13 October 2006
Over 35,000 Christians have fled Iraq
(jpost.com) More than 35,000 Iraqi Christians have fled to Syria to escape the violence in their country, the leader of an Iraqi Christian group said Thursday. Christians, who make up three percent of Iraq's 26 million people, are leaving because of individual...
More than 35,000 Iraqi Christians have fled to Syria to escape the violence in their country, the leader of an Iraqi Christian group said Thursday.
Christians, who make up three percent of Iraq's 26 million people, are leaving because of individual threats from Muslim extremists and the general deterioration of security in Iraq, said Emmanuel Khoshaba, the Syrian head of the Assyrian and Democratic Movement.
His figure indicates an increase of 75% from the 20,000 Iraqi Christians who were said to have moved to Syria in 2004, the year after US-led forces invaded Iraq and began the conflict.
One Iraqi Christian refugee, Bassam Najjari, 29, said he arrived in Syria last month; 40 days after gunmen shot and injured him in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, as police looked on.
"I decided to leave Baghdad with my family," said Najjari, who is staying in a camp near the Syrian capital, Damascus, with his parents and brothers.
His brother, Wissam, said he plans to start his own business in Syria.
"There is no hope of going back home as the security situation is very bad and there is no indication that it would get better soon," Wissam said.
"We want to live in safety. We don't want to be killed. We love life," said another Christian refugee, Saddallah Mardini, 43.
Mardini said US forces should leave Iraq now.
"The occupation has brought destruction to Iraq," he said.
His wife, Wissam, 25, complained of shortages of electricity and water in Iraq.
"My kids go to school now (in Syria), which is something they were deprived of in Iraq," she said.
Syria's relaxed visa rules for Arabs, as well as its border and cultural proximity to Iraq, have attracted thousands of Iraqi refugees, Muslims as well as Christians. But a disproportionate number of the refugees are Christian.
The violence in Iraq has hit Christians as it has targeted Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims.
Seven Christians were killed in 2004 when suspected Islamic militants set off bombs in five churches in Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul. It was the first major assault on Iraq's Christians since Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled in April 2003.
More recently, the Rev. Hanna Saad Sirop, the director of the Theology Department at Babel University, central Iraq, was abducted Aug. 15 as he left a Baghdad church after a mass celebrating the Assumption.
08:36 Posted in IRAQ | Permalink | Comments (11) | 
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Comments
You can't judge Islam by biased articles like these,
After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, my pastor invited Muslims to our church services to speak to the congregation, share their beliefs and even pray Islamic prayers during the service. I liked it so much I converted to Islam and so did my dad. Its GREAT!!!!
100,000 people per year in America alone, are converting to Islam. For every 1 male convert to Islam, 4 females convert to Islam.
Posted by: Amee Bartelowe | 13 October 2006
Sorry, Amee, you sound like you don't really understand salvation. People are people. But religions differ. Read the Quran and you will know where bin Laden and others got their ideas. Look at every Muslim country and see what kind of governement they have and how they one another and how they treat minorities. How do they rate?
Posted by: care | 13 October 2006
Amee, when someone converts to Islam, God forgives all of his previous sins and evil deeds.
The Mercy of God is not restricted arbitrarily to any one peoples. Everyone and anyone is free to accept the path to God using their own free will and reason.
http://www.aprilyasin.org/
Posted by: April | 13 October 2006
If Europe has any heart, it will serve and protect the Christians by opening their land to them.
This just shows that this blog is becoming a state for islamic affairs, just take a look at the first comment, "You can't judge Islam by biased articles like these...", since which part of the article (no quotes have been mentioned) posted actually contain any bias? It refers to the smallest minority in Iraq and refers to the problems between shia and sunni. Anyone care to deny that a civil war is in fact going on as we speak? Didn't think so.
Posted by: Jozka Morozov | 13 October 2006
There was no civil war in Iraq until Bush started his crusade, may I also mention that there was not one suicide bombing in Iraq, nor was there an Al Qaeda presence until we westerners tried to shove democracy down their throat.
