Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

36 church members disappear (in Iraq), 1 returns Minister warns increased persecution Christians
WND ^ | September 1, 2007

Posted on 09/02/2007 1:44:19 PM PDT by NYer


Three dozen members of one Christian church in Iraq disappeared over the course of a week, and only one returned, according to a minister who is warning of the increase of persecution of Christians in that violence-ridden nation.

The warning from Rev. Canon Andrew White is being reported by Voice of the Martyrs, the ministry to persecuted Christians around the world.

VOM cited an interview with White on CBNNews.com in which the Anglican minister from Baghdad was describing the conditions for Iraqi Christians for a committee on religious freedom. He said kidnappings, torture and executions of Christians are rising.

He also noted the people's desire for Christ sometimes is overwhelming. The small church he leads in Baghdad was small, but has exploded to an attendance of more than 1,300 recently.

"It is an Anglican church, and none of my people are Anglicans," he said. "They simply some to church because it is the closest church to come to in the midst of great danger."

But White said the conditions have deteriorated at an increasing pace in the past few months, and it's sometimes hard to quantify the extent of the persecution. But he said he asked members of his congregation for their perspective on the situation.

"Things are bad for everybody in Iraq. I said them (church members); tell me what has happened over the past week. And the people went through what had happened and I realized that 36 of my congregation in that past week [had] been kidnapped," White said. Only one was returned.

(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Prayer; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: antichristian; catholicsiniraq; christian; christianpersecution; endtimes; iraq; iraqichristians; missing; muslim; persecution
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

1 posted on 09/02/2007 1:44:23 PM PDT by NYer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
During his testimony before the commission, he said although Christianity has been present in Iraq from the "foundation" of the faith – ever since Thomas stopped off in Nineveh and converted the people of the city to Christianity – none of its historic tribulations compares to the troubles today.

What will it take to stop Islam from totally taking over the Middle East?

2 posted on 09/02/2007 1:46:25 PM PDT by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

Need to protect our own. Ridiculous that American soldiers occupy the country and they are safe killing Christians.


3 posted on 09/02/2007 1:51:39 PM PDT by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is a good man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greg F
Need to protect our own. Ridiculous that American soldiers occupy the country and they are safe killing Christians.

Remember, the VP of Iraq at the time of the US invasion WAS a Christian.

4 posted on 09/02/2007 1:56:34 PM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: PAR35

Remember, the VP of Iraq at the time of the US invasion WAS a Christian.
________________________

So Christians were safer under Hussein? Great.


5 posted on 09/02/2007 2:06:47 PM PDT by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is a good man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NYer
What will it take to stop Islam from totally taking over the Middle East?

Armageddon and the return of Jesus Christ...

And they won't stop in the middle east...The U.S. of A. is in for some hard times...

6 posted on 09/02/2007 2:58:28 PM PDT by Iscool (OK, I'm Back...Now what were your other two wishes???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Greg F

Sadly, apparently the answer to that question is ‘yes’.


7 posted on 09/02/2007 4:09:19 PM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: NYer
‘Serious’ threats made against 31 churches in Indonesia[Catholics and Protestants
Saudi Arabia arrests Eastern-rite Catholic priest for celebrating Mass
Catholic Priest Arrested and Expelled from Riyadh
Ramallah: Islamic violence targets Christians
Moslem Terror Chasing Out 1,000 Christian Arabs a Year

INDIA: VIOLENCE SCARS EASTER WEEK (Pastors beaten, churches vandalized by Hindu extremists)
GFA Urges Prayer as Hindu Extremists Intensify Anti-Christian Persecution
Persecution of Catholics still alive, oppression’s face fanatic, traditional
The community of Arab Christians is dwindling in the Holy Land
Christian martyr in 'European' Turkey

(Irish) Teen Killed Just for Being Catholic, Says Priest
Vatican Unease Over Islamic Countries
Priest stabbed in Turkey in third recent assault against Catholic clergy
Mother Teresa’s Sisters Are Hostage to Fanatic Hinduists
Discriminating Against Religion

India's bishops condemn deadly blasts in Mumbai
Priest abducted in Baghdad threatened and tortured
Salesian Priest, 70, Stabbed in Germany (by a Turk)
Muslim Militants Attack Catholic School in Kashmir
Murdered Nun Asked Forgivness for (Ismaofacist Scum) Killers As She Lay Dying

