|
| MAY 23, 2017 | SHARE → |
|
|
Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Showing posts with label Islamists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islamists. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Trump's Historic Israel Visit: 'Peace Is Possible' - CBN News
Monday, November 16, 2015
Widespread Terrorism Is Just Part Of The Perfect Storm That Is Now Descending On The Western World - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE
|
Posted: 15 Nov 2015 Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE
Words cannot adequately describe the utter horror that was unleashed on the streets of Paris, France on Friday. CNN is calling it “the worst violence witnessed in France since World War II“, and even though it happened a couple of days ago now, many of us are still having a really tough time processing what took place. Somehow, a small group of less than 10 radical Islamists was able to unleash a coordinated wave of attacks that killed at least 129 people and injured at least 350.
All of this comes less than a year after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, and many in the western world are now starting to understand that something has fundamentally changed. Even though France has a highly advanced anti-terrorism infrastructure, and even though it also has some of the strictest anti-gun laws in Europe, none of that did anything to prevent these attacks. Despite all of our advanced technology, the openness of our society makes us highly vulnerable to Islamic terror. And as more waves of refugees from the Middle East are absorbed by both Europe and the United States, it is inevitable that there will be more attacks like this. According to Google, the definition of a “soft target” is “a person or thing that is relatively unprotected or vulnerable, especially to military or terrorist attack.” And as we just saw in France, the western world is literally teeming with soft targets. I am talking about sporting events, concert halls, schools, churches, shopping malls, power stations, water treatment facilities, mass transit, etc. For those that wish to create terror, the opportunities are endless. In the western world, we generally rely on certain deterrents in order to maintain order. Most sane people do not want to be shot, and most sane people do not want to go to prison. But what do you do when there are large numbers of crazy people that are actually looking forward to being martyrs? We don’t really have a defense for the kind of attack that we just witnessed in France. What can you really do when you are dealing with large numbers of homicidal maniacs that are not afraid to die and that can strike anywhere at any time? Unless you can identify the terrorists or their plans ahead of time, it becomes a guessing game. And the level of evil demonstrated by these terrorists is truly astounding. At the Bataclan Theater, two of the terrorists fired their AK-47s indiscriminately into the crowd for a full 10 minutes… At the Bataclan Theater, at least 75 people attending a concert by a U.S. rock band were killed and many more injured, according to authorities. Eyewitnesses spoke of two young men armed with AK47 assault rifles firing repetitively and dispassionately into the crowded venue, targeting helpless victims cowering on the floor.Julien Pearce, a radio reporter who was inside the concert hall, told CNN he saw two terrorists at the back of the venue, “firing randomly to the crowd. People yelled, screamed, everybody lying on the floor. And it lasted for ten minutes, ten minutes, ten horrific minutes, where everybody was on the floor covering their heads.” But these latest attacks are just part of a wider trend of chaos and terror that has descended upon western Europe. For much, much more on this, please check out this video. Sadly, what Europe is currently experiencing is coming here too. When I first start dealing with someone new, I watch to see if that individual will actually follow through on what he or she has promised. Sometimes this happens, but sometimes it does not. In the case of ISIS, I would have to say that they are indeed following through on what they said they would do. Tonight, much of Europe is completely gripped by fear and terror, and the head of ISIS has promised a “direct confrontation” with the United States as well… Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), issued a rare audio message back on January 21 in which he flatly stated his group’s intention to march on Baghdad and move into “direct confrontation” with the United States.As WND has pointed out, there have been dozens of Islamic terror attacks on U.S. soil since 2001, but most of them have been relatively small. Unfortunately, I believe that we are moving into a new era. Instead of just being satisfied with killing dozens or hundreds of people, these terrorists will start getting a hold of weapons that can kill thousands. Eventually we will see terror attacks inside this country that will make 9/11 look like a Sunday picnic. And Barack Obama is certainly not helping things by “resettling” thousands upon thousands of Syrian refugees in communities all over America. Of course increasing terror is just a part of the overall picture. Many have described what is coming to the United States and Europe as a “perfect storm”, and I would agree with that assessment. Even without Islamic terror, we live at a time of rising civil unrest. The deep divisions in our country have been demonstrated by what happened in Ferguson, in Baltimore and more recently at the University of Missouri. Americans are angrier and more frustrated than ever before, and the mainstream media is constantly playing up the divisions between various groups. And thanks to Barack Obama’s refusal to protect our borders, there are now 1.4 million members of criminal