AMERICAN LIBERATORS
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Posted on 12/25/2008 10:57:47 AM PST by SeekAndFind
BAGHDAD — Iraq's Christians, a small minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim country, quietly celebrated Christmas on Thursday with a present from the government, which declared it an official holiday for the first time.
But security worries overshadowed the day for many, particularly in the north where thousands of Christians have fled to escape religious attacks.
Overall security in Iraq has improved markedly in the past year, but a fatal car bombing in Baghdad on Christmas morning was a gruesome reminder that serious problems remain.
The bombing outside a restaurant frequented by police killed four people and wounded 25 others in the Shiite neighborhood of Shula, said a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give information to news media.
Also Thursday, an oil official said attackers blew up a pipeline in the city of Kirkuk. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attack occurred Wednesday and pumping was expected to resume within three days.
In his homily on Thursday, Chaldean Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly praised the establishment of Christmas as an official holiday as a step toward easing tensions.
"I thank it too for making this day an official holiday where we pray to God to make us trust each other as brothers," he said at the Christmas Mass before several dozen worshippers in the small chapel of a Baghdad monastery.
A senior Shiite cleric, Ammar al-Hakim attended the event, flanked by bodyguards, in a gesture of cooperation with Christians.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Iraq continues to move forward.
This is nice. How many other Muslim countries would do this.
**Iraq continues to move forward.**
Waiting for the FATWA on Stinky Imaneedastraitjacket be declared by the Taliban.
I thought we were so hated. God bless our troops.
This is a prayer answered. An official Christian holiday in
a Muslim country
The Christian churches around Baghdad began re-opening late last year when things started calming down and they are regularly attended now.
It's profound, really.
“...two of them opted to become Christians”
That’s the key...freedom of conscience.
While Iraq is declaring Christmas a holiday, liberals/socialists/atheists in this country are trying their hardest to declare it an abomination.
Prayers for all Christians but especially those facing martyrdom for their faith.
The moslems have murdered thousands of Iraqi Christians and forced about half of them to leave the country. But now they declare Christmas a holday. Well, that makes up for it, sure.
How many of these interfaith marriages involve a Christian husband and Muslim wife, so far as you’ve observed?
Nice try, but the “Christmas Holiday” in Muslim Iraq will have the shelf-life of a quart of milk once the bulk of American troops pull out.
I know of a handful. A couple of them are American men I know who married Iraqi women.
Iraq was primarily Christian (Assyrian/Chaldean Church of the East) and Zoroastrian until the advent of Islam.
Next to none would be between Christian men and Muslim women.
Yes, I know a little of the history about the place I have lived for the past five years. ;-)
oops — how do you find it? have you visited teh ruins in Nineveh and Babylon, uruk and Ashur?
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MERRY CHRISTMAS