I’m waiting
I am a Lebanese Christian, and I am waiting. Waiting for CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, or Time magazine to really tell the story. To finally run this headline: “War on Christians Being Waged by Islamists.”
I’m waiting for someone in the mainstream media to admit the facts.
Matt Lauer and NBC News made headlines when they declared there was a civil war in Iraq in 2006, putting them at odds with the narrative coming from the Bush White House.
Islamists are persecuting and murdering Christians all over the world. Where in the world are Matt Lauer and NBC News? Do they not want to be at odds with the narrative coming from the current occupants of the White House, which downplays the atrocities being perpetrated by Muslims against Christians? Or to be at odds with Muslim groups like CAIR, which might accuse NBC of some kind of bias?
It is not an accident, the persecution and mass murder of Christians by Muslims. It is not episodic. It is by design. It is part of a master plan to destroy any competing narrative about God. To bully, threaten, and intimidate Christians into submission, or mass evacuation.
And it is not an accident that the media aren’t covering this very real war. If this were Christians murdering Muslims, blowing up mosques, and driving Muslims by the millions from their homes, we’d never stop hearing about that war.
My goodness, the media didn’t mind covering the fake war on women that Democrats accused Republicans of waging, while the very real war on women being waged in Islamic countries marched on unreported.
The media haven’t ignored the stories of Muslim violence against Christians altogether, to be fair. But they do treat the incidents as tragic isolated events perpetrated by a few nuts. They refuse to frame the mass murder and mass persecution as what they are: a war.
Don’t ask me if I’m exaggerating the claim. Ask the victims. Ask the Christians living in places that are predominantly Muslim. Ask the Christians living in refugee camps, the Christians running for their lives in too many parts of the world.
And ask the millions of American Christians who wonder why this story isn’t being framed as a war.
But just because the media aren’t covering the war, that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. It’s actually spreading to more countries and continents as Islamists become more emboldened.
Islamists are persecuting and murdering Christians not just in Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and the rest of the Middle East, but also in Pakistan and Kenya and too many other countries. And for doing nothing more than having different beliefs about God. They are persecuting Christians to let them know that they had better keep their most deeply held beliefs to themselves. Or move. Or else.
Here are some dispatches from the Middle East and beyond just in this past month.
This one is from Reuters this past weekend: “Suicide bombers kill 78 Christians outside Pakistani church.” Nearly 600 people had gone to one of Pakistan’s most historic churches Sunday to do what they’ve been doing there for 130 years: worship their God. A plaque on the wall had this inscription: “This church is erected to the Glory of God and dedicated to the memory of All Saints in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1883.” Words that don’t warm the heart of your average Islamist.
The attack occurred as worshipers left the service to receive free food being distributed on a lawn outside the church. That’s when the two explosions ripped through the crowd.
That was no accident. It was a deliberate choice meant to desecrate a holy place and a beautiful ritual. And to let Christians know there’s no place they’re safe. Not even a house of worship.
This isn’t the first time something like that has happened in Pakistan. Back in March, the New York Times reported that a Muslim mob swarmed through a Christian neighborhood, burning two churches and more than 100 houses. The story noted that Christians in the area were also increasingly the victims of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws.
Here’s another September headline, this one from the London Telegraph: “Christians flee Syria village that speaks the language of Jesus.” Islamist rebels, the Telegraph reported, had taken control of Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian towns in the world and one of the few remaining places where the language of Christ and his disciples is still spoken — Western Aramaic. The Christians started fleeing after regime forces failed to win Maaloula back from the Islamists.
“They shot and killed people,” one Christian man who has fled that small town told reporters. “I heard gunshots and then I saw three bodies lying in the middle of a street in the old quarters of the village. . . . Where is President Obama to see what has befallen us?”
Another Christian resident told this story: “I saw the militants grabbing five villagers and threatening them and saying, ‘Either you convert to Islam, or you will be beheaded.’”
