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Anglican Vicar of Baghdad: ‘Child I baptized cut in half by ISIS’
Episcopal News Service ^
| August 8, 2014
| ACNS staff
Posted on 08/10/2014 4:55:21 AM PDT by GonzoII
Anglican Vicar of Baghdad: ‘Child I baptized cut in half by ISIS’
By ACNS staff | August 8, 2014 |
[Anglican Communion News Service] The five-year-old son of a founding member of Baghdads Anglican church was cut in half during an attack by the Islamic State1 on the Christian town of Qaraqosh.
In an interview Aug. 8, an emotional Canon Andrew White told ACNS that he christened the boy several years ago, and that the childs parents had named the lad Andrew after him.
Canon Andrew White Photo: Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East
Im almost in tears because Ive just had somebody in my room whose little child was cut in half, he said. I baptized his child in my church in Baghdad. This little boy, they named him after me he was called Andrew.
The fact that Andrews brother was named George after St Georges Anglican Church in Iraqs capital demonstrates the strong ties the family had to the church there. The boys father had been a founder member of the church back in 1998 when the Canon had first come to Baghdad. White added, This man, before he retired north to join his family was the caretaker of the Anglican church.
Baghdad is part of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, which is included in the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, a member church of the Anglican Communion.
Though the move north should have proved safer for the Iraqi Christian family, the Islamic State made sure that it became a place of terror. This town of Qaraqosh is a Christian village so they knew everybody there was part of their target group, said White. They [the Islamic State] attacked the whole of the town. They bombed it, they shot at people.
The Islamic State group captured Qaraqosh overnight Aug. 6/7 after the withdrawal of Kurdish forces.
ISIS, which has been called a brutal, extremist group and which claims to have fighters from across the world, announced the creation of a “caliphate” – an Islamic state – across its claimed territory in Iraq and Syria a month ago. There is a BBC background report here and one from the New York Times here.
The boys family, along with many other townspeople, has now fled to Irbil. However, news reports suggest this may be the Islamic States next destination.
Anglicans at the forefront of relief
The violent takeover of parts of Iraq by the Islamic State is threatening to bring about what the United Nations has said would be a humanitarian catastrophe in the beleaguered nation.
White said that Anglicans there have been working hard to provide a lot of support for the Christians who have fled Mosul and Nineveh to the north, as well as the many other minority groups targeted by the Islamic State.
Anglicans are literally at the forefront of bringing help in this situation and theres no-one else, he said adding that the church is supplying much-needed food, water, accommodation and other relief items thanks to financial contributions from supporters overseas. The church’s activities are led by a Muslim, Dr. Sarah Ahmed.
We need two things: prayer and money. With those two we can do something. Without those we can do nothing.
As regards prayer, White said, I have three Ps that I always mention which is for protection, provision and perseverance. We need protection, we need to provide for those people and we need to keep going.
Its clear from social media posts on Facebook and Twitter that members of the Anglican Communion right across the world are praying for this situation. Many have also indicated their support for persecuted Christians in Iraq by changing their social media avatars to the Arabic symbol for N denoting Nazarene, which ISIS has been using to identify Christian homes.
Leaders speak out
In recent days, Anglican leaders from countries including Egypt, Wales, Brazil and South Africa have all expressed their dismay at the situation unfolding in Iraq.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby issued this statement Aug. 8 on the situation in Iraq, shortly before he travelled from the Philippines to Papua New Guinea.
Other Christian leaders have also spoken up about the situation in Iraq including Roman Catholics, who, in England and Wales, have designated Aug. 9, as a Day of Prayer for Christians in Iraq. The Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Aug. 7 wrote to the United Nations, following an emergency meeting of patriarchs, calling on the UN Security Council to fulfill their responsibilities in stopping this genocide.
Those wanting to assist the church in Baghdad can find more information here.
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: christianity; iraq; iraqichristians; isis; islam; wot
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1
posted on
08/10/2014 4:55:21 AM PDT
by
GonzoII
To: GonzoII
Pray For Christians in the Mideast
Continuing in Daily prayer for Our Brothers and Sisters in Syria and Iraq.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS
2
posted on
08/10/2014 5:00:12 AM PDT
by
left that other site
(You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
To: GonzoII
It’s early, but I’ll give this the most horrific thing I’ll read all day award. No more news today...
3
posted on
08/10/2014 5:17:02 AM PDT
by
EEGator
To: GonzoII
Isn't he wonderful! Lord Obama gives us free abortions and birth control. Then, he is letting ISIS and HAMAS kill all those evil/judgemental Christians and Jews.
4
posted on
08/10/2014 5:27:55 AM PDT
by
Grampa Dave
( Obama's Storm of Illegal immigrants, aka, new democRat voters and his 2016 FDR 3rd term attempt!)
To: GonzoII
A message to both Christian leaders and Political leaders of the world: Can we now begin the crusade to put Islam down?
Allowing a rabid dog lose in your backyard to play with your kids is doing nothing for either.
The dog needs to be put down & the children need to be protected!
Simple solution...
5
posted on
08/10/2014 5:28:51 AM PDT
by
BCW
(ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM)
To: GonzoII
Thanks for posting.
What would you like to be done, and by whom?