In reality Iraq isn't the first place where America's Christian Right has sought out a war in order to spread American values. One other time this occurred was when President William Mckinley invaded the Philippines. Christians supported this war because they thought it was the Will of God that the Philippines be made safe for Protestant Christianity and democracy
Posted by: kingdom of heaven | 14 October 2006
To Amee,
I'm from Poland and my english is not so good, so please forgive me my mistakes. You converted to islam, hmm...That 's mean that you earlier not got to know Lord of all people - Jesus Christ. He is the only way not the allah. Islam was born from Christianity, Judaism and many pagan cults of Near East place. This religion was spreading only with help of the sword. The mahometans killed or force to be an islamist the christians from Near East , Holy Land, North Africa etc. And only with help our Good Lord they not stayed in Spain and go out from Europe ( Thank you Lord for the king John III Sobieski who win with the muslims in Wien in anno domini 1683 ). JESUS CHRIST is our saviour, His cross was for our sins, we are sinners, and only he can help us in our troubels. I'm catholic and 19 years old and I'm student and I will pray for you on the rosary and Holy Mass, that you will find personal relation with Jesus Christ. satan is very intelligent but Jesus defeated him, satan want very hard that you don't be with jesus, cause hi know that is only way for you, don't lose the hope, pray to the Lord for the Gifts of Holy Spirit and find the way in the Holy Church i will pray for that and i will send this intention to many Churches and monasterys in Poland. I know that Lord will hear this voice, the choice is in your free will, In nomine Pater, et Filii, et Spiritus Sanctus, Amen.
Posted by: wojtek | 14 October 2006
Wojek,The largest Muslim country in the world today is Indonesia, having over 200 million citizens, never saw a Muslim soldier. Islaam spread there and in Malaysia and Philippines by trade. That was also the case of Islaam’s spread in West African countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Chad and Niger. Also, Islaam is the fastest growing religion in America today with anywhere between 300 and 500 converts daily. This is taking place without any soldiers or even missionaries
Islam is still growing and spreading all over the world and the Muslims have no sword! Islam has continued to win new converts, especially between Afro and white Americans as well as in Europe. Someone may argue that the Afro-American needs a religion that embraces equality of races, then what about the white Americans and European.
The Christians want to slander Islam by claiming that it was spread by the sword. Islam spread by means of proof and evidence to those who listened to the message and responded to it. Islam does not encourage any kind of terrorism; in fact, it denounces it.
Those who use terrorism in the name of Islam, in fact, have no other faculty except ignorance and hatred.
Posted by: Crossfire | 14 October 2006
Prophet Muhammad was never a pagan. He refrained from worshipping idols and statues that he considered unworthy of worship. Why do Christians nowadays pray to the statue of Jesus? Islam was not born of modern Christianity which is a mere Pagan concoction of Paul.
Modern Christians like Wojtek ONLY COPIED ALREADY EXISTING PAGAN RELIGIONS.
Not only do the deceitful flunkies of the Christian church adhere to pagan rituals that were foreign to the man Jesus himself the word "Christian" is only uttered twice in the entire KJV,and neither of those utterences were linked to Jesus.
May Allah bless intelligent, pleasant westerners like Amee.
Posted by: Uthman | 14 October 2006
I will pray every day for you on the rosary and Holy Mass.
Ave Maria, gratia plena. Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance the criptures; he ascended into heaven and is seat at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified, he has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the work to come. Amen.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Posted by: wojtek | 15 October 2006
Wojtek, Jesus is quoted many times in the Bible saying that a believer can ask for anything through prayer and receive it. Simply pray for me to be converted to Christianity right away. Or better yet ask God to move the mountains behind my house. He could make a lot of converts that way. If I’m converted today, I’ll post a public apology on this christian web site and devote my life to kissing Christianity. If I’m not converted it would only be fair for you to apologize and devote your life to Islam.
Matthew 21:21-22 (King James Version)
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2021:21-22;&version=9
Posted by: THE CHALLENGE | 15 October 2006
God is my Lord and He know what is good for you in this time. I can't dictate my will to Jesus, because He know who is ready to be in His Church and who want to be in his Church. He is not a dictator, but He is the love and He is waiting humbly with great love for us. I'm a big sinner so forgive me if I told anything what can be agressive, I belive and I know that Jesus is the love and only He can help me and all people. He help me in my life, when me mother died when I was 11, and in other problems in my life and I belive He will guide me in rest of my life to the time when I will unite with Him in eternal life. I know he give me His Mother and She is the mother of all people - Saint Mary, I love you all because it is the element Word of God. Jesus is my Lord. I'm sorry if I to maim someone, but all I want to say is that Jesus is the only way. Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Posted by: wojtek | 15 October 2006
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