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450,000 Christians Flee From Muslim Attacks in The Central African Republic
My Note: It has passed several monthes since the Arab and European-supported Jihadists went on slaughtering Christians in the Central African Republic (CAR), but the world community and the media were silent all this time. But now, the BBC & Co have begun reporting on this issue, just because Christians have decided to organize, fight back and defend themselves, just because western powers, France, in particular, has seen a window opened for their usual interventionist policies. The Jihadists have become their useful tools to send their soldiers deep into Africa. Of course, now, we’ll be hearing quite frequently the term „Christian Militias“ from the mainstream media
The United Nations is demanding immediate support for the Central African Republic (CAR) during a very difficult period. Apparently over 450,000 people have fled their homes after the Muslim dominated Seleka took power and began persecuting Christians irrespective of the alleged government of national unity during the transitional period. Not surprisingly, Christians are trying to protect themselves against Muslim forces within Seleka which are clearly out of control. Therefore, bloodletting is sowing the seeds of distrust and clearly the international community needs to do something before the crisis reaches a point of no return.
Unlike Christian communities in Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, and in other nations, whereby various sects are persecuted, it is clear that in the CAR — just like in South Sudan — that Christians will not just sit back and wait to be slaughtered or become trapped in ghettoes. It is hoped that the international community will be fair in pointing out the real factors behind communal violence. After all, it is clear that religious tensions erupted after Seleka troops began to ransack Christian areas. However, the same media which always points out the “Buddhist” angle in Myanmar (more Christians have been killed in Myanmar than any other non-Buddhist religion in the last few decades) in relation to the persecution of Muslims in this country; they appear to loathe to point out massacres by Muslims forces in the CAR against Christians; just like the persecution of Buddhists and others in the Chittagong Hill Tracts is barely mentioned in Bangladesh.
In must be remembered that when less than two thousand people had been killed in Kosovo the West intervened rapidly and took this part of Serbia away from the indigenous Orthodox Christians. Yet when northern Cyprus was occupied by Turkey and Orthodox Christians were cleansed then Western nations did zilch apart from sell more military arms to Turkey. Similarly, when millions of black African Christians and Animists were massacred in Sudan (many forced into slavery and forcibly converted to Islam) you never had the threat of Western intervention. Likewise, the mainly Christians of West Papua are currently facing Javanization and Islamization in Indonesia but the world is turning a blind eye once more just like they did when the Catholic Timorese were massacred in vast numbers by the same forces.
Elizabeth Kendal reports in Christian Today that the “Central African Republic is French-speaking and its population is around 76 per cent Christian. On Sunday 24 March 2013, Seleka — a coalition of local and foreign Arabic-speaking Islamic militias — seized control of the capital, Bangui, in an orgy of violence and looting.”
“But Seleka does not rape, loot and kill indiscriminately. Rather, Seleka attacks Christians and spares Muslims, causing traditional community trust to evaporate, and creating a sectarian tinderbox.”
The same author reports that Christian militias are now retaliating and massacres against Muslims are happening based on the actions of Muslim forces within Seleka. Indeed, just like you have countless militias in Libya then it is difficult to define Seleka because many are mere rogue elements which are focused on economic goals alongside anti-Christian persecution. However, while religious agitation wasn’t enforced by the usual Christian leaders of the CAR, it is abundantly clear that you have an Islamist cause within all the chaos and common criminality of forces within Seleka and clearly the so-called government of national unity isn’t in control of the situation.
Christian Bishop Albert Vanbuel stated “a rebellion of religious extremism with evil intentions, characterized by profanation and planned destruction of religious buildings, especially Catholic and Protestant churches” is now in power. In other words, the new government under Djotodia is based on an agenda which threatens the religious mosaic of the CAR because elements within Seleka clearly have a religious angle.
The International Crisis Group reported “The new government of national unity is fragile and faces considerable challenges. Securing the country, organizing elections, restoring public services and implementing judicial, economic and social reforms, were agreed to in Libreville and remain on the agenda. But dissension within Seleka, the proliferation of weapons in Bangui and the deterioration of the social environment could jeopardize the very fragile transition. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating: the population is suffering from deprivation, which will be compounded by the rainy season, and there are some 150,000-180,000 internally displaced people. Faced with multiple problems, the new government will have to define security, humanitarian, budgetary and political priorities. To secure the peace and stability that previous governments failed to achieve, it must develop a new disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) program and rethink security sector reform (SSR). Restoring security and promoting innovative approaches tailored to the country’s needs are key to ensuring the success of the transition.”