6
posted on
08/10/2014 5:33:04 AM PDT
by
Jim Noble
(When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
To: GonzoII
I hate and despise ISIS and can’t wait for them all to return to their father in Hell
7
posted on
08/10/2014 5:33:46 AM PDT
by
yldstrk
( My heroes have always been cowboys)
To: Grampa Dave
pack of stupid vapid girls
8
posted on
08/10/2014 5:34:34 AM PDT
by
yldstrk
( My heroes have always been cowboys)
To: BCW
Can we now begin the crusade to put Islam down?...Simple solutionWhat would you like to be done, and by whom?
9
posted on
08/10/2014 5:34:35 AM PDT
by
Jim Noble
(When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
To: Jim Noble
Why can’t we just go do it as Christians?
10
posted on
08/10/2014 5:36:40 AM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(If you want to keep your dignity, you can keep it. Period........ Just kidding, you can't keep it.)
To: GonzoII
WHERE is the condemnation from “moderate” muslims??
This should dispelled the MYTH of the moderate muslim.
There are active savages like ISIS and the bulk of these savages, clandestinely grinning at the actions and our naivety.
11
posted on
08/10/2014 5:40:55 AM PDT
by
ZULU
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qLDFiQcjlY Impeach Obama in 2015 !!!)
To: Vermont Lt
Why cant we just go do it as Christians?You can, once you can articulate and provide a campaign plan for what "it" is that you want us to do.
"Just do it" is a Nike marketing slogan, it's not a strategy.
Our last strategy, which as near as I can tell was "free the Iraqi people from their bad government" was a catastrophic failure. OK, now they are free to choose what they want, and what they want is much, much more dangerous than the last bunch.
So, what do YOU want the end state to be, and how do you propose to achieve it?
12
posted on
08/10/2014 5:41:52 AM PDT
by
Jim Noble
(When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
To: Jim Noble
Our last strategy, which as near as I can tell was "free
the Iraqi people from their bad government" It was never that simple.
This is about us.
13
posted on
08/10/2014 5:50:51 AM PDT
by
GonzoII
("If the new crime be, to believe in God, let us all be criminals" -Sheen)
To: yldstrk
They want an islamic caliphate? Let’s send them directly to the permanent one they deserve where Mad Mo awaits them.
14
posted on
08/10/2014 5:53:33 AM PDT
by
tflabo
(Truth or tyranny)
To: tflabo
15
posted on
08/10/2014 5:54:42 AM PDT
by
yldstrk
( My heroes have always been cowboys)
To: Jim Noble
One, political leaders should never be allowed to run a war.
Two, Military leadership should never be graded by political leaders when conducting warfare.
Three, never trust a society to train, equip, and function like a motivated well disciplined army like what the US had when their said society is illiterate, dysfunctional, and doesn’t care about a nation, but only the individual.
Four, establish a front line and define the enemy correctly.
Five, surround said enemy by destroying both inner support and outside support while ignoring any negative pressure put on said operation by like minded entities that support the enemy.
Six, the military should concentrate 100% effort at destroying the enemy, the logistics, and ideology behind what lead to the formation of the enemy by deploying both psy ops and combat effectiveness.
Seven, when the enemy has been annihilated, leave said battle space an allow for other non-military types to re-build, re-educate, and re-populate the area if said area can actually produce a commodity that will sustain the area and not lead to what we are seeing presently with ISIS.
Follow-on: Begin other operations in similar areas that put those responsible and have the same ideology within range. Hold those religious leaders responsible for violence, targeting of non-moslems, and the human rights violations through direct military strike without rebuilding their pathetic nations. Only through long term wiping out the very ones that promote this type of aggression to allow a cleaned platform to which that society can the build - will stuff like continue. Everyone knows there are two-sides to Islam; the logistical side that funds & supports the other side, the so-called radicals.
We started this in OIF I, II, III - then fell back before we achieved the end result in Iraq due to political pressure...and look what occurring...having been there from the beginning to almost the end...I saw it - lived it - and now wondering why it ever happened...
Good things can come from warfare...German is better - Japan is better, but only because those societies wanted to advance forward - not hold onto some ideal to stay in the dirt and run around ignorant.
16
posted on
08/10/2014 5:55:57 AM PDT
by
BCW
(ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM)
To: Jim Noble
These are the people running Islamic societies...makes you think...then again...we have the same thing in the WH presently...
17
posted on
08/10/2014 6:01:15 AM PDT
by
BCW
(ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM)
To: GonzoII; Jim Noble
It was never that simple.But Jim's point is well taken. It's informative to see the atrocities through articles like this to know what the U.S. is dealing with. However, simply fanning the flames of outrage is often the result.
A concrete plan can't be built on that alone, not that any of us are responsible for a plan to begin with. I don't know if he's advocating an isolationist stand or not but a plan of action can't be based on outrage. It needs clear goals and objectives.
To: BCW
Alas, you've found the contributions to our founding Obama is so fond of invoking. Good job!
19
posted on
08/10/2014 6:05:41 AM PDT
by
liberalh8ter
(The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
To: johniegrad
I don't know if he's advocating an isolationist stand or notI present isolationism as one of two realistic choices (the other is victory). Without getting into which of the two is better, I condemn repeated defeats in limited warfare as the worst of all possible courses, and I use Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan as examples, contrasting them with Germany and Japan to define what I mean by "victory".
20
posted on
08/10/2014 6:06:07 AM PDT
by
Jim Noble
(When strong, avoid them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.)
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