Christian Soldiers stand ready to Convert Iraq

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-10 05:32pm

Look at this:

The GLobe and Mail wrote:U.S. missionaries plan 'spiritual warfare' when fighting ends

By DOUG SAUNDERS
Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Washington is trying to portray its battle as one of liberation, not conquest, but Iraq is about to be invaded by thousands of U.S. evangelical missionaries who say they are bent on a "spiritual warfare" campaign to convert the country's Muslims to Christianity.

Among the largest aid groups preparing to provide humanitarian aid to Iraqis are a number of Christian charities based in the southern United States that make no secret of their desire to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and win over Muslim souls.

The largest of these is the Southern Baptist Convention, an ardent supporter of the war as an opportunity to bring Christianity to the Middle East. It says it has 25,000 trained evangelists ready to enter Iraq.

"That would [mean] a heart change would go on in that part of the world," Mark Liederbach of the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary said in a recent speech to the SBC. "That's what we need to be praying for. That's how a Christian wages spiritual warfare."

Such words have caused deep alarm among military and diplomatic authorities. Although Christian aid organizations have worked comfortably alongside secular groups in other conflicts, Muslims around the world are already suspicious of U.S. motives in Iraq, and the worry is that missionaries could reinforce the widespread popular belief that the war is really a "clash of civilizations" between Christians and Muslims.

Muslim groups say they believe the presence of evangelists is a sign that President George W. Bush is trying to impose his own evangelical Christianity on Muslims. It does not help that Mr. Bush became a born-again Christian with the assistance of Billy Graham, the founder of the SBC.

"This is creating a real serious problem of perception: Here we have an army invading Iraq, followed by a bunch of people who want to convert everyone to Christianity," said Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on Islamic-American Relations. "How's that going to look in the Muslim world? And how's it going to look that this guy says Muslims are evil and he's the guy who works with the President?"

Mr. Hooper was referring to Mr. Graham's son, Franklin, who runs the SBC. The younger Mr. Graham, who delivered the invocation at Mr. Bush's inauguration in 2001, has repeatedly gone on the record describing Islam as "wicked."

Mr. Graham has recently been more tolerant of Islam, but he has made it clear that the conversion of Muslims to Christianity is a goal for his volunteers.

"I believe as we work, God will always give us opportunities to tell others about His Son," he told the religious newsletter BeliefNet last week. "We are there to reach out to love them and to save them, and as a Christian, I do this in the name of Jesus Christ."

In response to criticism, many Christian aid groups, including Mr. Graham's, have toned down the religious messages.

In one major project, Baptist families have been asked to put together "gift of love" food boxes designed to provide a month's worth of basic nourishment to a family of five. "Please do not place any additional items/literature inside the box," the families are told.

While many evangelical aid workers are motivated by humanitarian desires, their mission statement makes it clear that they are required to attempt conversions: "It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ."

Bold-faced sections highlighted by me.

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-04-10 05:36pm

Whoa whoa whoa... The Middle East won't let non-Islamic LITERATURE into their countries, and they're gonna let MISSIONARIES in??

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-10 05:37pm

Damn, haven't the Iraqi people been fucked over enough? Now they get to be hounded by fucking Southern Baptist missionaries.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-04-10 05:40pm

If the State Department has any Goddamn balls or brains, they'll refuse to issue passports to those clowns. That's just what we fucking need to prove our good intentions--Christian missionaries.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-04-10 05:42pm

RedImperator wrote:If the State Department has any Goddamn balls or brains, they'll refuse to issue passports to those clowns. That's just what we fucking need to prove our good intentions--Christian missionaries.

They've got balls, to be sure. But judging from the massive clusterfuck that was the diplomatic campaign for the Iraqi war, they have no brains.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-04-10 05:45pm

Unfortunately Fundies are fucking things up as usual. God this reminds me of the South Park episode with Pat Robertson and the Crusader space ship. UGH.

I know a few born agains and fundies that have bragged about Afghnaistan and how it is now allowing them to go forth and spread the Word there now that we displaced the Taliban.

