Posted on 03/13/2011 3:23:24 PM PDT by george76
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi blamed a little-known local Muslim group of preaching religious intolerance in an area where Christian churches were burnt last week, killing one person.
Authorities have said up to 50 churches have been burnt and around 3,000 Christians displaced since March 2 when Muslim youths attacked the community around Asendabo, some 360 km (215 miles) west of the capital Addis Ababa.
Meles told a news conference late on Saturday that "elements of the Kawarja sect and other extremists" had been preaching religious intolerance in the area.
...
Kawarja, about whom little is known, aimed to set up an Islamic state in mainly Christian Ethiopia, where Muslims make up a quarter of the population.
(Excerpt) Read more at af.reuters.com ...
That’s racist!
The world is in serious turmoil these days. The antidote to all of this is the salvation offered by Jesus Christ.
From an email travelling in some Lutheran circles over the last couple of days:
“I am writing this email to share with a prayer call I am asked to pass on to you by the President of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, the Rev. Dr. Wakseyoum Idossa.
In the last few days over 41 churches and several evangelical mission stations or mission congregations were burned down. There are thousands of people expelled from their homes and some who are even badly beaten and killed. The perpetrators are Radical Islamist and Jihadist elements who are now operating in the western and south western parts of Ethiopia. I have spoken with Rev. Wakseyoum as he was visiting Mekane Yesus Churches and Synods close to the border of Sudan. The Voice of America (VOA) called, got in touch with him and interviewed him today and he spoke to the world from that remote spot through this international VOA radio streamed out of Washington DC.
On that interview given in Amharic he stated that, the Mekane Yesus have intentionally worked hard to establish good relationships with Muslim Ethiopians and that work have resulted in so much good and positive relationship. However he is shocked and saddened by this outbreak lashing out in heartbreaking atrocities. This brutal act is not the first of its kind. Three years ago Muslim fundamentalists have burned down several churches, killed evangelists, pastors and lay leaders. They are now repeating the same attacks. Today thousands have lost their homes, churches, family members and their rights to safely worship and conduct their ministries.
The Ethiopian government officials and security forces have intervened. The out come of their work is yet to be known. Some leaders from the central office of the Mekane Yesus Church in Addis Ababa have traveled to the area today to start getting help to the victims. There are many people who are now waiting to get some emergency aid in a camp. President Idossa is going to release another statement in the next few days as the investigation continues and as the government tries to bring these acts under control and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Please pray about this!! I also suggest that we send letters carrying words of encouragement and stating our commitment to pray for them. In order to do this in a coherent form I suggest that these letters come from;
Lutheran Church - Canada; Rev. Robert Bugbee or Rev. Dr. Leonardo Netzel
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ LCMC; Rev. Mark Vander Tuig
North American Lutheran Church; Bishop Paull Spring
Persecution is not new to our church, however every time it happens it opens up old wounds and breaks the heart of many. In the middle all these our brothers and sisters are walking into this holy Lenten season not with ashes on their forehead but carrying the cross of Christ and confessing their faith in the words of Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd!”
May God renew our world in this Lenten season through the Holy Word of God and through power grace of God through Christ, Amen!!
Peace and Blessings,
The Rev. Dr. Gemechis D. Buba”
But we all know Muslims aren’t terrorists, and Muslims in the West love our diversity.
Has Soetoro called for the Ethiopian PM stepping down yet?
Seems like the the Arab idea of democracy involves the murder of Christians and the burning of chruches.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi blamed a little-known local Muslim group of preaching religious intolerance in an area where... up to 50 churches have been burnt and around 3,000 Christians displacedThe little-known Muslim group is called All Muslims Everywhere.
*snort* [giggle] How right you are.
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