Iraq's Christian minority under attack

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-08-02 03:46pm

My source is NPR. I'll try to hunt down a link.

NPR reports that several Christian churches across Iraq have been bombed in the last few days, apparently a shift in tactics by the insurgents to terrorize Iraq's tiny Christian minority, which numbers less than a million people. Details to follow as I dig up a print article.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-08-02 04:03pm

It wouldn't suprise me since a lot of the terrorists there are Islamic extremists.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-08-02 04:37pm

Okay. Got a wealth of stuff, though not all terribly recent.

United Press International on Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani condemning the bombings, dated today.

NPR audio of today's Morning Edition report.

Christian Science Monitor.

SwissInfo on Iraq blaming al-Zarqawi for the bombings.

ChristianityToday magazine for the fundie take on it.

The rest of this is older stuff to establish background for the "mounting pressure" described in the first article.

The Christian Science Monitor.

NPR.

Radio Free Europe.

Washington Times.

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2004-08-02 05:42pm

I wonder if they're more enlightened...

The Science Monitor article wrote:"Why do they kill all the Iraqi people?" [a priest] asks in exasperation. "Why don't they kill the Americans? They are the occupiers. We are innocent."

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-08-02 05:45pm

I was watching footage of it on CNN.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-08-03 02:40am

StarshipTitanic wrote:I wonder if they're more enlightened...

The Science Monitor article wrote:"Why do they kill all the Iraqi people?" [a priest] asks in exasperation. "Why don't they kill the Americans? They are the occupiers. We are innocent."

Oooooookay.

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-08-03 11:39am

Christians don't frighten like that. They think it's a sign from God to press on where they aren't wanted. So the best way to eliminate it is to leave them alone.

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2004-08-03 08:48pm

Rogue 9 wrote:
StarshipTitanic wrote:I wonder if they're more enlightened...

The Science Monitor article wrote:"Why do they kill all the Iraqi people?" [a priest] asks in exasperation. "Why don't they kill the Americans? They are the occupiers. We are innocent."

Oooooookay.

It reminded me of the Christian missionaries that went to Iraq to convert it thinking that if they could, it would be a better nation.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-08-04 12:34am

There have been Christian Arabs for longer than there have been Western missionaries. You'll notice that the article talks of Arminian churches; those aren't the product of Western missionary work. As for where they aren't wanted, Iraq is their home as much as the Muslims'.

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2004-08-04 11:44am

Rogue 9 wrote:There have been Christian Arabs for longer than there have been Western missionaries. You'll notice that the article talks of Arminian churches; those aren't the product of Western missionary work. As for where they aren't wanted, Iraq is their home as much as the Muslims'.

I'm not an idiot. No where did I say that these are the products of recent missionary efforts. As for "better nation," read that as "more compliant to the US nation."