Posted on 07/21/2014 1:51:43 PM PDT by NYer
Following an ultimatum from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to leave Mosul, convert to Islam, or be killed, the city’s remaining Christians left for other parts of Iraq.
ISIL, the jihadist group that controls large sections of Syria and Iraq, confiscated the Christians’ possessions as they departed from Iraq’s 2nd-largest city.
“The heinous crime of the Islamic State was carried out not just against Christians, but against humanity,” said Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako, the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, as quoted by the Reuters news agency.
In an urgent appeal, the Iraqi Patriarch reported that Islamists were marking the homes of Christians in Mosul with the Arabic letter "N," standing for "Nazarene." (The homes of Shi'ite Muslims were also being marked, with "R" for "Rejecter," and Shi'ites were fleeing the city.) Patriarch Sako urged the people of Iraq to remember the rich heritage of inter-religious cooperation in their society for the past 1400 years, and to bear in mind that "Christian and Muslim blood has been mixed as it was shed in defense of their rights and lands."
“How in the 21st century could people be forced from their houses just because they are Christian, or Shi'ite or Sunni or Yazidi?” he said. “Christian families have been expelled from their houses and their valuables were stolen … their houses and property expropriated in the name of the Islamic State.”
“Even Genghis Khan or Hulagu [his grandson] didn't do this,” the patriarch added.
According to AsiaNews, some Muslims in Baghdad expressed their solidarity with Iraq’s Christians, holding up signs that said, “My house is open for my Christian brothers and sisters” and “I am an Iraqi Christian.”
“We are all equal in dignity, all citizens of the same country,” the Chaldean patriarch said. “We must unite to create a new Iraq. Thanks to all of you, there is still a hope.”
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On Friday, the al Qaeda splinter group issued an ultimatum to Iraqi Christians living in Mosul -- by Saturday at noon (5 a.m. ET), they must convert to Islam, pay a fine or face "death by the sword."A total of 52 Christian families left the city of Mosul early Saturday morning, with an armed group prohibiting some of them from taking anything but the clothes on their backs.
"They told us, 'You are to leave all of your money, gold, jewelry and go out with only the clothes on you,'" Wadie Salim told CNN.
Images obtained exclusively by CNN show that the phrase "property of ISIS" scrawled in black paint on a number of the homes that were abandoned.
A Jewish friend of mine was an ardent stamp collector. Curious as to how the attraction began, he explained that it began with his parents who fled the Nazis. As in this situation, the Jews left everything behind. His father converted their valuables into the purchase of one very rare stamp. He carved a niche inside the heel of his shoe and literally walked out of the country with his fortune intact.
Ping!
And people wonder how the Crusades started....
Where is the modern-day Pope Urban II?
Nehmen sie den Leib,
Gut, Ehr’, Kind und Weib:
Lass fahren dahin,
Sie haben’s kein’n Gewinn,
Das Reich muss uns doch bleiben!
When it happens here, may we remain as strong in the gospel. Father, keep them safe as the apple of Your eye, protected in the palm of Your hand.
Most people who know enough to know about the Crusades practically believe the Muslims were simply peacefully sitting around playing hopscotch and eating fresh strawberry ice cream with atheists when the mean old christians came stomping around and attacked and slaughtered everyone without provocation.
Very ingenious.
“Even Genghis Khan didn’t do this”
I don’t believe Khan did anything toward the Christians. I believe he did know how to handle the Persians though. I believe his last act was to pour molten silver into the ear of one of the leaders and salt the fields of his empire after demolishing one of their cities and slaying about 300K.
Is Jean Francois Kerri going to give a seminar on the pronunciation of the Mongol’s name?
This is a very different situation. ISIS is ultra fundamentalist and is killing other muslims as well.
I have a problem with every Muslim. They are all evil. It is impossible for a person to fill his mind and spirit with the teachings of a pedophile and terrorist prophet and not be infected with evil.
“See you in New York.”
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