Posted on 06/25/2008 10:03:48 PM PDT by kellynla
Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad warned this week that there is an effort underway “to rid the Middle East of Christians.” According to the bishop, “The war has destroyed everything and even the tradition of coexistence. One-third of Christians have fled the country because of threats, abuse and violence.”
The Italian news agency SIR is reporting that the bishop made his comments in an address to the scientific committee of the Oasis International Study and Research Center, which is meeting in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the situation in Iraq. Bishop Shlemon also mentioned the “kidnapping of men of the Church, like the 16 priests that were kidnapped, some of which were killed, like Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul.”
Despite all this, he continued, “God is the source of freedom and truth, and bearing witness to Christ does not mean being a fanatic. Our churches have taken in many during the war, with no distinction of ethnicity or faith. The same is true of our schools and ecclesial institutions. And this allows us to get know our Muslim friends,” he said.
However, the bishop continued, we should not forget that “our young people have no hope, they are not accepted. A fleeing Iraqi is taboo. The situation right now is unbearable as well because of the difficulties of daily life: little water, electricity and high prices. Ironically we have all this oil but we are poor.”
Bishop Warduni encouraged the continuation of dialogue with Muslims and noted, “There are common beliefs that can serve as starting points: prayer, fasting, eternal life, but we should not ignore the differences,” he said.
Semper Fi, Kelly
ping
This is something that I have not seen the President address (may have missed it?). Needs to be rectified post haste. They’re talking about an enclave in the north.
Mohammed and Islam are the anti-Christ; Allah is Satan.
Everything about Islam is the opposite of Christianity.
No, you have not missed it.
It is not something our esteemed leader, Condi-clueless, our State Dept. or even our military EVER mentions, much less, appears that they wish to spend any political capital on.
As much as I support the war, IF we are not prepared to hammer the Iraqis about freedom to worship as one wants and hold their feet to the fire, what is the sense of all we have labored so hard for over these last years?
I guess at this stage, no one wants to upset the delicate apple-cart stage we are in and are more concerned with trying to pacify the country than to insure religious (as well as all other) freedom.
Iraq could very well turn out to be just another Iran or worse (IMHO) another Saudi Arabia.
This war was basically exposed as a farce in 2005 when the U.S. allowed the new Iraqi government to adopt a constitution in which Islam is enshrined as the official state religion.
Just dang. You know that if Christians or the US Military had been kidnapping and murdering muslims due to their religion there would be no end to it in the msm.
Makes me wonder whose side we are really on.
Ironically we have all this oil but we are poor.”
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