Three men sentenced to death denied last Sacraments in Indonesia
Indonesia Executes 3 Catholics Over Muslim Deaths
Indonesia Government Executes Christians: Firing Squad
Radical Muslims attack two churches Iraq: demand catholics post condemnation of pope's words
Boy slave 'crucified' by Sudanese Muslim

'In 20 years, there will be no more Christians in Iraq'
Militants Kill Missionary Couple's 2 Children Who Refused To Convert To Islam
Armed Greek Police plan to forcibly remove monks
Ex-Muslims arrested in Iran (Christians arrested for performing XMAS activities)
Iraqi Christians Lose All Hope with Violence, Anarchy

FEATURE-Christians, Muslims flee Baghdad for Kurdistan
36 church members disappear (in Iraq), 1 returns Minister warns increased persecution Christians

8 posted on 09/02/2007 5:13:14 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer

What will it take to stop Islam from totally taking over the world (now that their oil money has enabled them to buy modern weaponry)?


9 posted on 09/02/2007 5:28:20 PM PDT by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NYer
What will it take to stop Islam from totally taking over the Middle East?

Too late.
The Crusades failed. We aren't going to have another Crusades. The middle east is already 99% Muslim.

The middle east isn't the only place where Christians are persecuted. India persecutes Christians....but not Muslims. They don't persecute Muslims because THEY fight back. Thus, India has been experiencing religous warfare since the establishment of the Muslim Sultanate in 1209. It won't stop until India expels its Muslims, executes them all or ... whatever.

Fearing Islam is a problem. Having living in a Muslim country, I don't fear Islam.

- I fear communism (like China), athiests and secularists more. The communists have no morals other than what the State decrees.
- I fear athiests because God doesn't exist so moral absolutes are made up by themselves.
- I fear secularists because God doesn't belong in the public sector, that is, laws, culture...our lives.
EITHER one of those is frightening.

Satan thrives in those three cases, not in Islam.

However, Islam makes a wonderful boogeyman, whipping boy and place to blame all that's wrong in our world.
I also UNDERSTAND completely the fear people have of Islam. The Romans really feared Christians because of their willingness to DIE a horrible martyr's death for Jesus, the Lamb who gave up HIS life in a horrible martyr's death....for our sins. It's scary to see Islam's fanaticism, fervor and passion, even if it's only with a relatively few young fanatics.

China also persecutes their ever-growing Christian population. I read once that there are NOW more Protestants in China than there are in Europe. I don't know if that's true but Christianity's only "enemy" is itself. With 400 denomiations of Christians, it's hard to see any enemy outside of our own community.

10 posted on 09/03/2007 6:46:50 AM PDT by starfish923 (Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: livius
What will it take to stop Islam from totally taking over the world (now that their oil money has enabled them to buy modern weaponry)?

It's an interesting development in that IRAN has had enough money, thanks to their huge oil fields, to BUY nuclear weapons for YEARS and years. They could have bought those weapons from the USSR, China or North Korea. Yet, the West forbids their developing their own nuclear capabilities.

It's because they are Muslims and are close to Israel. Israel can have nukes, as can the madman in North Korea; so can Pakistan, India, Russia and all of Europe but....not Iran.

Hard to fathom the logic. Israel is one country that can defend itself (and has many times, thanks to the trillions of U.S. dollars given to arming Israel).

Iran WILL develop its nuclear capabilities, NOT make nuclear weapons JUST BECAUSE the U.S. and the West have had the gall to tell them how they are and are not to use their oil money. The Iranians aren't the only ones to see how the rest of the world can have nukes....and it's only the middle east Muslims who "aren't allowed" to do so, just because WE say so.
It doesn't suprise ME to see Iran thumb its arrogant Persian nose at the U.S.

11 posted on 09/03/2007 6:56:11 AM PDT by starfish923 (Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: NYer
I’m afraid Bush and buddies really messed up when they allowed the Iraqi government to be established on Islamic law. It seemed like a mistake at the time. Now, we’ll see it was a blunder of Biblical proportion.