Of great concern is who is behind the funding of Muslim forces which are spreading sectarianism in the CAR? It isn’t difficult to point the finger at Gulf petrodollars and similarly Sudan may have ambitions? However, currently you have no substantial findings in this regard because various specialists have provided different answers to this important question. Despite this, it is clear that Seleka is well armed (despite being disbanded this movement continues to kill and ransack) and the sectarian agenda also points to sinister outside forces.
France announced that they will send approximately 1,000 military personnel to the CAR which will top up the current 400 plus soldiers which are stationed in this nation. The Defense Minister of France, Jean-Yves Le Drian, made it clear that France would send 1,000 troops to the CAR in order to boost security. However, unlike in Mali the role of France isn’t clear because will France take sides or work with the tainted self-proclaimed leader of this nation? After all, in Mali the mainly black African Muslim ethnic groups welcomed France after a mixture of al-Qaeda affiliated forces began to attack indigenous Islam in this nation alongside genuine grievances felt by the Tuareg. Yet in the CAR it is clear that Christians in many areas lack faith in the current self-proclaimed leadership which is blamed for the bloodletting and setting the fire of sectarianism.
Le Drian said “France will support this African mission with about 1,000 soldiers…We will do this in support, not as the first ones in, as we have done for Mali, and for a short period, in the range of about six months.”
France 24 reports “…Le Drian said the soldiers would act as support to a 2,500-strong regional peacekeeping force deployed by the Economic Community of Central African States. The African Union will take charge of the force in December and boost its size to around 3,600 troops.”
The Security Council was urged by Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and highly respected diplomat from Sweden, to turn the CAR into an operation for the UN. He stated that “The CAR is becoming a breeding ground for extremists and armed groups in a region that is already suffering from conflict and instability…If this situation is left to fester, it may develop into a religious and ethnic conflict with long-standing consequences, even a civil war that could spread into neighboring countries.”
If action isn’t taken then the spiral of violence will only get worse and sectarianism will hang over the CAR. Yet, who will France, the UN and AU work with given the tainted self declared leader of this nation who clearly isn’t trusted by many within the Christian community?
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Syria: 12 Nuns Abducted by Islamist Rebels in Christian Town of Maaloula
[Jeremiah 49:23-27]
Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded , and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted ; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet . Damascus is waxed feeble , and turn herself to flee , and fear has seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail . How is the city of praise not left , the city of my joy! Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.
Islamist rebels have kidnapped a group of nuns from the Greek Orthodox monastery of St Thecla (Mar Taqla) in Maaloula (north of Damascus). Mgr Mario Zenari, the Vatican nuncio in Damascus, confirmed the information after speaking with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate. Through the Vatican diplomat, the latter “calls on all Catholics to pray for the women religious.”
“Armed men burst in the monastery of St Thecla in Maaloula this afternoon. From there, they forcibly took 12 women religious,” Mgr Zenari said, citing a statement from Patriarchate. The group of Islamist rebels has apparently taken them to Yabrud, some 80 km north of the capital. Neither the nuncio nor the church Greek Orthodox Church know reason behind the kidnapping.
Islamist Rebels from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) had invaded the small town on 5 September after driving out regime troops with the support of al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Brigades. After taking control of the city, they went on a rampage against Christian buildings, killing three young Catholic men.
More than 3,000 people, the town’s entire Christian population, fled their homes seeking refuge in Bab Touma, the Christian quarter of Damascus. Some found shelter with relatives in Lebanon or in local Greek-Catholic convents.
Only Muslims were left in town, plus 40 nuns at the St Thecla Monastery who stayed to help care for dozens of orphaned children.
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‘Largest Massacre of Christians in Syria’ Ignored
One of the worst Christian massacres—complete with mass graves, tortured-to-death women and children, and destroyed churches—recently took place in Syria, at the hands of the U.S.-supported jihadi “rebels”; and the U.S. government and its “mainstream media” mouthpiece are, as usual, silent (that is, when not actively trying to minimize matters).
The massacre took place in Sadad, an ancient Syriac Orthodox Christian habitation, so old as to be mentioned in the Old Testament. Most of the region’s inhabitants are poor, as Sadad is situated in the remote desert between Homs and Damascus (desert regions, till now, apparently the only places Syria’s Christians could feel secure; 600 Christian families had earlier fled there for sanctuary from the jihad, only to be followed by it).
