Posted on 08/21/2014 8:00:37 AM PDT by mgist
The news broke late yesterday that Islamic State jihadists executed freelance journalist James Foley and posted a video of his beheading. Foley, 40, had been missing for two years while covering the conflict in Syria. I am not going to link to the video or include screen shots from it, but I will share another link that has been circulating since the news of Foley’s brutal death: an article he wrote for the alumni magazine of Marquette University, his alma mater. The piece is about the time Foley spent imprisoned in Libya in 2011:
I began to pray the rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed. I said 10 Hail Marys between each Our Father. It took a long time, almost an hour to count 100 Hail Marys off on my knuckles. And it helped to keep my mind focused.
Clare and I prayed together out loud. It felt energizing to speak our weaknesses and hopes together, as if in a conversation with God, rather than silently and alone. …
One night, 18 days into our captivity, some guards brought me out of the cell. … Upstairs in the warden’s office, a distinguished man in a suit stood and said, “We felt you might want to call your families.”
I said a final prayer and dialed the number. My mom answered the phone. “Mom, Mom, it’s me, Jim.”
“Jimmy, where are you?”
“I’m still in Libya, Mom. I’m sorry about this. So sorry.” …
“They’re having a prayer vigil for you at Marquette. Don’t you feel our prayers?” she asked.
“I do, Mom, I feel them,” and I thought about this for a second. Maybe it was others’ prayers strengthening me, keeping me afloat.
The official made a motion. I started to say goodbye. Mom started to cry. “Mom, I’m strong. I’m OK. I should be home by Katie’s graduation,” which was a month away.
“We love you, Jim!” she said. Then I hung up.
I replayed that call hundreds of times in my head — my mother’s voice, the names of my friends, her knowledge of our situation, her absolute belief in the power of prayer. She told me my friends had gathered to do anything they could to help. I knew I wasn’t alone.
My last night in Tripoli, I had my first Internet connection in 44 days and was able to listen to a speech Tom Durkin gave for me at the Marquette vigil. To a church full of friends, alums, priests, students and faculty, I watched the best speech a brother could give for another. It felt like a best man speech and a eulogy in one. It showed tremendous heart and was just a glimpse of the efforts and prayers people were pouring forth. If nothing else, prayer was the glue that enabled my freedom, an inner freedom first and later the miracle of being released during a war in which the regime had no real incentive to free us. It didn’t make sense, but faith did.
Moving story. Tweeted it.
May he have felt all those prayers the hour of his death ... rest in peace
I said a final prayer and dialed the number...
Dang - talk about conversing with God; i picture myself dropping everything the second a call home was offered, but Foley was wonderfully devoted to his prayer to the Lord.
I feel that Mary, blessed mother of Christ, embraced him as he returned home to Christ our Lord~
The larger part of the mainstream media must feel a LITTLE conflicted. On the one hand, Jim Foley was one of theirs (a photojournalist), but on the other hand, he was WAY more upfront about his Christianity than most of them would have been, and it may have crossed their minds that this degree of faith was more than a little uncomfortable to admit to if within territory that could be overrun by Islamic Jihadist militants. Well, terrorists are more like it. The bearded men with the burning eyes murder people for psychological and political reasons, not as combatants, but as thugs taking over the town.
Genghis Khan was more merciful.
I would like to believe that after being exposed to that terrorist group he wasn’t supporting jhadists anymore.
In the video he stood there at peace before they killed him, so I think his Catholicism and rosary prayers were working.
Although they killed this journalist it may be he would NOT convert to Islam.
The article you are commenting on here is telling you what I said about his 2011 captivity.
James Foley was a smoker. You don’t see much of that anymore.
You are probably right. He refused to convert to Islam. He wouldn’t betray his God or his country, so he was martyred.
nice handle, Goldilocks
He wouldn’t betray his God or his country,..."
Uhm, in his final statement before being murdered, he did refute the USA...wished he wasn't an American.
Since he is seen smoking an evil cigarette in that pic, there is at least one FReeper that likely thinks he got what he deserved!
“Behead all smokers.”
He did read a statement saying that the US were the true killers.
He was probably offered the usual Islamic “no compulsion” choice - read the statement and we’ll just saw off your head, improvise and we’ll emasculate you bit by bit, and gouge out your eyes, and then saw off your head. No pressure.
I would have hoped that a follower of the Christ,shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
would have the NAME of Jesus on his lips,
not support for Islam.
I heard a military man say that every tortured human being has a breaking point, and will betray their country under such pressure even if they won’t betray their God.
I’m not defending Foley just hoping he found peace at the end according to the article, if true.
You do not have to convince me of anything, or why he went, I can read.....we all have opinions. I just prefer to look for the possibility of transformation and repentance.
He did blame America, but he seemed at peace at the end...my point being ISIS could not get the US or his family to pay the 132 Million dollars, so what was left but use him as an instrument of fear against the US.
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