gangs living in our cities. Violent crime is already on the rise in our urban areas, and it is going to get even worse as we plunge into recession. For instance, the city of Baltimore recently recorded its 300th homicide of the year after only seeing 211 for all of 2014. Our major cities have never been more primed for civil unrest, and I believe that we are going to see widespread rioting, looting and chaos in the years ahead as the economy totally falls to pieces. In addition to increased Islamic terror and civil unrest, I also believe we are moving into a time of great governmental shaking, increased tensions between global superpowers, unprecedented natural disasters, and the greatest financial unraveling the world has ever seen. All of these trends will feed into one another to create the “perfect storm” that I mentioned earlier. What this is going to mean is a dramatic change in our standard of living, our liberties and freedoms will continue to be stripped away, and our world is going to be transformed at a pace that very few of us ever imagined was possible. If you have the feeling that everything has changed after what just happened in France, you are right. But this is just the beginning. What is coming in the weeks and months ahead is going to be even worse, and it is going to shock the entire planet. |
| Email delivery powered by Google | |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Trojan Horse: UK Fears Islamic Takeover of Schools CBN News by Dale Hurd, CBN News Sr. Reporter
Trojan Horse: UK Fears Islamic
Takeover of Schools
LONDON -- The British government has announced that schools will be required to teach "British values."
The news comes after Islamists took over several schools in the United Kingdom. This alleged plot to turn British faith-based schools into Muslim training academies has been dubbed "Operation Trojan Horse."
"Individuals with a religious motivation have taken public money and basically created madrassas, basically created religiously motivated schools that promote intolerance, and this in some cases is a criminal enterprise," Islamic expert George Igler said.
The decision comes at a time when Britain was already in an uproar over the explosion of Muslim halal food in the nation's food supply and after revelations that several predominantly Muslim sex gangs around Britain were using English girls as sex slaves.
Whether it's food or schools, Islam is advancing in Britain. Islamists want to conquer the United Kingdom.
"Look, we have around 100 Sharia courts in this country," Anne Maries Waters, who runs Sharia Watch UK, said. "We're the only Western country with a functioning network of Sharia tribunals and councils."
"They're dealing with marriages, divorce, even with criminal matters. They're marrying children," she said.
In Birmingham, with its large Muslim population, authorities say Islamists were turning schools into centers of extremism.
For instance, in one school the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast across the school playground, and non-Muslim teachers were forced out.
"In the most serious cases, a culture of fear and intimidation has taken grip since the schools were last inspected," Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of schools for England, said.
Michael Gove, British secretary of state for education, told parliament this will not happen again.
"Schools that are proven to have failed will be taken over, put under new leadership, and taken in a fresh, new direction," Gove said. "And we will put the promotion of British values at the heart of what every school has to deliver for children."
The fact that Muslims are in a position to take over several schools shows the growing influence of Islamic radicals in Britain.
Watch: CBN News - video
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Anti-Jewish "hate speech" coming from the Presbyterian Church?!
This is a very sad and disturbing report, especially since this reported "anti-Semitic hate speech" is emanating from one of the "main-line" Christian denominations in the world today:
http://www.thejerusalemconnection.us/blog/2014/05/07/presbyterian-church-gets-in-bed-with-radical-islam.html
It was no accident that Yeshua warned His followers [and us], over and over, "Do not be deceived..." (Matt. 24:5, 11, & 24; Mark 13:6 & 22; Luke 21:8)
The world is in the midst of a battle, folks -- not a battle with "flesh and blood", but a spiritual battle against "principalities and powers, and rulers of darkness..." (Ephesians 6:12) Now, more than ever before, we Believers need to be like the Believers in the ancient city of Berea, who "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:10-11)
Ahava
~Bill
By EARL COX, JPOST —
The US government and universities have been infiltrated and influenced by Islamists. Why should we believe mainstream Christian churches in America are exempt? What is surprising is the disturbing depth of deception being proliferated by the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America (PCUSA) via their published study guide “Zionism Unsettled.” Some Jewish groups have called its distorted facts and a historical narrative so extreme that they label it “hate” speech. Think on this: hate speech coming out of a Christian church in America–the Presbyterian Church.American “Zionism” dates back to 1890 and in general is a national movement for returning Jews to their homeland and a resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. After the State of Israel was formed in 1948, Zionism grew to include development of the Jewish state and its protection by supporting Israel’s Defense Forces. Instead of standing with the 70% of Americans polling in support of Jews and Israel, Presbyterians are attacking Zionism, which in turn attacks Israel and puts us all at risk at the hands of Islamic extremists.
