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Christians Not Healthy Enough to Flee Mosul After Death Threat Renounce Faith 'Just to Stay Alive'
Christian Post ^ | July 22, 2014

Posted on 07/23/2014 1:09:25 PM PDT by NYer

Mosul, Christian (Photo: Reuters)

Families fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Mosul wait at a checkpoint in outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region in June 2014.

At least five Christian families who were not healthy enough to flee Mosul, Iraq after the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) ordered them to convert to Islam or be executed, have renounced their faith for Islam, according to a local government minister.

"There are five Christian families who converted to Islam because they were threatened with death," Younadim Kanna, a Christian and a member of Iraq's Parliament told The New York Times. "They did so just to stay alive."

ISIS had given the Christians until Saturday to get out of Mosul, Iraq's second largest City which is almost as old as Christianity itself. In the days leading up to the deadline, Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad, Louis Raphael Sako, appealed for global help and explained last week in a letter published by AINA News that ISIS had started marking the homes of Christians, the majority of whom fled with little more than the clothes on their backs.

"Suddenly we have been surprised by the more recent outcomes which are the proclamation of an Islamic state and the announcement calling all Christians and clearly asking them to convert to Islam or to pay the jizya (the tax all non-Muslims must pay while living in the land of Islam) – without specifying the exact amount," wrote Sako.

"The only alternative is to abandon the city and their houses with only the clothes they are wearing, taking nothing else. Moreover, by Islamic law, upon their departure, their houses are no longer their properties but are instantly confiscated as property of the Islamic state," he explained.

Marked Christian Homes in Mosul (Photo: AINA News)

The Arabic letter "n" (inside red circle), signifying "Nasarah" (Christian), on a Christian home in Mosul.

"In recent days, there has been written the letter 'N' in Arabic on the front wall of Christian homes, signifying 'Nazara' (Christian), and on the front wall of Shiite homes, the letter 'R' signifying 'Rwafidh' (Protestants or rejecters). We do not know what will happen in future days because in an Islamic state the Al – sharia or Islamic code of law is powerful and has been interpreted to require the issuance of new I.D.s for the population based on religious or sectarian affiliation," he said.

By Friday, Sako declared the worst.

"Christian families are on their way to Dohuk and Arbil," in the neighboring autonomous region of Kurdistan he told AFP. "For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is now empty of Christians," he added.

In a public statement Sunday, Pope Francis offered prayers while expressing concern for the Christians being persecuted in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

YouTube/Catholic News Service

"I have learned with concern the news coming from the Christian communities in Mosul, Iraq, and in other parts of the Middle East, where they have lived since the birth of Christianity and where they have made significant contributions to the good of their societies alongside their fellow citizens," he began.

"Today they are persecuted. Our brothers are persecuted. They are chased out. They must leave their homes without being able to take anything with them. I assure these families and these people my nearness and my constant prayers," he said.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the attacks in a statement from the organization's headquarters in New York Sunday.

"The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the systematic persecution of minority populations in Iraq by Islamic State (IS) and associated armed groups," noted the statement.


TOPICS: Catholic; Islam; Moral Issues; Prayer
KEYWORDS: iraqichristians; muslimworld
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1 posted on 07/23/2014 1:09:25 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; Berlin_Freeper; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; ...

Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Younan, Patriarch of the Syrian Catholic Church, appeared on Fox and Friends this morning, accompanied by Fr. Jonathan Morris. The patriarch, after detailing the horrors he witnessed, made a poignant comment. He said we must pray that Jesus will wake up in the boat. This is a very Eastern approach of relating events in the life of Christ to our prayer life. Please join your prayers with those of the persecuted.


2 posted on 07/23/2014 1:12:34 PM PDT by NYer ("Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." --Jeremiah 1:5)
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To: NYer

Libs salivate.


3 posted on 07/23/2014 1:13:50 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: NYer

Only delaying the inevitable. Blood lust will not accept someone that has renounced. After they run out of those that won’t they will thirst for others even if they met the conditions.


4 posted on 07/23/2014 1:14:25 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
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To: NYer

Does the Pope mention who is persecuting these Christians?


