Early last month, the tiny Christian community of Charsadda, in northwest Pakistan, received a stark ultimatum: immediately convert to Islam or 'face the consequences'. This naturally caused great concern, but also came as little surprise.
Assaults on Christians, both political and actual, have become increasingly common throughout the Muslim and Arab worlds in recent years - from secular nationalists and radical Islamists alike.
The phenomenon of Islamophobia in the Christian-dominated west has long-since been recognised, and reducing it holds a high-profile place on the western political agenda. However, the growing prejudice and hatred in the Muslim world towards Christians is being tolerated - often encouraged - by secular and Islamic Arab and Muslim governments, and is thus growing unchecked.
The incident in Charsadda, relatively rare in Muslim states only a few years ago, has become commonplace in Asia since the start of the United States' 'war on terror'.
The Philippines has recently experienced a wave of serious attacks, with the murder of a number of clergymen and other Christians. In Indonesia, attacks have become routine. Similar incidents have occurred across Malaysia and Bangladesh.
This phenomenon has manifested itself most starkly in the Arab world. Palestinian Christianity is in increasing crisis. With growing strife in the Occupied Territories, embroiled in inter-Palestinian factional violence following 40 years of Israeli rule, Palestinian Christians are leaving in droves - in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, the once 80-per-cent Christian majority has shrunk to just 15 per cent.
In Saudi Arabia, all places of non-Muslim worship are banned, and foreign workers holding secret Christian services have been jailed, deported, and even flogged. In Egypt, attacks on the 6-million-strong Coptic Christian community are frequent.