Palestinian terrorists fired thousands of rockets towards Israeli homes, schools and businesses over the last decade. The Presbyterian study guide blatantly ignores this fact. The PCUSA vilifies Israel and Zionism, calls for the annihilation of the Jewish State and turns a blind eye away from the culpability of Arab leaders’ responsibility for the adverse plight of their own people.
The guide calls for a rethinking of the Holocaust with the mindset of including the plight of the Palestinians and the idea that Zionism equals racism. According to the Presbyterians, Zionism is to Palestinians as centuries of Christian anti-Semitism were to the Jews. These ideas place Presbyterians sitting in pews every Sunday in the camp with radical positions on serious issues that could bring about disastrous outcomes.
With skewed facts, Presbyterians, via the chapter on “Evangelicals and Christian Zionism,” portray Christians who support Israel as dangerous and a threat to Middle East peace. Dr. Gary Burge, an evangelical Presbyterian and Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College is the author from whom much of this chapter’s content was gleaned. Burge, admitting to believe in a form of “Replacement Theology,” ignores that it was a root cause of centuries of Christian anti-Semitism.
Did God abandon the Jewish people? Has he broken His promises to them? Did he choose a new people, Christians, to take their place? The very implication that Jews have been rejected, discarded and replaced because of their sin and failures poses a dire danger. It provides an excuse for fanning flames of anti-Semitism that is already spreading across the US and abroad. Do Christians, inspired by Burge, and the Presbyterian Church, desire to be a part of that all over again?
I could go into and debate or refute the arguments that Burge and PCUSA present, such as Replacement Theology, dispensationalism and dual covenant, but the real message is that the Abrahamic Covenant is an everlasting covenant. In effect, because it was a watershed moment in God’s intent to save the world from sin, that everlasting covenant has greatly influenced the course of human history. (Galatians 3:8)
The Presbyterian church may wish they were mainstream by favoring Islam over Judaism; they may wish Christians in support of Israel and the Jewish people were a fringe group, but with 70% of us for Israel the Presbyterian church is now aligned with the most extreme of the radical groups. Sabeel, founded by Naim Ateek, propagates Palestinian Liberation Theology.
With skewed facts, Presbyterians, via the chapter on “Evangelicals and Christian Zionism,” portray Christians who support Israel as dangerous and a threat to Middle East peace. Dr. Gary Burge, an evangelical Presbyterian and Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College is the author from whom much of this chapter’s content was gleaned. Burge, admitting to believe in a form of “Replacement Theology,” ignores that it was a root cause of centuries of Christian anti-Semitism.
Did God abandon the Jewish people? Has he broken His promises to them? Did he choose a new people, Christians, to take their place? The very implication that Jews have been rejected, discarded and replaced because of their sin and failures poses a dire danger. It provides an excuse for fanning flames of anti-Semitism that is already spreading across the US and abroad. Do Christians, inspired by Burge, and the Presbyterian Church, desire to be a part of that all over again?
I could go into and debate or refute the arguments that Burge and PCUSA present, such as Replacement Theology, dispensationalism and dual covenant, but the real message is that the Abrahamic Covenant is an everlasting covenant. In effect, because it was a watershed moment in God’s intent to save the world from sin, that everlasting covenant has greatly influenced the course of human history. (Galatians 3:8)
The Presbyterian church may wish they were mainstream by favoring Islam over Judaism; they may wish Christians in support of Israel and the Jewish people were a fringe group, but with 70% of us for Israel the Presbyterian church is now aligned with the most extreme of the radical groups. Sabeel, founded by Naim Ateek, propagates Palestinian Liberation Theology.
Sabeel’s theology disregards any portion of scripture that disagrees with his anti-Semitic views. Liberation theology started in South America because the Communists knew they couldn’t infiltrate the Roman Catholic Church. So, they branded Liberation Theology to do the trick. Maybe the Presbyterian’s would be wise to research before they publish, because their study guide calls for churches to stop using hymns and liturgy that use the Biblical terms: exodus, covenant, return, blossoming of the desert, Zion and Israel.
