WND EXCLUSIVE

YOUTUBE UNPLUGS CHRISTIAN CHANNEL, THEN REVERSES

WND inquiry prompts sudden action for Olive Tree videos

Bob Unruh

A Christian ministry’s YouTube channel, which was suspended permanently on Saturday through an unsigned notice from the division of Google, was reinstated on Monday when WND inquired about the action, specifically questioning what was offensive in the interview by Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries with Tom Doyle about his book, “Killing Christians: Living the Faith Where it’s Not Safe to Believe.”

A YouTube spokesperson told WND, “When it’s brought to our attention that a video or channel has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it.”

Markell told WND she was shocked and stunned when contacted by WND with word of the restoration, but very glad that her ministry’s work once again was available to supporters through YouTube. She confirmed to WND all material that had been blocked on Saturday once again was available on Monday.

But she did express some concerns about how the situation developed.

For example, the organization, whose broadcasts are heard on some 800 radio stations across the nation, was notified only of a second “strike” – essentially a complaint about one of its videos – Saturday morning.

That warned of a two-week suspension of all activities on YouTube.

Then only hours later came the notification of the third “strike,” and the permanent ban.

Markell, who founded Olive Tree in 1982 and also has written eight books for prominent Christian publishing houses, has produced a dozen DVDs and works with well-known leaders such as Nonie Darwish and her Arabs for Israel, Joel Rosenberg and Hal Lindsey, said she appealed through a process in which the decision is supposed to be reviewed and was turned down.

The third “strike” was prompted by her weekend interview with Doyle, where she referenced how some of the contemporary terror and violence is occurring in the same region where Assyrians, two millennia ago, did the same.

Doyle noted how those who hate Christianity, specifically Jesus, are influential there and in North Korea, too.

Hear Markell’s interview with Anita Dittman, whose life story is told in “Trapped in Hitler’s Hell,” a project from WND Books, and in a WND Films documentary by the same name.

“What this really is is a war on Jesus,” he said. “This is evil regimes wanting to eradicate anything about Jesus on planet Earth. There is persecution wherever people name the name of Jesus.”

He noted how Iraq at one point promised to eradicate Christianity, but now is the scene of one of the fastest-growing per capita branches of the Christian church.

They also agreed that persecution of Christians is “coming to America.”

Hear the interview:

For that, YouTube dispatched an email to Markell, stating, "The YouTube community flagged one or more of your videos as inappropriate. After reviewing the content, we've determined that the videos violate our Community Guidelines. As a result we removed the following videos from YouTube: 'Stories of Hope.'"

The email continued, "This is the third Community Guidelines strike your account has received within six months. Because of that, your account has now been terminated, and you won't be able to access or create any other YouTube accounts."

Markell said the move left her stunned and without an explanation of what was the offense.

WND contacted YouTube, requesting a comment, and provided the link to the video at issue when requested. The company later issued the statement that the termination of the account was a mistake.

Markell said her program was "rather benign."

Her weekend appeal, which was rejected, was based on the fact, "We don't present intentionally harmful programming. We just report the news," she said.

She had told visitors to her own website that she was working to set up a replacement video service.

The program that triggered the YouTube action, she explained, simply talked about Christian persecution in the Middle East and how Christians are overcoming.

It's just a fact that Muslims are the persecutors, she pointed out.

The first warning several weeks ago from YouTube came when her program addressed Harry Potter during a program about the paranormal.

"ISIS Exposed: Beheadings, Slavery, and the Hellish Reality of Radical Islam" is veteran investigative reporter Erick Stakelbeck's story of the true motivations, inner workings and future plans the new caliphate

The web company's online information warns about pornography, obscenity, graphic content, threats and other issues that appear not to apply in Markell's case.

Regarding "hateful content," YouTube explains it is a "delicate balancing act."

"We don't support content that promotes or condones violence against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, nationality, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity, or whose primary purpose is inciting hatred on the basis of these core characteristics. … If the primary purpose is to attack a protected group, the content crosses the line," YouTube says online.

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2015/11/youtube-unplugs-christian-channel/#5Gcciv8mcMkGJCbS.99

My comments: Google is one of the godless, Socialist, Secular Humanist Organizations, Against God and His Word. The try not to offend Muslims but will Offend Christians over the slightest perceived infraction of their Religious Tenets.