Friday, June 24, 2005
IRAQI RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE
It has changed since the days before the war. A reader sent in this article describing a growing concern over the Evangelicals stealing sheep from other denominations and faiths.
Sleiman charged that the new churches were sowing "a new division" among Christians because "churches here mean a big community with tradition, language and culture, not simply a building with some people worshiping. If you want to help Christians here, help through the churches [already] here."
Still, the Roman Catholic prelate said he could not oppose the evangelicals because "we ask for freedom of conscience." He also said he respected how they appear "ready to die" for their beliefs. "Sometimes I'm telling myself they are more zealous than me, and we can profit from this positive dimension of their mission."
Some Iraqi Christians expressed fear that the evangelicals would undermine Christian-Muslim harmony here, which rests on a long-standing, tacit agreement not to proselytize each other. "There is an informal agreement that says we have nothing to do with your religion and faith," said Yonadam Kanna, one of six Christians elected to Iraq's parliament. "We are brothers but we don't interfere in your religion."
Delly said that "even if a Muslim comes to me and said, 'I want to be Christian,' I would not accept. I would tell him to go back and try to be a good Muslim and God will accept you." Trying to convert Muslims to Christianity, he added, "is not acceptable."
John Paul II said something similar about Judaism, but I don't have the article at hand where he said it. It concerned the Pope's comments to a conductor who was somehow related to the Vatican in a way I've forgotten, now.
This Church becomes an ever greater confusion. Our doctrine is being constantly diluted through ecumenism. At the rate we are going, we will have no idea at all about Who God is before too many more generations pass into history. One can almost sense an agenda at work in the Church.
But then, the agenda has always been at work, ever since the Garden of Eden, so this should not come as any surprise.
Thanks to a reder for the story link.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
