U.S.-based Preachers Fanning Muslim Fundamentalism, Warns Bishop

Zenit News Agency ^ | August 22, 2003

[gcruse]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, AUG. 22, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Preachers from U.S.-based religious sects are triggering a backlash of Muslim fundamentalism in Iraq, says the Latin-rite Catholic archbishop of Baghdad.

Archbishop Jean Benjamin Sleiman, who has stayed close to his people before, during and after the war, said that "Christian preachers have arrived … who want to convert the Muslims."

"They are those groups that harangue people on the streets and want money. They put a notice up anywhere and open a church," he told the Misna missionary agency. "They don't realize that they are creating an impossible atmosphere which, by offending the sensibility of the people, fosters the development of Shiite extremism."

In fact, he said, Iraq's ongoing problems may lead to problems for Christians. Instability and fear can "foster the growth of Muslim fundamentalist forces, as the civilian population more or less identifies Iraqi Christians with Westerners and, therefore, with the Americans."

"I cannot see a political solution," Archbishop Sleiman said. "Despite all their analysts, Americans have not realized that Iraq is a much more complicated country than they imagined."

He added: "There are no security agents or police or any sign of a presence -- even if generic -- of public administration on the streets."

[elmer fudd]

Here's a crazy idea. Maybe we should send more of them. Converting Iraq to Christianity would do more to pacify the country than anything else.

[BenLurkin]

BUMP

[gcruse]

Converting Iraq to Christianity would do more to pacify the country than anything else.

"They don't realize that they are creating an impossible atmosphere which, by offending the sensibility of the people, fosters the development of Shiite extremism."

Ooops. Maybe not such a good idea.

[lainde]

bttt

[gcruse]

FYI

[gcruse]

Bump

[Leonard210]

"They don't realize that they are creating an impossible atmosphere which, by offending the sensibility of the people, fosters the development of Shiite extremism."

He actually let that come out of his mouth? Where was this guy on 9/11? Shiite extremists had already decided to kill all non-Shiite extremists well before this Catholic cleric noticed that the rest of the Christian world has been engaged in evangelism since the time of and at the behest of Jesus Christ. Unbelievable.

[jaykay]

"Americans have not realized that Iraq is a much more complicated country than they imagined."

No, Iraq is actually an even more simplistic country than we imagined. Just typical Islamic intolerance. They cannot practice their religeon and allow others to do the same. Christians may seek converts, but they do so peacefully. Muslims want to kill or enslave all who refuse to convert.

[Stingray51]

This guy is upset that his cozy relationship with Saddam ended. If you run a search from before the war, you will see that he was steadfastly opposed to the U.S. intervention.