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Obama Cold to the Persecution of Christians in the Middle East (Where's the outrage?)
Aleteia ^ | May 19, 2015 | DANIEL PHILPOTT

Posted on 05/19/2015 3:52:03 PM PDT by NYer

Several pieces have been posted recently on the unabated persecution of Christians and other religious minorities like Yazidis and Mandeans in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East — and of the relative indifference of the State Department and the Obama administration to it.  Last month, journalist Kirsten Powerswrote in USA Today that President Obama “just can’t seem to find any passion for the mass persecution of Middle Eastern Christians.”  Reporting on a joint press conference that Obama held with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, she writes:

As Renzi was questioned about the incident, Obama   was mute on the killings. He failed to interject any sense of outrage or even tepid concern for the targeting of Christians for their faith. If a Christian mob on a ship bound for Italy threw 12 Muslims to their death for praying to Allah, does anyone think the president would have been so disinterested? When three North Carolina Muslims were gunned down by a   virulent atheist, Obama rightly   spoke out against the horrifying killings. But he just can’t seem to find any passion for the   mass persecution of   Middle Eastern Christians or the   eradication of Christianity from   its birthplace.

Religious persecution of Christians is   rampant worldwide, as Pew has noted, but nowhere is it more prevalent than in the Middle East and Northern Africa, where followers of Jesus are the targets of   religious cleansing. Pope Francis has   repeatedly decried the persecution and   begged the world for help, but it has had little impact. Western leaders — including Obama — will be remembered for their near silence as this human rights tragedy unfolded. The president’s mumblings about the atrocities visited upon Christians (usually extracted after public outcry over his silence) are few and far between. And it will be hard to forget his   lecturing of Christians at the National Prayer Breakfast about the centuries-old Crusades while   Middle Eastern Christianswere at that moment   being harassed, driven from their homes, tortured and murdered for their faith.
 
Writing in a similar vein is Faith J.H. McDonnell of the Philos Project.
  
Evidence suggests that within the administration not only is there no passion for persecuted Christians under threat of genocide from the Islamic State, there is no room for them, period. In fact, despite ISIS’ targeting of Iraqi Christians specifically because they are Christians, and, as such, stand in the way of a pure, Islamic Caliphate in the Middle East (and beyond), the U.S. State Department has made it clear that “there is no way that Christians will be supported because of their religious affiliation.
 
As ISIS is now seizing the Iraqi city of Ramadi, let us hope that the Obama administration will acknowledge the particularly of ISIS’s victims.




TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: obama
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Daniel Philpott   is Professor of Political Science and Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame and Director of The Center for Civil and Human Rights. This article was originally published on the blog Arc of the Universe and is reprinted here with permission.
1 posted on 05/19/2015 3:52:03 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Ping!


2 posted on 05/19/2015 3:52:35 PM PDT by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: NYer

Why would an angry muslim show sympathy towards persecuted Christians? Obama lied about being a Christian and his actions prove it. He is fast becoming the worst president in our history.


3 posted on 05/19/2015 3:59:13 PM PDT by Son-Joshua (son-joshua)
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To: NYer
What does a malignant narcissist care about anyway?


4 posted on 05/19/2015 4:01:08 PM PDT by COBOL2Java (I'll vote for Jeb when Terri Schiavo endorses him.)
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To: NYer

Outrage? Maobama is probably placing congratulatory calls to “ISIL”.


5 posted on 05/19/2015 4:02:03 PM PDT by alstewartfan (I've sailed my dreams like ships out on a sea. Some faced rocks and some faced mutiny. Al Stewart)
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To: NYer

Of course not...not of the persecuted Christian children look like they could have been his son.


6 posted on 05/19/2015 4:06:45 PM PDT by driftless2
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To: driftless2
That's none of the persecuted children look like they could have been his son.
7 posted on 05/19/2015 4:07:55 PM PDT by driftless2
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To: NYer

Does Obama allow any displaced Christians entry as refugees or only Muslims?? - any stats??


8 posted on 05/19/2015 4:08:07 PM PDT by elpadre (AfganistaMr Obama said the goal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-hereQaeda" and its allies.)
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To: NYer

Because he supports persecution of Christians everywhere.


9 posted on 05/19/2015 4:08:39 PM PDT by ReformationFan
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To: elpadre

Good question!


10 posted on 05/19/2015 4:12:38 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer
7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East
11 posted on 05/19/2015 4:13:41 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

Outrage? We’re too busy with train wrecks and biker brawls at the moment. Funny how these things happen when things get hot in DC. Hillary’s emails? ISIS parades? How did the window break on that train?!!!!


12 posted on 05/19/2015 4:24:44 PM PDT by CivilWarBrewing
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To: Son-Joshua
Baltimore riots.. Train wrecks.. Biker brawls..

Middle East, where's that?

13 posted on 05/19/2015 4:27:25 PM PDT by CivilWarBrewing
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To: Son-Joshua

Well, there were the Crusades and the Inquisition. And yet he says he doesn’t care about something that happened before he was born (Cuban embargo).
So which is it?
19 more months.


14 posted on 05/19/2015 4:27:49 PM PDT by dp0622
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To: NYer

FDR pretty much ignored the plight of the Jews in Germany and Poland until he couldn’t avoid it. Typical of the Democrat Party.


15 posted on 05/19/2015 4:42:21 PM PDT by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
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To: Son-Joshua

He’s already the worst in history and you’re spot on about his deception.


16 posted on 05/19/2015 4:57:15 PM PDT by conservativejoy (We Can Elect Ted Cruz! Pray Hard, Work Hard, Trust God!)
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To: NYer

He’s not cold to it. He’s gleeful.

Dead kafirs make him happy.


17 posted on 05/19/2015 5:08:15 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
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To: COBOL2Java

Skinny forearms. Clearly never done an honest day’s work.


18 posted on 05/19/2015 5:09:10 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
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To: NYer

outrage at the murder of Christians or Jews?
sorry but the Koran instructs its followers to attack, subjugate, and.or kill Christians, Jews, and infidels in general

its all part of the expansion of Islam to encompass the globe


19 posted on 05/19/2015 5:34:44 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (“When the righteous are in authority, people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, people groan)
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To: COBOL2Java

1. Hat to cover horns
2. 21st Century High-Tech Pitchfork
3. Hand bandaged from painful blisters incurred while touching Bible when sworn in.


20 posted on 05/19/2015 6:12:57 PM PDT by Grateful2God (Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord...)
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