If they truly believed and had the balls they would do as the apostles did and go into hostile territory spreading the waord and risking their lives.

Next of Kin · Post by **Next of Kin** » 2003-04-10 05:45pm

I can picture John Hagee and Jerry Falwell purchasing their airline tickets to Iraq at this very moment.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-04-10 05:50pm

*Stares at the quote in his sig*

Yup yup, still true, I see...

Warspite · Post by **Warspite** » 2003-04-10 05:50pm

Bah, let them go... They'll be slapped by reality the minute they start their bullshit. They'll have a mMuslim mob chasing them right back into whichever airport they came.

Of course, the State Department will issue passports, after all, they give a lot of money to the current government, right?
(I can just imagine the Muslim world going apeshit with this, completely nullifying the Coalition results.)

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-04-10 06:12pm

I'm stuck on the first highlighted paragraph. It makes it sound like a military operation.

Elite Commando Conversion Force, deploy! Enlighten the heathens!

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-04-10 06:50pm

Well I am looking at things on the bright side.

This has all the earmarks of being as sucessful as when Europe sent thousands of CHILDREN into slavery as a means of coverting the middle east to christianity.

so who want's to bet they get held over in a Turkish Prison?

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-04-10 06:51pm

Next of Kin wrote:I can picture John Hagee and Jerry Falwell purchasing their airline tickets to Iraq at this very moment.

One set of physcos for another. I really hope Bush stops this. But he won't.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-04-10 06:53pm

Stupid fundies they have no respect for others religious beliefs,i hope the news networks shows these dickheads getting their ass kicked

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-04-10 07:29pm

I don't care for your title Mike, it makes it sound like the actual soliders are the ones who intend to do the converting.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-04-10 07:49pm

Thank you idiots for spreading more anti-American sentiment... Why can't they just mind their own damn business?

Looks like we're trying to conquer the Iraqi people now...

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-04-10 07:54pm

Dumbasses. They'll probably die.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-04-10 08:01pm

This will put middle eastern relations down the toilet.

Course, fundies have no sense of subtlety. Or common sense. Or a brain for that matter.

I at least hope Powell or the military leaders voice some concern over this.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-04-10 08:20pm

Darth Wong wrote:U.S. missionaries plan 'spiritual warfare' when fighting ends

Good! Maybe the Iraqis will shoot these assholes instead of shooting at our troops.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-04-10 08:24pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:U.S. missionaries plan 'spiritual warfare' when fighting ends
Good! Maybe the Iraqis will shoot these assholes instead of shooting at our troops.

Will they win a teddy bear each time they`ll shoot a christian fundies.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-04-10 08:35pm

Hopefully the lot of them will wander into Syria or Iran and get themselves shot. I mean fucking hell, you have to go and bagger people that have just been through a war? They have no decency at all.

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-04-10 08:47pm

What a bunch of jerks. Even if they don't get any support from the government, it will still be looked upon as "proof" that the war is a war against Islam in the Muslim world. Hopefully they'll either all die and win Darwin Awards, or get on the nerve of US soldiers in Iraq and used as their human shields.

Yogi · Post by **Yogi** » 2003-04-10 10:03pm

I'm really surprised that no one saw this coming. At least, no one admits it.

Captain Jack · Post by **Captain Jack** » 2003-04-10 10:07pm

Yogi wrote:I'm really surprised that no one saw this coming. At least, no one admits it.

I'll be honest: I never expected this.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2003-04-10 10:36pm

I never expected this either. I just hope these fundamentalist idiots don't fuck up all of the hard work we did. That would just be fucking disgusting. After 12 long hard years of oppression, the Iraqis will have to deal with these assholes?! The fundies will fuck over our entire effort to liberate Iraq if they are allowed to do this. The thought is just...sickening.

Yogi · Post by **Yogi** » 2003-04-10 10:41pm

Actually, the people I was reffering to who "didn't see this coming" are those in charge (Bush & gang.) The part about no one admitting it is also adressed to them.

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Christian Soldiers stand ready to Convert Iraq

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