We won the military victory. It was up to us to make the terms for the new government. Just imagine if after WWII, we said to the Germans, “OK, set up your new government. Sure, base it on the teachings of Adolf Hitler.”

I fear that trouble for Christians in Iraq has just begun, and might eventually result in them going into exile to avoid being killed.

12 posted on 09/03/2007 6:57:10 AM PDT by Barnacle (Hunter 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greg F
So Christians were safer under Hussein? Great.

Regrettably, the preponderance of evidence is that they were "safer".

13 posted on 09/03/2007 7:02:52 AM PDT by Barnacle (Hunter 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: starfish923
The Crusades failed.

Not entirely. They saved Europe. But, 800 years later, Europe is preparing to fall to Islamic rule after all.

14 posted on 09/03/2007 7:06:19 AM PDT by Barnacle (Hunter 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Barnacle

We should have set up a MacArthur like government and ran things. Shown them how nice it is to have a fair and competent government.


15 posted on 09/03/2007 7:08:38 AM PDT by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is a good man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: starfish923
Islam makes a wonderful boogeyman, whipping boy and place to blame all that's wrong in our world.

Either you are Muslim, or you’ve got some serious waking up to do. Better make that a double espresso.

16 posted on 09/03/2007 7:13:18 AM PDT by Barnacle (Hunter 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Greg F
We should have set up a MacArthur like government and ran things.

Exactly. Was it not just abit niave to think that they were going to get it right just by giving them the plans?

That's like giving the blueprints of a skyscraper to a caveman and walking away.

17 posted on 09/03/2007 7:16:43 AM PDT by Barnacle (Hunter 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Barnacle
The Crusades failed.
Not entirely. They saved Europe. But, 800 years later, Europe is preparing to fall to Islamic rule after all.

The goal of the Crusades was to recapture Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land.
That failed.

The Muslims weren't invading the west; they were holding on to their captured lands in the near east. They succeeded; the Crusaders, after all, were driven from Jerusalem, for good.

In the 1600's the Turks WERE driven out of Europe. Perhaps your time line was a few centuries off.
1621-1631: Poles defeat Turks in battle, but Turkish attacks continue for ten more years.
1633-34: Poles attack Turks, Russians, and Swedes.
1648, 1651: Rebellion of Cossacks against Polish nobles. With armed aid from Tatars and Turks, hundreds of thousands of people are massacred.
1654-1655: Russia attacks Poland and conquers eastern part
1672-1673: Turks attack Poland; Poland loses two-thirds of Ukraine.
1673: Turks defeated.
The Turkish defeat at Vienna is considered one of THE MOST crucial successes of Europe.

THIS time in history the "invasion" is from INVITATION. First world countries INVITED foreign labor. They MIGHT have invited other Christians as foreign labor, but they didn't. They invited the Turks this time...not soldiers but workers, both genders. It's no surprise that they stayed, became citizens and had oodles of children. It's no surprise that they practice their religion.
What is so surprising is the affronted reaction by Christians DECADES after the fact. Too late now to kick them out. They are second generation citizens now.
Or, are you in favor of ethnic cleansing?

18 posted on 09/03/2007 1:39:54 PM PDT by starfish923 (Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Barnacle
Either you are Muslim, or you’ve got some serious waking up to do. Better make that a double espresso.

Well, if you call yourself a Christian, then you had better re-read some passages about loving your brother. Jesus didn't mention the race, religion, gender or occupation of said brother either.

And, if you call yourself an American, then you had better re-read some passages in our laws about freedom of religion.

I always think that when a poster decides to attack me personally, then he has simply run out of logic, argument and discussion and therefore has NOTHING left but ad hominum, an admission of failure.

19 posted on 09/03/2007 1:45:11 PM PDT by starfish923 (Socrates: It's never right to do wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Barnacle
I fear that trouble for Christians in Iraq has just begun, and might eventually result in them going into exile to avoid being killed.

Too late. The majority of Iraqi Christians (Chaldean Catholics) have fled, many to the US. They arrive here with only the clothes on their backs. Those who remain behind are persecuted and killed.


Funeral for Fr. Ragheed and his deacons

20 posted on 09/03/2007 3:53:18 PM PDT by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-26 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson