Posted on 10/09/2001 6:37:31 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
Muslim religious leaders in Pakistan are reported to have issued a fatwa, stating that two Pakistani Christians will be killed for every Muslim who dies during American strikes on Afghanistan. Earlier a former member of Pakistan's legislative assembly, and a nationally known figure connected to Islamic extremist movements, Maulana Sami ul-Haq, told journalists that the Qur'an (Koran) states that Jews and Christians are the enemies of Muslims, and (therefore) by inference should be killed.
Meanwhile, persecution of local Christians continues. Beatings of Christians by Muslim mobs, and the burning and vandalizing of churches and a Christian school are reported. One time when a minister tried to stop a gang of Muslims from burning his church, he was viciously beaten. In Rawalpindi five Christian families were dragged from their homes and savagely beaten during anti-American protests.
In Pakistan, Indonesia, Nigeria and across the Islamic world, many Christians are terrified. They are living in fear and intimidation, facing the prospect of widespread massive and violent reprisals from angry Muslims if America and its allies attack Afghanistan, according to The Barnabas Fund UK. "They cannot understand why these (church and political leaders in the West) have not spoken up on their behalf, or come to their defense," according to The Barnabas Fund organization. Its international director remarked, "The situation is extremely serious and demands urgent attention. Never in living memory has the situation for Christian minorities in the Islamic world been so precarious."
Probably because this is pretty much "hearsay," and the stuff of fund-raising letters asking you to send money to mail-drops and blind postoffice boxes.
As if they haven't *been* doing that...
Now, this I *don't* get. Christians, expecting the world to come to their defense?? Someone hasn't been teaching them very well.
As Christians, we are told to expect this kind of behavior, but to fear not.
I am aware that it's easy for me to say, living here... I am aware of that. But it doesn't make it less true. I'm sure I will be afraid too if/when it happens close to me. But surprised? Confused? Never.
I know that some of these things HAVE been happening, because I see credible news reports from credible news sources. But to tell the truth they are not widespread like the article wants you to think. Why do YOU think that no one else has been talking about it? It's easy to say "ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS!" but then you sound just like the radical Muslims.
This is called "propaganda" and it is there for the purpose of bolstering an agenda.
It's true, some of these things have been happening. But in the Phillipines as in other places where Muslims are a minority, the goal of the radical Islamists isn't simply to "persecute Christians" but to establish an independent Muslim state.
I think you have to UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. It's too simplistic to say "they're persecuting Christians." And in the case of the Phillipines, it's inaccurate.
Probably would have been a top priority if they had oil.
Why don't you try this one then: No Christmas bells
www.petersvoice.com/index.htm
This is the homepage when the icons come up, click on the one that says "Bishop Macram Gasis."
There is a story there called "Sudan, cradle of terrorism," along with a plethora of other stories.
"HRAIC is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious organization committed to combating abuses in Muslim countries. "
A large part of the Christian community has been talking about it.
I know you're not implying that the media tells us everything that is going on. You're too sharp for that.
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