Posted on 04/07/2015 3:58:27 PM PDT by Kaslin
Every presidential candidate should meet persecuted Christians.
As a political firestorm broke lose just before Easter in and around Indiana, it quickly became clear that our society has lost the ability to talk about religious liberty. Some see it as code for bigotry. Meanwhile, the word "tolerance" is bandied about by people insisting on an adherence to a form of secular intolerance.
A presidential candidate who truly wants to lead could help change that.
Pope Francis has said that there are at least as many martyrs today as during the times of the early Church. This isn't an academic debate. And even as we've been touched by the testimonies of relatives of Christian martyrs in the Middle East and Africa, it still may seem a world away. A visit to that area from a American presidential candidate could lead the way in bringing the tragic and inspiring stories home.
The effort would serve multiple purposes. A trip to Iraq or Africa would mean actually meeting the people, getting to know and understand their lives and needs better, forging relationships. That can be of benefit for both security and humanitarian reasons.
Andrew Doran, co-founder of the advocacy group In Defense of Christians, says: "America ought to stand with those who share its values. America invariably goes wrong by placing too much trust in faux allies, such as the Morsi regime or the Maliki government or "moderate" Syrian rebels or the Gulf Arabs."
Robert A. Destro, professor of law at the Catholic University of America and founder of an interdisciplinary program in law and religion, adds: "Such a visit would also highlight the important role the Kurds and Jordanians are playing in the region. The sad truth is that the United States has no strategy: Everything we do over there ... is a reflection of domestic politics, not strategic thinking about what's in the best interests of the United States and of the long-suffering people of the region."
"Religious freedom is a sacred space that must be protected in the name of civilization," Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, co-chair of the Caucus for Religious Minorities in the Middle East, tells me. "Middle Eastern Christianity ... has provided multiple civil society benefits to Muslims -- including schools and hospitals. He adds: "Military might cannot ultimately win, but the demand for human dignity can."
The Christians today who know they may die simply for being Christian can teach us a thing or two about integrity, and they can show us why it's crucial that they remain where they are, in the birthplace of Christianity. As Destro points out, "Americans don't know much about their Christian brothers and sisters over there."
He adds a visit to the area by an American presidential candidate would be a "bonanza for the humanitarian agencies like Catholic Relief Services and World Vision." For anyone seeking to be president, it would not only demonstrate some mature leadership, it would also be the decent thing to do.
Everyone benefits from protecting human dignity.
Speaking during a "religious freedom summit" put on by New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan just before Easter, an imam suggested that Muslims take a lead from Catholics and others who have worked to integrate their faith into a pluralistic society. Truth be told, Christians in the West have miles to go yet in terms of emulating Christ, but in walking that humble walk, by seeing God in others, they do make a difference.
When, not all that far from where Christ was crucified, modern-day martyrs are facing similar fates for following Him, we can all learn a thing or two about just how precious religious freedom is to life, communities and civilization.
So: Do you want to be president of the United States? Start planning your trip to meet the persecuted.
I say alleged because I don't believe the Chief Snark is a Christian at all.
The main lesson being that we have it the best in the world right now.
Well ... actually ... more and more of society doesn’t want Christians around. And I’m talking about right here in the good ole USA. It hasn’t gotten to the repression, oppression and killing that we’ve seen elsewhere, but it’s heading that way in the USA.
I don’t think it’s going to be turning around. I would say to expect more and worse. You’re soon going to see who really wants to be a Christian and who is just playing along. As that ones who were “playing along” figure out there’s nothing in it anymore for them, the real Christians here in the USA will be more persecuted than ever before!
And not for long, either ...
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"Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre / mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað." "Thought must be the harder, heart be the keener / mind must be the greater, as our might lessens." |
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I wonder if God is sending chaos our way as a lesson on gratitude. Precious little of that in this country lately.
Very quickly the gay agenda has moved from we just want tolerance and no fear of jail to we want to force you to accept our lifestyle or we will put you in jail.
They want to repress any form of the Christian faith that believes in Biblical teaching about homosexual activities. They want a Minitrue to spread the gay agenda and the government to repress Thoughtcrime, which is disagreeing with any part of that agenda.
The entire world is going this way, and God does tell us that He will judge the world, before the Messiah of Israel returns to earth to set up his kingdom and rule the nations ... so what it says is that his coming to set up the kingdom is closer than ever, and it will soon be like the “Days of Noah” just before his coming ... as Jesus said.
Get ready for the rough ride, coming as described in Revelation!
lesson: today THEM........... Tomorrow YOU!...
The Cock crows three times..
I hope God finds me worthy of being taken up by the Rapture.
Neither do I
A Christian is worthy of that, just on the basis of being Saved and “judged righteous” by the Blood of Christ. That’s “Justification” ... we are (as Christians, per the Bible) “justified” by Jesus!
And now we will have to wear this.....
Post 16
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“Those who ignore History are damned to repeat it.” George Santayana.
History repeats itself
How the 800 Martyrs of Otranto Saved Rome
By: Matthew E. Bunson
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http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/how-the-800-martyrs-of-otranto-saved-rome
On August 14, 1480, a massacre was perpetrated on a hill just outside the city of Otranto, in southern Italy. Eight hundred of the city’s male inhabitants were taken to a place called the Hill of the Minerva, and, one by one, beheaded in full view of their fellow prisoners. The spot forever after became known as the Hill of the Martyrs.
In medieval warfare, the bloody execution of a city’s population was commonplace, but what happened at Otranto was unique. The victims on the Hill of the Minerva were put to death not because they were political enemies of a conquering army, nor even because they refused to surrender their city. They died because they refused to convert to Islam. The 800 men of Otranto were martyrs, the first victims of what was fully expected to be the relentless conquest of Italy and then all of Christendom by the armies of the Ottoman Empire. Because of their sacrifice, however, the Ottoman invasion was slowed and Rome was spared the same fate that had befallen Constantinople only 27 years before.
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