Who is walking away from whom? It is the people in the pews of mainstream churches, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA) whose members are walking away. Maybe you should do some soul searching and some investigating as to the background of your hierarchal leaders. Most Americans recognize a rat when they see one, hear one, or feel one. They certainly recognize “hate speech” when they see it.
Who is walking away from whom? It is the people in the pews of mainstream churches, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA) whose members are walking away. Maybe you should do some soul searching and some investigating as to the background of your hierarchal leaders. Most Americans recognize a rat when they see one, hear one, or feel one. They certainly recognize “hate speech” when they see it.
Holding radical and anti-Semitic positions as in black and white in this disturbing Presbyterian study guide will guarantee more losses. Or, perhaps the infiltration of radicals from Islam and Progressives is so complete, that losses of the faithful and a watered down Bible and belief system is the goal.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
What Sinai Attack Means for Israel's Security - CBN News
What Sinai Attack Means for Israel's Security
CBN News
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Love For His People Editor's note: You didn't hear on the national news that this bus was full of Christian tourists from South Korea. That won't stop us from going.) Steve Martin
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Islamists targeted a tour bus of South Koreans as it neared the Taba border crossing between Egypt and Israel on Sunday. Four people -- the Egyptian bus driver and three South Korean passengers -- were killed, and at least 13 others injured.
An terrorist calling itself Champions of Jerusalem claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place just 50 meters (yards) from the crossing.
"There was an explosion and then came the fire truck and the ambulance, but they couldn't do anything," Saber Al-Sayed Hassan, an eyewitness, recalled.
Members of the terror posted a statement on al Qaeda-affiliated websites, calling Sunday's bombing part of an "economic war" against the army-backed government.
***The Sinai desert, which borders Egypt and Israel, has become more lawless in recent years. What risk does that pose to the Jewish state's security? CBN News Mideast Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell addresses that question and more on CBN Newswatch, Feb. 17.
The busload of 31 pilgrims -- all members of Jincheon Jungang Presbyterian Church out of Seoul -- had visited St. Catherine's Monastery in central Sinai. They were on a 12-day tour to Turkey, Egypt and Israel.
Late Monday evening, church members, some of them sobbing, gathered in front of the church. One family member of a bus victim can be heard saying, "She's dead. She's dead. My sister is dead."
Several on board were taken to nearby hospitals suffering serious injuries. It was the first such attack targeting foreign tourists in the Sinai Peninsula.
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood released an English-language statement condemning the attack, but tweeted in Arabic that "Zionists" were among the casualties, the Jerusalem Post reported.
South Korea's foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack, saying they were "shocked and enraged at the terrorist bombing on the bus."
"We believe that terrorism can never be justified under any circumstances and such inhumane and unethical acts should be weeded out by all means," the statement read.
South Korea's Egyptian Ambassador Kim Young-So said an Egyptian suicide bomber blew the bus up.
"An Egyptian man in his 20s suddenly boarded the bus and detonated the bomb," Young-So told Seoul-based MBN television. "It appears to be a suicide bombing by a terrorist."
In an emergency meeting, South Korean officials vowed to help the Egyptian government find out who carried out the attack.
"The Egyptian foreign minister has acknowledged the seriousness of this incident, and has expressed his intent to pour all efforts into handling this situation," Lee Jung-kwan, with the South Korean Foreign Ministry, said.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said he hoped Sunday's attack would be "an isolated incident," promising that "all the rest of the country is safe and secure and what happened can happen anywhere in the world."
Egypt's interim government is trying to emerge from the instability that's pervaded the country since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. The government hopes to revive the nation's once-flourishing tourism industry, while dealing with Islamist violence in Cairo and other cities. It's also addressed burgeoning terrorism in the Sinai Peninsula, which grew exponentially during Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi's short tenure.
Since Morsi's ouster, the Brotherhood has continued demanding his reinstatement in anti-government protests.
Presidential elections are planned for mid-April, with acting Defense Minister Gen. Fattah Abdel El-Sisi the leading contender. The majority of Egyptians opposed the Brotherhood's takeover of the government.
An terrorist calling itself Champions of Jerusalem claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place just 50 meters (yards) from the crossing.
