Posted on 08/27/2014 11:27:18 AM PDT by marshmallow
From the moment news broke that U.S. journalist James Foley had been beheaded by Islamic State extremists in the Middle East, many Christians, especially Foley’s fellow Catholics, began calling him a martyr, with some even saying he should be considered a saint.
Yet that characterization has left others uneasy, and the discussion is raising larger questions about what constitutes martyrdom.
Foley’s parents seemed to validate the martyrdom label when his father, John, spoke at an emotional news conference outside the family’s New Hampshire home and said he and his wife “believe he was a martyr.” Foley’s mother, Diane, added that her son “reminds us of Jesus. Jesus was goodness, love — and Jim was becoming more and more that.”
In an interview two days later with Katie Couric, Foley’s younger brother, Michael, recounted how Pope Francis had called the family to console them and in their conversation “referred to Jim’s act as, really, martyrdom.”
Numerous commentators had already picked up on that idea, holding Foley up not only as a witness to the Christian faith but as a spur for believers in the West to take more seriously the plight of Christians in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East who are being persecuted to a degree that some say is comparable to genocide.
(Excerpt) Read more at religionnews.com ...
As far as his being a martyr, he would have to be given a choice. Namely, “Reject Christ and we will let you live. Refuse to reject Christ and embrace Islam and you will be killed.” Regardless of his politics or being a reporter or anything like that, if he chooses Christ over Islam, and is killed for it, he can be considered a martyr.
Being a martyr and $5 will get you a coffee at Starbucks.
Yes.
ALternatively, if they say “You are an infidel, and it is too late to save yourself, we are killing you.” he is not necessarily a martyr, since he would not be accepting death.
James Foley Went Looking to Support Terrorists in Syria, Instead They Cut Off His Head
Being a martyr will get you to Heaven.
Given my interpretation of the linked article, I’d suggest that James Foley is a dirtbag.
In fact, were Foley actually doing something worthwhile, we wouldn’t be hearing about him everyday, IMHO.
I can not speak of his comment prior to being captured, BUT specialist have said that comments attributed to him after his capture were probably written by his captures, Spellings were in UK English with the extra U (ie honour), and some of the phraseology was English in nature.
To be a Biblical martyr he would have have been a believer in the LORD Jesus Christ and have refused to reject Him on pain of death..
does the video show that ???
his murderer did speak English..
I think we need to be more understanding of The Rapper (who killed our journalist)
Soviets Offer 'How-to' Lesson 1986 and Muslims had kidnapped four Soviets
the KGB castrated a relative of a prominent Muslim leader and sent the severed organs to the Muslim, with advice that they knew of his other relatives. The remaining three Soviets were freed immediately.The rapper’s father, Egyptian national Adel Abdul Bary, was believed to be associated with Osama bin Laden and is in prison here I believe.
Send the Rapper his dad.. one piece at a time.
He may have been placed in the same heavenly choir as St. Rachel of the Pancakes.
Yes, but aren’t you only a martyr if you die for Christ?
Not just if you happen to be a catholic who was killed by someone who was not Christian.
1. Is it true that some of these tweets came after he was captured?
2. He seems like a liberal, but not someone looking to join forces with ISIS. Yes, I realize that some here see no distinction.
The guy who wrote the article might be trying too hard.
What was on his lips ?shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiachYHvH is my salvation (Yah'shua = Jesus) ?
or
ALLAH is greater ?
You are right for definition 1 to apply. But definition 2 would apply whether his belief was in Christianity or whether he believed in the importance of journalism. Definition 3 applies to him regardless of his beliefs. Definition 4 doesn't apply to him but applies to Ferguson, Mo.
too bad obama delayed THE RESCUE MISSION FOR A month after he had been located... golf, vacations...fund raising... you know THE IMPORTANT STUFF TAKES PRIORITY
A martyr is someone who is killed (usually brutally) for a cause.
No question he was brutally killed, but it was because we didn’t pay a ransom, not a cause.
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