Monday, April 03, 2006
CHRISTIANITY IN IRAQ IS UNDER ATTACK
The source of this story is Moscow, of all places!
MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti commentator Pyotr Romanov.) - While recognizing the universal and appropriate appeals for tolerance for Muslims, I'd like to draw your attention to the strange attitude of the Western political elite, which has recently become so acute. I do not know what stands behind the lack of foresight, but too many of the political elite's actions have dealt a devastating blow to Christianity.
I read the latest report: Andreas Abuna, Auxiliary Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq, said the strength of the Christian communities of Iraq was diminishing at a shocking rate. Despair, constant fear and lack of hope are compelling more and more Christians to leave Iraq. People do not want to leave their country, but they have to go because of the situation, he said. Christian rights and the status of believers went from bad to worse after the parliamentary elections last December. Iraq is flooded with police, their number is constantly growing, especially in the suburbs of Baghdad, but the protection they offer is very mediocre, said the bishop.
U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair say Iraq is becoming more democratic and the situation is improving, but eyewitnesses of what is happening there are not rejoicing over the democratic parliamentary elections or the growing number of the local police. Under the plan of the founders of Iraqi democracy, the latter should replace occupational troops.
The blood of many of our brethren has been spilled and many of our children have become orphans. Although there are still many believers in churches, if you go out into the street, you'll understand that Christians in Iraq have been done away with, the bishop said. The latest statistics put the number of Christians in Iraq at around 750,000, as compared to about a million before the U.S. invasion, according to The Universe Catholic Newspaper.
Continue reading...
I never thought I'd see a statement like this one from this story coming out of Russia:
I could cite Europe as an example. The European Union has deleted any mention of Christianity from its constitution, as if it has not shaped European civilization. European bureaucrats think that they have been politically correct to appease "new Europeans," but in fact they have distorted the historical truth and offended many "old Europeans." Such omissions are far from harmless - they are changing the image of Europe, and I'm not sure this change is for the better.
Here's an abstract from an article written by one of my readers: "Imagine, new mosques are mushrooming up here, in Scandinavia, a country where people have not heard of anybody but Thor and Christ for millennia." He goes on to say that the police squelch the discontent of the local Protestants - a Protestant is liable for a fine of 4,000 euros and a suspended term in prison of two to three months. At the same time, dozens of mullahs in mosques are urging the destruction of Jews and Christians, but in this case the law is silent.
If this is not an exaggeration, it appears that a Christian cannot feel safe even in the center of Europe. Who is to blame for this situation then besides the Europeans?
This is not the story we are hearing from our own news sources.
Is it worse, even, than we are getting from this story? The pope has called for two days of prayer and fasting for Iraq.