5 posted on 07/23/2014 1:15:45 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of course I didn't read the article. After all, this is Free Republic.)
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To: NYer

6 posted on 07/23/2014 1:16:19 PM PDT by kidd
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To: NYer

Praying that they may regain their faith and health and then flee.


7 posted on 07/23/2014 2:57:46 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

If they renounced their faith, then they were never truly Christians to begin with. For believers, it is an honor to die for our Lord.


8 posted on 07/23/2014 8:58:37 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.)
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To: NYer

Seems to be coming right down to the wire.

Mathew 10
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

I wonder what I would do.


9 posted on 07/24/2014 5:06:45 AM PDT by ravenwolf
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To: ravenwolf

I might be willing to lie to those issuing the threat, and maintain my faith... I don’t know. On the other hand, as I get older I am beginning (finally) to recognize that there are things worse than death.


10 posted on 07/24/2014 5:21:37 AM PDT by NCLaw441
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To: NCLaw441

On the other hand, as I get older I am beginning (finally) to recognize that there are things worse than death.>>>>>

I know what you mean.


11 posted on 07/24/2014 6:50:05 AM PDT by ravenwolf
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To: ravenwolf; NCLaw441

I wouldn’t lie, that would be denying Christ.

Matthew 10:33 - But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

I grew up hearing and reading the accounts of the martyrs - Catholic school and an Eastern Orthodox stepfather - and I always wanted to model my faith and bravery after them. I believe in taking a stand for what I believe in and I have no fear of death. A few years ago, I received some death threats because of my ministry and this was something that Mr R and I discussed. Nothing came of the threats but it made me realize that if I REALLY DO believe in Christ then I would consider it an honor to die for my faith and what I know is right. As you both agree, there are things worse than death.


12 posted on 07/24/2014 9:29:42 AM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.)
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To: reaganaut

bttt


13 posted on 07/24/2014 9:33:16 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55 (In America, we don't do pin pricks. But sometimes we elect them.)
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To: Salvation
It might just be propaganda, not like Muslims ever lie or anything. I can from a human point of view understand it however. What would you not do physically to save your child or other loved one?

I would rather die then submit to them. But.... what if I had a child I am trying to protect and can't get out. That's a tough one. Mentally you say I will not sacrifice his soul, but emotionally you might feel otherwise.

Just Thanks be to God we are not there yet. Prayers for them all.

14 posted on 07/24/2014 9:51:14 AM PDT by defconw (Both parties have clearly lost their minds!)
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To: defconw

//What would you not do physically to save your child or other loved one?//

I would not deny Christ.

Matthew 10:33 -

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.


15 posted on 07/24/2014 10:43:04 AM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.)
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To: reaganaut

Yeah, easy to say. Not so easy to do I suspect. Hopefully you and I never have to face that test. But I will not judge those who have. They did what they had to do.


16 posted on 07/24/2014 10:51:56 AM PDT by defconw (Both parties have clearly lost their minds!)
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To: reaganaut

As you both agree, there are things worse than death


I am just speaking for myself of course but I know that I might have to die for my faith in Christ and if I am unwilling to die for him then I am not worthy of him way but what will I do if it comes to that?

It is not a question of what i should do or what i must do, but the question I ask of myself is what will I do.

I can say anything to make myself look right but saying it does not get it done.


17 posted on 07/24/2014 11:07:43 AM PDT by ravenwolf
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To: NYer

Just about the same as the way Hitler treated Jews.

The label on the houses, versus the yellow star on the clothing. The taking of property.


18 posted on 07/24/2014 11:41:55 AM PDT by truth_seeker
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To: defconw

God has already judged them. I gave you the verse. And I would have no trouble dying as a witness to my faith in Christ Jesus. My faith was hard earned and cost me a lot, after what it has already cost me, my life is nothing, my life is Christ’s.


19 posted on 07/24/2014 3:10:09 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.)
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To: ravenwolf

See above post. I have already lost everything because of my faith, my life is not my own but purchased with the precious blood of Christ. I belong to Him. I know what I would do. I already get death threats because of my ministry, I have spent many many hours thinking, praying and pondering this.


20 posted on 07/24/2014 3:11:43 PM PDT by reaganaut (Ex-Mormon, now Christian. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.)
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