"There was an explosion and then came the fire truck and the ambulance, but they couldn't do anything," Saber Al-Sayed Hassan, an eyewitness, recalled.
Members of the terror posted a statement on al Qaeda-affiliated websites, calling Sunday's bombing part of an "economic war" against the army-backed government.
***The Sinai desert, which borders Egypt and Israel, has become more lawless in recent years. What risk does that pose to the Jewish state's security? CBN News Mideast Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell addresses that question and more on CBN Newswatch, Feb. 17.
The busload of 31 pilgrims -- all members of Jincheon Jungang Presbyterian Church out of Seoul -- had visited St. Catherine's Monastery in central Sinai. They were on a 12-day tour to Turkey, Egypt and Israel.
Late Monday evening, church members, some of them sobbing, gathered in front of the church. One family member of a bus victim can be heard saying, "She's dead. She's dead. My sister is dead."
Several on board were taken to nearby hospitals suffering serious injuries. It was the first such attack targeting foreign tourists in the Sinai Peninsula.
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood released an English-language statement condemning the attack, but tweeted in Arabic that "Zionists" were among the casualties, the Jerusalem Post reported.
South Korea's foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack, saying they were "shocked and enraged at the terrorist bombing on the bus."
"We believe that terrorism can never be justified under any circumstances and such inhumane and unethical acts should be weeded out by all means," the statement read.
South Korea's Egyptian Ambassador Kim Young-So said an Egyptian suicide bomber blew the bus up.
"An Egyptian man in his 20s suddenly boarded the bus and detonated the bomb," Young-So told Seoul-based MBN television. "It appears to be a suicide bombing by a terrorist."
In an emergency meeting, South Korean officials vowed to help the Egyptian government find out who carried out the attack.
"The Egyptian foreign minister has acknowledged the seriousness of this incident, and has expressed his intent to pour all efforts into handling this situation," Lee Jung-kwan, with the South Korean Foreign Ministry, said.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said he hoped Sunday's attack would be "an isolated incident," promising that "all the rest of the country is safe and secure and what happened can happen anywhere in the world."
Egypt's interim government is trying to emerge from the instability that's pervaded the country since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. The government hopes to revive the nation's once-flourishing tourism industry, while dealing with Islamist violence in Cairo and other cities. It's also addressed burgeoning terrorism in the Sinai Peninsula, which grew exponentially during Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi's short tenure.
Since Morsi's ouster, the Brotherhood has continued demanding his reinstatement in anti-government protests.
Presidential elections are planned for mid-April, with acting Defense Minister Gen. Fattah Abdel El-Sisi the leading contender. The majority of Egyptians opposed the Brotherhood's takeover of the government.
Watch the video here: CBN News South Korean bus bombing
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Confirmed: U.S. is Chief Facilitator of Christian Persecution - BreakingIsraelNews
This report from BreakingIsraelNews is stunning.
Confirmed: U.S. is Chief Facilitator of Christian Persecution
Posted by: Raymond Ibrahim January 21, 2014 , 2:29 pm
Prominent indicators confirm that the U.S. is the chief facilitator of the persecution of Christians around the world today.
According to the recently released 2014 World Watch List, which ranks the 50 nations where Christians are most persecuted, Syria is the third worst nation in the world in which to be Christian, Iraq is fourth, Afghanistan fifth, and Libya 13th. All four countries receive the strongest designation, “extreme persecution” (other designations are “severe,” “moderate,” and “sparse” persecution).
Aside from being so closely and harshly ranked, these four nations have something else in common: heavy U.S. involvement. Three—Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya—were “liberated” thanks to U.S. forces, while in the fourth, Syria, the U.S. is actively sponsoring “freedom fighters” against the regime, many of whom would be better labeled “terrorists.”
The Syrian situation alone indicts U.S. foreign policy. According to Reuters:
Open Doors, a non-denominational group supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, said on Wednesday it had documented 2,123 “martyr” killings, compared with 1,201 in 2012. There were 1,213 such deaths in Syria alone last year, it said. “This is a very minimal count based on what has been reported in the media and we can confirm,” said Frans Veerman, head of research for Open Doors. Estimates by other Christian groups put the annual figure as high as 8,000.”
While most Americans are shielded from the true nature of the war by the U.S. media’s reluctance to report on it, Arabic media, websites, and activists daily report and document atrocity after atrocity—beheadings and bombed churches, Christians slaughtered for refusing to convert to Islam, and countless abducted for ransom or rape—at the hands of those whom the U.S. supports.
