Christians Fear Catastrophe in US-Iran Conflict

NC Register ^ | 19 June 2019 | Peter Jessere Smith

[Cronos]

..Five years after the Islamic State terrorist group marked them for genocide, many of Iraq’s Christians, like Yohanna Towaya, a resident of Qaraquosh, have been making plans to rebuild the Christian presence where it was first planted by St. Thomas the Apostle and his disciples nearly 2,000 years ago.

But the fate of these rebuilding plans was 10 minutes away from being decided for them. On June 21, President Donald Trump revealed that, following Iran’s downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, Tomahawk missiles were “cocked and loaded to retaliate.” An attack would have most certainly meant a setback for Christian progress in neighboring Iraq.

..Christians in the region fear a military conflict between the U.S. and Iran could be the match that explodes what remains of their presence in much of the Middle East.

“The people are fearful for the future,” Towaya said. “They’re not sure what will happen to them.”

Towaya explained that Shiite militias roam across northern Iraq, making trouble for all who live there. Christians in their own towns are protected by Christian militias, such as the Nineveh Protection Units, allowing them to worship and live in relative freedom. But their Sunni neighbors chafe under militias backed by Shiite Iran.

“The Sunni want the war to happen because it will finish off the influence of Iran on Iraq,” Towaya said.

As for the impact on Christians, he said, “We don’t know what the Shia militia will do in that region.”

..While Iraq’s Christians have experienced persecutions throughout their nearly 2,000-year history in the region, the past 100 years have seen the ancient community experience waves of genocide unequaled since Tamerlane’s Mongol Horde nearly exterminated the Church in Iraq in the 14th century.

..“If conflicts start between Iran and the U.S.,” he said, “it’ll be catastrophic for Christians.”

[Cronos]

“If conflicts start between Iran and the U.S.,” he said, “it’ll be catastrophic for Christians.”

[robowombat]

‘Shiite militias roam across northern Iraq, making trouble for all who live there. Christians in their own towns are protected by Christian militias, such as the Nineveh Protection Units, allowing them to worship and live in relative freedom. But their Sunni neighbors chafe under militias backed by Shiite Iran.’

Thank you G W Bush and your ‘Democracy Project; and Barak H Obama for ‘Arab Spring’ what wonders you have brought forth. Three-four countries smashed into fragments and medieval chaos prevailing.

[Truthoverpower]

I’m sorry but who the hell would ever profess to be a Christian , whether or not they are one , in any Muslim country.????

Same thing in Communist China

Look if you live in some totalitarian hell hole that’s afraid of Christ you get to keep it to yourself or get the hell out

[robowombat]

Before Saddam was toppled the Iraqi government did not conduct religious persecution of Christians, Shia yes, Christians no. Also about one in eight Iraqis were professing Christians of several denominations. Today much of Iraq is pure armed chaos.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Trump doesn’t want a war. So much of this ‘impending’ conflict talk is media hype. The real story is that within Iran itself, forces of change are bubbling beneath the surface.

[Cronos]

These are ancient Christians - Apostles Bartholomew, Philip and Thomas preached there. Iraq was mostly Christian by the time the Arabs invaded in the 7th century. It was majority Christian until Tamerlane committed genocide. It was 10% Christian (2 million people) before 1991 and Gulf War One.

[Romulus]

The Christians were there first, genius.

Now they’re waiting to see if the US will make it impossible for them to live in their ancient homeland, the way we did for Christians everywhere else in the middle East.