Posted on 08/08/2015 8:55:01 AM PDT by bad company
Catholic archbishops from Iraq and Syria are speaking out in defence of displaced Christians who are having a difficult time in applying for US visas to enable them to escape persecution in their own country and settle in a new land, such as the US, where they can freely practice their faith.
Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, Iraq, and Melkite Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart of Aleppo, Syria, spoke recently at the Knights of Columbus 2015 Convention press conference in Philadelphia, describing the plight of Christians in the Middle East, according to the Catholic News Agency.
They said they found out from official US government sources that since October last year, 906 Muslim refugees from Syria have been granted US visas. However, out of the 700,000 displaced Christians from Syria who applied for a US visa during the same period, only 28 succeeded in getting one.
The archbishops said the apparent discrimination against Christians in the granting of US visas might not have reached the attention yet of the White House, but they said this is clearly a case of injustice.
"Our people are asking these questions: How come we apply for the American visa and are denied?" Archbishop Warda said. "This is a clear case of persecution. They're being denied visas while others who have participated (in the violence) or at least were silent can go."
The two said they would like their people to stay in their own country and help rebuild the Christian population there, but they also know how dangerous it is to live there right now so they are supporting Christians who want to leave.
"We would like our people to stay, we would like (that), but emigration is a personal decision; we cannot encourage, but we cannot stop it," Archbishop Warda said.
Archbishop Jeanbart, for his part, said it would be less expensive for Americans in the long run to help Christians stay in the Middle East rather than accept hundreds of thousands of refugees in the future.
"Help them to stay and help the society there," he urged. "The first thing they need is peace. Help us to get peace, and then the people will be happy staying in Syria."
The US federal government is the great Satan.
It makes sense. Christianity is the greatest threat to the current WH leadership. This verse from John explains it well: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
It is beyond shameful that we are letting the genocide of Christians continue. Their blood is on Obama’s hands. Not that he cares.
“said the apparent discrimination against Christians in the granting of US visas might not have reached the attention yet of the White House”
Wow, how naïve can a person be?
Well, actually, Obama does care. He LOVES it!
I am happy to see people finally speaking up for the Christians over there. However, why must we defend everyone’s freedom? This includes the muzzies they send over here.
Must the muzzies from places like Somalia know about our welfare programs. It’s not about their freedoms. It’s about being able to live like royalty over here compared to life in Somolia.
Over 90% are on our welfare rolls. We cut our military by 40,000 and take 70,000 refugees in. We’re saying we cannot afford our military personnel but are adding 70,000 muzzies to our welfare every year. Enough is enough.
These folks need to start fighting for their freedom. I know they wouldn’t fight for freedom of Americans.
They are correct, because Obama is holding back on the Christians while letting floods of Muslims into the country.
obama just wants to bring in more muslim brothers and sisters. his deal’with saudis was to increase the percentage of muslims in america to get to levels that start causing problems for countries.
Maybe it would help if the USA stopped arming their enemies.
Maybe it would help if the USA stopped arming their enemies.
Agree.
We need to support them over there ... not over here.
It will be more difficult to do that when we’ve cut our military force 23% under obama.
What does one expect from a muslim marxist?
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