Posted on 04/03/2013 5:11:31 AM PDT by marshmallow
In early January 2013, a United Nations special envoy reported that the civil war in Syria had reached "unprecedented levels of horror" with an estimated death toll of more than 60,000 people. In the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings, the situation for Christians in Syria, and in many parts of the Middle East and North Africa, continues to deteriorate.
The Russian Orthodox Church has been among the most active witnesses against Christian persecution in Syria and other countries around the world. In a statement about the Middle East, the Russian Bishops' Council warned of "the vanishing of Christianity in the lands where it has existed for two millennia and where the main events of the Holy History took place would become a spiritual and historical tragedy."
The bishop in charge of external affairs for the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk, has compared the situation in Syria, after almost two years of fighting, to Iraq, which saw a virtual depopulation of Christians following the U.S. invasion in 2003.
Hilarion has also been active in ecumenical relations with Roman Catholics and conservative Protestants, including the Anglican Church of North America which represents U.S. and Canadian congregations. The Russian bishop has described the Roman Catholic Church as "the main bulwark" in the West standing in defense of traditional moral values. He has worked to build stronger ties with other Christian communities but has also been outspoken about what he sees as a lack of "fidelity to Biblical principles in the realm of morality" in progressive Protestant churches.
Religion & Liberty Executive Editor John Couretas interviewed Hilarion in October 2012 at the Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Nashotah, Wis. He was at the Anglican seminary to receive an honorary Doctor of Music degree. noted composer as well as an accomplished Orthodox.......
(Excerpt) Read more at acton.org ...
Western (and by that I mean rational) civilization is under siege. It was Christianity that gave us the unprecedented wealth and technology we have today. People need faith. A substantial number, if they don’t believe in God, will believe in anything; global warming, diversity, green energy, unicorns...you name it. The most potent weapons we have, education, government, law, and the media and entertainment are all turned against rational thought and religion. If we lose this war we will enter a new dark age that will last until Christianity, or whatever it’s called then, comes back. That could be a long, long time.
The war on Christianity being led by the Obama administration has one great purpose...to make the government our god. These people want power...they have taken control over most of the media...and with it are moving on the First, Second, Fourth, and what’s left of the Tenth Amendments.
Scary times indeed.
While I am not Russian Orthodox, I love their music, architecture and Iconography. I especially love the Easter Service and will probably attend one on May 5th (The Orthodox Easter).
That being said, The Russian Orthodox Church endured 80 years of Atheist Communism (Including the Stalin Years!) and as soon as Communism fell...there was the Church!
In the Middle East and North Africa, the Orthodox Church (and other Christian Groups) have endured 1400 years of persecution. We Pray for These Brothers and Sisters Every Day on FR on the “Jerusalem” Thread.
With the encouragement of the present “administration”, Violent Islamists are seeking to wipe out the last vestiges of Christianity in the very region of its Birth.
Whenever I see a “COEXIST” bumper sticker, I want to barf.
Amen.
;0\
Amen. You have grasped something fundamental. Let me repeat it.
People need faith. A substantial number, if they don’t believe in God, will believe in anything; global warming, diversity, green energy, unicorns...you name it.
I'd insert:
The war on Christianity being led by the Obama administration has one great purpose...to make Progressive ideology, the notion that a people are best served by an elite body of tyrants, whose instrument of power is the government, our god.
Look for the missionaries to come from what are called the “global south” nations to bring the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in the west, the same west that sent Christian missionaries to the global south many years ago.
I see a bigtime revolt coming, mark my words.
Take confort, the global south neations, which is seeing large growth of the Christian faith, will do what the west did many years ago: send missionaries.
APRIL 2, 2013
OUR LADY’S message
to MIRJANA SOLDO (Medjugorie)
for the ENTIRE WORLD!
“Dear children; I am calling you to be one with my Son in spirit. I am calling you, through prayer, and the Holy Mass when my Son unites Himself with you in a special way, to try to be like Him; that, like Him, you may always be ready to carry out God’s will and not seek the fulfillment of your own. Because, my children, it is according to God’s will that you are and that you exist, and without God’s will you are nothing.
As a mother I am asking you to speak about the glory of God with your life, because in that way you will also glorify yourself in accordance to His will. Show humility and love for your neighbour to everyone. Through such humility and love, my Son saved you and opened the way for you to the Heavenly Father.
I implore you to keep opening the way to the Heavenly Father for all those who have not come to know Him and have not opened their hearts to His love. By your life, open the way to all those who still wander in search of the truth.
My children, be my apostles who have not lived in vain. Do not forget that you will come before the Heavenly Father and tell Him about yourself. Be ready! Again I am warning you, pray for those whom my Son called, whose hands He blessed and whom He gave as a gift to you. Pray, pray, pray for your shepherds. Thank you.”
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