Voice of the Martyrs, an organization that serves oppressed Christians globally, is joining other groups in calling Christians to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. However, VOM’s call to action is unique because the group asks believers to take part in a prayer boycott. The 2022 Winter Olympics are set to start on February 4, 2022, through February 20, 2022. The Biden administration already implemented a diplomatic boycott of the Games. A diplomatic boycott means that while the government will support the participating American athletes, no U.S. officials will attend.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the decision on a diplomatic boycott is due to China’s “egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang.” Other countries that have implemented similar sanctions include the U.K., Australia, and Canada.

In a statement, VOM spokesperson Todd Nettleton said, “The Olympics are always filled with wonderful pageantry and inspiring athletic accomplishments. But let’s not forget what the host government doesn’t want us to see: imprisoned pastors, destroyed church buildings, and a complete lack of religious freedom. I hope every Christian will use each event and every Olympic update as a reminder to pray for our persecuted family members in China as the Scriptures instruct us to do.”

Another organization that supports persecuted Christians, Open Doors, is also calling for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Every January, the organization releases a World Watch List. This list ranks the top 50 countries in the world where Christians face the worst persecution due to their faith. When the 2020 Watch List was released, Open Doors CEO David Curry drew attention to China because its leaders created what he called “a persecution roadmap against religious freedom.”

When the 2022 Watch List was released, Curry restated his concerns about China, mentioning the social score leaders are giving citizens, the government’s use of facial recognition technology, and the various ways officials are suppressing religious freedom. Authorities control the rights of Christians and other religious minorities, most notably the Uyghur Muslims. The Trump administration declared China’s treatment of the Uyghurs, located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, to be “genocide,” a label the Biden administration has also used.

Additionally, authorities are forcing churches in China to go underground while online churches are heavily monitored. The government-approved Three-Self Church isn’t allowed to meet online at all. Chinese leaders are also censoring sermons and editing the Bible. Open Doors wants every Christian to join the boycott of the Olympics in support of the persecuted Christians in China. They don’t even want people to watch the Olympics on television.

The Olympics is when every nation comes together to support their athletes and show pride in where they come from. However, when the games take place in a country that’s known for persecuting Christians, you can find yourself between a rock and a hard place. Various countries have chosen to participate in a diplomatic boycott, calling out China’s treatment of Christians. Whether you watch the 2022 Winter Olympics is a personal choice, but think about what you’re potentially supporting if you choose to watch.