Sen. John McCain meets with “Syrian rebels,” many of whom are not Syrian, and one of which is a known kidnapper (L – Muhammad Nour). (Photo: Raymond Ibrahim)
It’s enough to point out that “the largest massacre of Christians in Syria,” to quote a top religious leader, was left wholly unreported by any major U.S. news network.
At any rate, the statistics speak for themselves: Syria, which used to be religiously tolerant, is now, in the context of the United States’ trying to bring “democracy” to it, the third worst country in the world in terms of “extreme persecution” of Christians.
The Blaze reports that Dr. David Curry, president of Open Doors,
charged that the Obama administration has essentially declined to make the protection of religious minorities a priority . . . “There are many instances where the vacuum of leadership and spokesmanship has created a real problem,” said the human rights leader. “I would say that every significant data point on this year’s ‘2014 Watch List’ is worse—and I think a factor in it is a lack of leadership from Western governments including . . . the U.S. in terms of religious freedom.”
But it’s worse than that. Far from taking any action or providing leadership—or simply ceasing to support the terrorists responsible—the Obama administration recently tried to go to war with Syria on behalf of the “freedom fighters,” amazingly, in the name of “human rights” (Apparently the unsubstantiated rumor that Assad massacred people is enough for the U.S. to go to war, but the ongoing and well-documented massacres of Christians and other civilians at the hands of the opposition is not enough for the U.S. to stop supporting them.)
What’s worse, even the most misinformed mainstream-media-watching American today knows that the so-called “Arab Spring,” which was hailed to justify U.S. support for “rebels” of all stripes—in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood (which months ago destroyed some 80 churches); in Libya, al-Qaeda, which has turned Benghazi into a terror zone; and now the “freedom fighters” in Syria—is not what it was touted to be.
In other words, at this point, whenever the U.S. intervenes in an Islamic nation, Islamists come to power. This is well demonstrated by the other three nations to which the U.S. brought “democracy” and where Christian minorities suffer “extreme persecution”:
- Afghanistan: The supposedly “moderate” Karzai government installed by the U.S. upholds many of the draconian laws enforced by the Taliban—including the apostasy law, fiercely persecuting those who seek to convert to Christianity—and, in 2011, under U.S. auspices, it destroyed Afghanistan’s last Christian church.
- Iraq: After the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein, Christian minorities were savagely attacked and slaughtered, and dozens of their churches were bombed (see here for graphic images). Christians have been terrorized into near-extinction, with well over half of them fleeing Iraq.
- Libya: Ever since U.S.-backed, al-Qaeda-linked terrorists overthrew Qaddafi, Christians—including Americans—have indeed suffered extreme persecution. Churches have been bombed; Christians have been tortured and killed (including for refusing to convert); and nuns have been threatened.
Surely a common theme emerges here: Where the U.S. works to oust secular autocrats, the quality of life for Christians and other minorities takes a major nosedive. Under Saddam, Qaddafi, and Assad, Christians and their churches were largely protected.
Moreover, while George W. Bush was responsible for Afghanistan and Iraq, the argument can be made that, back then (2001 and 2003), this pattern of Islamic radicalization that erupts once autocrats are gone was less well known than it is today. There weren’t many precedents.
Conversely, the Obama administration has had both Afghanistan and Iraq to learn from—and yet still it supports Islamists and jihadis. But by now, what happens once they assume power—religious persecution, terror, oppression—is no longer a secret.
Incidentally, those who care little for the fate of Christians or other minorities in the Islamic world would do well to remember a simple truism: Wherever anti-Christian elements come to power, anti-American forces come to power. The two are synonymous.
Put differently, Muslim persecution of Christians is the litmus test of how radical an Islamic society has become. In all those Muslim nations that the U.S. has interfered in—Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Egypt (till the Egyptians revolted, to the chastisement of the U.S.), and now Syria—the increase of religious intolerance is a reflection of the empowerment of forces hostile to Western civilization.
I am often asked, “How can we help persecuted Christians?” At this point, one must respond: “How about starting with getting the U.S. government to stop being the chief facilitator of Christian persecution?” Altruism aside, it would be in the interests of all who value freedom, religious or otherwise—and especially their descendants.
Read more at http://www.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)