Pakistani Christians Hiding in Bangkok Debate Attending Papal Mass

Crux ^ | 11/5/19 | CNS

[marshmallow]

BANGKOK - When Pope Francis celebrates Mass in a Bangkok sports stadium Nov. 21, tens of thousands of Catholics from across Thailand will be there to celebrate with him.

Several devout Catholics may not be among them, however much they might love to join. Ucanews.org reported that by venturing outdoors to attend the Mass in person, these believers would run the risk of being detained by authorities.

They are Pakistani Christian asylum-seekers who fled their homeland in fear for their lives in recent years. They were driven away by the increasingly militant form of Islam that has come to dominate the public sphere in Pakistan, putting further restraints on the rights and freedoms of religious minorities.

These Christians, many of whom are Catholic, live in Bangkok, waiting for a chance to relocate to a welcoming third country. Because they are not recognized as bona fide refugees in Thailand, they are regarded as illegal migrants who are subject to arrest and deportation.

“Any time we go outside, we could be arrested,” said a man identified only as James, an asylum-seeker from Lahore, Pakistan, who works part time, illegally, as an interpreter for a Bangkok-based Catholic organization.

“We are suffering. It’s very difficult. I’ve been in Bangkok for nearly seven years. It might take another year and a half before I can leave (for a third country).”

[Tax-chick]

How sad. I would never have known of Pakistani Catholics in Thailand. What a complex world it is!

[Lurkinanloomin]

the increasingly militant form of Islam that has come to dominate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Islam has been militant since Mad Mo launched his undistinguishing and exterminating war on the rest of humanity in 622 A.D.

Islam cannot be peaceful.

It’s against their religion.

[george76]

Islam is as dangerous as rabies.