Posted on 03/13/2008 5:56:58 AM PDT by NYer
A Chaldean Catholic archbishop kidnapped last month in northern Iraq has been found dead, the information service of the Italian Catholic Church said Thursday.
The body of Paulos Faraj Rahho, the archbishop of Mosul, was found near the northern city, the Church said, quoting the auxiliary archbishop of Baghdad, Shlemon Warduni.
"We recovered his body near Mosul," Warduni said, according to the Church's news agency SIR. "The kidnappers had buried him."
Rahho was kidnapped on February 29 in Mosul after a deadly shootout in which three of his companions were killed.
Iraqi forces in Mosul had fanned out to search for Rahho, whose abduction was branded as "atrocious" by Pope Benedict XVI.
Rahho was the latest in a long line of Chaldean clerics to be abducted in Iraq since the US-led invasion in March 2003. Two priests were kidnapped in the city in October, and last June a priest and three deacons were attacked in front of their church.
Iraq's Christians, with the Chaldean sect by far the largest community, were said to number as many as 800,000 before the 2003 invasion.
Associated with the "Crusader" invaders and regarded as well-off, they are now victims of sectarian cleansing, killings and kidnappings at the hands of both Sunni and Shiite Islamists, as well as criminal gangs.
“Now, which comments have I made that you feel are boneheaded?”
Sorry, you just think like a 15 year old.
“AQ did not create extreme Islam, extreme Islam created AQ.”
These strawmen don’t mean anything to me. You failed to answer my question regarding your statement. You claimed that the Iraqi Sunnis that have allied with the U.S. and turned on al Qaeda haven’t rejected extreme Islam. How are they supporting extreme Islam? How can they support extreme Islam while simultaneously capturing and killing Al Qaeda and denouncing extremism?
“Sorry, you just think like a 15 year old.”
Which statements have I made that would lead you to this conclusion? Be specific.
I’m not into using lots of words. So just try to figure out what I said about extreme Islam creating AQ.
I’ll help you out okay: attacking the symptoms doesn’t mean you’ve killed the disease.
And so many of us remain under the false impression that the age of the Christian martyrs is ancient history.”
There is more persecution of Christians today than all the previous persecution added together.
“Ill help you out okay: attacking the symptoms doesnt mean youve killed the disease.”
We are killing the desease by spreading freedom. The Iraqis freely choose a moderate government that is allied against the extremists. I still don’t know how one can reject al Qaeda’s vision while simultaneously support extremism. Are you accusing the Sunni Iraqis of supporting other extremist groups and if so, which ones? How do the Iraqi Sunnis, who have rejected al Qaeda and allied with the west, support extremism?
“You aren’t the least bit uncomfortable about the order of these completely-at-odds resolutions?”
No. I reject the notion that the only correct interpretation of Islam is that of Bin Laden’s. So I don’t see contradiction. Also, the government of Iraq is allied against the extremists. The extremists are waging war on the government of Iraq.
” What happens when “the provisions of Islam” conflict with “the basic freedoms” clause? Naturally, the Imams make Islam take a second seat to “basic freedoms.” “
Imams? Are you sure you’re not talking about Iran?
It’s obvious that you think extreme Islam comes in one form: terror groups.
Extreme Islam is much more pervasive than you think. It comes in many forms, which is why we are fighting an uphill battle.
I can tell you about the Jews of Iran. They number about 50-60,000. Since Judaism is recognized as a legitimate religion in Iran, along with Christianity, they have a representative in the assembly & their own schools, community centers & of course synagogues. They are quite prosperous there & I was told by several Persians that the Jews must own half of Iran (exageration, of course). The Jews & Christians (mostly Armenians) are somewhat better off than the Persians in that they are exempt from Muslim laws such as prohibition of alcohol & crackdowns on dancing & parties. Of course they are not happy with the wacko Mullocracy, but no one is.
I’ve spoken to Iranian Jews who came to Israel & so were able to speak freely about their conditions & they reported that they were not abused in Iran. I’ve also spoken with many Persians in Iran who are of the minority who do support Islamic Iran & even they had no ill will toward their Jewish compatriots. So I am confident that the Jews aren’t in any immediate danger.
The minority that is most oppressed in Iran are the Zoroastrians.
You are absolutely right.
The prime motivation for the Sunni insurgents (mostly former Saddam loyalists) turning on al Qaeda and helping the coalition was the fact that al Qaeda was ramming extremist Islam down their throats. Iraqis, who have a secular majority, rejected this and it dawned on them which side was causing trouble and which side was genuinely there to help them.
Some of the former insurgents have openly said that they don't love Americans, but feel that the Americans have the right objectives and therefore, they joined the good guys.
The contrast in Fallujah, Ramadi, Habbaniyah, etc. today vs. just a year ago says it all.
Exactly. It's going on in our own nation.
The ACLU is just one of many examples. The Ten Commandments are being removed from courtrooms, children now have "Winter Break" instead of "Christmas vacation," the 9th Circuit Court has fought for years to get the phrase "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance...
We Christians are probably the most persecuted religion in the U.S. and if we don't fight it, it's going to get worse.
And Kuwait, the "Theater Gateway." They haven't forgotten who save their bacon in the 90s. :-)
Dear Lord, Welcome your suffering servant into Your kingdom.
Please help these Catholics in that God forsaken country.
The only correct interpretation of Islam is Mohammod's
In the Quran we have
Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.The actions and behavior of Mohammad is what DEFINES "good and righteous" conduct for Muslims.
And who was Mohammad? Mohammad was a psychopathic desert bandit chieftain, a man who made his living from robbing caravans and pillaging towns and villages, a rapist, a child molester, a murderer, a liar. ALL these qualities of Mohammad MUST be held as examples to be followed by a devout Muslim
Thank you so much for sharing that. Absolutely fascinating.
Yes, people's spiritual values and practices have a way being kept alive under the most oppressive conditions. There is an underground Catholic church in Communist China and under the Nazi's the man who would later become the pope was a secret seminarian. The list of these kind of examples is endless and not confined to one part of the world or one faith. I imagine the Muslims that would somehow escape your proposed pogroms would continue their worship in secret.
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