This 2 minute video (once you get past the commercial) is an excerpt from the CBS TV Show 60 Minutes that aired last night. In this video a clergyman in Baghdad tells the reporter that the situation for Iraq's Christians is worse now than under Saddam Hussein's reign, and possibly the worst since Christians have lived in the country.
I posted about this last year and got one response.. I think that many of us are sad beyond words when we consider that our fellow believers in Jesus are suffering in Iraq because of an ill-advised war that has resulted in Iraq becoming a full-fledged Muslim country hostile to Christian faith and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please take 2 minutes to watch the video.. it will inform you and maybe inspire you to pray for these in Iraq.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to be a smart aleck. But, while I find the religious persecution of Christians extremely troubling, I don't find it any more troubling than the persecution of any other religious group (say the Buddhists in Tibet) or any group for any reason.
I'm sick of men killing each other in the name of God, Allah, their tribe, their skin color or whatever!
I know lot of people find the song blasphemous. But, the older I get, the more I appreciate John Lennon's "Imagine".
I don't find "Imagine" blasphemous Brian.. always thought of it as something Lennon wrote to escape reality.. something he seemed to gravitate towards.. escapism is not particularly a bad thing (as long as it does not involve drugs).. just not too helpful.. of course I am not an expert on all things Lennon.
ReplyDeleteI agree that religious persecution of any sort is very troubling.. just think that it is sad that we who enjoy religious freedom indirectly foisted persecution on a country where Christians were once able to worship freely and now cannot.
Yeah, I see the irony and the sadness in the situation in Iraq. That inadvertently, we made Christians there less safe.
ReplyDeleteI'm far from an expert on all things Lennon. But, I am a dreamer...
Peace,
Brian
Thanks for this post, Bob. It's so easy for us to take for granted how easy it is to worship Christ in our neighborhoods - and the courage and faith of those who persavere in the face of persecution. I will say a prayer today (and maybe tomorrow, too)
ReplyDelete..I am a dreamer too Brian ..just call me Don Quixote.. twice.
ReplyDeleteI agree Ed about how easy it is to take our freedom for granted.. I guess that is why I posted this.. to remind me if no one else.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bad time for Christians in Iraq and in Afghanistan too. Pick up a copy of "Secret Believers" by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen to get a taste of what converts to Christianity face in Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteBTW, it's not so swell in India either. A law was passed last year in India to allow Christians to be arrested without a warrant. Apparently the Hindus feel threatened by the large numbers of their lower casts turning to Christ. Of course, none of the three governments openly support this persecution, but neither are they doing much of anything to prevent it.
Yeah, I love that song, too. I've never seen the play though.
ReplyDeleteMan of La Mancha is one of my all time favorite plays Brian.. seen it twice on Broadway and once locally.. catch it if you ever get a chance.. but stay clear of the movie - very bad.
ReplyDeleteThat is one brave guy! My father, a pastor, recently had the honor of meeting his counterpart, who had been the last pastor our church had in Bagdad. They met in Jordan, where he has been working since the war started. (You can read more on his blog or see a picture of of the three pastors: Ara, an Armenian pastor from Lebanon, my father, and Jony Hajaj, the bi-lingual (Arabic-English) pastor from Amman. Jony is also an alumnus of our school in France where my dad, too, took his first year of theology. It is he who was in Baghdad preaching just before the American/Coalition forces launched their attack.
ReplyDeleteI think I will link to this video from my blog - I find it very important!
Thanks for stopping by Heather Ann!
ReplyDeleteI hope Baghdad can once again be a safe place for people like Jony.