Sunday 27 July 2014

Christian Persecution in Mosul –and beyond

On this day when the Catholic Church in England & Wales is celebrating the Day for Life and preaching (I hope) against the culture of death (contraception, abortion, euthanasia and non-procreative sex acts between same-sex attracted persons) we have to widen our minds and hearts to think also of the crisis in Iraq. 

The situation in Mosul is a reminder to all of us who call ourselves Christian to pray fervently for the protection, strengthening, courage and peace of the persecuted, and for the opening of hearts and minds of the persecutors to true peace and human dignity. May God be with the persecuted and the persecutors, and with all those workers who are seeking to help the persecuted in their plight.

Rorate has posted the call of twenty French civic figures calling upon its government to act (here). These are to be applauded, and the speech by brave Congressman Frank Wolf (here). One wonders why Western Governments are not already active in protecting persecuted Christians in the very cradle of Christianity... One person has suggested to me that it is because Christians rank very low on the concern of today’s post-Christian societies who see Christians as bothersome folk who raise their voices in criticism of contemporary morality, but  I doubt that is the reason for the deafening silence of the West. It would make Western Governments complicit with what is increasingly becoming genocide in Iraq. It is more likely that they are afraid of radical Muslims and do not want to court another 9/11 or 7/7...or are simply afraid of getting back into a civil situation (possibly one created by their removal of Saddam Hussein from power which left a power vacuum). But they cannot correct one error (if that is how it is seen) with another. 

Those of us who can pray and who can raise our voice surely ought to do so -and we ought to give generously to the support of those aid workers who take their lives in their hands in order to provide relief for those who are persecuted.  Meanwhile, those in Government who can act, ought to do so.

10 comments:

  1. NAZARENE

    “Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword” Matthew 10:34
    “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” John 1:46

    Magnified by His mix
    Birthed Him for the crucifix
    I … am Nazarene!

    My soul, my mind
    My womb blood-lined
    I … am Nazarene!

    My wounds, my mars
    My scrapes, my scars
    I … am Nazarene!

    Most favored daughter
    Drank death like water
    I … am Nazarene!

    The Tradition threat
    Many sons we’ve beget
    I … am Nazarene!

    We stand at the cross
    We’re used to blood loss
    I … am Nazarene!

    Greater love til the end
    We will lay for our Friend
    I … am Nazarene!

    Many lives you demean
    At, this, your war scene
    I … am Nazarene!

    But peace, though, not seen
    His sword strikes with sheen
    Contradiction His mean …
    Nazarene!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you fort this, Long-skirts.
      God Bless.

      Delete
  2. Father, I have commented on this elsewhere but at the risk of repeating myself, may I say that I am disturbed at the lack of any official public protest by the Church authorities to any Government, or international organisation or in the major press.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Disturbed is a good word for the deafening silence. I am disgusted by the lack of concern shown by those who govern and those who are in positions of influence. I cannot make sense of the silence.
      God Bless

      Delete
  3. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See permanent observer at the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, spoke at the 21st Special Session of the Human Rights Council dedicated to the question of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem, which took place on 23 July. It appeared in full on my blog.
    The Holy Father in his Angelus address last Sunday referred very strongly to the suffering and killing of children there.. Also on my blog.

    Kindest regards..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Father.
      Yes, I looked at these on your blog. I am only sorry more is not being made of many other places such as Nigeria, Iraq, etc.
      Do keep you blog going! God Bless.

      Delete
  4. I think in the uk the government is tied in with arab money lenders. Also has been threatened with islamic violence of which the murder of Lee Rigby is the tip of the iceburg. At present the jihad is soft and silent. Muslims are penetrating our society at all levels including the aristocracy. Our silence is due to cowardice and the want of a quiet life by our politicians.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Paul.
      I think fear has an awful lot to do with it, along with a negative attitude toward Christianity.
      God Bless

      Delete
  5. Just today Baroness Warsi has resigned from the Cabinet because she does not agree with the government stance on Israel & Gaza. My own feeling is that the western nations tend to interfere in other countries concerns as if we had the answers to everything. We now hear that the West has been supplying arms to BOTH sides in the present conflict.
    This problem is not a new one & resembles the situation in Mosul where Muslim fundamentalists are telling Christians to convert to Islam or pay protection money or die.
    One must remember that the western nations were largely responsible for setting up Israel after WWII so once again interference does no good.
    If Baroness Warsi (a Muslim) has the answers then she should go out there & solve the problem. Instead she tells us that we will suffer if we do not back the terrorists in Gaza. Is this code for threatening the UK with more terrorist attacks?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, David,
      Yes, you have provided some questions for reflection/discussion here.
      God Bless.

      Delete

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