Posted on 04/17/2008 6:19:17 AM PDT by forkinsocket
Christians in the Middle East are facing persecution because of British and American foreign policy, the Archbishop of Canterbury will claim today.
Dr Rowan Williams will say that many Christians have been forced to flee their homes in the Holy Land because of 'appalling pressure' from extremist Islamic groups.
And he will warn that historic communities risk becoming mere 'museum pieces' in the 'theme park' Middle East because of the military policies of the West.
During an appearance in London yesterday, he said there was a risk that the region could become a "monochrome" area dominated by an "unfriendly" form of Islam.
Indigenous Christian groups were increasingly being seen as a 'foreign and aggressive' presence, he added.
The Archbishop will make the comments in a speech at Westminster Cathedral later today.
He will say that historically Christians have played a leading role in social, cultural and intellectual change in the Middle East.
But historic communities now risked becoming mere 'museum pieces' in a 'theme park' region as a result of persecution.
In part this was due to an extremist form of Islam filling the void left following the peak of Arab nationalism, the head of the Church of England will claim.
But he also blames the role of Western governments.
Dr Williams will say: 'Indigenous Christian community throughout the region have suffered from being associated with the American global project, and indeed the British global project as part of the American global project.'
He cites a recent visit to Syria in which he met some of the half million refugees who had fled Iraq since 2003.
Dr Williams added: 'The military policies of the West in the last few years have firmly cemented in a great deal of the Middle East the notion that Christianity is a foreign, aggressive and Western presence.
'I regret it is a real tragedy that this ongoing crisis has yet to be the focus of policy declarations, or indeed recognised by some of our Western governments.'
He also calls on Christians around the world to focus on the crisis and said Government needed to pay attention to the worsening situation.
Speaking yesterday, he said: “There is an urgent need for people in the UK to wake up to the fact that Christians in the Middle East are living through a time of change more dramatic and more costly than anything that has been seen for a thousand years and more.'
He went on to highlight the 'tragic situation' of Christian refugees from Iraq and the 'quiet but numerically huge exodus of Christians' - particularly educated Christians - out of the entire Middle East region.
'The remaining Christian communities are left exposed to violence or extremism in many countries, and the societies they live in are deprived of some of their most creative and resourceful citizens,' he added.
Had to cut it.
Archie old boy. The Mooselimbs want to kill ALL Christians regardless of the US involvement in the Middle East. Get a grip.
The dhimmi Archbishop needs to put on his burka...
Another Log Cabin Archbishop heard from. Next.
Does this guy wake up in the morning and think to himself “what stupid thing can I say today?” Islam has been persecuting and killing Christians a long time before the start of this century. The Ultimate Appeaser would be a good name for him.
The church hasn’t put a gag on this clown yet I see.
Hey Rowan, you insignificant POS - STFU!
Is this not the idiot who said the UK should put in force Sharia Law?
Can he not read history? Does he not know that the Radical Islamic Fascist will kill all Christians or Jews unless they convert or become slaves?
No, ME Christians are suffering because their Muslim neighbors do not like them and choose to scape goat them.
Bishop Williams seems to ignore they already are living under Sharia and things are only growing worse for our Brother and Sisters in that region.
One of the needed prerequisite to be a Liberal, is an absolute lack of memory concerning earlier positions and statements, Bishop Williams is suffering from such a condition.
That, and naive stupidity...
Yup. Neville Chamberlain has finally been relieved of that title. Think my proclamation is premature? Just wait.
Britain appeasement project a la Neville Chamberlain.
Isn't this also the same idiot that suggested sharia law be recognized in the UK?
Sounds like a Jimminy Karter wannabe.
And why were they suffering before the global project?
Every time Rowan opens his mouth, I remember why I haven’t been to church in 20 years.
*Gasp*
Really? The Very Rectum Archbishop Williams of Canterbury is a....a... Fairy?
Really, I didn't know. I mean I know he wanted to marry them, but...I didn't think he was a participant.
This idiot is at it again - Muslims are “acting-out” because of the Bad-old West. Just stop doing whatever we are doing (buying their oil for inflated prices? supporting their economies? Protecting them from their neighbors?) and the likes of Osama bin Laden will simply go away.
With such a mushy, lukewarm faith, one can understand why the Anglican Church in the UK is falling by the wayside, their leadership lacks all conviction, and the radical muslims are full of passionate intensity.
I mean come one, Charles is to be the “leader” of a church that he doesn’t pariticipate in, and Williams and the majority of the leadership is intellectually bound to be cowardly, there is a minority of the Anglican Hierarchy that is quite strident, but they are cut off at the knees by majority.
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