In late October, the U.S-supported “opposition” invaded and occupied Sadad for over a week, till ousted by the nation’s military. Among other atrocities, 45 Christians—including women and children—were killed, several tortured to death; Sadat’s 14 churches, some ancient, were ransacked and destroyed; the bodies of six people from one family, ranging from ages 16 to 90, were found at the bottom of a well (an increasingly common fate for “subhuman” Christians).
The jihadis even made a graphic video (with English subtitles) of those whom they massacred, while shouting Islam’s victory-cry, “Allahu Akbar” (which John McCain equates to a Christian saying “thank God”). Another video, made after Sadad was liberated shows more graphic atrocities.
Here are the words of Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh, Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Homs and Hama (another detailed account):
What happened in Sadad is the most serious and biggest massacre of Christians in Syria in the past two years and a half… 45 innocent civilians were martyred for no reason, and among them several women and children, many thrown into mass graves. Other civilians were threatened and terrorized. 30 were wounded and 10 are still missing. For one week, 1,500 families were held as hostages and human shields. Among them children, the elderly, the young, men and women…. All the houses of Sadad were robbed and property looted. The churches are damaged and desecrated, deprived of old books and precious furniture… What happened in Sadad is the largest massacre of Christians in Syria and the second in the Middle East, after the one in the Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Iraq, in 2010.
In the Iraqi attack of 2010, al-Qaeda linked jihadis stormed the church during service killing some 60 Christian worshippers (see here for graphic images of the aftermath).
While the archbishop is correct that this is the “largest massacre of Christians in Syria,” it is but the tip of the iceberg of the persecution the nation’s Christian minority has suffered—including beheadings, church bombings, kidnappings, rapes, and dislocation of hundreds of thousands of Christians—since the war broke out .
A month before Sadad, another ancient Christian region, Ma’loula, one of the world’s very few regions that still spoke Aramaic, the language of Jesus, was besieged by the jihadis, its churches bombarded and plundered, its inhabitants forced to convert to Islam or die. The last words of one man who refused were: “I am a Christian, and if you want to kill me for this, I do not object to it.”
The archbishop concluded his statement concerning Sadad by asking: “We have shouted aid to the world but no one has listened to us. Where is the Christian conscience? Where is human consciousness? Where are my brothers? I think of all those who are suffering today in mourning and discomfort: We ask everyone to pray for us.”
Serge Trifkovic—who hails from a European region especially acquainted with Islamic jihad—responds to the archbishop as follows:
That no “human consciousness” is to be found in the White House, or in the editorial offices of the leading Western media, is now a matter of well-established record. Just try searching for “Sadad” (or alternatively “Saddad”) on the websites of the Department of State or The New York Times. Ditto the leading European dailies, the CNN/BBC/RTF, the human-rights defending “NGOs” et al.
The problem, of which Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh appears unaware, is no longer in the Western elite’s mere indifference to the impending demise of Christianity in the lands of its birth, but in its active, ongoing, and open contribution to that demise. Cyprus (1974) and the Balkans (1991-9) provided the test, Iraq (2003-today) the conclusive proof. In Syria the Obama administration remains committed to supporting the rebels—ah, yes, only the “moderate” ones, like the Christian-murdering “Free Syrian Army” (discretion advised again), not “even though” the result will be the same, but precisely because it will be.
In one of the Arabic videos documenting the aftermath of the Sadad massacre, as the mutilated bodies of one family are drawn from a well , a middle-aged male relative, in tears, says:
The most precious in the whole universe [his family], are now gone, leaving me alone, but thank God I am still surrounded by these loving people who remain. I want to say, let people [the jihadis] return to their minds. The problems of the world can only be solved by knowledge and brains. Enough insanity, the nerves of the people are shredded. Enough, enough—return to your minds; you people, you humans—return to your humanity, enough crimes.
As a sign of the times, here is a Syrian, an “easterner,” evoking rationalism and humanity, products of the Christian West, at a time when the post-Christian West is governed by anything and everything—propaganda, emotionalism, mindless indoctrination—but the twain.
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