours to decide. 

  • How is it being used on the Internet? 

Christians from all over the world have been changing their profile picture to the same letter in order to show support (1 John 3:16-18), as a means of encouragement (Thessalonians 5:11) and also so far quite successfully to bring global media attention to the wicked and evil persecution (1 Corinthians 4:12) faced by Christians in these areas. 

  • What you can do? 

The are three things I can immediately think of:

1. Share this article with others to bring even more attention to the issue that is happening right now. 
2. Read more about the situation here (USA today), here (The Guardian) and/or here (Daily Telegraph). 
3. Change your profile picture. 

Can you think of other things to do? Please leave a comment below.

Check out further commentary here