While Our Troops Stood By... Is This Our Vision for a "Free" Iraq?
"Baghdad, June 7, 2007 : Muslim extremists attacked two churches in the Dora district of Baghdad on Tuesday, the 5th of June. They killed security guards at one church and forcibly turned the other church into a mosque.
Several security guards were killed at St John the Baptist Church in Hay Al-Athoriyeen. St Jacob’s Church in Hay al Asya was vandalized and forcibly turned into a mosque. St Jacob’s Church had previously been attacked in October of 2004.
At the same time as the churches were being attacked, the funeral Mass for Chaldean Catholic Priest Father Ragheed Ganni, was being celebrated in Karamles by Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul amidst tight security.
Sarkis Aghajan, the minister of finance of the regional Kurdish government attended the service.
By this time some christian groups said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service that they demand an Assyrian region at the border with Kurdistan in Northern Iraq.
Fr Ragheed Ganni, 35, a parish priest, and three deacons, were shot dead on 3 June, in front of the Holy Spirit Church in the Nur District of Mosul."
From here.
When you think about it, an Assyrian Christian province bordering Kurdistan is terribly important, especially if it is clear - and I think it is - that Iraq will continue to be ruled by Islamic extremists bent on persecution of Christians. When Churches can be converted by force into mosques by force (sound familiar?) - we are not talking about free nations - we are talking about little more than regions run by thugs. If that is what our soldiers are there to make permanent, then I say bring them home.
Several security guards were killed at St John the Baptist Church in Hay Al-Athoriyeen. St Jacob’s Church in Hay al Asya was vandalized and forcibly turned into a mosque. St Jacob’s Church had previously been attacked in October of 2004.
At the same time as the churches were being attacked, the funeral Mass for Chaldean Catholic Priest Father Ragheed Ganni, was being celebrated in Karamles by Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul amidst tight security.
Sarkis Aghajan, the minister of finance of the regional Kurdish government attended the service.
By this time some christian groups said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service that they demand an Assyrian region at the border with Kurdistan in Northern Iraq.
Fr Ragheed Ganni, 35, a parish priest, and three deacons, were shot dead on 3 June, in front of the Holy Spirit Church in the Nur District of Mosul."
From here.
When you think about it, an Assyrian Christian province bordering Kurdistan is terribly important, especially if it is clear - and I think it is - that Iraq will continue to be ruled by Islamic extremists bent on persecution of Christians. When Churches can be converted by force into mosques by force (sound familiar?) - we are not talking about free nations - we are talking about little more than regions run by thugs. If that is what our soldiers are there to make permanent, then I say bring them home.
posted by Father Lee Nelson, SSC at 5:35 PM
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