When Society Forces You to Hide Your Faith

Living with one’s faith hidden: When society drives believers underground – Japan joining ranks with North Korea, China and the Middle East

Tokyo, 20th July 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article. 

The Anguish of Believers Forced to Hide Their Faith

by Satoshi Ogawa (小川 敏)

See also China’s New Crackdown: War on Foreign Christians

See also State Persecution in Japan, Iran, and Pakistan

In Islam, the act of declaring one’s faith is known as the Shahada, meaning “evidence” or “testimony”. Concretely, this refers to reciting the foundational Islamic creed:

“Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah”
(“There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”)

Muslims are obligated to recite this phrase five times a day. On the other hand, when Muslims hide their faith from others due to security or religious reasons, it is known as taqiyya – literally: “hiding one’s faith” or religious dissimulation [See editor’s note below].

This practice has sometimes been employed by followers of minority Shia sects, such as the Alawites and Druze. (This section references information from Islamic websites such as “Kaken”.)

In Christianity, “confession of faith” refers to the public declaration of belief in Jesus Christ as Savior. It is a pledge of loyalty to God and a way to affirm one’s identity as a Christian – for instance, through declaring belief in Christ at baptism.

In contrast, “faith concealment” refers to the act of not disclosing or intentionally hiding one’s Christian faith, out of fear of persecution or disadvantage.

A real-life example of faith concealment can be found among Christians in North Korea, where there is no freedom of religion. In September 2015, international missionary organization Open Doors held a 60th anniversary event at Vienna University of Technology. There, a North Korean defector named Ms. Kim Yong-seok gave a striking testimony.

Simply possessing a Bible could lead to arrest – and in worse cases, detention in a labor camp, where survival is uncertain.

When Ms. Kim was a child, she often saw her father sitting quietly with his head bowed. She thought that was just what older people did. But in reality, he was praying. In North Korea, even prayer is forbidden, and one must do it in a way that others don’t notice.

Her family was sent to a camp when it was discovered they were Christians. She saw her father only once while in prison, and never again afterward.

“Confession of faith” and “faith concealment” are polar opposites. In the latter case, believers may find themselves unable to declare their faith due to concerns for their own or their family’s safety – leading to inner turmoil. While confession of faith is an active expression of loyalty to God, faith concealment is often a painful, protective response to harsh circumstances.

Although many countries today guarantee freedom of religion, minority denominations can still be oppressed under the influence of dominant religious traditions.

In fact, persecution of Christians from minority denominations continues in some Islamic countries. Many have been killed simply for confessing their faith.

I chose to write about confession and concealment of faith in this column after hearing that Druze believers in Syria have at times practiced faith concealment to avoid persecution from Sunni Muslims. In southern Syria’s As-Suwayda Governorate, since 13^th July, clashes have erupted between the minority Druze and Bedouin Sunnis, resulting in over 300 casualties so far.

Religious persecution is not unfamiliar to Japan’s own history. The novel Silence by Shūsaku Endō (遠藤周作) portrays the agony of Christians caught between confessing and concealing their faith under intense persecution.

In recent times, we’re witnessing something similar: amid the intense scrutiny and so-called “witch hunt” following the government’s dissolution order against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church), some believers are advocating for freedom of religion, while others may be forced into faith concealment.

In any case, the left-leaning media outlets and certain politicians who have relentlessly pursued the eradication of the former Unification Church will someday have to atone for the anguish they have inflicted on believers forced into hiding their faith. History teaches us that much.

See also: China’s New Crackdown: War on Foreign Christians

See also State Persecution in Japan, Iran, and Pakistan

Featured image above: Druze and Christians in As-Suwayda, Syria. Photo (2021): Marsharbt / Wikimedia Commons. License: CC ASA 4.0 Int. Cropped 

[Editor’s note: Taqiyya is an Islamic principle that allows a person to conceal their faith or beliefs when under threat, persecution, or compulsion, particularly when facing danger to life or severe harm. The concept is rooted in the Qur’an (e.g., Qur’an 16:106), which permits believers to protect themselves when forced to deny their faith, as long as their hearts remain firm in belief.

It has been especially emphasized in Shia Islam, where minority Shia communities have historically faced persecution and used taqiyya for self-preservation.

Taqiyya is not a license to lie for personal gain. It is a form of self-protection in extreme circumstances, not a routine practice.

In essence, taqiyya allows for the concealment of faith to avoid harm, while inwardly maintaining one’s beliefs.]

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