Supporters of Iraqi Christians demonstrate in St. Peter's Square
Posted on 02/28/2010 2:08:01 PM PST by NYer
.- After the Angelus on Sunday, the Holy Father exhorted the international community to do “everything possible” to give Iraqis a future of “reconciliation and justice." His words against anti-Christian violence in Iraq were well received by Iraqi demonstrators in St. Peter's Square.
Pope Benedict XVI related the "profound sadness" he felt upon learning of the killings of Christians in Mosul last week. He added that he has followed the violent events perpetrated against unarmed victims with "great preoccupation."
The pontiff said that during the "intense meditation" of the spiritual exercises of the last week he prayed often for the victims.
"Today, I wish to unite myself spiritually to the prayer for peace and for the restoration of security, promoted by the Council of Bishops of Nineveh," he added.
The bishops of the Syro-Catholic, Syro-Orthodox and Chaldean Churches in Mosul made a plea for government protection for Christians and religious minorities in a letter to the Iraqi Prime Minister this week.
The Holy Father said that he is "affectionately close" to the Christian community in Iraq and urged them to continue to be a positive force "for the nation to which, for centuries, you rightfully belong."
While calling for Iraqi civil authorities to make “every effort to return security to the population and, in particular, to the most vulnerable religious minorities," he also expressed his hope that the authorities would not give in to the temptation "to make the temporary interests of a few prevail over the safety and fundamental rights of every citizen."
He closed by greeting a group of Iraqis demonstrating in St. Peter's Square, saying:
"I exhort the international community to do everything possible to give the Iraqis a future of reconciliation and justice, while I invoke with trust in God omnipotent the precious gift of peace."
CNA spoke with Bishop Philip Najim, representative of the Chaldean Patriarchate to the Holy See, who joined the formidable group of Iraqis who advocated their cause in the presence of the Pope on Sunday.
He said that the purpose of the Iraqi presence in St. Peter’s Square today was to provide "another call to the conscience of the international community to be able to intervene, to protect and really defend the rights of man that... has a right to life which is a gift from God."
"We want to put an end, through the international community to these discriminations, these persecutions against the Christian communities in Iraq and the Middle East, especially the Middle East, and we want a peaceful life," Bishop Najim added.
Iraqi priests studying and working in Rome turned out for the Angelus with flags and banners in hand. "Liberty, Equality, Peace" read one of their banners, black letters on a white background. "Iraqi Christians need an urgent International Intervention" read another.
Peaceful protests were held in Christian-populated cities across the Plain of Nineveh on Sunday. These cities and villages have received a number of refugees in recent days, fleeing the violence in Mosul.
Another protest has been organized for Monday by the Iraqi community of Paris.
PLEASE - remember these christians in your prayers. Christianity was born in the East. They were there before the bedouins became Muslims.
Silence from the secular world, east and west. In ecclesiastical terms the West just condemned the attacks on Christians.
A blessed Lent to all, including our separated Latin bretheren: struggle well.
Notice that the Popes are the ones speaking out, Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II, to just name two. Our own president? Nary a peep. Can’t tell if he’s a spineless b**tard or he actually supports this persecution.
Any Christian left in Iraq neds to pack up and get out if at all possible.
The Religion of Peace is determined to kill them all.
The horrible irony is that the Iraqi Christians fared better under Saddam Hussein than they do now under the current “democratic” government. Wasn’t Hussein’s Foreign Minister a Christian, for crying out loud?
Yeah, precisely.
Everything he is doing is an attempt to turn us into a Muslim country or lay the groundwork for it. And renaming “Operation Iraqi Freedom” to “New Dawn” (a phrase used by Ahmadinejad to describe the “Glorious Islamic Revolution” in Iran) shows how he feels about Iraq and what we are doing there.
When are Americans going to wake up?
Let's turn the tables around for just a minute. Are you an American? If the Muslims overtook the US, would you leave? If so, where would you go? This is your home!
How sad but true! Obama, on the other hand, has totally ignored the plight of christians in Iraq or, for that matter, in other parts of the Middle East. Obamacare come first, like it or not.
