Posted on 08/02/2004 6:58:20 PM PDT by Merciful_Friend
Iraqi Christians pray for their attackers (Filed: 03/08/2004)
Adrian Blomfield in Baghdad finds the newly targeted minority community defiant yet calling for forgiveness
With a tear rolling down his cheek, Fr Faris Toma stood amid the wreckage outside his Baghdad church yesterday, and prayed for the bombers who killed 10 of his congregation.
An Iraqi woman passes a church bombed yesterday "We cannot understand why or how they could do something like this," he said. "All we can do is ask God to give them forgiveness and grant us peace."
As American soldiers picked through the blackened remains of 19 vehicles in the church compound, an elderly man, supported by a young priest, wept quietly. His son was among those killed by the blast as they left after Vespers at the Chaldean Church of St Peter and St Paul, in the capital's Doura district.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Just got back from lurking over at DU and it seems that these liberal buttheads believe that some secret U.S. organization is responsible for the latest terrorist attack on Christian Churches in Iraq. They feel that this U.S. agency is trying to divide the Iraqi population.
That is what really bothers me about the anti-Christians, all we want to do is forgive them and pray for them....
Wow. They are walking in Christ's shoes. May He protect them and keep them safe.
DU = sick, twisted, crazy... etc. They cannot admit that Bush is a good man. They cannot admit that USA is good and strong. SAD!
Michael Moore's "Minutemen" strike again.
I am absolutely sure that God is granting them (and us) peace through the men and women wearing our uniform! (Romans 13:3-4)
May the Lord bless them and keep them as far from us as possible.
I have to be in awe of the level of the faith portrayed here, in the quotes contained in this story. Talk about "witnessing." My own attitude would be much more along the lines of "praise the Lord and pass the ammunition." But bless them indeed.
I do hope they have an understanding of "just war" Christian concepts, and a respectable cache of AK-47s. May the Lord protect them.
Regardless, I think all Christians believe in self-defence, survival, anti-terrorism, etc. Don't they?
Ping
Some Catholics are quoted in this story, if I understand correctly. As for all Christians believing in self-defence and anti-terrorism, well, that's certainly my understanding of Christian tradition, but tell it to the National Council of Churches here in the U.S., and to certain mouthpieces in the Vatican. I trust that there's a healthy contingent of Christians in Iraq who understand the duty to protect the innocent.
guess i meant - wouldn't iraqi christains be of the eastern orthodox catholic in belief...
I was watching "The Quiet American" on cable this weekend, which retold the early days of the Viet Nam War as a backdrop to a romantic story... That is I watched right up til I realized that in this Hollywood version of the war, American secret agents slaughtered Vietnamese civilians terrorist-style just to make the communists look bad.
That's Hollywood for you. The Viet Cong and Viet Minh history of terror and murder erased, and replaced by an alternate history in which they are the victims of a terrible slander.
Compare and contrast:
Fr. Faris Toma: "We cannot understand why or how they could do something like this," he said. "All we can do is ask God to give them forgiveness and grant us peace."
The bombers: "Your mujahideen brothers dealt painful blows to the dens of the Crusaders, the dens of evil, corruption, vice and Christianisation."
Nuff said.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.