I don’t see any Christians taking up arms or burning down Muslim Mosques.
That would be my first move, but of course we arent in the minority yet either——yet. When it happens I will be part of an Army of Armed American Christians fighting back violently.
These people are so few their best bet is to run. While they still can. Ask the Jews that were in Germany.Christians are facing a Muslim Holocaust, and no one is doing anything about it. We are too anxious to get our troops out to say anything about protecting Christians, just as we turned back the Jewish ship that came to Ameica with refugees.
If Obama would allow Christians here to sponsor a refugee Christian family I would be happy to be a sponsor.
Then you are not a christian.
"But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
Luke 6:27-28
These people are so few their best bet is to run.
At one time, they were the majority. Today, you and I are witnessing how the Muslims (a christian schismatic branch) are infiltrating secular Europe. As European christians shrink in number from lack of reproduction, Muslims are growing. They reproduce like rabbits. This is a real event! How does all of this translate for us in the US? Even here, they are beginning to expand and infiltrate our great nation. My pastor was in Boston yesterday and stopped by the parish where he resided while he was in seminary. That Church is now closed. (Catholics have moved away). The surrounding neighborhood has been taken over by Muslims. (BTW - my pastor is Lebanese and is fluent in Arabic as well as English. One of his brothers is a Colonel in the Lebanese army and was shot and seriously wounded by Hizbullah, 3 years ago when they took a stronghold in the northern part of the country). The Lebanese christians are very familiar with the Muslim communities and have mastered a methodology for co-existing with them. Unfortunately, regardless of their christian efforts to reach out and assist their fellow countrymen, Hizbullah continues to exert its deadly influence.
How does this translate for us in the US? The following is a description (slightly modified) from Dr. Peter Hammond's book: Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat. www.frontline.org.za/books_videos/sti.htm
As long as the Muslim population remains around 1% of any given country they will be regarded as a peace-loving minority and not as a threat to anyone. In fact, they may be featured in articles and films, stereotyped for their colorful uniqueness.
At 2% and 3% they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs [Europe, Australia, USA and Japan]. Six percent of US prison inmates are Muslim. Like any other minority, they won’t integrate, but work to build their own separate community.
From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. South Africa's Muslim population is 2%, but they control 35% of the businesses, a large percentage of the banks and have five Cabinet seats while Christians (77% of the population) have none.
They will push for the introduction of halaal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature it on their shelves (along with threats for failure to comply).
At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves under Sharia; Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islam is not to convert the world, but to establish Sharia law over the entire world.
When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. (Ei: car-burnings in France last October.) Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats.
After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning (India, Mindanao, Philippines).
At 40% you will find widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks and ongoing militia warfare [Indonesia].
From 60% you may expect unfettered persecution of non-believers and other religions, sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon and Jizya (infidel tax). (Sudan, Kosovo, Lebanon and Egypt).
After 80% expect State run ethnic cleansing and genocide [Western Papua (New Guinea), Iran, Biafra, Turkey and North Nigeria].
100% will usher in the peace of "Dar-es-Salaam" - House of Peace - as in Saudi Arabia, Libya and Yemen.
I am no spring chicken. THIS is my homeland! I do not recall ever seeing Islamic mosques but last year, a community of Muslims began construction of a large mosque, not far from my home. Ironically, it is directly behind the Catholic Knights of Columbus of which I am a member. There is a large Evangelical Church not far from the future mosque. Their integration into the community will be slow but, based on what we know, effective. The Knights run an annual "pig roast". This should be interesting :-)
My son is stationed in Mosul and at Christmas the Christian community had his platoon over for a Christmas meal. Dear God, protect those wonderful families.
bump
You may have missed them but I posted two threads a few days ago describing the ongoing massacre of the christians of Mosul. The remaining christians are fleeing north to the Plains of Nineveh. The Patriarchs are pleading with the international community for assistance.
Thanks for the news. I guess I didn’t see the first posts.
I work in the food/drug raw material industry. This is happening in the US as we speak.
Pray for the Iraqi Catholics .. sad, sad, sad.
Ooops .. and pray for all the Iraqi Christians.
Prayers for all.
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